Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Underrated Early Electronica, May 12, 2003
Something about the "cold" sounds of a synthesizer calls for gushingly romantic songwriting and tender singing. This album joins the Pet Shop Boy's "Behavior" and Erasure's "The Innocents" as synth pop masterpieces. "Sugar Tax" is less famous than these other two, perhaps because as out gay artists Erasure and the Pet Shop Boys enjoy a built-in following. More recently, Daft Punk's "Discovery" and Basement Jaxx's "Rooty" qualify as classic electronica albums. "Sugar Tax," though dance-influenced, is not DJ-driven; it's a concept album in the old artist/auteur sense.And what is its concept? Look at its title. For the "sugar" of love, you pay dearly. The album's last song, the string- swollen "All That Glitters" drives this home mournfully. Other stand-out tracks include the lovely "Walking on Air" with its windy whooshing sounds, its trembling synth-mandolin, clicking percussion, gorgeous melody, and poetic lyrics. Check these out, and tell me OMD doesn't rank with the best songwriters: "No footsteps on the stair tonight.
No cigarettes for me to light.
No heavy, scented clothes to fall to the floor.
But I hear you calling when you're not there...
Walking on air..." "It's a Long Long Way," a lush piece of dance pop about a silent film star limns a classic dreamer's tale: "Born in Kansas on an ordinary plain," the actress flees to New York at 17 and makes it big. By the second verse, she's washed up. OMD's cheery sonics and melancholy voices account emotionally for both her success and her failure. "Neon Lights," the album's dreamy Kraftwerk cover, uses airy gang vocals and lush synth sound to produce hypnotic beauty. One can almost see the L.A. basin at night--or any cityscape salted with lights. "The city's made of light," declares the song with child-like wonder. "Was It Something I Said?" begins gently but crescendoes in its furor as a jilted lover airs his complaint. The instrumental "Apollo XVI" has aged well, and "Walk Tall" is a quiet classic whose angst-ridden vocal contradicts its self-confident lyrics. All in all, this is well-made stuff: highly romantic, cleanly produced, memorably melodic.
|
|
|
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Other than the Singles...this is the CD to get, November 10, 2000
This is truly a masterpiece. This album was created after the Andy McCluskey/ Paul Humphreys split. Most people didn't bank of Andy McCluskey being able to pull off an album of this caliber without Paul Humphreys. However , he did. The songs on this album are very melodic and full of emotion. This album is primarily electronic, meaning it doesn't have the live brass sounds that "Crush" and "Pacific Age" had. It would seem like a contradiction, to say that an electronic album could have a lot of emotion. Most people would equate electronic music as being cold and emotionless, yet OMD has proven through the years that the electronic/synth sound and emotions can coexist. This album is a testament to that fact.The album starts off with "Sailing on the Seven Seas". It has a Gary Glitter type drum beat with blues piano riffs. This is one of the powerhouses on the album. "Pandora's Box" follows and it maybe the best OMD song ever. It is a song about silent film star Louise Brooks. The song is very poppy, but yet has a tinge of sadness to it. The background singers combine with McCluskey's voice and make the song soar with greatness. This truly is a must listen. "Then You Turn Away" is a slower song about caring about someone who doesn't feel the same way. It is easy to identify with. "Speed of Light" is an energetic song that contains lyrics that compare emotions to physics. "Was It Something I Said" is a very powerful song that starts off mellow and then explodes with fury, before slowing back down. McCluskey's vocals on "Was It Something I Said" are brilliant. "Big Town" tells of loneliness of urban life and how that life can make someone lose touch with his/her emotions and feelings. "Call My Name" is a gem. It is almost in the class of "Pandora's Box". The song is gorgeous with Vox Choir synth sounds in the background. The song is dancy, but yet sounds angelic. Again, this is a song about liking someone who doesn't feel the same way. "Apollo XI" is an instrumental song which uses snippets of the audio from the U.S.'s moon landing. This song is reminiscent of the song "Southern" from the Pacific Age album. This shows off the creative side of OMD being able to tie historic events with modern times. "Walking On Air" has a ghostly feel to it or a Casablanca type feel to it. "Neon Lights" is a good cover of the Kraftwerk song from the Man-Machine album. "All That Glitters" is a sad song about how things are never what they appear to be. This album mixes melancholia with catchy melodies and beats like no other album around. This album is very underrated and hopefully someday it will get the recognition it deserves.
|
|
|
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best OMD album overall, period!, August 10, 2005
Others come close and sure I can probably agree that OMD's best song probably isn't on this album. But, in terms of consistency and quality, this album is incredible. As an avid OMD music collector, I can attest that all OMD albums have fillers or other unappealing songs, but this has by far the least. This is a melodic, poetic, romantic, shake your hips, and mood making album....a must have. You will easily find several songs appealing, I guarantee it!
P.S. it's about the music, not how you naively think all artists should be stuck in their 'innovative' or 'pioneering' stage. No artist or band has ever done that, so grow up yourself!
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
~ Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
~ Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
~ Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
~ Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
~ Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
is Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's 
