Junk Culture

Junk Culture met with a mostly unfavourable reaction from the English music press.[12] NME wrote that the album is "never fresh or dynamic – all too predictable", while What Hi-Fi? felt it "seems to lack some of the substance of previous albums". Melody Maker asked: "Is there anyone who will care about OMD now having been let down again?"[12] That publication's Lynden Barber disapproved of the lyrically aggressive "White Trash", calling it "offensive, irresponsible garbage".[13]

Conversely, Robin Smith gave a positive review for Record Mirror in which he described the album as "smooth, warm and powerful – a living, breathing musical menagerie filled with a hard core of ideas culled from virtually the four corners of the world".[12] Johnny Black in Smash Hits portrayed the record as "infinitely more accessible than the last album [Dazzle Ships]... but still reveals some brave moves." He added however that "moments that turn excellence into magic are fewer and further between".[14]

Reviews among England's mainstream press were more positive.[12] In The Guardian, Robin Denselow referred to a "fifth album that's bursting with life and enthusiasm", which combines previously exhibited skills with "a cheerful dose of pop, dance styles and even R&B and Latin influences to produce an unusual and catchy set of songs".[15]

James Muretich in the Calgary Herald described Junk Culture as "glorious... a subtle, seductive pop recording with brains to boot".[7] Sydney Morning Herald critic Henry Everingham noted that "nearly every song has the word 'single' stamped on it",[16] while Evelyn Erskine in the Ottawa Citizen remarked: "Of the countless bands that make up the synth-pop invasion, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark has shown a greater ability to progress creatively than most... The mood is enhanced by the band's deft use of experimental techniques."[17] Carl Brown Jr. in the Reading Eagle praised "Never Turn Away" but was overall unfavourable, stating that only three songs on the record are worth listening to.[18]

The Arizona Daily Star's resident critic, M. Scot Skinner, placed Junk Culture second in a list of 1984's 20 best albums.[19] In naming the 10 best albums of the year for the St. Petersburg Times, reviewer Anne Hull ranked Junk Culture fourth.[20] In a 2013 online poll, it was voted the 35th best album of 1984 based on the opinions of over 35,000 respondents.[21]

AllMusic journalist Ned Raggett wrote: "Junk Culture exhibits all the best qualities of OMD at their most accessible — instantly memorable melodies and McCluskey's distinct singing voice, clever but emotional lyrics, and fine playing all around."[6] Trouser Press asserted: "Junk Culture is much stronger [than Dazzle Ships], pulling away further from sparkling pop while retaining smart melodies in far denser and newly dance-based styles. 'Tesla Girls' employs scratch production to great effect while fixing on science as a clever lyrical base (shades of Sparks); the rhythm-heavy 'Locomotion' and the more fanciful 'Talking Loud and Clear' are likewise ace tracks."[22] John Bergstrom in PopMatters wrote: "Junk Culture was not OMD's most acclaimed album, but it just might be a perfectly efficient primer on what makes the British synthesizer band so special." Bergstrom noted that much of the record's sound was darker than typical synthpop music of the era,[23] and both he and Raggett had particular praise for the album's singles.[6][23] Louder Than War critic Paul Scott-Bates said the LP has no filler, and is "simply one of those timeless albums".[9]

Tony Kanal of rock band No Doubt called Junk Culture a "great" record.[24] Both Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys conceded that the commercial disappointment of Dazzle Ships caused OMD to become "safer" on Junk Culture, but nevertheless consider it to be a strong album.[25]

• "10 to 1" is a song with vocals by Andy McCluskey which would later become the album track "Love and Violence" and features some of the same lyrics
• "All Or Nothing" is a slower track featuring Paul Humphreys on vocals.
• "Heaven Is (Highland Studios demo)" - this song was originally played live on OMD's showcase tour in the autumn of 1983 – as were tracks such as "Junk Culture", "Tesla Girls" and "Never Turn Away" – but never made it to the album ("Heaven Is" also nearly made 1986 LP The Pacific Age[30]). A new version was included on the 1993 Liberator album.
• "Tesla Girls (Highland Studios demo)" / "White Trash (Highland Studios demo)" - both songs eventually made it to the album.

B-sides "The Avenue", "Wrappup", the re-recorded version of "Julia's Song" and extended mixes of "Tesla Girls", "Never Turn Away" and "Talking Loud and Clear" were available on CD for the first time.

"Julia's Song (Dub Version)" was kept as a special limited edition 10" release for the 2015 Record Store Day. It is the same track as the first part of "Julia's Song (Extended Version)", B-side to the 1984 "Talking Loud And Clear" 12" single, the second part of which was included on the Junk Culture Deluxe bonus CD. The track "10 to 1" was used as the B-side to this release.[31] The original version of "Julia's Song" appears on the band's debut album Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (1980).