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Bauhaus Staircase

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Bauhaus Staircase
Studio album by
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Released27 October 2023 (2023-10-27)
GenreSynth-pop
Length42:50
LabelWhite Noise, 100%
ProducerOMD
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark chronology
The Punishment of Luxury
(2017) 		Bauhaus Staircase
(2023)
Singles from Bauhaus Staircase
  1. "Bauhaus Staircase"
    Released: 22 August 2023
  2. "Slow Train"
    Released: 18 September 2023
  3. "Veruschka"
    Released: 5 October 2023
  4. "Kleptocracy"
    Released: 26 January 2024

Bauhaus Staircase is the fourteenth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and the fourth since their 2006 reformation. Released on 27 October 2023 by White Noise Records (and by 100% Records in the UK and Ireland), it is their first album in six years since The Punishment of Luxury (2017). The record was largely inspired by world politics during the late 2010s and early 2020s. Its release was preceded by three singles: the title track, "Slow Train", and "Veruschka".

Bauhaus Staircase received positive reviews. Record Collector and Classic Pop magazines named it the best new album release in their respective November 2023 issues, while other outlets considered it to be OMD's finest work since the mid-1980s. The record debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the group's highest-charting studio album in their home country, and matching the peak of 1988's The Best of OMD. It topped the UK Independent Albums Chart.[1]

Background

[edit]
The album title was derived from the Oskar Schlemmer painting, Bauhaus Stairway (1932).

During 2020's COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom, OMD frontman Andy McCluskey "rediscovered the creative power of total bloody boredom", writing the majority of what would become Bauhaus Staircase.[2] This involved McCluskey penning music and lyrics to accompany various song title ideas he had accumulated, including "Bauhaus Staircase", "Kleptocracy", and "Anthropocene" (the album's original title).[3] Bandmate Paul Humphreys noted that the record also features older tracks the group had previously struggled to complete.[4] COVID restrictions meant that the duo had to work remotely, via the internet.[5] Humphreys had recently become a father, which delayed his mixing of the album;[2] rock producer David Watts was responsible for mixing "Kleptocracy" and "Slow Train".[3]

Bauhaus Staircase was largely inspired by world politics during the late 2010s and early 2020s, being described by the band as their "most explicitly political record".[6][7] In particular, "Kleptocracy" takes aim at leaders such as Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and Vladimir Putin. The title track pays homage to the Bauhaus art movement in pre-Nazi Germany. Elsewhere, "Anthropocene" and "Evolution of Species" deal with ecological themes, while "G.E.M." and "Aphrodite's Favourite Child" are personal songs written for figures in McCluskey's life. The Goldfrapp-inspired "Slow Train" features stream of consciousness-style lyrics penned in a similar fashion to those of 1991 hit, "Sailing on the Seven Seas".[3][8] The album title is derived from the Oskar Schlemmer painting, Bauhaus Stairway (1932).[9]

The release of Bauhaus Staircase – on 27 October 2023[9] – was preceded by three singles: the title track, "Slow Train", and "Veruschka".[10] Kleptocracy was also later released as a single ahead of the start of the promotion tour for the album.[11]

Artwork for the album was supplied by Liverpool-based artist John Petch.[12] In April 2023, McCluskey stated that the next OMD album would "probably" be the band's last, although he described a potential future album as being one of collaborations with other artists.[13]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic85/100[14]
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash9/10[8]
Classic Pop[15]
Gaffa[16]
The Irish Times[17]
L'Obs4/4[18]
Mojo[19]
MusicOMH[20]
PopMatters8/10[21]
Record Collector[22]
Uncut8/10[23]

Bauhaus Staircase met with positive reviews,[24][25] being named "New Album of the Month" in Record Collector.[22] Critic Dave Pollock wrote that it "is continued evidence that some recorded comebacks – this one, in particular – happen to be exactly the right thing for a group to do... It may occasionally sound warmly, comfortingly like the past, but this is an album with its mind fixed firmly on the future."[22] Classic Pop awarded Bauhaus Staircase "Best New Release" honours in their November–December issue, with John Earls calling it "yet another stellar latter-period gem" that would make for "a hell of a last studio statement".[15] Louder Than War's Martin Gray noted that OMD's "knack for crafting brilliant electronic pop tunes remains intact... each of the 12 tracks is perfectly executed, arranged and produced."[26] According to Jason Anderson of Uncut, the band returned "with a new album as enthralling as anything they've recorded", striking "a balance between pristine electro-pop songcraft and the loopier inclinations that once fuelled [1983's] Dazzle Ships."[23]

BrooklynVegan and The Irish Mail on Sunday each named Bauhaus Staircase their "Album of the Week",[27][28] with the former's Bill Pearis calling it "one of [OMD's] best, certainly their most engaging, dialed-in record since 1984's Junk Culture." Pearis added that the album "pulls off that extremely tricky maneuver of going forward while reminding us of why we loved OMD in the first place."[27] Matt Mitchell of Paste also highlighted Bauhaus Staircase as one of that week's finest releases, saying, "OMD's latest record is their best since Crush in 1985... the album is rife with synthesizers and drum machines that sound 40 years old and more timeless than ever."[29] MusicOMH critic Ben Hogwood wrote that the band "remain in fine form... they still have plenty to give, plenty to say – and Bauhaus Staircase stands up there with the cream of their electronically harvested crop."[20] Aggregator site Metacritic surveyed six reviews, generating a score of 85 out of 100.[14]

Bauhaus Staircase was listed as one of 2023's best albums by multiple outlets.[30] Physicist and musician Brian Cox described it as "superb" and the record that would be produced "if Kraftwerk came from the Wirral".[31]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs by Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, except where noted.

Bauhaus Staircase track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Bauhaus Staircase" 3:57
2."Anthropocene" 5:51
3."Look at You Now" 3:20
4."G.E.M."
  • McCluskey
  • Katrina Kanepe
3:00
5."Where We Started"McCluskey2:26
6."Veruschka" 3:33
7."Slow Train"
  • McCluskey
  • Kanepe
3:58
8."Don't Go" 3:30
9."Kleptocracy"McCluskey3:00
10."Aphrodite's Favourite Child"
  • McCluskey
  • George Geranios
  • Nikos Bitzenis
3:29
11."Evolution of Species" 3:06
12."Healing"
  • McCluskey
  • Humphreys
  • Caroline England
3:40
Total length:42:50

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Bauhaus Staircase.[12]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Bauhaus Staircase
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[32] 28
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[33] 62
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[34] 64
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[35] 7
Irish Albums (IRMA)[36] 59
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[37] 45
Scottish Albums (OCC)[38] 2
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 38
UK Albums (OCC)[40] 2
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[41] 1

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Griffiths, George (3 November 2023). "Taylor Takeover! Taylor Swift dominates the UK's Official Singles and Albums Chart with the biggest opening week of 2023 so far". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b McCarter, Mickey (18 April 2022). "Interview: Andy McCluskey of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (@ Lincoln Theatre, 4/26/22)". Parklife DC. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Earls, John (November–December 2023). "Final Messages?". Classic Pop. No. 84. pp. 40–45.
  4. ^ "OMD tease new album Bauhaus Staircase is 'coming soon'". Retropop. 17 August 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  5. ^ Medsker, David (9 October 2023). "Interview: Andy McCluskey (OMD)". Popdose. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  6. ^ "OMD Interview-Paul Humphreys about new album Bauhaus Staircase @ W-festival Ostend (Belgium) 2023". FrontView Magazine. 30 August 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ Sewell, Piper (23 August 2023). "OMD announce new LP Bauhaus Staircase, release title track". Hot Press. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  8. ^ a b Smith, Mat (25 October 2023). "OMD - Bauhaus Staircase". Clash. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  9. ^ a b Pearis, Bill (22 August 2023). "OMD announce new album 'Bauhaus Staircase,' share title track". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  10. ^ "OMD release latest single Veruschka from 14th album Bauhaus Staircase". Retropop. 9 October 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  11. ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (6 February 2024). "OMD release new single 'Kleptocracy' ahead of 2024 UK arena tour". nme.com. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  12. ^ a b Bauhaus Staircase (liner notes). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. 100% Records. 2023. 100CDX138.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Brayden, Kate (4 April 2023). "OMD's Andy McCluskey: 'I'm really happy that I don't have to pander to a TikTok generation to get my songs heard'". Hot Press. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  14. ^ a b "Bauhaus Staircase by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  15. ^ a b Earls, John (November–December 2023). "OMD: Bauhaus Staircase". Classic Pop. No. 84. p. 77.
  16. ^ "Det nørdede møder ørehængere hos synthpop-veteranerne". Gaffa (in Danish). 15 January 2024. Archived from the original on 15 January 2024. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  17. ^ Clayton-Lea, Tony (27 October 2023). "OMD: Bauhaus Staircase – Heady Mix of Dystopian Electronics and Bouncy Pop". The Irish Times. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Neil Young, Séverin... Les disques à écouter (ou pas) ce week-end". L'Obs (in French). 16 December 2023. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  19. ^ Segal, Victoria (December 2023). "OMD: Bauhaus Staircase". Mojo. No. 361. p. 91.
  20. ^ a b Hogwood, Ben (27 October 2023). "OMD – Bauhaus Staircase". MusicOMH. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  21. ^ Bergstrom, John (6 November 2023). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's 'Bauhaus Staircase' Shines". PopMatters. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  22. ^ a b c Bauhaus Staircase was reviewed in the November 2023 print edition of Record Collector magazine, where it was named "New Album of the Month". The review prose, without the "New Album of the Month" designation, can be read at RecordCollectorMag.com.
    • Pollock, David (November 2023). "Moving with the Times". Record Collector. No. 550. pp. 94–95.
    • Pollock, David (10 October 2023). "Bauhaus Staircase – OMD". RecordCollectorMag.com. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  23. ^ a b Anderson, Jason (7 November 2023). "New Albums: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – Bauhaus Staircase". Uncut (Review of the Year). No. 320. p. 30.
  24. ^ "Gli OMD tornano in tour, col loro disco più 'politico' di sempre". Esquire (in Italian). 19 February 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024. [Bauhaus Staircase] was greeted very well not only in terms of sales... but also and above all in terms of criticism.
  25. ^ Rogers, Mandy (30 October 2023). "Watch 'Anthropocene' by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". EQ Music. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  26. ^ Gray, Martin (5 November 2023). "OMD: Bauhaus Staircase – Album Review". Louder Than War. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  27. ^ a b Pearis, Bill (27 October 2023). "Album Reviews: King Gizzard, American Analog Set, OMD, more". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  28. ^ McElhinney, Danny (29 October 2023). "Reviews: OMD – Bauhaus Staircase". The Irish Mail on Sunday.
  29. ^ Mitchell, Matt (27 October 2023). "Best New Albums: This Week's Records to Stream". Paste. Archived from the original on 28 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  30. ^ Multiple sources:
  31. ^ @ProfBrianCox (19 August 2023). "I was lucky enough to hear the new @OfficialOMD last week..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  32. ^ "Austriancharts.at – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Bauhaus Staircase" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  33. ^ "Ultratop.be – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Bauhaus Staircase" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  34. ^ "Ultratop.be – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Bauhaus Staircase" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  35. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Bauhaus Staircase" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  36. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark)". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  37. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista sprzedaży - albumy" (in Polish). OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Note: Change the date to 27.10.2023–02.11.2023 under "zmień zakres od–do:". Retrieved 9 November 2023.
  38. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  39. ^ "Swisscharts.com – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Bauhaus Staircase". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  40. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  41. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
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