OMD Live: Architecture & Morality & More (DVD)
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark
Eagle Rock Entertainment, 2008
REVIEW BY: Kenny S. McGuane
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 06/03/2008
I mean, if my only claim to fame was a track like 1985’s “If You Leave,” I could die a happy man. Sweet baby Jesus, that’s a great song.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. It’s dated ‘80s John Hughes-pop, but I dare you to try and write a catchier tune. That isn’t OMD’s only claim to fame; they had a string of hits in both
Prior to OMD’s reunion in 2006, the band hadn’t played together since they opened for Depeche Mode at that oh-so-legendary 1988 Pasadena Rose Bowl show. OMD had gathered for a television appearance some eighteen years later and having realized how fun it was to play, just sort of decided to put things back together again.
Glad they did. The results are marvelous.
Eagle Vision has released OMD Live: Architecture & Morality & More on both DVD and CD. Because Architecture & Morality was their most potent and meaningful artistic statement, OMD decided to tour the album once more. Although the album is rearranged (numerically, not musically) for the concert, it sounds just as good as the original record and the use of clever onstage graphics really bring the music to life. The DVD/CD features the album in its entirety (“Architecture & Morality,” “Sealand,” “The New Stone Age,” “Georgia,” “Souvenir,” etc.) and also includes other OMD catalog highlights (“If You Leave,” “So In Love,” “Enola Gay,” etc.). The DVD also features extended interviews with the band, which provide some interesting context and perspective on OMD.
A strong performance from a strong, well-respected band that might never get the recognition they deserve, Architecture & Morality & More does a tremendous job of upholding OMD’s legacy. Let’s hope that if and when they do a new studio record, the results do even more to preserve their legacy and nothing to blemish it.