Universal (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album)

Universal is the tenth album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 1996. It spawned the group's first Top 20 hit in the UK for over five years with the track "Walking on the Milky Way". However, follow-up single "Universal" and the album itself performed poorly and this lack of success prompted singer Andy McCluskey to dissolve the band. It would remain their final album for over a decade until the group's reunion.

Universal
Studio album by
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Released2 September 1996 (1996-09-02)
RecordedPre-recorded at The Factory, Dublin, JE Sound, and Johnny Juma, Los Angeles
Recorded at The Townhouse, and Metropolis, London
GenreSynthpop, Britpop
Length49:40
LabelVirgin
ProducerAndy McCluskey
Matthew Vaughan
David Nicholas
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark chronology
Liberator
(1993)		 Universal
(1996)		 The OMD Singles
(1998)
Singles from Universal
  1. "Walking on the Milky Way"
    Released: 5 August 1996
  2. "Universal"
    Released: 21 October 1996

OMD co-founder Paul Humphreys, who had departed the group in 1989, served as principal songwriter on "Very Close to Far Away" and "If You're Still in Love with Me". Erstwhile McCluskey collaborator Karl Bartos (formerly of Kraftwerk) co-wrote "The Moon & the Sun".

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Encyclopedia of Eighties Music[2]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine in AllMusic remarked: "Universal is a rote collection of synth-pop and dance-pop from OMD, demonstrating only a fraction of the sophisticated craft that made its predecessor Liberator enjoyable, and none of the adventurous spirit of their '80s records."[1] Trouser Press wrote that "the album quickly settles into the type of pop OMD has offered since [1985's] Crush" and is "enjoyable enough for what it is".[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Andy McCluskey, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Universal" 5:41
2."Walking on the Milky Way"McCluskey, Nigel Ipinson, Keith Small4:38
3."The Moon & the Sun"McCluskey, Karl Bartos3:37
4."The Black Sea"McCluskey, Stuart Kershaw3:38
5."Very Close to Far Away"Paul Humphreys, McCluskey5:45
6."The Gospel of St Jude" 2:23
7."That Was Then" 4:27
8."Too Late"McCluskey, Kershaw4:09
9."The Boy from the Chemist Is Here to See You" 4:41
10."If You're Still in Love with Me"Humphreys, McCluskey, Kershaw2:51
11."New Head"McCluskey, Simon Fung5:01
12."Victory Waltz" 2:45

Personnel
  • Andy McCluskey – vocals, keyboards, production, mix on tracks 8–9
  • Matthew Vaughan – keyboards on tracks 1, 4, 8, and 10, guitar on tracks 2, 3, and 5, piano on track 3, bass on track 9, production on tracks 1–7, and tracks 10–12
  • Breda Dunne – backing vocals on track 1
  • Phil Spalding – bass on tracks 1–3, track 5, and track 7, backing vocals on track 2
  • Chuck Sabo – drums and percussion on tracks 1–3, track 5, and tracks 7–9
  • Hannah Clive – backing vocals on track 2
  • Carol Kenyon – backing vocals on track 5
  • Richard Allen Singers – vocals on track 6, courtesy of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
  • Jimmy Taylor – guitar on track 7
  • Maggie Keane – backing vocals on track 8
  • Anne Dudley – string arrangement for track 10
  • David Nicholas – production on tracks 1–7, and tracks 10–12, engineer, mix on tracks 2–10, and 12
  • Gregg Jackman – mix on tracks 1, and 11
  • Julie Gardner – engineer, assistant engineer
  • Neil Tucker – assistant engineer

Charts
Chart (1996) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[4] 21
European Albums (Music & Media)[5] 45
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[6] 39
Scottish Albums (OCC)[7] 43
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[8] 34
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[9] 28
UK Albums (OCC)[10] 24

References
  1. AllMusic review
  2. Larkin, Colin (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music. Virgin Books. p. 350. ISBN 0753501597.
  3. "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Trouser Press. Retrieved 2 January 2017.
  4. "Austriancharts.at – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Universal" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  5. "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13 no. 39. 28 September 1996. p. 21. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  6. "Offiziellecharts.de – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Universal" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  7. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  8. "Swedishcharts.com – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Universal". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  9. "Swisscharts.com – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Universal". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  10. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
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