Disco de Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: “Organisation”

First I must admit that I don't actually know why this album was called Organisation, however, I can guess that the 'big business' or at least relative big business feel of Virgin Records DinDisc offshoot was making its presence felt. Now, I mean that in a positive way because here is a record that shows what can happen when creative people like Andy and Paul hook up with the cash to buy real instruments and hire a real producer like Mike Howlett. And, of course, let Malcolm play real drums and cymbals (well, hi-hat anyway) on some of the tracks, rather than forcing him to be a full time human electro-metronome.

Compare this effort with their first album where they were constrained by (literally) home made drums and archaic keyboards, no wonder this recording is so different with it's real although heavily gated drums, properly recorded vocals and the hot keyboard of the day, the Prophet 10. To prove the point and take a step back in time, listen to the cover of 'The More I See You' which the boys actually recorded themselves at The Gramophone Suite which for you Liverpudlian Musicians was their private studio located above the Frank Hessy music store in the city centre. Personally I prefer the new direction and McCluskey and Humphreys' songwriting.

Coming back up to date, if there are any samplists reading this, don't delay, just go ahead and plug this baby into your Akai because Organisation includes some of the most beautiful sounds ever committed to vinyl, and this from a trio who assured us all that they were non-musicians. Maybe that's true but these textures and chord changes did not happen by accident.

Take a listen to Statues and let the lush multi textures wash gently over you. On the second listen, because you will want to hear it again immediately, watch out for the tape glitch that caused Andy Mac so much angst when he heard the master for the first time after the recording session. He was assured that nobody would notice and they probably didn't but this little technical gremlin surely brings the Beatles 'All You Need Is Love' to mind.

Now move on to Stanlow, a groaning clanking homage to the oil refinery at the Eastern end of the Mersey Estuary where Andy's father had worked for so many years....is it a song? I don't know but it is a beautiful thing to listen to.....interesting that a collection of such harsh sounds can be blended to make one beautiful one. I am sure that this did not pass Depeche Mode by.

At this time I believe that OMITD which was the then current abbreviation, was most strongly influenced by three bands, Kraftwerk, Talking Heads and Roxy Music. Now they don't sound at all like Talking Heads but the quirky/intelligent/subversive nature of David Byrne shines through. Seems to me that Enola Gay was borne of Byrnes thought processes, Kraftwerks sounds and some of the pop greatness of Roxy's 'Flesh and Blood'. It probably didn't hurt that Andy had an admirable collection of WW2 Airfix Bombers in his bedroom in Meols either.

And what of the rest? Who cares?? Because these three are well worth the price of admission anyway and whatever else you get will be a pleasant surprise I can assure you, it just won't have the enduring presence of Enola Gay, Statues or Stanlow.

And what came next? Architecture and Morality, but that's a whole other story and a completely new (old) keyboard. No prizes for telling me what it was.....I'll tell you all another day.

The album dates back to the 80's, and is a top class representative of the synth / electronic pop genre of the time. This is the follow up album to their self-titled debut, and is a great improvement on it. For starters, "Enola Gay" was the major hit off the album - reaching top 10 in the UK. The other tracks are obviously less spectacular, with a mix of good tunes and experimental noises, but overall it's a good effort from the band, with a taster of the great things that came from all the albums that followed.

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 maybe move to "The Pacific Age" or "Crush" next, especially if you're a recent OMD fan. Hardcore fans should definitely add this to their collection - I recommend it.

I bought this album on 1980 when it first came out and I think it has stood the test of time. I will start with the album cover this picture played on my mind for many years now I think that I know the location. It is in Scotland taken on Rannoch mor looking north west towards Glencoe taking in Stob Dearg and Am Boddach. A bit train spotter like I know but it gives place to the picture. The reason though I give the album 4 stars one or two of the tracks are a bit on the flat side. But there is the classic eighties synth track Enola Gay a well crafted multi layered track. The opening bars come over in definative waves each adding extra till the song gets up it's momentum. The fact the the song is about the plane that changed so many peoples lives should not be forgotton but it is put in such away that it classic pop. Hence it's appearence on so many 80's compiliation albums. The other Gem on the album is a unknown track called Statues never a single yet a simple melody which goes through the track with words which place thoughts and feelings about relationships,in the sort of depth that you think yet can not articulate to others .I look back on people and places with this album track. Then there is the track Stanlow intermingled through it is a electronic version of railway waggons this suits the mood as OMD seem to be able to a place such obsecure things as a oil refinery in context. As atmoshepheric and with plenty of feeling this is suits the view you get when you go past it on the M56 on a dark winters night with the lights and flares glowing brightly. To sum the album up a selection of mature well crafted pop with feeling

I bought their first 2 albums together, and wow, what a step up this one is from just earlier in 1980! Organisation is a one-of-a-kind OMD album, the only one that is so dark in certain spots. 2nd Thought, Statues, The Misunderstanding, The More I See You. Then there's VCL XI, Promise, and Stanlow, the 3 best songs OMD churned out before Architecture and Morality. Nothing like this little album, only a preview of what was soon to come.

Much of the pop music of my teens sounds dated or dull now (Echo and the Bunnymen anyone ?), but the early OMD albums hold up well. Finally nicely remastered, much better than the worn out cassette I remember these songs from. Catchy pop melodies, but they had enough of a Kraftwerk obsession to get strange as well. Dazzle Ships is still my favorite, which was too odd to be successful. After that it was a rapid descent into pop blandness.