Out Of The Blue

Nice enough, at times a Queen kind of vibe. One of the many albums here that just kinda fades into background music, in a not unpleasant way.

Way too long. The best are the beginning and end songs. The middle are cheeks and just filler. 3.5

Good stuff

Have you ever had a meal that’s so wonderfully tasty but there’s just too much of it? You keep eating it because it’s rare that you come across anything like it, but by the end of the plate you’re left feeling sick and too tired to do anything else. That’s this album. It’s so so good. But it’s way too long.

It's defo got a vibe. There is something missing, and there are better ELO records. But Mr Blue Sky bumps it up a whole star rating. Summer and Lightning and Turn to Stone other highlights for me. 5.5 / 10

When you’re a child, you think ELO is the best band ever. Then when you’re a teen, you think you’re too cool for ELO. And then when you’re an adult, you realize ELO is only pretty good.

Rocky and synth, it was alright

ah musica

solid 4/5

fun ^^

good!

Sooo many good tracks on this album.

Kinda feels like a cross between Pink Floyd and Queen. I really enjoyed it. My only criticism is that it's a little too long.

Above average, would listen to again, quite a long album 6/10

Just not my bag, mr blue sky obviously slaps but then the rest all just sound the same to me :-/

Big, familiar sounds. I don’t love it, but don’t hate either. They’d make a decent, overpriced Vegas act at the Sphere.

I have a soft spot for Mr Blue Sky, so it was already on a winner. A little too over produced for my liking but can’t deny the talent

Fun album! Would listen again. Reminded me a bit of Flaming Lips!

This'll be interesting: an "I already know this album!" review. A "my nostalgic affection for this album blinders me from its flaws!" review. Finally, it's my turn. It's my Pogues, my Arctic Monkeys; you had to be there, and I *was!* All joking a salad, I have a lot of love for this album; it was my first ELO cd, bought at Tower Records in the mid-00s after I saw Mr. Blue Sky in a Volkswagon commercial and the Eternal Sunshine trailer. I thought it was a Beatles song, funny how close to the truth I actually was. Anyway, this is a four. It's not perfect: it's a bit long and overstuffed, some of the songs really don't work for me. But the highs are so dang high. So I say this as a huge fan, who just saw them on their final tour a couple weeks ago: New World Record is *the* ELO album; Eldorado is my hot-take pick. Out of the Blue is their basic-b album.

Feels like going 65 mph in a 65mph zone

I've been listening to ELO since i was a kid, and honestly, this is not nearly my favorite album of theirs. it's their big pop album with many of their huge hits, but i just think it's a lot less interesting than a lot of their other work. it's probably also the album that introduced me to the concept of an album being too long and having too much filler. i still love it, and comparing it to the rest of this list in general, it's gotta get a 5, but if Face the Music, Eldorado, ELO 2, etc etc were on here it'd be getting a 4 just in relation to those

Had high hopes but apart from the singles the songs were weak and meandering and a bit boring

Peaks and troughs but good.

Very odd composition, but you have to realize some of these songs were grouped because they were together on several tapes.

Fav (besides Mr Blue Sky ofc): Sweet is the Night I wish the vocals were clearer through the instruments.

I love ELO's sound, and have previously liked 'Mr. Blue Sky' and 'Sweet is the Night', but never fully listened to the full album. Having done so, I'd have to say - this album was initially maddening. Something about the order of these songs, and how they don't mesh together until 'Standing in the Rain' to 'Mr. Blue Sky' felt weird. It made the vocals sound really off for me. I've since read up on it and that was intentional given the tape medium it was released in, with blocks of songs making up 2 sides of 2 tapes. I've also given it a second listen. All said and done, it's further strengthened interest in ELO. They're like a more eccentric Pink Floyd, with a Sci-Fi twist and use of a wide range of instruments and sounds in their tracks. I also enjoyed the second listen a lot more - whether that was the added context or using bluetooth speakers over the headset (or even both) I'm not sure. After some consideration, I think the sum of the parts is far greater than the album as a whole. Initially, I wavered at a 3-3.5 star rating, but think it's worth a 4. I do feel like the album lacked an overall sense of cohesion, but it's enjoyable otherwise. 'Jungle' is easily the worst song of the batch for me. Just... Why? 'The Whale' was a nice find - I love ELO's instrumentals. 'Mr. Blue Sky' is a banger as usual and I think still the high point of the album for me (especially enjoyed as a set starting from 'Standin in the Rain')

Dreadful. Albums like this make me question if it's worth doing 1001 albums. I've never been drawn to ELO because I figured I knew what they sounded like (sort of 70s Disco Beatles wannabes) and now I've listened to a whole double album and just had my forebodings confirmed. Some of it is bearable in small doses and semi-ironically. But listening to a whole double album of this MOR bullshit made me want to become a goth or something. No wonder young people were desperate for punk music to come along and save them from this crap.

Electro Beatles….

I have always avoided this album, just incase I liked it and became condemned to listening to BBC Radio 2 for the rest of my life

Some classic tracks (Turn To Stone, Mr Blue Sky, etc)... really interesting sounds, so rich and layered.

8/10

feels like experiencing something special and larger than life (though i might just be a sucker for maximalism)

Not a big fan of ELO and was unenthused about listening to a double album (who told them they could do that?). As it turned out… still not a big fan. BUT, if more of this album sounded like side 4 (the last four songs) I would be more interested. Rounding up to 3 stars and a math teacher would probably tell me I should be rounding down…

I wasn't expecting to like it this much, even though I knew "Mr. Blue Sky" to be a banger.

love

op zich goeie nummers.... beetje teveel van hetzelfde

brilliant.

Just a masterpiece.

Hearing 'Turn to Stone' after so long made me very happy. It was one of the defining songs of my younger years, yet I mostly forgot it existed. And it's a genuinely incredible song too, especially when those strings come in on that oh-so nostalgic chorus. And then there's the rest of the album too. This group certainly lives up to its name, with the symphonic elements at the forefront backed by sweet theatric elements, not unlike a group like Queen. The first three songs are incredible - 'It's Over' again gives me heavy Queen vibes and 'Sweet Talkin' Woman' is as close to perfect as a pop-rock song of the late 70s can get. After that initial run though, the sound gets repetitive fast, but the highlights are still there. 'Mr. Blue Sky', as overplayed as it is, is an enjoyable and shockingly dynamic song at its core. Also that subtle, shimmering build-up on 'Big Wheels' was mesmerizing, to say the least. I was inclined to give this a lower score but by the end of the album I just felt really happy. It sort of brought out a childish joy within me, like being a kid out in a large city at night. Despite many songs not doing it for me (the last three songs I could've gone without, especially 'Birmingham Blues') it's an album so beaming with innocence and joy that I'd be a miserable loser if I said it wasn't incredible at what it does. It's those damn strings...they can't make me hate you.

Lush sounding and great for a revisit. Will listen again 7/10

I do not know if this is considered "yacht rock," because I'm not entirely sure what "yacht rock" actually is. But whatever this is, it *should* be considered yacht rock. Or the precursor to. It's really annoying and I don't like it at all. I'm only on the second song, so I don't yet want to doom it to a 1 star review, but I just looked and it has 17 songs and lasts for 1 hour and 11 minutes and I'm telling you now that is TOO MANY SONGS.

Fav song: Night in the City

9/10…

I had high hopes for this, was pretty mediocre though

A lot of Beatles influence, but didn’t make the cut for me.

I love ELO and this album is no exception! Good rock with various styles, ranging from classic to progressive. Jeff Lynne is the fifth Beatle! Favorite Songs: Mr. Blue Sky, Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin’ Woman, Jungle, Steppin’ Out, Standin’in the Rain 4.5⭐️

Out of the Blue is the seventh studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), originally released in 1977. I believe this is actually the first ELO album I've sat down and listened to. The whole double album was written by their frontman Jeff Lynne. It definitely has a theatric vibe to it. Like it veers into the glam rock side a bit too often. The production is great but maybe too great. It can come across as overproduced in spots. I'm sure in 1977 this was amazing but it hasn't aged very well. It's a bit bloated but was still an entertaining listen in my opinion.

one of my all time favorites, love elo. a little on the long side for me, though

Sounds like the 70s.

Too long for me, but I imagine that's a benefit for those that like this music. I didn't hate it, but this is not my jam. I guess this week's theme is stuff I just can't get into. 2.2

Enjoyable but a little too poppy for me.

Liked ELO when I was a nipper in the 70's, not so much now though.

Some good stuff, but most of it is a bit overwrought for my taste.

pretty out there. i like the groove, but a lot of it started to sound the same after a while. probably one of your favorite rock stars favorite records.

Take the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and add a bamboozling suite of American overproduction to add that disco and country twang to create ELO's Out of the Blue. This album has that unmistakable 70s sound. Orchestral overkill, and I say that relatively positively as I do actually enjoy this kind of sound. I think that this is a good album with a few stand outs (obviously Mr. Blue Sky is great, and we all know the song, but after listening to the whole album I think that Sweet Talkin Woman is the better single).

Gonna listen more. Every song felt like an anthem. I love Jeff lynne

Just like let’s get it on, this one is clearly special, but I’m trying to be more picky about my 5s. So this is a 4.5 or a 9.

I don't know why but their tracks should like songs from other artists but the minute their vocals start, it's a whole other song. It kinda throws me out. Maybe others have covered the songs over the years but this just sounds so familar.

Loved every minute of it.

I feel llke must have heard this album a lot when I was a kid because my older brother had a copy and I heard all his listening choices by proxy. So, I was expecting at least a fun nostalgia hit but to be honest I only remembered the three big singles and the rest was a cheesy bland mush.

Great sound and songs.

Det var helt ok. Några bangers, speciellt blue sky

Музыка как-будто с финальных титров в фильме, прикольно

Loved it more when it came out, but has not aged as well

The band that The Beatles could have been. Cheesy and overblown.

I came close to not listening to this. It looks SO bloated. I find it interesting how Jeff Lynne created a new genre - let's call it Pomp Bearded Brummie Rock - and then exported it to the hierarchy of classic rock. Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, and all the way up to The Beatles. This was a fun listen for the first five tracks or so that I could be arsed with. It then became bubble gum rock and utterly ridiculous.

I really liked it.

As much as I want to like ELO, I just never really have. I like Jeff Lynne, but ELO’s tunes just don’t vibe with me. Out Of The Blue is probably their best album, although admittedly I haven’t listened to them all. The opener Turn to Stone and of course Mr. Blue Sky are the only tunes I really “like”. I think I want the music to sound futuristic, but it sounds very dated to me, which I suppose is an unfair knock on an album approaching half a century old.

I was excited to see this album because Mr. Blue Sky is on it, but they make you work for it. 1hr 16 mins and Mr Blue Sky is the 13th song. But at least it sounded nice. Album cover is pretty cool too.

This was a lovely start to my day. Woke up put this on made myself coffee sat on our lawn swing drank said coffee went to Costco returned our shit ass pans went to home goods got a good ass pan and then the album ended. Long but not only did I not get bored I enjoyed the whole thing. I feel like what I do during albums impacts my opinion a lot. 8.75/10

7/10 - I really liked turn to stone and Latitude 88 North and Mr. blue sky but that's a given. The rest of the album was pretty good though. I feel like this is something I would revisit. I think they used the orchestra part of their name well.

I had no idea this album was so good. The only real criticism I have is that its a little long and most of the songs feel very similar

This was surprisingly pleasant. Obviously, Mr Blue Sky is a song that has woven its was into the fabric of society due to its irrepressible bouncy fun, but i wasnt sure how much more there would be to offer. A wealth of fun is to be had here with beautiful orchestration and arrangement, decent hooks and a light progginess that didnt swamp it all. Obviously, its way too long and could be accused of lacking real light and shade. But i enjoyed it on balance

Out of the Blue is undeniably ambitious, filled with lush arrangements, soaring strings, and intricate production, which are trademarks of Lynne's style. However, many of the songs start off strong but then veer off into extended instrumental tangents that can feel self-indulgent and drag on. Tracks like Mr. Blue Sky and Turn to Stone have their moments, but they sometimes get lost in overly elaborate sections that disrupt the flow. While the album is packed with creative ideas and musical complexity, it can come across as overwhelming and meandering, especially for those who prefer Lynne’s more focused and concise work with other projects. Despite its acclaim, Out of the Blue might leave you wishing for more of the straightforward, tightly produced sound that Lynne has perfected elsewhere. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 2 STAND OUT TRACK - Summer and Lightning

LIKING THIS ALBUM and has been on repeat, another type of music i like aside from rap lol

Great album

One of the easiest 5s I could ever give. The singles are so incredible and memorable and catchy it's unreal. As a record, it has a real love and reverence for all genres, leading to its massive planetary scope. Jeff Lynne is absolutely one of the greatest underrated songwriters of the last 100 years. I understand it's nowhere near as cool as the punk that surrounded it in the 70s, but if John Lennon said this is the band the Beatles would become, then I have nothing else to say. 19/08/24

Recognised the album for Mr Blue Sky, remembered it for all of the absolute gems in the rest of it. Sweet Talking Woman and Night in the City the highlights

It's trite, but the word that kept recurring for me was "orchestral". It's all here: soaring harmonies, string sections, killer walkdowns, and unexpected chords that redirect the songs to something even more interesting. It might be overwhelming if the songs weren't so tightly written and well-paced. This is a literal rock opera. I'd recommend the mid-album oddity "Jungle" for your classic album deep cut.

Fun and catchy. I found this album to be just a touch longer than I think it needed to be though.

Mr. Blue Sky is the best song. This group has a really well defined style and I think it's cool that they are so unique. All of it sounds a little samey which wouldn't be a problem if I really liked it, but most of them, I think sound good, but I don't love them as tracks. There are also some experiments on here where they go a little progressive or a little moody. Ultimately, this thing goes on too long and I skipped several tracks out of boredom.

Some songs 👍, but this got tedious by the end. I think listening to some albums all in one go/big chunks is messing with my enjoyment of music.

I think I'm confusing ELO with ELP which are much more serious and less poppy than this. This is like if prog rock got mixed up with some hippies or the Beatles. It's not bad it's just way more pop music than I expected. The production is very high level and it has to be for all the instruments involved. It sounds like they are running a full orchestra (heh) on some of these tracks. "Across the Border" has a goddamn mariachi band in it. Also sounds like twelve string guitars, a billion synth modules, etc, etc. It's all very expansive in terms of the playing and instruments. It's quite long. And by that I mean about twice as long as it should be. This could've been two albums (and it is a double, after all). It could be that I'm not listening hard enough but I'm not really getting a lyrical thematic element that requires a double album to get across. I guess the songs are all similar sounding, but thats more of a detriment really. Like if Tom Petty was actually 3 Tom Petty's and wrote the same song a bunch of times with 300 different instrumentalists. Even "Mr. Blue Sky" which has 990 MILLION plays on spotify is only remarkable because of the vocoder. My favorite on here is probably "Wild West Hero"; shame it took an hour to get to it. I think the biggest feeling I got from this is that it feels like a record company made this specifically for radio. Very strange given that it's this big rock band putting out a long album. It's not unlistenable, it's not poorly made (in fact it's excellently recorded and mastered from what I can tell), it's just kinda boring to me. Music for shopping malls in the 80's.

It doesn't have any major flaws, but it still doesn't appeal to me too much. The second half is much better than the first

abwechslungsreich und doch irgendwie eintönig.

ELO hat für mich einen grossen Hit welcher erst später erschien, diese Platte ist guter Pop aber bleibt halt auch Pop.

A barbershop quartet of the future. I hear the beginnings of Daft Punk here, but also vestiges of the Beatles and The Bee Gees. First track starts off strong, a real feast for the ears. After, it slows, and with the exception of some great and evocative sounds, I stopped caring until Summer and Lightning. Overall, it’s a technically strong album that doesn’t quite narratively hold together for me. It’s lacking a bit of soul and it’s all over the place, jumping around in style even within songs. I’d rather listen to similar contemporaries, although I do acknowledge this album’s influence and importance. The Simon-esque spaceship receives a thousand points in my book.

Originell, krestiv, mitreißend, nahezu perfekt! Seit langem ein Favorit in meinem Regal! Volle Punktzahl!

Otherworldly masterpiece. Jeff Lynne is a musical genius who is sadly so underrated and under appreciated. This whole album is a euphoric journey of sounds and textures that delight on a cellular level. Perfection. It is a long album, which I typically don't like, but it doesn't feel nearly as long as it is because every song slaps and it's such a flawlessly arranged album. Every tracks flows wonderfully into the next. This is one of the GOATs of classic rock and a staple for any collection.

Uh. Some ok tunes. Some bad ones. Nothing great.

Very few bands or producers can be identified by a sound. Tops among the lists would be Phil Spector and Jeff Lynn. Lynn's influence outside of ELO as a writer/producer has been firmly cemented as one of the most influential. His sound may be dated and gimmicky but it's so easy to get lost in a listen to any of his music. 4/5

I’ve always seen ELO as a really unique, standalone band. While I’m not familiar with all of their albums from front to back, I’ve heard a lot of their music over the years, and I’ve always appreciated how they have tracks that range from straightforward, pop-inspired soft rock to grand, orchestral ballads, and even some experimental, synth-driven songs. One thing that stands out to me is how ELO’s strong use of strings and orchestral elements gives them a very full, rich sound that’s incredibly colorful.

Dang. Mr Blue Sky is a pretty great song. Great enough to pull up the album’s rating to a four. The other songs were decent but nowhere near as good as Mr Blue Sky.

Nice, another great record! Some solid, spacey Beatley rock. Pretty great, though a bit overlong. And I hope you enjoy vocoder folks!

Pretty Beatles-y. Pretty good.

Mr. Blue Sky

very different, it's good but more would pick a few songs out of it rather than listen in full again

This is a good album, but it's really held up by Turn to Stone and Mr. Blue Sky. I also like the song Believe Me Now, though it's too short. Most other songs are meh or uninteresting, though Jungle is just plain bad. 2.5/5 -> 3/5.

Na het slaapverwekkende Big Star album is dit wel weer een lekker wakker word album! Turn to stone is heerlijk poppy en enthousiast. Het is super catchy pop allemaal, met knallers als Turn to Stone en Sweet talkin woman. Maar mijn hemeeeeel, wat kakt dit daarna in zeg! Het pakt daarna weer even volle bak op met Mr Blue Sky, maar verder vind ik dit voornamelijk een vrij 'ok' album. Niet echt nummers die er uit springen eigenlijk. Best wel ballsy om Mr Blue Sky zo in het midden te plaatsen? Vraag me af hoeveel mensen dit hadden gehoord? Was het een single van tevoren? Want zo sterk is de rest van het album toch niet? het zal wel, album is verder best ok. De grotere hits halen het op naar een prima! FAVO: Turn to Stone, Sweet talkin woman, Mr Blue Sky(duh)

Good but won’t return

4.6. Very underrated. This could’ve been a lot higher if the album was a little shorter.

Enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Solid, if a little overlong.

3.5☆/5 07.30.2024

The Jungle is good. Summer and Lightning absolutely bangs. This album felt like the longest thing I’ve ever listened to in my life.

I am a little too young to have been around for ELO's heyday. Of course they were still known and still producing music in the 80's and that is when I discovered them and really liked them. However, by then I heard the "hits" mainly and was a big fan of their greatest hits albums and all of that. I had little to no exposure to their mainstream, full album playlists. So, I was excited when this album came up in my queue. After listening though... I don't know what I expected? Maybe some gems I had not heard or a kind of "Oh yeah! This song!" string of hits? But what I got was largely a relatively obscure album with little heard songs and a few "I might know this ones" Luckily I like the ELO signature sound overall and I am not saying the album was not OK to listen to, It was good. I think it is probably something better reserved for a long term specific fan of the band than a casual listener like myself.

ELO is one of those bands where the singles are a great time, but the full albums leave me wanting. This double record get same-y very quickly. Mr. Blue Sky is rocks.

Gear: Grado Hemp Artwork: 🥏🌈🚀 Mix: 🤩🥴😐 Musik: 🥳🤔😮‍💨 Wertung: 🥏🥏(🥏)/5

Rock, Pop, 1977 -> 4

2024-07-24: First!

I know I’ve said this for other albums before, but this just might be one of the best albums I’ve ever heard. The music verges on prog at times with how interesting and unusual it gets, and the vocals are absolutely pristine. The harmonies are comparable with Queen - I genuinely couldn’t say who pulls it off better as the harmonies are of very similar style and both are just so pleasing to hear. In another parallel to Queen, ELO often toe the line between pop and rock to make some beautifully catchy music. I love this album.

Had a ton of fun listening to this album. Love their vibe.

God, I want to like this *so much more than I do*. I like Jeff Lynne, or at least I think I do. I think his three-album run as producer of Cloud Nine, Traveling Wilburys Vol. One, and Full Moon Fever in the late 80's can be stacked up against any three-album run by any producer. But...I don't know. Everything here is *so* clean and *so* sheen that I just don't really connect with it. And it's always so, so much. Chill on the vocoder and the strings. Yes, I KNOW that's your thing and why so many people love this, but not me. It's not bad, and there are songs I dig (especially "Jungle" and "Mr. Blue Sky"), but it's not anywhere near the top of my list. 3/5

it’s giving beach boys for some reason?? like electric beach boys

An album that I never grew up listening to but I know that it has a huge reputation. Always makes me happy to listen but I still don’t quite connect to it the way that I wish I could.

Not in my childhood or adulthood rotation, but thoroughly enjoyable. Not sure I would come back to it regularly though.

Happy to be made to listen to it, after so many years of being aware of it's presence and not bothering. Positives: Some songs are pretty good. You can hear the Beatles strongly throughout which is no bad thing. Negatives: Way too long Vocoder ruins some songs, even arguably the best on the album. Very outdated instrument. Quite samey, though this probably ties into the length. Glad I was made to listen to it, but won't be running back. Ironically for a band that wanted to extend the Beatles and bring them into the future, they ended up sounding very dated and not standing the test of time, unlike the Beatles.

I just don't love the progressive power pop genre. I can see how this could be appealing for others, but it doesn't do it for me.

Another prog rock double album... At least it's ELO! ELO were big players in the prog rock/pop era of the 70's. I mean, it's hard to deny the catchiness of their music. Every song feels like a grandiose production, with its mix of pop and classical inspired arrangements, as well as the catchy hooks. "Mr. Blue Sky" is easily the most recognizable song of the bunch, as most movie-goers have heard it at least once. I will admit there is a lot of pomp, especially for an album of this length. One thing of note is the extensive use of the vocoder, which gives that distorted, synthesized-human voice sound. This obviously wasn't the first use of such an instrument in music, but some may have noticed its use in other popular music immediately after and even more prominently later on by the likes of Daft Punk. The experimentation in this album didn't stop there though, as some tracks such as "Jungle" and the instrumental "The Whale" stand out simply for being unique compared to the rest. A fun album, if not a bit long. Time seemed to fly by whilst listening though, so that was hardly an issue. Easily recommendable for those new to this era of prog rock/pop. Personal favorite portion of the album was side 3, "Concerto for a Rainy Day".

Funny (to me) story: Growing up, I always thought Electric Light Orchestra was the name of the synth orchestra that played during parades down Main Street at Disney World — turns out that was called Electrical Parade. So I was understandably very confused when I first heard this band on the radio. (For the record, some of the synths on songs like Turn to Stone and Across the Border are very reminiscent of Electrical Parade, so I wasn’t totally crazy.) Anyway, this is another one of those 70s bands that I know several songs from but never knew who sang them. Musically, they’re like a weird pastiche of The Beatles, The Bee Gees, Queen, and Hall & Oates (with a smattering of white guys doing Shaft-era Isaac Hayes?). They’re a bit psychedelic, a bit poppy, and a lot schlocky. Very 70s easy listening/dad rock. Not in an unpleasant way, but not necessarily in an I needed to hear this album before I die way. The beginning of the album is a little too easy listening for me. Standin’ In The Rain through Sweet Is The Night is a pretty good stretch of songs. Really started to like it a lot more. Then the last few songs on the album are a mixed bag. The Whale goes a little too far into synthy psychedelic — it’s not bad, but it’s very vibey, almost lo-fi chill that I need to be in a certain mood for. Birmingham Blues is exactly what the title suggests — white dudes doing honky tonk blues. Very Elton John. Not bad, but again not really my thing. The closing track could easily be a Queen song. I’d rather listen to this than most yacht rock. As background music at a barbecue it’s fine. It’ll probably grow on me over time. But I also don’t think this would make my regular rotation (maybe a couple songs here and there). Best songs: Across the Border, Standin in the Rain, Mr. Blue Sky, Summer and Lightning Giving it a 4/5 but it’s probably a 3.75 at best

Good album, a few keepers, but goes on a little longer than needed.

Incredibly catchy, but leaves me wanting Electric Light Morechestra.

"Out Of The Blue", de Electric Light Orchestra (ou ELO, para os íntimos), é capaz de redefinir o significado de sintetizador, pois para além do primoroso trabalho na implementação do instrumento nas faixas do álbum, também conferem à ele a capacidade de sintetizar, daí a redefinição, sentimentos humanos em impressionante detalhamento. Em faixas como "Steppin' Out", que te enchem de esperança e parecem iluminar o palco com energia radiante, ou "Big Wheels" que traz uma massa densa e volumosa de emoções que preenchem nossos ouvidos e corações, a representação da experiência que é ser humano seria de grande interesse de qualquer extraterrestre, de certo um grande presente para o "Mr. Blue Sky", ponto alto do álbum.

É um álbum bem típico da década de 1970, não possui grandes feitos. Não é um trabalho ruim, não se difere dos demais inseridos na mesma época. Destaque para Mr. Blue Sky.

Some solid tunes, but a lot of tracks are too over the top.

The music isn’t bad, but really not my vibe. The album cover is kind of cool though.

Never thought much of this band but gave it a listen because Jeff Lynne was a Wilburn. Better than I expected!

It's music that you play in the background and then forget about it.

bood

Warmed over seventies Beatles has more tuneful and less awful than I expected considering how much I dislike Jeff Lynne. That overdone production tho eww.

Enjoyed this album. Mr Blue Sky is the definitive winner for me. Song is just so damn catchy. Not sure I would go into the rest of their catalog, but definitely enjoyed my time listening to them yesterday.

Was prepared to do a whole, ahh they sound like a queen ripoff and ahhh why is it so long but when I actually sat down to listen to it these songs are all actually pretty good. They all freakin move and don’t drag. Don’t know who came first, these guys or queen but even if they are ripoffs, honestly their songwriting is pretty on par with them on this album so I’m not mad about it.

I absolutely loved it. Braden’s in laws are onto something here. There are a lot of times where I felt like the situation I was in impacted how I felt about an album. For this album, I was sitting outside an urgent care with a sick wife and sick baby and I loved the whole album. Very familiar-seeming. I didn’t know them before, but I knew the melodies. Excited to do some digging and see all the things they’re connected to.

There’s really only two things wrong with this album in my mind. I’ve found I’m not always a huge fan of the double album so there’s a couple tracks that could be dropped and it wouldn’t change much, and that what were considered to be “futuristic” sounds almost 50 years ago don’t really hold up. That being said, the antiquated old school lasers mixed with yacht rock vibes makes for such an excellent listen. The album has a couple great standout songs as well as some deep cuts that are jams. I was excited for this one and I’d say it met expectations.

Love me some ELO! Not only are the hits on here some of the biggest in the world, but the rest of the album is really solid. A consistent sound throughout without feeling too repetitive. I would give this an easy 5 stars if it wasn't for the length. 1h 10min is too long for any album. Cut it down to 50 minutes (or better yet 45) and it would be perfect. In this case I'm going with a 4.

i rate it so far :) nvm, ass

Very easy to listen to and cool music.

Like this more than I thought I would! Def didn’t expect ambient tracks like the whale. Def would’ve been my shit if I was a boomer dad

I come back to this every few years to see if I like it any better, and I never do. The lyrics are unbelievably corny. The music’s so blah, it’s always a half-assed version of Queen or the Kinks or Steely Dan or whatever decent 70s act who you like a whole lot more. I mean, groovy 70s is right in my wheelhouse, and I know so many people that swear by this album, and maybe if I’d heard it at the time I could have accepted the whole hotrodding cheap weed and beer vibe…but there’s not a single song on here I’d listen to even twice.

Buen album, bastante disfrutable , ademas de Mr. Blue Sky. Turn to Stone como primer track es brutal. Jungle da vibes de funk con ese beat,Believe Me Now es corta pero buenarda también.

This album feels huge. Tons of different instrumentation and a chorus of voices the entire time. It’s a ton of fun, very, intricate, and way ahead of it’s time. The early synth sounds really jumped out to me. No one was this effective with a synth in 1976. The classical influence comes through on a lot of this album as well, especially on tracks I was less familiar with coming in. Despite the complexity it never feels unapproachable and manages to be extremely catchy and memorable. 4.4

I had this album. Haven't listened to the entire album in a long time. It holds together and still.sounds good.

It isn’t just anyone who could combine strings, horns, electric guitar, harmonies and cow bell and produce such enjoyable results.

Love this double album which always seems to play shorter than its actual ~70 minutes; great songwriting, great production. And how many bands try to channel the Beatles and fail horribly. For me its an easy 5. I can certainly understand those that don't really like it. Its Prog Pop; 2 genres that can be unpopular with a lot of people. Even I can feel the sugar buzz after listening. But it works wonderfully because its unique sound and great songwriting and arrangements. But I do have another "list" complaint: why include this album and not New World Record? NWR came 1st. It solidified their unique signature sound. Their previous albums, while good, were a more raw and fragmented. NWR spawned multiple hits. It gave us the space ship. It sold 5 million copies in its 1st year. While I probably like them equally, which one was more important?

I was going to give this 4 stars for unadulterated nostalgia. But listening to the whole thing again... it's not quite a 4 star album. Obviously the big hits 'Turn to stone' ' Mr Blue Sky' 'Sweet talkin Woman' etc. are burned deeply into the earliest memories of those of us born in the 70s, but this shouldn't even be a double, a lot of it is smooth-radio-country. And it really really does sound a lot like Beatles tropes everywhere. However this is a classic album cover if ever I saw one, the gatefold was excellent fun back and front. Ridiculous, over-produced, rambles on forever but has the hits where it counts. Jeff's big sprawling and highly polished magnum opus.

The singles still sound pretty sparkly, but the album felt long. They do what they do very well, but it goes on and on. . There was a claim that this was the first album to use a Vocoder - Kraftwerk's Autobahn beat them to that, in 1974

Good one.

simply fantastic music

This album is too much. ELO is too much. Anyone that remotely sounds like ELO is too much. That said,it's awesome.

Love ELO

Seventies glam-rock? Reminds me of Abba. Not really my jam.

Had never heard the whole album before. Enjoyed this.

Very unique listen and still, all tracks feel like 100% ELO. Mr Blue Sky is an absolute standout, from the beginning on, but this whole album is quite enjoyable. Viva Jeff Lynne.

Pretty good album… butttt too long. And not in a good way like All Things Must Pass. 3.6*

Day 34 - July 5th, 2024 I fucking love ELO. 5/5.

Amazing

Me before Mr. Blue Sky comes on: When is Mr. Blue Sky going to come on Me while Mr. Blue Sky is on: Nice Me after Mr. Blue Sky has come on: Damn I wish Mr. Blue Sky would come back on

I enjoyed it, unobtrusive music for the office.

I'm on my haterade today. A few hits. I'm not feeling nothing else

2nd best album of theirs....classic...

Happy and cheerful songs

I got to know ELO as a kid thru Discovery / Time albums, and found this one years later via Doctor Who :) Such a great band and sound.

I like the music of ELO, easy listening and some good lyrics.

Interesting in places, and overall pretty enjoyable, but oddly sterile and hollow-sounding. Another one where I prefer listening to a song or two rather than a whole album; there where parts where I was enjoying it, but I also got pretty annoyed, especially toward the end.

He wrote this in 3 and a half weeks?? Shit. I actually just listened to my first ELO album a few weeks ago, independent of this project. It was A New World Record, which I enjoyed a bit more than Out Of The Blue. Both albums came out in 1976, wild.

Pop-rock setentero. Está bien. Un 4.

Me gusta más la segunda parte del disco. La primera parte es como música ahí de fondo, que no molesta.

Minha vontade é ouvir ele inteiro sem fazer mais nada além disso. Apesar de longo, achei bem dinâmico pela variedade de sons, instrumentos e coisas acontecendo nas músicas. Tem uma pegada de opera-rock pra mim. Poderia ser a trilha sonora de um longa épico-futurista (não prestei atenção para ver se as letras tem uma conexão entre si, como num opera-rock). Apesar disso, diferente de outras músicas e álbuns que tem alguma história épica de pano de fundo, que possuem momentos tensos ou melancólicos, esse tem um clima geral alto-astral e aventura que vai muito bem.

3.5/5

Good album - very dad rock and a bit silly at times, but nice overall

Very cinematic (even outside of Mr Blue Sky, how many of these songs have been used in movie montages… sounds like all of them would fit). Kinda flopped back and forth, I think for that very reason, between finding this to be good-but-not-my-thing (thought a few too many times about Guardians of the Galaxy) and finding the construction as pop music very exciting and progressive (other times I thought about Sufjan’s Age of Adz).

I had fun! I’ll admit to being an ELO hater but today I went on a nice walk and it was sunny and warm and I had a pleasant time!

very fun and super enjoyable pop bangers on here - album was a bit long for my tastes but did not really overstay it's welcome

Great prog pop. As usual, a double album could probably be an even better single album but there is something about it being too long that is appropriate to the genre. Several tracks such as "Stepping Out" would be at home on an alternate universe Let It Be album - down to the overblown arrangement.

Very solid double LP. Obviously Mr. Blue Sky is the standout track, but I really enjoyed the opening run of tracks too

🛸🎬🎻👨🏻‍🎤🌭 highlights: mr blue sky. see also: production value; superhero films; the cars (the cars, 1978); artificial nortalgia; rhapsody in blue (george gershwin).

Puhh det var ret generisk, og ikke lige mig. Ikke direkte dårligt, men bare alt for meget det samme. Også bare latterligt langt...

Fuck det er kedeligt

Not moay kup ov teeeya

Great album. Just so many great songs and great mood. Yes, it's "Beatle-esque," as Jeff Lynne himself calls it, but it's great. I'll still take The Zombies over anything else in the "genre," though :)

It's an album I can say I neither loved nor hated. I'd say its closer to a 2.5 for being way too long

Again, clearly very high quality music and it’s very uptempo which is great vibes. It’s just a bit too one note for my taste.

Quite enjoyed this (although really noticed the Beatles debt after listening to so much Beatles lately, something that didn't occur to me when I first heard ELO in the 70s) but it was too long and some of the tracks were a bit samey.

A grandiose run through 17 wild tracks at the height of the ELO powerhouse.

Great album, time melts away for me while listening to it. Somehow sounds of the time (not a bad thing) and modern at the same time. I guess that's the meaning of 'timeless'.

So good, doesn't need any historical context or preface to slap this hard. People who have only heard "Mr. Blue Sky" are missing out big time. Love the choir vocals and 12-string sounds when they're used.

Terrific highs and lows of human emotion in song writing within only one hour runtime of music. Emotional yet bright shiny electric melodies utilized to envoke espescially stronger feelings in the empty space. Chock full of excellent vocals too. Loved listening to this and indulging in a bit of ELO for the day.

This might be one of my new favorite albums overall, it doesn't hold the earth-changing rank of 5, but it sounds so well constructed and fun.

70s, psychadelic rock

Damn I just listened to this album like 3 days ago but like a thrilling rollercoaster, LET'S RIDE IT AGAIN! This madness is so wildly baroque, but NEVER at the expense of the groove, so as far as I'm concerned, Lynn can get as wacky as he wants with the ideas and production details. Anyone complaining about this album being "self-indulgent" is wrong, Jeff Lynn has indulged me on this album experience, time and time again. If you want a stripped back rock album then by all means, AC/DC & Aerosmith are in the "A" section, head right on over, you'll have a fine time. This album has a goddamn rainbow light up space station on the album cover for fucks sake. Yes, they have many strings, "Orchestra" is in the NAME OF THE BAND. What did you expect? In the tradition of Queen, Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, ect., these are insane arrangements applied to excellent songwriting. Strip these songs back to vocals and acoustic guitar and they're still excellent songs. Isn't finding the ceiling of music production applied to great songs what we want on occasion? There's a time and place for Nirvana albums and this ain't it. This encapsulates every disco-stadium rock-coked out-Star Wars-roller skate-short shorts-level excess of 1977 in one album descending on the "great blue ship" of Earth in a massive glowing UFO emblazoned with a script-written logo that says ELO. When it comes down to it, we have to judge art on it's own merits. This means I often ask myself, what is this music "attempting to accomplish", and is it effective in this pursuit? I drop the needle on this album and it's straight up BLAST OFF TIME, while feeling all the emotions of Lynn's heartbreaks, elations, & jungle soirees, complete with talking lions. Buy the ticket, take the ride, but do so with an open mind and don't expect to come back down to Earth anytime soon.

The last album I questioned why some of these albums are on here. Not this one. Easy 5 stars.

Sehr typisch - aber auch ganz schön flach. Würde sogar sagen: Echt langweilig. Für mich erstaunlich wie elektronisch die Musik 1977 schon war!

FUCKING PHENOMINAL ALBUM.

My heart sank when this came up. I came close to not listening, but in the spirit of this thing..... I'm a George Harrison fan and respect him as a human being, but it always amazed me that he actually wanted Jeff Lynne to produce for him. He let Jeff ruin two half decent Beatles Singles because of this cloth-eared blind spot. But Jeff's dabbling with George and the Travelling Wilburys is one thing. Pure Jeff like this album is just fekkin' awful. I made it 5 songs in and had to quit. The mushy, one level sound, the horrible, forced cheerful-ness of the backing vocals -constantly interjecting - mistaking multi-tracking for harmonising. I think that's waht bothers me - the layers and layers of the same stuff. It's not clever. It's not a Wall of Sound - not in a good way. It's just lots and lots of tracks all playing the same stuff at the same time. The songs buried under the layers of one-tone sound are OK-good. But I struggle to concentrate on them as the production is just too hamfisted.

Entertaining album! 4.0

ELO is always an entertaining listen

This album felt like a huge slice of chocolate cake. A lot of flavor, well crafted, and overall really enjoyable. A bit too rich when eating a whole slice at once, though.

5/5

BANGERS

Beatles with effects. Not in the mood for this right now. Or any time, probably.

Canciones favoritas: -Turn to stone (por obvias razones) -Its over (más acústica y simple, muy lindis) -Mr blue sky (por obvias razones x2) -Jungle (super divertida de escuchar) -Standin in the rain (muy dramática) -Summer and lighting (todo el soundtrack de Ella está encantada debió haber sido de ELO ¡¡¡¡¡¡nos robaron!!!!, linda linda) Está larguito, no lo he podido escuchar de una sentada. Este album me hizo soñar que estaba en una película retro futurista y lo amo por eso.

Would give this a 4.5 if we did half stars, too bad that poll failed

Decent but very repetitive

already listened to it, very nice, one of my fav double albums

I enjoyed it. I had not realized just how good they were

Loved it!! Reminded me of the best parts of the Whom really enjoyed the big sweeping theatricality of it all. Def listening to more Electric Light Orchestra.

Fuck knows, felt dead long and dead partridge.

I'm an ELO fan and this album has much of Jeff's best stuff. Toe tapper all the way through.

The Shitty Beatles

This is a very solid rock album IMO. It held a nice upbeat tone throughout, while still having a decent amount of variety. The opening track was pretty great, but the star of the show has to be “Mr Blue Sky”, absolute classic!

It was fine, not really my cup of tea though

i did like it. i didn’t finish because it got a little redundant to me but i would def go back to finish. it has that classic rock type of vocal style that isn’t bad but it was just registering to me like “oh i’m not in the mood for classic rock lately” but i did find a lot of influence for modern stuff like MGMT. the instrumentals are very cool and innovative. will come back! :)

None of them hit as hard as mister blue sky, but I feel the others shared the vibes very well

Chill and a good listen, but Mr Blue Sky is doing the real heavy lifting on this album

Jeg synes Jeff Lynne er en god sangskriver der laver gudesmukke hooks, men ELO vil desværre aldrig være andet end “hvad hvis Queen var straight?” for mig

Sys det er sjældent man hører dobbelt-albums som er så consistent!

Synes ærlig talt at det bliver lidt uoverskueligt at skulle tage stilling til 70 minutters musik. Der var nogle gode ideer og det lød fint, men det kommer til at tage lang tid at genhøre for at finde de bedste sange... Ikke umiddelbart noget jeg eksplicit sætter på selv, men nok heller ikke noget jeg direkte skipper

ELO! College daze. Memories! ❤️

I liked this a lot more than I expected going in. I assumed it was gonna be a mid-70s “yacht rock” sub-par knock-off of the Beatle’s Sgt. Pepper’s era based on the consensus of several of the hipster Reddit music threads I follow but I enjoyed the “lushness” of many of the songs.

Electric Light Borechestra

Super catchy, but feels a little dissatisfying, like processed food. The songs on this album (which like most double albums, is too long) tend to blend into one another; there's not a ton to differentiate them. However merits three stars at least for Mr Blue Sky.

Classic songs album was better 2nd half

Great

Underwhelmed to be honest

Long, Ornate, obnoxious orchestral flourishes and choral singers in Orchestral Pop

Keep it down anyone who is swinging on this album. It's a unique sound, covers a ton of ground, is creative and uses a lot of instruments well, and is fun. That album art slams and I'm biased as hell but this should completely be on the list and is great to listen to in its entirety.

This is great. It's like they took some of what the Beatles did and elevated it a bit and made it their own. Oh,okay, I know Mr. Blue Sky. This album never lost me, on more listens I'm sure each track would grow on me. It's cohesive. Cool album cover. I didn't even realize it was a double album until it was pointed out to me. Sounds great on headphones.

This album is quite a good listen. Through its combinations of pop-orchestral arrangements with rock, it has a sound which fails to bore.

Bright, colorful, and upbeat. A very textured musical experience, very much of its time.

Brilliant. This genre is something I never listen to and have only come across through radio play and elevators. To say the genre is tepid is an understatement. So I was shocked to find myself bobbing along and surprised by the complexity of the production and aesthetics. This guy knows music.

Another surprising album. ELO seems so corny but I liked this album. The hits are there (Turn to Stone, Mr. Blue Sky), all of the songs hang together and there's very little to actively dislike.

Enjoyed this overall. Light and breezy, but with a few interesting bits to lift it out the doldrums.

Mr blue sky Birmingham Blue’s Jungle 8.1/10

This is a classic. They do so much with music, and for the time it must have been crazy.

Classic

Good!

Very Beatles with a hint of prog and disco orchestration

Psychedelic and pretty good.

Very good 6.5/10

Not completely horrible, but not very good either.

This album is like a combo of everything popular in rock at that era. Very Beatles esque

Heard bits and pieces of this over the years but this is the first time all the way through. Masterpiece! Love the production!

## In-depth Review of "Out of the Blue" by Electric Light Orchestra ### Overview "Out of the Blue," released in October 1977, is the seventh studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). Produced and written almost entirely by the band's frontman Jeff Lynne, this double album is a landmark in the band's career and in the progressive pop-rock genre. It features some of ELO's most memorable tracks and showcases the band's unique blend of rock and classical music. ### Lyrics Jeff Lynne’s songwriting on "Out of the Blue" is characterized by its mix of whimsical storytelling, introspective themes, and romantic narratives. The lyrics reflect Lynne’s fascination with space, love, and time, often using metaphors that evoke a sense of wonder and nostalgia. **Key Tracks and Lyric Analysis:** - **“Turn to Stone”**: This track opens the album with lyrics that speak of loneliness and longing. Lines like "The city streets are empty now (the lights don't shine no more)" capture the essence of desolation in the absence of a loved one. - **“Sweet Talkin’ Woman”**: A tale of elusive love, the lyrics are straightforward yet catchy, embodying the frustration and excitement of chasing a romantic interest. - **“Mr. Blue Sky”**: Perhaps the album's most iconic song, it paints a vivid picture of a joyful, sunlit day. The lyrics, "Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why, you had to hide away for so long," use personification to bring the sky to life, reflecting themes of hope and renewal. ### Music The musicality of "Out of the Blue" is a testament to Jeff Lynne’s ability to blend classical elements with rock, creating a lush, symphonic sound that was revolutionary at the time. The album features complex arrangements, multi-layered harmonies, and a wide range of instruments including strings, synthesizers, and traditional rock instruments. **Key Tracks and Musical Analysis:** - **“Turn to Stone”**: The energetic opening track features rapid-fire strings and dynamic shifts in tempo, setting the tone for the album’s ambitious scope. - **“Sweet Talkin’ Woman”**: Combines pop sensibilities with a classical string section, creating a rich, melodic tapestry that is both accessible and intricate. - **“Mr. Blue Sky”**: Known for its cheerful, orchestral pop sound, the song is built around a driving rhythm and a jubilant chorus. The use of a vocoder in the bridge adds a futuristic touch. ### Production The production of "Out of the Blue" is meticulous, reflecting Jeff Lynne’s perfectionist tendencies. Recorded primarily at Musicland Studios in Munich, the album benefits from the cutting-edge technology of the time, resulting in a polished, high-fidelity sound. **Production Highlights:** - **Layered Arrangements**: Each track features dense layers of instruments and vocals, carefully balanced to ensure clarity and richness. The strings, often a hallmark of ELO’s sound, are prominent and well-integrated. - **Innovative Techniques**: Lynne’s use of the vocoder in “Mr. Blue Sky” and other tracks was innovative, adding a unique texture that complemented the futuristic themes. - **Consistency**: Despite the album’s diversity in style and tempo, the production quality remains consistently high throughout, creating a cohesive listening experience. ### Themes "Out of the Blue" explores themes of love, isolation, and the passage of time, often framed within a cosmic or fantastical context. The album’s second disc, known as the "Concerto for a Rainy Day," is a four-track suite that vividly depicts the emotional arc of a storm, from anticipation to its aftermath. **Thematic Exploration:** - **Love and Loneliness**: Songs like “Turn to Stone” and “Sweet Talkin’ Woman” delve into the emotional highs and lows of romantic relationships. - **Cosmic and Futuristic Imagery**: Tracks such as “Starlight” and “Jungle” use space and otherworldly imagery to explore themes of adventure and discovery. - **Weather and Mood**: The "Concerto for a Rainy Day" suite personifies weather, using it as a metaphor for emotional states. “Mr. Blue Sky” concludes this suite with an uplifting celebration of the return of good times after a period of gloom. ### Influence "Out of the Blue" had a significant impact on both contemporary and future music. It helped cement ELO’s place in rock history and influenced numerous artists across various genres. **Influential Aspects:** - **Symphonic Rock**: The album’s successful blend of rock and classical music elements inspired other bands to explore orchestral arrangements within a rock context. - **Production Techniques**: Lynne’s production style, characterized by its clarity and innovation, has been emulated by many producers in the rock and pop industries. - **Enduring Popularity**: Tracks like “Mr. Blue Sky” have become timeless classics, frequently used in films, commercials, and television, thereby continuing to influence popular culture. ### Pros and Cons #### Pros: 1. **Innovative Sound**: The fusion of classical and rock elements creates a unique and captivating sound. 2. **Strong Songwriting**: Jeff Lynne’s ability to craft memorable melodies and lyrics is evident throughout the album. 3. **High Production Quality**: The meticulous production ensures that each track sounds polished and dynamic. 4. **Cohesive Themes**: The album’s exploration of love, loneliness, and cosmic wonder is well-executed and emotionally resonant. 5. **Enduring Appeal**: Many songs from the album, especially “Mr. Blue Sky,” remain popular and relevant decades after their release. #### Cons: 1. **Overproduction**: Some critics argue that the album’s lavish production can occasionally feel excessive, potentially overshadowing the raw emotion of the music. 2. **Length**: As a double album, it may be perceived as overly long, with some filler tracks that do not stand out as much as the hits. 3. **Homogeneity**: Despite the album’s diversity, some listeners might find the overall sound too homogeneous, lacking the variety found in other contemporary works. ### Conclusion "Out of the Blue" by Electric Light Orchestra stands as a monumental achievement in the realm of symphonic rock. Its innovative blend of classical instrumentation and rock sensibilities, combined with Jeff Lynne’s masterful songwriting and production, make it a standout album of the 1970s. While it has its criticisms, such as potential overproduction and length, the album's strengths far outweigh its weaknesses. "Out of the Blue" continues to be celebrated for its musical ingenuity and emotional depth, securing its place in the annals of rock history.

Could’ve cut this down a few songs. Way over the top but also gives us one of the happier songs in life with Mr Blue Sky.

mocne 4/5 podobalo mi sie to, tyler the creator vibe type shit

This is basically The Beatles, just with better production gear. That's great and all, but they struggle to bring anything new to the table.

Music from my childhood, doing loops around the Roller Rink after our parents would drop us off on a rainy Saturday morning, wholesome kid fun while drug deals were happening near the bathrooms. That last bit of information wouldn't matter to me until later. The Orchestra part of ELO is what makes their music fun and cinematic, making my awkward loop around the rink epic.

I was surprised by how long this album was, felt like it could've easily been two.

Is it normal to hate and love something, in equal proportion? Like I hate this style for how cheesy it is. But it’s so unapologetically cheesy, that I have to respect it. Also, it’s hard to hate on something that’s mostly jolly, earnest and naive. Also, too, there’s an adequate amount of cowbell. That said, I prefer The Darkness, and won’t listen to this again.

I thought this album was absolutely fantastic. I've been awake of ELO for tears but have always been ignorant of their output. Wow. Was I wrong. I actually thought Mr. Blue Sky was a Wings song. Either way, excellent.

fun but way too long

how to rate this!?! it had everything! all the instruments! all the vocals! all the melodies! all three songs i recognized! the tremendous length! i go back and forth on whether i find it engaging and thrilling or silly as hell and i think that's the line they're trying to ride too. kinda wish it was a more condensed single album without as much filler but that might be a lethal concentration of pop. better not find out.

a nearly perfect album

This was pretty enjoyable! I feel like a song or two could've been cut, but I really like their classical yet futuristic vibe.

bomp bomp bomp bomp bomp bomp bomp bomp

Every time a song ended I thought (hoped) we were being led into Mr. Blue Sky so it loses a star for all the times that wasn't true.

This album is a BOP 4/5

A fun listen! Mr blue sky a standout!

good futuristic sound and can hear influences of Queen and The Beatles album starts strong but tends to drag on some songs/parts are overproduced but overall enjoyable album and fits the vibe for a long summer drive

Big unique sound, a few notable songs, the rest just blends together.

A pretty good album, but there is a reason "Mr. Blue Sky" is the most well-known track (although I thought "Birmingham Blues" was also pretty good.

Landmark album from ELO. A perfect display of what they can do and what they do well! Run's a bit long though...

I don’t love this genre

A double album of rock orchestra goodness

Best album of all time? Maybe. People are saying it. Who? People. This album is conceptual without hammering you over the head with CONCEPT. Lynn is a story teller and takes you on a journey without this thing being a novel. It’s pop, but it’s orchestrated and complex. Love this album. 5/5.

I keep it short: overly self-indulgent pompous overproduced bore. Two points for daring. I hate it. Sorry.

Imaginative and great but sometimes too rich like a good cheesecake… hard to digest it all in one go. 4.2

3.7/5 listened 2x

I find ELO so fun. I've only ever really listened to their hits and I don't think I knew anything from this album so it was cool to explore their stuff a bit more. It was pretty well what I expected it to be, some super fun tracks and a few duds. I'm a sucker for that retro-futuristic sound and especially the vocoder so this works for me overall.

Upbeat disco album. Enjoyable but long.

one of my all time favs

Wow, this was not for me at all. I was really expecting better! It's hard to put my finger on what exactly I hated about this, maybe it's too commercial sounding, a bit souless? The best song on the album is undoubtedly Mr. Blue Sky, but it has become ubiquitous through its use in every advert imaginable - most recently the ads for the Irish National Lottery that make me want to throw the radio out the window. It's very well performed, but either there's just not enough humanity in there, or what is there is too clean cut. If I contrast it with the two Todd Rundgren albums I got earlier in this challenge (and loved), I think the difference is that Todd seems to take himself less seriously, and wasn't afraid to experiment. Whereas ELO seem to be taking the ultimate safe bet in trying to plot out a course based on the Beatles' abandoned trajectory.

Solid prog pop. Favourite songs: Birmingham Blues, Sweet Talkin' Woman, Sweet is the Night, Latitude 88 North, Wild West Hero, Turn to Stone, It's Over, Across the Border, Summer and Lightning, Big Wheels Least favourite songs: Night in the City 4/5

Foi bacana, muito diferente do que eu tô acostumado.

Enjoyed this, but isn’t really something Iw old seek out.

I just love every song on this album. The transitions were so cool- smooth and not harsh at all. The songs were so complex and original, just no complaints.

This album immediately gives the strongest "kid in back of the giant station wagon" vibes. Total throwback. ELO freaked me out a little as a kid (have you *heard* the full version of Fire On High??) - always a little dangerous and mysterious sounding amidst the poppy strings and sometimes too-smooth processed vocal harmonies. It's kind of a cool combination. Mr Blue Sky reigns supreme on this album but I really like that entire "side 3" which is a sort of suite ("Concerto For A Rainy Day") - I think it was derided because it was too ambitious...jeez god forbid. Yeah it's definitely too long because that *ELO Sound* really starts to blend after a while - it's a total 70s throwback/period piece but that last bit is also part of the charm - you could say it's totally indicative of the era but who else sounded like this? Completely unique and if you want to criticize it as too long I'd agree but damn this is cool and different even if it was wildly popular and successful. 7/10 4 stars.

They can be a little much sometimes. But when it's not noise pollution or overstimulating, it's really great music. Tight vocal harmonies, instruments are all in sync. This is great, but it falls short from elite, for me. A few odd songs, and sometimes there's just too much going on. But I was bobbing along to most songs, and it's an overall great listen.

First songs varied from wonderful to just okay. Apparently super populair because You Tube presented me with their bloody MacDonalds commercial (come on people, don't suggest that that garbage is proper food) every 2 minutes, whichever link I tried. Had to give up.

I have always love Turn to Stone as a radio song, but never had the opportunity to listen to a full album. I like a lot about this and they really have no fear of orchestration. I'm fascinated that Jeff Lynne wrote all of these songs quickly in a burst of inspiration. I'm giving this a 4 because I was caught in a rain storm during the weather part and Mr Blue Sky hit just after the clouds broke. However, overall there is a bit of same-ness to the tracks due to the incessant orchestration.

Good solid 70s rock by a premium 70s rock band. Their sound didn't change much as they wrote Xanadu!

This album is absolutely fantastic. I knew Mr blue sky, but hearing it in context made it even better. A lot of genuine bops and interesting sounds getting made. On my second listen I followed along with the wiki which had a bit of track by track info.

ELO is definitely one of my favorite “classic rock” bands. This is still way too long and has some fat that could be trimmed! Still, I love their arrangements and sonic quality. I’m on their weird wavelength! 3.5

Probably a 3.5 for me. Like me some ELO but it can be very ELOish.

Very average, looking at below average territory. Music is pretty good, classic 70s rock, but the vocals are a challenge for a normal human being. I guess I will leave it at 3 out of 5, because somehow I made it to the end of the record.

This is so amazing. All the effects, the instruments and mixing, the vocals and everything just fits together perfectly. 10/10. Mr Blue Sky is my favourite, probably to the surprise of nobody but yeah 5 stars

Very long but I like ELO so it was good to listen to.

It was good. I probably won’t listen to it again.

Wonderfully consistent in theme and sound. I am not sure why some of the tracks made the final cut (looking at you, Jungle). Nonetheless, ELO's masterfully triumphant strings are enough to yank you out of whatever shitty mood you might be in. Overall, this receives a Blue Smiley Face :)

so so sooo good, loved forever

...

I had a suspicion after hearing this that Taylor Hawkins was a fan. It sounds a lot like his music. I was right. RIP. Kinda sounds like a knock-off Queen/Beatles/Billy Joel, but also sounds pretty good??? 6/10

Catchy, but a bit poppy for my tastes. I'd never heard of Electric Light Orchestra or even Mr. Blue Sky before this listen...

mr blue sky, 10/10, rest, eh

this one is fun!

Good pop album and mostly an enjoyable listen. It stands the test of time pretty well but feels a little sterile and over produced in places. Stand out tracks for me were Mr Blue Sky and Sweet Talkin’ Woman

I am a fan of ELO and they are one of the few bands whose overproduced sound that I enjoy. Like I say with most double albums, this record is a lot. There can be some cuts made here and there, but altogether a really good album. If I am someone who wants to hear ELO, I would probably lean towards New World Record, because that's my favorite ELO album and it is concise enough to reduce filler. The first four songs are all classics and I must admit "Out of the Blue" is probably their second best album. "Summer and Lightning" and "Steppin' Out" are two album tracks I would recommend. I prefer "New World Record" for those who want to hear Beatles song with an orchestra behind them.

I was fascinated by the physical LP when I was a kid, the strangeness of the neon gloss and glow among my dad's records. I remember sliding it out and opening it up for the futuristic art. Don't remember listening to it at all until I was an adult. It wasn't the album I had expected, but something pretty good all the same.

i only really knew a couple of ELO songs before, but this was a delightful listen

Oh yeah that album is a cool weird thing from the 70s

Great 70's album and sound. Various themes and types of sounds. from synth based keyboards. to the guitars of Mr. Blue Sky.