The original line up of OMD disbanded in 1989 but rather than throw in the towel, Andy McCluskey decided to continue the project alone. Aspirations for success in America and an inclination towards experimentation were put to one side and the band were born anew.
In an attempt to garner radio play and mass appeal the bass guitar and drums were replaced by the sounds of the Korg M1 and contemporary dance beats. The new approach seemed to work as "Sugar Tax" racked up platinum sales across Europe and was seen as a return to form. My copy of the record is the original 1991 pressing as this is one of few OMD albums that hasn't seen a repress since its release.
The album opens with the lead single "Sailing on the Seven Seas" which is a pleasing pop romp with a distinctive drum refrain. This song proved to be a big hit and must have buoyed Andy's confidence in the new incarnation of OMD. There's more straight up dance-pop in the form of "Pandora's Box (It's a Long Way)" and "Call My Name" which have that all important radio friendly sound. Another highlight for me is "Walk Tall" which has a fantastic synth bassline, Kraftwerk inspired beats and Roland D-50 presets scattered in the mix.
Personally I have always been disappointed by the cover version of "Neon
Lights" on this record as the use of an unrelated female singer robs it
of any impact. "Apollo XI" is 100% certified album filler and I have
never been a big fan of the single "Then You Turn Away".
A good chunk of the album reflects on the break up of the band and Andy's relationship with fellow founding member Paul Humphreys. "Was It Something I Said" and "All That Glitters" are classic break up songs that have some bite but they pull back from anything too caustic and bitter. "Big Town" is slated as a reflection of the music business but, like a lot of these songs, the lyrics are ambiguous enough to leave the interpretation open to the listener. 4/5
