OMD
A group I loved in the early 90s somehow stumbling into them via their well known Sugar Tax CD. I never got past Sugar Tax at the time but became familiar with their other well known tracks.
I managed to see them live for free at the G-MEX in Manchester in December 1993 during their Liberator Tour, with a warm up act....Gary Numan! I was lucky enough to do some work for a guy that was connected with the live music venues so I was given a a "Lucky Dip" ticket to the show. I still have the concert ticket somewhere......
With the renewed interest in Vinyl I thought I would add a well reviewed OMD classic, Architecture and Morality to the listening room. It is a 2018 remaster of the original release of 1981. Cut at half speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios. It contains two songs that have hair on my neck stand on end.
Side B with the subject being Joan of Arc. In itself Joan of Arc was quite remarkable. Hard to think that at the age of 19 I was at music concerts whilst at the same age the Maid of Orleans was burnt at the stake for her role in the Lancastrian part of the 100 years war.
I seem to remember that the two songs were given the same title (Joan of Arc) by McCluskey but the record label refused this so the second track was given a sub tiltle (Maid or Orleans) My personal preference is for Maid of Orleans. Very haunting use of the Mellotron 3 violin sound. Considering the very sparse lyrics and soundscapes it is a winner with me.
The album was a thing of the time with use of unusual soundscapes throughout. I like the soundstage it gives, maybe something best experienced on Vinyl?
A lot of talk is always given over to what sounds good and bad on vinyl. There are so many variables of quality, and indeed how those degrees of quality are heard best.....and at what cost to achieve this. Does this particular remaster sound better than other releases on Vinyl? If you are happy in your ability to enjoy what you hear on the vinyl you have the answer ....just got to get up to flip the record over. This being the half speed remaster I am happy with what I hear through the turntable, amplification and output speaker system. Could it be better? undoubtedly yes. There is more to Vinyl in my book than the sounds that comes out of the speaker though.
Interestingly just up the road in Rochdale there is a connection with OMD. I did not know about this until recently and just how important a music studio was in it's not so distant past. Article here is quite an eyebrow raiser for Rochdale.
https://www.cargostudios.co.uk/the-blue-plaque/
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