Liberator (album)

Frontman Andy McCluskey had originally been influenced by World War II aircraft, the B-24 Liberator in particular. The cover art originally featured a variation of the "bomber girl" nose cone art that many of them used.[1]

"Sunday Morning" is a cover version of the song originally recorded by The Velvet Underground. "Dream of Me (Based On "Loves Theme")" takes a sample from the instrumental hit, "Love's Theme", originally released in 1973 by The Love Unlimited Orchestra.

"Heaven Is" was first performed by OMD during their showcase tour in late 1983, prior to the release of the Junk Culture album the next year (along with other new songs such as "Tesla Girls", "Never Turn Away", and "Junk Culture" itself). The track did not make that album, nor follow-up The Pacific Age (1986), for which it was heavily considered.[2] The final Liberator version contains some lyrical variations, such as the name of the pornographic actress Christy Canyon as opposed to newsreader Selina Scott in the 1983 version. A demo version of the original arrangement was finally released in 2015, as a bonus track on the deluxe edition of Junk Culture.

Liberator's title track was not completed in time for the album release. It was eventually included in the Souvenir 40th anniversary retrospective boxset in 2019, featuring on a CD of previously unreleased material. The track was first released in September on digital and streaming platforms ahead of the boxset. It was a song that Andy McCluskey had been trying to write for several years from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s. The title inspiration comes from his love of WWII aeroplanes. There were several demo versions recorded, with the one released in 2019 being as close as the song got to the intended sound.[3]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]
Encyclopedia of Eighties Music	[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[6]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine in AllMusic remarked: "While it is far from the experimental and edgy synth-pop that earned the group rave reviews in the early '80s, [Liberator] is an enjoyable, lightweight collection of appealing dance-pop."[4] Trouser Press wrote: "All those years spent in the company of keyboards evidently left [Andy McCluskey] fully able to make convincing percolating rhythms and layers of faux violins, and both get good use on what is a pretty stupid but diverting exercise."[7] The Electricity Club included Liberator in the list, "Some Not So Great Albums By Some Great Acts", but described "King of Stone" and "Christine" as "pure genius".[8]

McCluskey felt that he "kind of messed up" the album,[9] and described it as "way too busy".[10]

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

• Andy McCluskey – programming, production on tracks 1–4, and 6–12
• Phil Coxon – programming, production on tracks 1–4, and 6–12
• Beverly Reppion – backing vocals on tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 12
• Nathalie James – backing vocals on tracks 4, and 8
• Doreen Edwards – backing vocals on track 9
• backing vocals on track 5
• Stuart Boyle – guitar on tracks 1, and 6
• Nigel Ipinson – piano and arrangement on track 6
• Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares – a sample from "Bezrodna Nevesta" is used in track 7
• Barry White – production on track 5
• Mark Phythian – engineer
• Paul Butcher – assistant engineer
• Ian Collins – assistant engineer
• Pat O'Shaughnessy – assistant engineer
• Mike Hunter – assistant engineer
• Andrea Wright – assistant engineer
• Tony Cousins – mastering at Town House, London
• Gregg Jackman – mix for tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12
• Niall Flynn – assistant mix for tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12

Mixed at Amazon Studios, Liverpool tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12 mixed at Sarm West, London

• Lyrics