Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark [OMD]: Junk Culture (1984)

I suppose a band has to ask itself what to do after confounding critics and fans with an under- appreciated album that was both way ahead of its time and a commercial failure. Prior to Dazzle Ships, OMD delivered a true musical masterpiece. Inevitably, perhaps, the band shuffled towards a more popular sound, but without completely giving up the experimentation.

On the commercial side, we have Talking Loud and Clear, Tesla Girls, and Locomotion, which are all terrific tunes. Some of the lesser known songs are equally good, like Never Turn Away, Love and Violence, Hard Day, and the calypsoish All Wrapped Up. And then there are a couple of songs that fall into the experimental category, like White Trash and the epic instrumental title track, Junk Culture.

It adds up to a fantastic record that brushes the fringes of a commercial record, but offers to enough to long-standing fans to keep them interested. More than anything, it presaged where the band would go next, with a true move into commercial territory.