Liberator is the ninth album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, released in 1993. It peaked at No. 14 on the UK Albums Chart. Lead single "Stand Above Me" peaked at no. 21 on the UK Singles Chart, with follow-up "Dream of Me" charting at no. 24. OMD co-founder Paul Humphreys, who had left the group in 1989, co-wrote third single "Everyday".
Background
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. "Sunday Morning" is a cover version of the song originally recorded by The Velvet Underground. "Dream of Me " 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. The track did not make that album, nor follow-up The Pacific Age, for which it was heavily considered. The final Liberator version contains some lyrical variations, such as the name of the pornographic actressChristy Canyon as opposed to newsreaderSelina 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. Liberators 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.
Reception
in AllMusic remarked: "While it is far from the experimental and edgy synth-pop that earned the group rave reviews in the early '80s, is an enjoyable, lightweight collection of appealing dance-pop." 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." 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". McCluskey felt that he "kind of messed up" the album, and described it as "way too busy".
Track listing
Personnel
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
