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With the split between McCluskey and the rest of the band resolved by the former's decision to carry on with the band's name on his own, the question before Sugar Tax's appearance was whether the change would spark a new era of success for someone who clearly could balance artistic and commercial impulses in a winning fashion. The answer, based on the album -- not entirely. The era of Architecture and Morality wouldn't be revisited anyway, for better or for worse, but instead of delightful confections with subtle heft like "Enola Gay" and "Tesla Girls," on Sugar Tax McCluskey is comfortably settled into a less-spectacular range of songs that only occasionally connect. Like fellow refugees from the early '80s such as Billy Mackenzie and Marc Almond, McCluskey found himself bedeviled in the early '90s with an artistic block that resulted in his fine singing style surrounded by pedestrian arrangements and indifferent songs. There was one definite redeeming number at the start: "Sailing on the Seven Seas," with glam-styled beats underpinning a giddy, playful romp that showed McCluskey still hadn't lost his touch entirely, and which became OMD's biggest single at home since "Souvenir." Beyond that, though, the album can best be described as pleasant instead of memorable, an exploration by McCluskey into calmer waters recorded entirely by himself outside of some guitar from Stuart Boyle. Without his longtime bandmates to help him, the results lack an essential spark (Holmes' drumming creativity being especially missed). In a tip of the hat to a clear source of inspiration, Sugar Tax includes a pleasant cover of Kraftwerk's "Neon Lights," with guest vocals by Christine Mellor, while "Apollo XI" uses Dazzle Ships-styled sample collages made up of moon-landing broadcasts, though the song itself isn't much. Even at its most active -- "Call My Name" and "Pandora's Box" -- Sugar Tax is for the most part just there.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo
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Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Producer, MainArtist - Stuart Kershaw, ComposerLyricist - George Andrew McCluskey, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Virgin Records Ltd.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Producer, MainArtist - Steve Anderson For DMC/OMC, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - George Andrew McCluskey, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
Martin Cooper, ComposerLyricist - Kershaw, ComposerLyricist - Malcolm Holmes, ComposerLyricist - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Producer, Recording Engineer, Performer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Paul David Humphreys, ComposerLyricist - George Andrew McCluskey, ComposerLyricist - L. Massett, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
Howard Gray, Producer - Nick Raskulinecz, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marek, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kevin Dean, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andy McCluskey, Composer - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Recording Engineer, Performer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Rick Will, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ben Findlay, Engineer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
Andy McCluskey, Composer - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Producer, Recording Engineer, Performer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
Andy McCluskey, Composer - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Producer, Recording Engineer, Performer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
Andy Richards, Producer - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, MainArtist - Stuart Kershaw, ComposerLyricist - Lloyd Massett, ComposerLyricist - George Andrew McCluskey, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Producer, Recording Engineer, Performer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - George Andrew McCluskey, ComposerLyricist
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
Andy Richards, Producer - Andy McCluskey, Composer - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Recording Engineer, Performer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Kershaw, Composer - Lloyd Massett, Composer
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
Andy McCluskey, Composer - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Producer, Recording Engineer, Performer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Kershaw, Composer - Lloyd Massett, Composer
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
Karl Bartos, Composer - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Producer, Recording Engineer, Performer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Florian Schneider, Composer - Ralf Hutter, Composer
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
Andy Richards, Producer - Andy McCluskey, Composer - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Recording Engineer, Performer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Stuart Kershaw, Composer - Lloyd Massett, Composer
(C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd This label copy information is the subject of copyright protection. All rights reserved. (C) 1991 Virgin Records Ltd ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
Album review
With the split between McCluskey and the rest of the band resolved by the former's decision to carry on with the band's name on his own, the question before Sugar Tax's appearance was whether the change would spark a new era of success for someone who clearly could balance artistic and commercial impulses in a winning fashion. The answer, based on the album -- not entirely. The era of Architecture and Morality wouldn't be revisited anyway, for better or for worse, but instead of delightful confections with subtle heft like "Enola Gay" and "Tesla Girls," on Sugar Tax McCluskey is comfortably settled into a less-spectacular range of songs that only occasionally connect. Like fellow refugees from the early '80s such as Billy Mackenzie and Marc Almond, McCluskey found himself bedeviled in the early '90s with an artistic block that resulted in his fine singing style surrounded by pedestrian arrangements and indifferent songs. There was one definite redeeming number at the start: "Sailing on the Seven Seas," with glam-styled beats underpinning a giddy, playful romp that showed McCluskey still hadn't lost his touch entirely, and which became OMD's biggest single at home since "Souvenir." Beyond that, though, the album can best be described as pleasant instead of memorable, an exploration by McCluskey into calmer waters recorded entirely by himself outside of some guitar from Stuart Boyle. Without his longtime bandmates to help him, the results lack an essential spark (Holmes' drumming creativity being especially missed). In a tip of the hat to a clear source of inspiration, Sugar Tax includes a pleasant cover of Kraftwerk's "Neon Lights," with guest vocals by Christine Mellor, while "Apollo XI" uses Dazzle Ships-styled sample collages made up of moon-landing broadcasts, though the song itself isn't much. Even at its most active -- "Call My Name" and "Pandora's Box" -- Sugar Tax is for the most part just there.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 12 track(s)
- Total length: 00:51:13
- Main artists: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the dark (OMD)
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Virgin Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 1991 Virgin Records Limited ℗ 1991 Virgin Records Limited
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