15 C
New York
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Advertisement

OMD: Live – Architecture & Morality & More Blu-ray Review

omd-live-architecture-morality-blu-ray-coverU.S. Release

  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  • Video Codec: AVC/MPEG-4
  • Resolution: 1080i/60 (29.970Hz)
  • Audio Codec: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz/16-bit), English LPCM 2.0 Stereo (48kHz/16-bit)
  • Subtitles: (Interviews Only) English, French, Spanish
  • Subtitles Color: White
  • Region: ABC (Region-Free)
  • Rating: Not Rated
  • Discs: 1 (1 x Blu-ray)
  • Digital Copies: N/A
  • Run Time: 136 Mins.
  • Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
  • Blu-ray Release Date: May 7, 2013
  • List Price: $19.98

Overall
[Rating:4/5]
The Performance
[Rating:4/5]
Video Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Audio Quality
[Rating:4/5]
Supplemental Materials
[Rating:2/5]

Click thumbnails for high-resolution 1920X1080p screen captures

(The below TheaterByte screen captures are taken directly from the Blu-ray Discs and losslessly compressed in the PNG format. There should be no loss of picture quality with this format. All screen captures should be regarded only as an approximation of the full capabilities of the Blu-ray format.

The Performance

[Rating:4/5]

OMD-BD_01

In the U.S. many may recall Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark, or O.M.D., for their catchy pop tune “If You Leave” from the 1985 John Hughes teen romance Pretty in Pink. The reality is, the British band had been building toward that breakthrough hit since 1978, with a sound that was, although synth-driven, a bit moodier and more atmospheric. It’s a sound that could possibly be described as a cross between Joy Division, Depeche Mode during their industrial period (on Some Great Reward) and early Echo and the Bunnymen.

This 2007 reunion concert, recorded at London’s Hammersmith Apollo, highlights O.M.D.’s earliest breakthrough album, 1981’s Architecture & Morality, which spawned multiple Top 5 hits in the UK, including “Joan of Arc” and “Souvenir”, and broke the band in the wider European and Canadian market as well.

The first half of this concert is that album performed in its entirety, while the second part of the show is a retrospective of the rest of the band’s career.

Not quite as active on stage as they once were, O.M.D. supplement the concert with specially created films projected on large screens around the stage. It makes for a fittingly atmospheric show that especially the supplements the edgier material of Architecture & Morality well. Of course, the mega-hits “If You Leave” and “Locomotion” are also welcomed by the audience and performed superbly, as is the rest of the show.

The band are readying a new world tour in support of their new 2013 studio album, English Electric.

TRACK LISTING:

  1. Architecture & Morality
  2. Sealand
  3. The New Stone Age
  4. Georgia
  5. She’s Leaving
  6. Souvenir
  7. Joan Of Arc
  8. Joan Of Arc (Maid Of Orleans)
  9. The Beginning And The End
  10. If You Leave
  11. Forever (Live And Die)
  12. Pandora’s Box
  13. Locomotion
  14. Sailing On The Seven Seas
  15. Enola Gay
  16. Electricity
  17. Romance Of The Telescope

Video Quality

[Rating:4/5]

OMD-BD_02

The HD production, offered in a 1080i/60 AVC/MPEG-4 encodement on Blu-ray, offers up a life-like presence in its colors and is good enough for a live concert disc. That said, the image is far from reference as the dimly lit set does cause a lot of video noise to be seen in the image and the 1080i resolution has some slight motion artifacts.

Audio Quality

[Rating:4/5]

OMD-BD_03

Eagle Rock provides the release with two fine audio presentations in its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz/16-bit) and LPCM 2.0 (48kHz/16-bit) mixes. The 5.1 track is nicely balanced with a lush amount of atmospherics in the surrounds capturing the performance space and big, yet tight and musical, low frequencies. The high end of the aural spectrum is just a tad toward the harsh side, but still listenable. The 2.0 track presents a fine balance as well, but lacks the spaciousness. Both tracks have clear vocals and good instrumental separation.

Supplemental Materials

[Rating:2/5]

OMD-BD_04

Interviews and alternate versions of songs round out the release.

The supplements:

  • Alternate Edits:
    • Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans) (1.78:1; SD; 00:03:50)
    • The New Stone Age (1.78:1; SD; 00:03:50)
  • Interviews:
    • The Band (1.78:1; 1080i/60; 00:19:21)
    • Hambi Haralambous on the accompanying films (1.78:1; 1080i/60; 00:05:21)

The Definitive Word

Overall:

[Rating:4/5]

OMD-BD_05

This 2007 concert from O.M.D. reignites the energy of the iconic 80’s synth pop group offering a glimpse into what gave them such a rabid following in the days of skinny ties and Flock of Seagull hairdos. For all those fans out there who’d like to experience them live again, this is a good option until the new tour rolls around.

Additional Screen Captures

[amazon-product]B00BX8A5MQ[/amazon-product]

BestBuy.com:
OMD: Live - Architecture & Morality & More - Blu-ray Disc

Purchase OMD: Live – Architecture & Morality & More on Blu-ray at CD Universe

Shop for more Blu-ray titles at Amazon.com

 OMD-BD_06

OMD-BD_07

OMD-BD_08

OMD-BD_09

OMD-BD_10

OMD-BD_11

OMD-BD_12

OMD-BD_13

OMD-BD_14

OMD-BD_15

OMD-BD_16

OMD-BD_17

 

 

Advertisement

Related Articles

Join the Discussion on TheaterByte!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Stay Connected

301FansLike
0FollowersFollow
184FollowersFollow
1,909FollowersFollow
- Advertisement -

Notice of Compliance with FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 16 CFR Part 255

In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR part 255 guidelines, this website hereby states that it receives free discs and other theatrical or home entertainment "screeners" and access to screening links from studios and/or PR firms, and is provided with consumer electronics devices on loan from hardware manufacturers and/or PR firms respectively for the purposes of evaluating the products and its content for editorial reviews. We receive no compensation from these companies for our opinions or for the writing of reviews or editorials.
Permission is sometimes granted to companies to quote our work and editorial reviews free of charge. Our website may contain affiliate marketing links, which means we may get paid commission on sales of those products or the services we write about. Our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers or affiliate partnerships. This disclosure is provided in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR § 255.5: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Latest Articles