Rocktrospectiva: The Remarkable "Crush" Turns 40

Released on 17 June 1985 "Crush" was the sixth studio album by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD). It was the first of two OMD studio albums to be produced by Stephen Hague. Aimed primarily at the US market, in the case of Crush it was notable for moving the group towards a more polished sound, although elements of earlier experimentation are still present. During recording the band employed a greater use of organic instrumentation than in the past. 

 

Completed within a limited timescale, with group members later expressing regret over not challenging label-imposed time constraints. The hectic recording and promotion schedule served to diminish morale among the band, who also had reservations about Hague's sleek production; co-founder Paul Humphreys briefly quit the group during the making of the album. Crush nevertheless received positive reviews and became OMD's only top-40 album on the US Billboard 200. The album spawned three singles "So In Love" which was the band's first hit in the USA, "Secret" & "La Femme Accidente". 

 

The band commenced work at the more sophisticated Amazon Studios (also in Liverpool) in late 1984. The group booked Amazon for two months and tried to embrace a more relaxed, almost spontaneous approach to songwriting. Bandleaders Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys averaged a new composition every two days, with much of the lyrical content coloured by McCluskey's blossoming relationship with girlfriend (and future wife) Toni. OMD continued to make use of the Fairlight CMI sampler keyboard, which had been introduced on predecessor Junk Culture (1984). The group employed a greater use of organic instrumentation during the sessions, as many of the Fairlight-generated sounds came to be replaced by the live playing of Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes (and session musicians Graham and Neil Weir). Humphreys explained: "We were looking for a more band-type sound, since a lot of people have been telling us for ages that they like the way we sound on stage.

 

Virgin Records suggested American producer Stephen Hague, of whom the band were fans. The group began recording with Hague in spring 1985 at The Manor, Shipton-on-Cherwell. Hague would heavily influence the feel of Crush, employing a meticulous approach and largely streamlining the band's sound. OMD had reservations about Hague's production, which McCluskey felt approached "dullness"; Humphreys admitted publicly at the time, "It's a little smoother than we would have done it ourselves."

 

Despite its polished sound, Crush features elements of the group's trademark early experimentation. Sampling was extensively used on both the title track and "The Lights Are Going Out", with the former utilising tuned snippets of Japanese television commercials recorded by McCluskey; Humphreys' then-wife Maureen provided additional vocals on both songs. Elsewhere, "88 Seconds in Greensboro" was inspired by a TV documentary about the Greensboro massacre of 1979, and was recorded in one live take. "Hold You" was considered as the follow-up single to "So in Love", and a music video was made, but the band ultimately reneged on the idea. Other tracks considered for inclusion were "Heaven Is" and "Southern". The title Crush refers to the number of love songs on the album. 

 

The curious and eye-catching cover art was inspired by a painting by US artist Edward Hopper for the sleeve art. Martin Kirkup, the band's then-manager, stated, "I remember Andy McCluskey telling me the reason he wanted a Hopper-style painting on the cover of Crush was that he had always felt there was a lot of melancholy in the paintings of Hopper and he felt that it matched the melancholy that was in the songs." After learning of the enormous fees required to reproduce Hopper's work, the group instead hired artist Paul Slater to imitate Hopper's style. Slater based his artwork on Hopper's Early Sunday Morning (1930).

 

The album met with positive reviews. Called "Crush" as a collection of remarkable songs. Each one has a life and mood of its own and OMD have cleverly combined atmosphere with instant appeal, the album delivered what OMD do best – strong, melodic songs – in a more lush, er, orchestral setting while retaining that passionate punch... it's the welcome return of the thinking person's dance music." Crush is OMD at its most purely pop—'So in Love' and 'Secret' are flawless."

 

Crush Track List:  

 

1. So In Love

2. Secret

3. Bloc Bloc Bloc

4. Women III

5. Crush

6. 88 Seconds in Greensboro

7. The Native Daughters of the GOlden West

8. La Femme Accident

9. Hold You

10. The Lights Are Going Out