For the month of October, I’m taking the #OctAtoZBandChallenge challenge. The premise is simple. Pick a band starting with the day’s assigned alphabet letter and then choose a song from that band.

Day 15

My introduction to OMD was by way of the Brat Pack. I recall the first song I heard from the band being “If You Leave” from the Pretty In Pink soundtrack. I liked it back then, but I almost can’t stand it now. That said, without Pretty In Pink, I may not have ever discovered the impressive back catalog to one of thee greatest synth pop pioneer duos of the 80s: Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys. The music from the first three albums are among my favorite OMD anthems. And it all starts with the hypnotic U.K. single, “Messages”.

“Messages” is more than one thing for me. In one listen, it’s an abstract sonic expression. In another, it transforms into the perfect chill-out accompaniment. Still in another, it’s an SOS. It’s a song whose hypnotic synth lines give it different expressions for different moments. The synth lines almost become harmonic accompaniments to the main vocals. I’ve never had the opportunity to see O.M.D. live in concert, but if I did I’d want this song to be on the setlist.

“But memories are uncertain friends when recalled by messages.”