Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Organisation poll

Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses poll

No song placed in KROQ's Top 106.7 of 1980.

DNP in ILM's Songs or Albums 80s polls.

Acclaimed Music:
DNP Album
77. Enola Gay

ooh nice, this album rules! before relistening ―and actively avoiding the obvious champ here― i will say "2nd thought."

okay "statues" is way better than i remembered.

Is OMD underrated? I kind of feel like they are, esp. compared to New Order or Depeche Mode. I was watching some documentary about the Liverpool scene in the late '70s and '80s and got the impression OMD were not taken seriously. Wrong part of the city?

Anyway:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxaihmVAN6w

“2nd Thought” from memory, but will relisten before I vote

@ Josh idk this band fell off extremely imo after Dazzle Ships and didn’t recover til History Of Modern; some electronic acts moved digital with elan but OMD did not

Maybe, as album artists, I do agree that there's a drop. But for sure I love the singles off of "Junk Culture" and love "Crush" start to finish. Even "Pacific Age" has a couple of songs I absolutely love.

But even if we are talking about those first four, that's four great records, which is more than most bands ever manage!

i do think their evolution into modern gear impacted the potential legacy of those early albums. when i first heard them in the early 2000s, the topic of this poll was a dollar bin staple, right next to crush and pacific age. i just figured they were one of the main bands of the era whosr albums hadn't endured past their chart hit (similar to someone like war; "enjoyed by those who remember").

couple observations:

-i heard all of their albums up to pacific age completely out of order, so hearing organisation and dazzle ships back to back for the first time in an afternoon, they seemed absolutely like in-step statements from a band that had more ideas than ideas about execution ―― but still managing a mood.

-i was also hearing the kraftwerk catalogue for the first time right around when i was hearing these records so it didn't immediately hit me just how much they were stealing from kraftwerk. not in a bad way, just probably works a lot better in retrospect.

i also remember seeing the 1987 usa reissue of the first album in used bins a lot, usually in pristine condition. makes me wonder if there was a bunch of new "if you leave" fans and a strategically repackaged budget price album.

"The More I See You" might actually be my favorite OMD song ever, those sparkling synths in the chorus really get to me

Now here's the trick: did you know that's a cover? Took me a while to clock that!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXJIQNDC-N4

I did not! I always thought the lyrics were perhaps a bit out of the ordinary for OMD...

okay i also did not know that and that rules!

"statues" might be my vote.

I voted for Motion and Heart, but I really love the 1978 'live from the Factory' tracks as well, I think I might have gone for them if they were counted as one single piece of music. The Distance Fades Between Us part sounds a bit like Never Turn Away from Junk Culture (maybe via La Folie by the Stranglers?)

"Statues" just ahead of "Stanlow"

Originally I was going to poll the singles, as that is all I know but we have already done that. Then to Architecture & Morality as I have actually heard that album a few times but again done. So this one is newer for me. I love that it feels like a lost classic. A Goth Synth album that reminds me of something like the first Ministry album or Xymox.

Hit submit too soon. I can easily vote for three different songs here, still deciding. And "Enola Gay" is a great pop song!

The feeling and the way you lied
These games you play
They're gonna end in more than tears some day

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

The thing is, Enola Gay is pretty much the greatest pop record ever made

VCL XI, mainly because i put it on a mixtape once so have heard it the most

Is OMD underrated? I kind of feel like they are, esp. compared to New Order or Depeche Mode.

I think they’re incredibly overlooked, considering how a few of their songs are truly iconic. They have the classic opening run, several pretty good albums, and then a decline before their revival. They’re on a run now which began with one that was good, featuring an absolutely towering peak-level title track (History of Modern), followed by three LPs which are largely excellent. And they remain one of the best live ‘80s acts out there. Almost shockingly great.

They also created the greatest album of all time

yea the last 3 OMD albums have all been incredible, McCluskey's voice hasn't aged at all so they sound modern in a way not a lot of 80s bands do

saw them in 2018, amazing show

The last couple of times I saw them they were totally great.

Always thought this album was cheap Kraftwerk fan fiction, due to the name. I suppose I should see if a re-listen will prove me wrong.

Ironically, despite containing their big early hit, this album feels like the most underrated of the first four.

I suspect I will go for “Second Thought”, “VCL XI” or “Stanlow” but I’d like to listen again before voting.

I also saw them live, on their first reunion tour around 2006/7, and was surprised by how great the concert was, despite already being a big fan of the records. I guess it's not the kind of music I would have assumed would necessarily work well live, and when a band reform after a long time apart there's always a concern that you're just going to see some people going through the motions, but they all seemed to be having the time of their lives.

iirc they'd started the tour by doing gigs in London and Liverpool where they played Architecture and Morality in full, and then toured the rest of the country playing all their 80s singles, I hadn't been able to get to one of the A&M gigs so I went to one of the greatest hits shows instead, but they came out at the start and announced that they'd enjoyed playing A&M so much that they decided to start every show in the tour by playing it in full before doing the singles, which was a nice surprise (though some of the audience who'd come to hear the hits seemed to be getting a bit antsy waiting for something they recognised during the title track and Sealand)

"Second Thought" is my vote. Btw just in case it's not common knowledge, but these guys's Peel Sessions are among the best ever recorded.

It is interesting coming back to them suddenly and developing these suspicions of synaptic engagement ("Red Frame White Light" being a possible VU tribute? "Bunker Soldiers" being the inspiration to "Love Vigilantes"?)

Update: it’s “VCL XI” for the way the song gradually is subsumed by noise.

“Annex” is also very good - these guys often had incredibly ace bass sounds.

How weird; as I was listening, I had the exact opposite thought. That the bass was often thin and weedy sounding. Sure, New Order's bass was also often thin and weedy. But they used gigantic synth bass sounds to beef up the lower end and make it more danceable.

I enjoyed the album more than I thought I would. But I can see why they are more of a 'deep cuts' band than New Order or Depeche Mode. It's interesting and cerebral, but lacks that big, pop dance feel. It's Radioactivity, not Trans Europe Express.

Anyway. Voting for 2nd Thought as it feels the most immediate.

they do feel distinct from the other big UK early 80s synth acts in that they don't appear to have much obvious interest in funk or disco

and yes they're obviously heavily influenced by Kraftwerk, but it would also be plausible if someone told you they'd never heard any of the post Radioactivity albums

Lack of disco is a real sticking point for me.

I guess Gary Numan was the other big UK synth act that did not seem to have a big disco/soul/funk/African-American music influence, but he was more heavy rock music and OMD weren't very rock either, they feel more like an indie act in some ways, that lack of funkiness, a certain fey, earnest, nostalgic quality

Cars is pretty disco, but I guess it didn't go further than that?

There's something almost handmade feeling about this album. But in an intricate, rather than rustic kind of way. Despite being very obviously synthpop, it feels like everything was played by hand, carefully recorded and pasted together. Though I don't know about their working methods. If they were played or programmed.

While even with early Depeche Mode albums, it feels slick and machine made. Even when they were still 4 teenagers bashing the melodies out by hand, before everything became sequenced.

I don't really know to express what I'm trying to explain. There's not really any swagger to it.

I think that's what I'm trying to get at when I say they sound indie, like a synth-pop version of C86 shambling stuff.

they covered I'm Waiting For My Man around the time of the first album - maybe OMD is what Jonathan Richmond and the Modern Lovers would have sounded like if Jonathan was equally into Kraftwerk as he was into the Velvet Underground.

There is a decidedly punk edge to these first four albums— “Of All The Things We’ve Made” I take as being a “the thesis is in the epilogue” moment

Hmm. Joy Division/New Order gradually came around to synths as a natural evolution. Depeche Mode started out all synths and came around to "real" instruments as a natural evolution. But OMD had bass and drums from the start, along with the synths, so maybe there is something to them being more distinct? Like, when you see this clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuWHvob1eGs

They're just a lot more animated or (for lack of a better word) emo than those others, who either embraced or exuded robotics or shyness or boredom.

they had long hair when started out

In Julian Cope's memoir Head On he talks about the Liverpool punk scene and how he and other movers and shakers derisively regarded pre-OMD McCluskey (on the outskirts of the scene) as a "hippie" and nicknamed him 'Leo Sayer' because of his hair.

OMD pre haircuts

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTEEWC_Ge4RccuOnGj-_PdGzyQVs0djLahnaw&s

longhair andy resembles steve coogan lol

also re:"hippie"ness and cutting hair ― also ties into how much kraftwerk's overall image impressed on them. i can't find the clip, but there's a famous reminisce by one of the members of kraftwerk upon playing north england for the first time. andy managed his way backstage/into a non-crowd area so he could meet the band. that was pre-omd, so i can only imagine what seeing them up close in their suits and neatly combed hair did in terms of adjusting mccluskey's definition of cool.

also xpost― fgti crucially otm re:their peel sessions. if you want a solid mini 'best of' the first four albums, this is hard to top and the performances are not far off the studio recordings. spot the difference on some classic omd. oh ya, idk why streaming has to suck so much but the only recent versions of the peel sessions album available specifically omit the superior version of "of all things we've made" so sry to fans of their best song. fan uploads are cool imo.

it feels like everything was played by hand, carefully recorded and pasted together

That's a good insight, actually - I remember reading an interview with McCluskey, in which he remembered that he and Humphreys "nearly gave ourselves RSI" recording endless takes of the synth basslines.

I think that's in the clip I posted above.

Also worth noting is that McCluskey's gormless daddance looks extremely awkward when he's in his 20s but is totally charming in present day and at current age :)

@ Austin yep that's the one, it's one of the 150 CDs I couldn't bring myself to sell in The Great Cull, I love that disc so so much

This thread really blew up. I had so much fun discovering this album. Could probably pick any song on side 1 but going with "2nd Thought."

A band I was in recorded a version of that one for an OMD tribute, it's a good'n.

BTW anyone else think "The Misunderstanding" sounds like a perfect cross between the Cure and Depeche Mode?

It does, starts off like something from Seventeen Seconds before going into Depeche Mode.

Any way we can hear your cover?

Nevermind that is putting you on the spot, my bad.

Ha, no prob. Modesty and a sense of relative anonymity makes we wary, though ironically, listening back, I don't think I'm on this track at all! I can ilxor mail it to you.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

24 hours ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUzkIgENySw

♡

they sound great! they're visibly having fun!

OMD LIVE

5/22/25 - Washington, D.C. - Lincoln Theatre
5/23/25 - Washington, D.C. - Lincoln Theatre
5/24/25 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre
5/28/25 - Orlando, FL - The Plaza Live
5/29/25 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theatre
6/1/25 - Dallas, TX - Majestic Theatre
6/2/25 - Houston, TX - Bayou Music Center
6/3/25 - Austin, TX - The Moody Theater
6/5/25 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre
6/6/25 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Union
6/9/25 - Vancouver, BC - Orpheum Theatre
6/10/25 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre
6/11/25 - Seattle, WA - Moore Theatre
6/13/25 - Forest Grove, OR - Cruel World
6/15/25 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
6/17/25 - San Diego, CA - Balboa Theatre
6/18/25 - San Diego, CA - Balboa Theatre
6/20/25 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
6/21/25 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
6/22/25 - Las Vegas, NV - House of Blues
6/26/25 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
6/28/25 - Chicago, IL - Riviera Theatre
6/29/25 - Royal Oak, MI - Music Theatre
7/1/25 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues
7/3/25 - Toronto, ON - History
7/4/25 - Toronto, ON - History
7/6/25 - Huntington, NY - Paramount
7/7/25 - Boston, MA - House of Blues
7/8/25 - New York, NY - Terminal 5