Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Album: “Pacific Age”

I originally bought this album on tape back in 1986. I listened to it until the tape was thin and ready to snap. Then I didn't listen again for 20 years.

I was surprised to find that it's STILL a very good album. They were doing things electronically that no one else was doing and no one is really doing right now.

Southern was my favorite song back then (voice-overs were big in the late '80s). Listening to it now makes me wish for more historical voice-over songs. To this day, it is still an excellent song.

OMD's "Pacific Age" is an album I loved in high school even though I only had a bad cassette copy of it. The music is inspirational, though unobtainable, in a similar way to how 'The Smiths' and 'Morrissey' always managed to get an inspirational mood out of melancholy melodies and lyrics. The title song "The Pacific Age" may best exemplify this, but there are many memorable offerings to be heard. A good album to listen to when driving around aimlessly at night.

I love the original synth guys. The new synth music cant compete. However I still like alot of the new synth music. This album has some of my fav omd songs on it.

I search for the words to describe the mixture of orchestral arrangement and electronic pop, that the traditionally synth / electronic pop only band has achieved. Every track is a winner - with immense depth of sound, and the usually strong lyrics. For owners of other OMD material, you will not be disappointed in the least. "(Forever) Live And Die" is the highlight, and it was the major hit from the album. "The Dead Girls", a sad and sombre track, really shows off OMD's arrangement skills, as does the setting of the famous Martin Luther King speech to music in "Southern".

If you do not own any OMD music, then perhaps the "Best Of" compilation is the place to start. If you already own that, then this is a definite number one to buy next. The other contenders must the "Crush" as well as "Architecture & Morality", although every album is a masterpiece. This is my top rated album of the 80's. Get it.

It's a fluffy title, but the songs on Pacific Age get in your head and demand to be replayed. They are well written and performed and have held up well over the years with many rememberable lyrics and strong hooks that cause me to put the disc back in the player for another listen.