Out Of The Blue

Massive album that flows very well and doesnt drag at any point. Great achivement given its length. Love the space theme and their style that seems to combine the beatles, queen and bowie. What a blend.

Beatlesque, which isn’t a good thing. Don’t like the singing. Lasts forever.

Yeah, ELO- um maybe they need to slow down on the coke? It’s just too, too much for me. But it is big and fun. Someone wanted ABBA with more variation, well here you go! And a synthesizer.

Really cool album. Standout songs: Its over Night in the city Summer and lightning

Easy 5

what a great album

good

Not really my cup of tea a bit too jazzy but some good transitions tho

Yet another fantastic album where it’s genuinely difficult picking a favorite. For once, I’ve actually heard of this band before, and unsurprisingly it’s got some bangers. “Turn to Stone”, “Mr. Blue Sky”, “Night in the City”, and “Steppin' Out” are my favorites here. It’s well over an hour long of vaguely Beatley sounding Prog music, which for someone who loves that is a blessing. It’s me, I’m that someone. I don’t think it resonated with me like other Prog albums have, but I’m a bit strict with that, as it’s my favorite genre. Would I return to this very long album?? Absolutely. Would I listen to every song again?? Depending on the day, but not always. It’s quite good all the way through, and I’ll even pick a dark horse as my favorite song on the album. I really enjoyed “Night in the City”. Even with how much of a banger “Mr. Blue Sky” is, I’ve just heard it 100 too many times. Don’t get me wrong though, it is a serious banger. This entire album is. You had me at Prog. I’m just surprised this one above all else is rated so high, plenty other albums like this are rated much lower. Is it the voice perhaps that people enjoy?? Probably. Another cool fun fact about this album was learning that some of the later songs all follow a mini story of the rain, ending with the previously mentioned “Mr. Blue Sky”, so to finally get the full context of why that song is extra fun to get to was interesting to me. This is a great album that I wish was rolled during my weekend so I could give it just a little more time to resonate with me. It is entirely likely that a 5 star album exists in this, I just didn’t have a lot of time today to find it. I did however love this album and at the bare minimum it doesn’t deserve anything less than a 4.

An easy 5. Even though I like El Dorado better.

Fun, wild, out there. I do think that Jeff Lynne is a genius and ELO was a truly unique band. But sometimes, it's too much. We don't need one million sounds added to every song to make them more interesting. Still, it's a pretty memorable listen, especially because of the diversity of the songs.

tiene todo lo que me gusta, no se que más poner. es experimental y sin duda lo escucharía en la diaria.

Better than 🥶 play

I’m struggling to write a coherent review on why I didn’t like this album. I gave up so I’m just going to share my unedited listening notes. It sounds like they’re trying too hard to make what they think should be good music. It sounds like some weird 70s vision of what they thought futuristic music might sound like. It doesn’t sound sincere or connected - like they’re using a musical formula to write the songs and they’re just going through the motions. All the songs sound the same. Sounds like Temu Queen. Too fucking long.

This album screams 70’s but not in a bad way. The falsetto back ups over groovy beats with solid, clean instrumentals behind it all makes for some decent music. This is not my normal choice of tunes, but I didn’t mind it while it was on. The album itself ran a little too long for my liking and the last few songs all sounded similar as a result.

The musical equivalent of a guy trying too hard to be cool.

Quite elaborate. Maybe they should have named themselves the Elaborate Light Orchestra?

Reminds me of my brother and dad

Awesome!

An epic of a size, symphonic, varied piece of art, love it

Lots of great tunes here. Love this album.

This is era defining music. The harmonies and production sound combine to make an absolutely unique sound. Many of the tracks are well known as chart hits and remind us that pop can be musically excellent. Somehow ELO managed to make exciting and unique music drawing on vocal traditions like the Beach Boys plus a classical music vibe with great tunes and fabulous rhythms. Mr Blue Sky is of course a perfect track but there's plenty more here of quality. Some tracks do sound like fillers but overall the album is consistently good and just when you think it's a bit samey along comes another excellent song with it's own extra something. Wild West Hero as the concluding track is an example of that.

I do have to say that while I immensely dislike the album art here, the music itself is pretty great. It’s an enjoyable, mostly uplifting collection of songs, full of harmonically pleasing chord progressions. And the fact that it was written entirely in just over three weeks is a massive creative achievement.

This is another one of those album me that could be a greatest hits collection almost on its own. Not a bad track. The writing is phenomenal, Jeff Lynne is a musical genius and I’ll die on that hill. If Sir Paul is a fan, it can’t be bad. If fact he had said before that if The Beatles had survived into the 70’s he imagined they would’ve sounded a lot like ELO.

very groovy, a head bopper album for sure. didn’t realise mr. blue sky was in here and that was a big YES!

3/6

Great way to start this project. What an electro-symphonic rock masterpiece. Extremely fun listening

This has some classics which everyone knows a high 3

вартові галактикии

Massive album at 17 songs and about every single orchestral arrangement you can think of. Saw some reviews that were like "Jeff, we get it. You like the Beatles." haha. Generational talent and some quality bangers. I thought this would have been closer to the 60's than 80's, so a little later than expected. The song "Believe me Now" is THE most Daft Punk song I've heard from the 60's or 70's. Super creative, awesome album.

oh yeah, this rocks

Don't care much for this sort of rock/pop, sounds like Queen

not really my vibe. esto le gustaría a mi cuñado and i dont like that

Like stepping into a Guardians of the Galaxy movie soundtrack....and I love that movie soundtrack :)

turn 2 stone - cool chords!! i like the synth shit i 4got abt the notes um starlight - very good, very jazzy (?) n groovy jungle - quite the jungly vibe steppin' out - abit boring idk. still good tho mr. blue sky - HEY IVE HEARD THIS SONG B4 got distracted n didnt even realise i finished the album anyway very good i like it

no me gustó

Such a nostalgic album for me, I remember my mom playing this as a kid and us dancing in the kitchen to it. Listening it took me back to those happy memories.

me recuerda un poco a starr wars , a daft punk, saben esas vibes de futurismo, de el espacio :))

Surprised by this. I have heard maybe half these elsewhere but this album was actually good. Sounds like the Beatles, some Queen in there, and others.

Some good stuff here, but too long with a bit too much filler for 4 stars.

Not my bag - I just am not that interested in this prog-post disco noodly stuff.

Wondering how it would sound if all the Orchestra stuff was changed into a second guitar, bass or something else. 14 yo me liked it a lot. 62 yo me, less.

Ugh. That Wilbury I never really listened to that much. And an hour-ten? Ohhh, what a day. Luckily it was sort of delightful.

The meanest piece of music criticism I’ve ever heard was someone describing the Travelling Wilburys as “four geniuses and Tom Petty”. If you’re going to single anybody out, it’s gotta be Jeff Lynne.

Their big album that really cemented their career. Not a fan after the first two albums, but love Jeff Lynne and all his writing and production.

Pretty Elton John sounding at times. Less prog rocky than I was expecting. There’s some good stuff in here - I liked Jungle a lot and the closer. It is too long though. If you’re a fan I guess that’s a good thing but for a first listen it all starts to sound the same. High 3, I could see it being a 4.

I imagine that Jeff Lynne idolized the Beatles. You can heat their influence throughout this record. The music is very orchestral while being very "poppy" at the same time. Of course, it demonstrates the highly produced sounds that define Jeff Lynne. Fun to listen to.

Look, I love the Beatles. I really love the Beatles. But we already have the Beatles. This was a fun novelty listen but felt like fan fiction at a certain point. It was well crafted though.

Classic!

You can't go wrong with ELO

Mahtipontista ja orchestralista

3.5

7.0/10 Was kind of giving Bee Gees/Beatles vibes. Liked it more than I expected

The other reviewers were right when they said this album was a combination of Queen and the Beatles. I'd also like to add disco and that the orchestra gives it a film soundtrack feel at times. The band really enjoyed playing with weird sounds as well. At times, this was a bit too weird for me, and I got too many 80s vibes off of it. It was just okay in my opinion, but not bad.

Zieht sich an stellen leider extrem. Ich mag elo aber 1 Stunde und 16 Minuten ist glaube jedem zuviel 3/5

The Beatles in their sparkly, ABBA phase.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for that psychedelic-ass mid-70s stadium rock sound.

Liked some.

Etwa 2016 bin ich zum Bahnhof, dort in einen Zug gestiegen, von dort zum Flughafen wo ich ein Flugzeug bestieg, dort in eine U-Bahn mit Umstieg zu einer S-Bahn, in Wembley raus, um für einen absurden Preis die greisen Überreste von ELO zu sehen. Und ich beschwere mich nichtmal. So gut sind die immer noch.

Absolute banger

me encantó

Probably in my top 25 of all time. Classic.

Mr. Blue Sky, but one hour long. This is not just an album, this is art

Fav- sweet is the night 4/5

Was excited to listen to this one but left feeling mostly disappointed. Often reminds me of the more annoying Queen songs and even the good parts are just okay to me.

Possibly the first album I actually fell 8n l9ve with as a complete work. Still sounds amazing and very positive.

This band is in a lot of movies that take place during summer. Heavy steely dan vibes

Hyvien levyjen putki jatkuu edelleen. Tällä kertaa vuorossa on Electric Light Orchestran Out of the Blue. Oikein mainio kaksoisalbumi, jolla kaikki biisit nivoutuvat osaksi toimivaa kokonaisuutta. Bändin soundi on aivan omanlaisensa; siinä kuuluu Beatlesin upeat melodiat ja Queenin teatraalisuus.

Felt longer than it was. Almost gave it a 2 but there's a few classic hits on here.

Very interesting, gotta think about this one...

Interesting album, sounds a bit inoffensive, good dinner party music

There's just too much of it - and not enough decent tunes. It does have Mr Blue Sky though.

I'm of course familiar with some of ELO's breakout hits, and both of my parents were/are fans of the band, so I had high hopes going into this. They were more than surpassed. This is precisely my kind of grand, larger than life prog pop; it's epic without falling susceptible to cheesiness, it's not virtuosic / overly show-off like (which I'm not against by any means if it's substantiated), it's cheerful at every turn, the vocal/instrumental harmonies are sumptuous, the orchestral arrangements are colossal, and more or less every song here feels like a vital piece of the jigsaw. My only minuscule criticism is that there is a slight drop off towards the end of the first disc ("Believe Me Now" and "Steppin' Out" are somewhat limp compared to the banger run of tracks that precede them), but "Standin' In The Rain" onwards is a hell of a second wind. You could also argue that this very much sounds of its era, but there's nothing wrong with that in my eyes as it forms the core of Out of the Blue's character. An absolutely stunning album. The next one I'll be purchasing.

Heard the most popular songs from it before and they're probably the best ones on the album. The rest just feels so, idk, bombastic and bloated? It goes on for ages. It's not a bad album, I'm just not vibing with it all that much 2/5

It gains a star for Mr Blue Sky. Other than that it is completely preposterous and over the top, with an occasional song or motif that cuts through. I cannot fathom how they convinced the label to spend so much money on it, but it’s commercial success seems to have justified it.

Really didn’t vibe with this. Far too OTT in all the wrong areas. Those chorused harmonies à la Queen are not something I enjoy at all and was used far too willingly here. Didn’t really get anything about what it was trying to say here and found even though it was lobbing everything including the kitchen sink in, easy to pass me by. Mr blue sky seems rather out of place on the album (except the outro which makes a little more sense in context).

1/17 bekannt 7/10 Beste Songs: Mr. Blue sky, Jungle, turn to stone Die songs hören sich alle so an als würden sie im Radio laufen

Well this is a random album suggestion. Giving the Beatles/ queen. I was swaying to « its over » so I guess it’s a good song. Big wheels made me want to sing « proud Mary » instead. The whale is weird af for the first 1:40. I like the Birmingham blues. Album overall good work album cause I can zone out and not listen to it (yes it’s a backhanded compliment)

Very nice

Great background music, nothing notable on the first listen of half the album. But today on my way back home, on an hour long commute on the tram, I listened to the rest of the album and boy was it an experience. "Standin' in the rain", while it was raining outside made me feel like I was Jack Black as a protagonist in a movie. It was so fun. Notable mentions (i.e songs that I liked)- Night in the city, The whale, Brimingham blues, This was overall a nice album, and a good start to my journey. I'm excited I hope I stick with it

Mr Blue Sky is a legit banger.

Vem orkar lyssna på ett helt album från en sån här artist? Det är på bee gees nivå av larvighet, men man kan lyssna på några stycken

There's a mismatch on the Spotify version of this record, it ends on one of the reissue bonus tracks so, unless you make that conscious effort to stop at Wild West Hero, it ends on a different note and that makes a difference to the listening experience for me. The originally intended tracklist is masterful, I had to find it on YouTube, and makes getting a copy of that original LP a valuable goal. The effort definitely sounds like the '70s having an infatuation for Beatles style pop dynamics, which means it has a marked dated sound, but it's so well executed it sounds fresh still today. I gave this an early morning listen and enjoyed the bop, then Mr. Blue Sky popped up and I had that giant OH moment where everything clicks. Considering the overall weight of the effort, the standout classics, and the historic permanence Jeff Lynne displays, I totally get why this album would be on the 1001 albums list. I'd hold off recommending this to everyone, and focus more on people who appreciate the '70s music energy. I fit into that category so I'm real happy today. 3.8/5

Very fun. More like a 4.5 but rounding up.

ELO okay. Never listened to this one, but familiar with their popular hits and I know I listened to the album with Fire on High. Catchy Prog rock? This is going to be fun, but not sure how much will be too much. Some really good harmonies and instrumentation. Overall, it’s very fun. You hear the Beatles and Beach Boys influence with the harmonies and a way more 70s aesthetic with a prog rock sensibility. Almost Queen-like except dancier and more orchestral at times. Through two sides, feels like a very good defined album. Another two sides feels excessive but we’ll see. Okay, Side three is good too. I wish this was two albums for conciseness. But it all works. Every song is good. Don’t dislike the sound at all. At some point it feels like too much but there’s enough variety to keep it all interesting. Especially when you’re deep into this thing when Mr Blue Sky comes on. A banger. Feels like the album could’ve ended there. I’m tentative on a 4 here. ELO is better than they’re given credit for. There might be a trimmed down 5/5 album here but they went excessive. By the end of it, you’re kind of worn out. Last side is totally unnecessary. I’m a 4.

A bloated glorious mess. Loses a full mark for the pronunciation of "Birmingham" in Birmingham Blues; you're from Shard End, Jeff, you know you fucked up

siento que quiero bailar escuchando este álbum, no importa si era a solas o en el medio de la calle

never heard it before, liked it

The Beatles meets the 70s or what if we took I Am The Walrus, added in some 70s production and made it an entire album? My toddler loves this shit. We’ve been playing around to this album this entire day. It is a bit too long but I think there’s not a single song I didn’t enjoy. Good stuff even if there’s teanothing that deep in it.

Las voces me recuerdan mucho a Queen en su etapa de su disco Jazz, suenan bien bastante frescos y con ritmos muy digeribles y elegantes

washed

Me gusta su estilo característico pero es demasiado monótono y largo para disfrutarlo

I understand that the band is supposed to be great, however it didn’t impress me that much. Sometimes it sounds like an old-youtube mashups of The Beatles, Queen, and Pink Floyd. The album is so long and at some point it feels like one bland, long song playing (and I’m not hating on prog rock here). Apart from mr blue sky enjoyed some songs, like Turn to Stone or The Whale. I can see it being a good album, it just didn’t grow on me yet, gonna give another chance at some point but for now it is 2.5/5.

Day 228 Brilliant pop album, some great tunes, definitely a bit overlong though Highlights Jungle Stepping out Wild West hero

Objectively good as hell. Just not my cup. Not samey in any way, every song unique.

Ta bueno

This was really fun actually. I was just thinking “who is electric light orchestra” the other day

Haven't been familiar with ELO except for 2-3 popular songs. The combination of orchestral and 70s rock is unique but it gets really repetitive really fast. They sound as if they were bittter they couldn't score Flash (the movie) and made a career out of it. I know they were a thing long before Flash. It's not all lost, but the ones i liked i couldn't pick out. Sorry ELOers, not for me.

This album manages to simultaneously remind me of predecessorial artists like the Beatles, contemporary artists like Queen (at times), and subsequent artists like MGMT. It somehow feels both naturally derivative and incredibly influential, and to me this sort of artistic iteration is what music is all about. Taking something you love and putting your individual spin on it to create something new and unique. Man, what a soundscape. I had to double check what year this album came out. It sounds so ahead of its time and displays a surprisingly wide variety of sonic experiences across its 80 minute runtime. It often really does sound like a light orchestral piece, especially with the heavy use of grand piano and strings, but the electricity of the guitars, synths, and layered vocals all shine through bringing this project into the modern era. It succeeds in both juxtaposing musical instruments used throughout different parts of modern history and creating a harmonious blend of old and new sounds. Jeff Lynne is a visionary and this is a masterpiece. Absolutely loved!

Favorite song: Was a huge fan of the transition between Standin’ in the Rain/Big Wheels Would rate 4.5 if I had half stars. Thank you to the Beatles for another great album! I don’t necessarily mean that as a criticism. ELO’s music feels like a direct continuation of the Beatles’ experimental studio approach. Their infusion of orchestral elements and synthesizers feels directly inspired, but the way they use them is successful in iterating on the groundwork they laid in an interesting way. This album also reminded me of their contemporaries Queen, with the theatrical orchestration and polished harmonies. The spacey, psychedelic atmosphere feels similar to Dark Side of the Moon at times as well. Both bands are also heavily inspired by the Beatles, so I see them as sort of cut from the same cloth in a way. My favorite part of this album was how successful it was in blending classic rock with futuristic elements. It’s like pure retrofuturism as an album, and I really enjoyed the aesthetics and soundscape. It feels like a sort of bridge between its predecessors and a lot of more modern music I enjoy today. I appreciated the heavy infusion of synthesizers and their use of talk boxes. The electronic elements definitely feel more progressive than the way they were used in rock previously. I know a lot of my review is kind of calling ELO derivative and then giving them a 5, but I think there is a case for the value of iteration, and they were certainly original enough for their work to be worthwhile. While I thought a lot about who influenced ELO while listening to this album, I also couldn’t help but notice that Daft Punk is clearly influenced by them, lol. I did actually know the most prominent sample in Face to Face is ELO, but I didn’t know they were doing all that with the vocoders back then.

A really good electronic album that has songs that have lasted a long time enjoyable to listen to

Absolutely brilliant. A genuine masterpiece.

Not my thing. Objectively would say it was somewhere between average to good.

good.

Alright but dragged on. 3/5

Like a discount version of queen where Freddie mercury has been replaced by a swarm of bees. Exhaustingly cheerful.

It's cheesy but fun.

Good music for Tupperware parties. If you know what that is then you have a sense of how timeless this record is.

Loved the singles on this album. Enjoyed a few other's too. Great harmonies and earworms. Overall a great album.

Solid album. Heavy Beatles influence throughout.

Is the WHOLE album worth a five? Maybe not, but blue sky and turn to stone are enough, and I LIKE all the tunes fine

yeah that's that good stuff

So excited. This album was pretty good; not all are bangers, but really good.

lowkey they could have benefitted from cutting a couple of songs

Respect to Jeff Lynne and co for having a vision and sticking with it. ELO manage to wear all their influences on their sleeve and yet have their own distinct sound. When it works, it really is good (Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin Woman, Summer and Lightning), but it’s easy to imagine the cheesy sound and vocoder vocals grate on some. Could it have worked as a single rather than a double album? I don’t know, but it sure felt ELOngated

A fun and relaxing album, great to have it on da back while playing or working Fav songs - Mr. Blue Sky 4/5

Not their biggest, still awesome

A very solid album. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. While I may not have loved every song on the album, each song had something I was able to appreciate. Standouts Sweet Talking Woman - Really loved this song, so fun Across The Border - Weird. Mexican instrumentation mixed with a British 1970s style. Jungle - This one is very cool. I'll definitely be coming back to it. Believe Me Now - Beautiful melody Mr Blue Sky - No notes, chef's kiss

It's nice. I think my dad would like it.

Didn’t think i knew any of the songs, Mr. blue Sky i knew tho! The rest was sometimes my thing, but often not at all. Good music but not it for me.

I think i hyped this album up more in my head than i actually liked it. Its okay though

This is what I guess the beatles sound like to beatles heads, cuz it's pretty good. Large, orchestral and very present. Little bit long and poppy for my tastes, but all around decent.

An incredibly fun an energetic album. Keeps the tempo up, and really embodies that 70s retro sci-fi in pop in a great way. It feels retro futuristic.

Is this really the only ELO record in this project?

Absolutely fantastic album. I love the hits, and everything in between is still really enjoyable.

3 stars on this one

Wondeful sounding album, some of the so gs and concepts depicted in the album arent exactly for me but I have to admit its a very fun and catchy album

It’s like Queen and the Beatles (magical mystery tour era) had a baby and that baby was a rock opera… sounds good on paper but this was not for me for the most part. Too theatrical, some of the blues-influenced tracks feel like parody. Might be a good guilty pleasure album for a person who is not me.

almost a perfect album. not a bad song on it. In another century, Jeff Lynne is composing symphonies

Did not expect to give this a 5 at all, but man this is a fantastic album. Jeff Lynne is somewhere up there on my personal list of genius songwriters/arrangers and his talents are on full display here. It's ornate, it's layered (some might say overstuffed but I won't), the production is excellent, it clearly references the Beatles and Beach Boys (in my book this is good, not a downside), just generally ticks all the boxes. It was (and probably still is) desperately uncool to like ELO but I have no qualms reveling in the near-perfection of some of these songs. The mini-weather-suite on side 3 is so cool, culminating in Mr. Blue Sky which is just a monumental song. Some really quirky and offbeat moments like Jungle that also caught me by surprise, as well as the horns on Across the Border. I think this one has become more well-regarded as time has passed but I just found it an overall listen that brought a smile to my face.

Struggling to give this anything other than 5 stars tbh!

turns out I knew more ELO than I thought I did.

80

Back to back bangers - zero skips This album was goated when I was 20 months old and my parents made me listen to ELO, and it's still goated now.

Peak

I’ve loved ELO for a long time, this album is their core with a majority of their most popular songs. The rest of their discography has a lot of interesting work as well. Never going to complain much about an ELO album.

Great album

gonna be a 5 from me, dawg

A double album full of deep cuts from my fourth favorite Traveling Wilbury? Sign me up!

Chef d’oeuvre

i forgot how good ELO could be. sure, a little proggy for some, but there is such good stuff happening on this album.

Good listen with some notable songs

Love Mr. Blue Sky. The rest was meh.

One of those bands where you think you don’t know any/many of their songs and it turns out they have a slew of them you do (Alan Parsons Project is another). Pretty good stuff, even beyond the hits. Some sound a bit repetitive, so if this were a one disc release it might merit a 5. A fave movie scene is the opening battle of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, where Baby Groot dances wildly to Mr.Blue Sky while mayhem goes on all around him. One of Al’s favorite artists.

An album of bangers!

Im pretty sure this album was stalking me last summer. I heard the hits throughout the radio, TV, movies & commercials everywhere. So I listened to it and was amazed at how good this compositions are. They remind me of a whimsical Pink Floyd with hints & flashes of the Beatles. Fun, upbeat songs.

Yeah, fine, interesting ideas, nothing grabbed me though.

actually no geil, mr blue sky all time banger, however nöd so geil gsunge, old mix i guess und dütlich zlang

This was my 1st album that I bought with my own money. Amazing double album. Pitchfork: 8.1 Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs (so many more...) Turn to Stone Across the Border Starlight Jungle Big Wheels Summer and Lightning Mr. Blue Sky Sweet Is the Night Wild West Hero

Surpirsingly good, after all these years they still satisfy!

Absolute marvelous, perfection, magnificent, godly tunes.

So cringe. So camp. So Nah.

- Zio Sharon Osbourne was their manager, so it's hard to say if they are Zionists, too - I can't find anything about their stance, but they played Israel in 2008 & 2015, and then The Orchestra played again in 2022. So, another band to boycott. - The music is enjoyable, but nothing particularly stands out. - Nice instrumentation - I especially like the strings and synths. - This is very Beatles meets Queen. I also sometimes hear some Dylan and Pink Floyd mixed in there. - Some fun harmonies, too. - This album is definitely too long...

This is where orchestral ambition meets pop perfection — and somehow still feels effortless. From your perspective, this album sits right in that sweet spot between melodic craftsmanship and sonic architecture — the kind you later gravitate toward in Depeche Mode, just built with strings instead of synths. Driven by Jeff Lynne’s obsessive studio vision, Out of the Blue is less a collection of songs and more a fully constructed world — a double album that never collapses under its own weight. Tracks like Mr. Blue Sky and Turn to Stone don’t just play — they shine, built on layered harmonies, phased vocals, and that unmistakable ELO fusion of Beatlesque warmth and futuristic gloss. Historically, it lands at a crucial moment: when analog studio maximalism reaches its peak — just before punk strips everything back. And yet, it doesn’t feel excessive. It feels optimistic. This album gives me pure melodic light wrapped in grand design. A reminder that complexity doesn’t have to feel heavy — sometimes it just floats.

3,5

If the Beatles and Pink Floyd and Queen had an album lovechild, it would sound just like this. I really appreciated the theatrics of the album, it was extremely entertaining and showcased orchestral, spacey/psychedlic and electronic instrumentation really well. This album is a solid 3.5, I'm feeling like rounding it up to a 4.

Sun Is Shinin' In The Sky 1001 Albums Generator 248 (3/16/2026) I think my feelings about Out Of The Blue are similar to my feelings about The Kinks album we had last week. The pop sensibilities and diversity in sound on this album are top-notch. However, unlike The Village Green Preservation Society, this is a long album. A double album to be exact. And it struggles to justify its length at times. Side A is basically perfect, with two singles and the fun Mariachi influence on Across The Border. Then it slows down a bit until Jungle, which is a fun, glammy bit of rock. Quite different from the rest of the album. Of course, Mr. Blue Sky, which is the end of a four-song suite, is a perfect song, but you don't need me to tell you that. The rest of the suite is just fine. The influences are obvious: Queen and The Beatles being the most prominent, but the way ELO combines these influences is quite unique. I just wish it was a single LP's worth of music. 3.5/5, rounded up to 4. Favs: Turn To Stone Jungle Mr. Blue Sky Least Fav: Believe Me Now

Primera vez escuchando el disco. Un disco desbordante en creatividad y júbilo, donde cada sonido no pasa desapercibido y cada canción es una obra orquestada de forma única. Una obra maestra. Si tuviera que escoger una canción favorita, serían 2, porque es imposible en escoger solo una, Sweet Talkin' Woman y Mr. Blue Sky.

Le dan un aire a los beatles con un poco de queen, pero si fueran tocando en un crucero espacial

It's fine. Not gonna give it special treatment for the only 2 bangers.

I listened Friday and now I can't remember it.

9/10

I love ELO and this is a great record of theirs. I admit, there are points where it feels like its all the same song, but Jeff Lynn is a production genius.

C'était un album bien long, mais je dois dire que je ne m'en suis pas lassé. C'était assez créatif et varié pour maintenir mon intérêt, même si je n'ai pas tout bien retenu. Je pense que je n'étais guère concentré, mais dans tous les cas, ça m'a laissé une bonne impression.

Ok

No. 385/1001 Turn to Stone 4/5 It's Over 3/5 Sweet Talkin'Woman 4/5 Across the Border 4/5 Night in the City 4/5 Starlight 3/5 Jungle 3/5 Believe Me Now 3/5 Steppin' Out 4/5 Standin' in the Rain 3/5 Big Wheels 4/5 Summer and Lightning 4/5 Mr. Blue Sky 5/5 Sweet Is the Night 5/5 The Whale 4/5 Birmingham Blues 3/5 Wild West Hero 4/5 Average: 3,76 Overall really good record. For my personal experience it could have been a little bit shorter.

-There are a few bands Gen Z has embraced that just baffle me. ELO is one. This is such *dorky* music I cannot understand why people who are younger, and presumably cooler, than me enjoy it so much. -Yes, the Beatles are obviously the band they're reaching for. (Specifically Abbey Road-era Beatles, and I also hear A LOT of rhythmic motives pulled from the Pretty Things.) But more noticeably, most of these songs are very obvious plastic imitations of 70s r&b/soul. The synthesis of Beatles pop, prog rock, and ultra-square soul does nothing for me. -Too pompous and overblown. This is the kinda shit that made punk a necessity. -I have an immediate distrust of anyone who cannot take off their sunglasses. What are you trying to hide? There is a strong cocaine energy to this album. And if Lynne wasn't on coke, then he was surely manic. -There was a moment in the late 00s/early 10s where "Mr. Blue Sky" was in a cutthroat competition with "You Make My Dreams Come True" for most TV/movie sync placements. I actually kinda like "Mr. Blue Sky," but the shine wears off after you hear it 10 billion times.

Wonderful album

After one listen, yeah it's a really good album. I'm not sure any one song stood out. That might be a good thing that means every song is a 10/10. Maybe so. There's just so much to take in with one sitting. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

First ELO listen outside of Mr. Blue Sky. Fantastic listen. Lush, layered arrangements and performances. Catchy songs. The best compliment I can give is it makes me want to check out more ELO.

The orchestral arrangements are masterfully crafted and perfectly integrated into the rock structure without ever feeling cluttered. It is a brilliant sonic journey that clearly paved the way for modern bands like Twenty One Pilots Scaled and Icy. While the technical execution and the "dry" production are outstanding, it stays at a 4 as it delivers a high-quality listening experience without quite reaching that ultimate 5 spark.

Um disco maneiro mas sem sons inesquecíveis

Sure sounds like springtime to me.

It’s not ELO’s fault that I’m sick of listening to 70’s rock right now. This was kind of exhausting and way too long. But it was also cinematic and fun! 3.5 stars

Very theatrical and grandiose production, love the softness and immersive it feels, great songs overall.

i liked the music but the album was too long

Some decent rock and roll, mostly run of the mill. But some songs have nice use of instruments besides the standard guitar/bass/drums. There's some strings, harmonica, etc. It's Over, Across The Border, Believe Me Now, Big Wheels, and Sweet Is The Night all have that. Sweet Talkin' Woman and Birmingham Blues were a lot of fun. Steppin' Out was really great. Best song: Steppin' Out

Huge arrangements and some brilliant pop tunes. A great example of an album split into sides, "Concerto for a Rainy Day" is a masterpiece and is the definitive way to listen to the legendary "Mr. Blue Sky". Loved the use of a couple of motifs throughout the album.

Do I know anything from this group? I have heard that first track. The album has a very distorted sound to it. kinda interesting. Mr. Blue Sky was pretty cool. I'll give this 3 stars.

4/5

This probably sounds dumb, but I've only maybe listened to one or two songs on this album prior to today. I was kind of suprised how much I like their other songs on here. I did read in one of the reviews about how there is a bit of a Beatles influence to their tracks, and I can kind of hear it too. It's not bad! I still like the Just Dance version of Mr. Blue Sky more though :P

Pretty cool album.

9/10. Fav Tracks - Turn To Stone, Jungle, Summer and Lightning, Mr Blue Sky What an absolute ray of sunshine this album is.

This feels like when your friends dad isn't very cool but thought he might have been with it at one point and is like, "hey, listen to THIS! THIS ROCKS!" but the only thing he'd ever heard that he thinks rocks is Paul McCartney. There's a lot going on here, but really like so much prog-ish stuff it's too much and it's not altogether good. Mr. Blue Sky has a GREAT beat so it seems like it might be good but really it's just fine. I don't love this album and I think it's too long but I don't hate it either, it just seems like it should get a wedgie.

Songs with a retro feel that will still resonate with people

Phenomenal! It's complex but accessible, clever without showing off and the production and mix are superb. It's every genre at once and it pulls it off completely, it's just pure music

This record was better than I expected it to be! My dad was right about ELO all along. An inventive collision of futuristic synthesizers and classical strings that works more often than not. I love the vocal production, as well; there is such a cool wall of sound effect on this album. It sounds like Abbey Road in space. That said, I don't foresee putting this album on very much after this listen, as most of the songs are a little too long and grandiose to feature in my daily rotation. But I'm glad that I finally gave ELO the time they deserve. Dad would be proud.

i like them but the regret lives on

I dreaded this because I’ve been having a Heavy Emotional Time the days leading up to this one. “Turn to Stone” was a great song, has the 10cc thing of sounding quite stupid but with some great melodies under the stupidity. A lot of the rest was just stupid, but in kind of an awesome way. I learned from wikipedia that there is an ELO historian called Barry Delve. A lot of it was shite Beach Boys or shite George Harrison, a lot of the surface zaniness without any depth. I did enjoy a lot of the dumb noises though, reminded me at times of that incredible bizarre Corey Feldman album. The strings are awful as is the vocal delay everywhere. Lynne seems like a megalomaniac but him writing this whole thing in two weeks is sort of inspiring in a “who cares about anything” kind of way. I was really dreading the advent of Mr Blue Sky but for some reason spotify skipped it - I wasn’t so bothered about fidelity to the project.

Just a joy to listen to. You can see why many consider them a continuation of The Beatles sound.

Yes, Mr Blue Sky is fun and uplifting song, but take that out of the equation and it's just a prog record with pop hooks.

really mid

I liked sweet talking woman and jungle, and did not like it’s over. i was reminded of the beatles towards the beginning. Not my usual kind of music but some fun stuff happening.

Symphonic-Sachen haben es meist schwer bei mir.

It's like a long and thrillsome journey, and I don't want to finish it yet

My goodness, that took me back, and made me realize why I like the modernish groups I like.

Wanted to like this more, and so much to admire, but really too too much and it became a chore.

Heard Before? Yes oh yes, my favorite album as a twelve year old. Notes: - forget for a moment what an irritating twit Jeff Lynne is. ok, a long moment. - also try and forget that the word "classical" was ever used in connection with ELO. whatever the sawbox brigade is doing here, it ain't classical. - the simple melodies and "insert-lyrics-here" help keep the focus on the overblown production. - I can't think of any other analogue album with this degree of production complexity that sounds so clear and beautiful. - part of that is the masterful arrangements that highlight just the right parts at the right times. - seriously I think the album started as a list of must-include studio tricks. I can’t imagine that these songs mean anything to anyone except jealous studio engineers. - so with nothing at stake emotionally, there's no real bad songs, only different flavors of cheese. - "jungle" did make me laugh, however. - more vocoder, Jeff. always more vocoder. Verdict: Glitz, glamour and excess. Too much of everything, which is here mostly a good thing. Disco-prog was a real thing, kids. Listen Again? Not the whole thing. A better pick for this list would be Discovery.

Pretty good

Classic Rock

Was exactly what o thought it was. Love Mr blue and the songs all felt similar. Can't fault it but dont think it made me a fan

The best feels good album out there.

Way too lite. ★★

It's really fun and there are interesting elements in here, but I think it didn't need to be this long.

Nice with a vibe from 70's, a mixture of disco, prog and symphonic.

I grew up listening to ELO as my dad was a big fan. This album was a standout one for me and I always loved the artwork as well. Great album.

An hour and a quarter ! Remember this album vividly. Background to teenage parties and afternoon Radio listening with David Hamilton . Ended up playing this on the Sonos rather than the sound bar as I thought it deserved the better sound quality . Enjoyed it . Not enough to buy but would listen again . Almost a 4 . Top of 3 as some of it is a bit samey .

Found a copy of this on vinyl in the attic when we moved in. Never listened to it, didn't miss much.

Чудово

If the Beatles persisted into the 70s, you’d get ELO.

Surprisingly enjoyable.

Extrañamente familiar. No sabía que Mr Blue Sky estaba en este álbum, melódico, hetéreo y motivador

This is the first record I purchased in 1977, and it is still one of my favorites. This album is what defines ELO and Jeff Lynne's songwriting talents. I mean, who writes a double record in two weeks that would go on to sell 10M+ copies? This one gets an 11!

1. Electric Light Orchestra - Out of the Blue (1977) Вывод: Ощущение простоты при сложной многослойной записи Это моё первое прослушивание. Сначала сложно было слушать из-за того, что появлялись треки в стиле диско, сбивая с толку и о боже, 'Jungle', которая как-то не вяжется с общим тоном Так как альбом состоит из 4 сторон, я рассматриваю каждую пластинку отдельно и замечаю чёткое разделение как произведения 1️⃣Первая часть: 'Turn to Stone' началось активно: очень фанк и рок-н-ролл, позитив, мило и задорно, насыщенно и сложно, и на второй ('It's Over') я уже заметила некоторый намёк на будущие части, где будет другое настроение, этакая червинка Они гармонично подали и намекнули и вплели 2️⃣Вторая часть начинается с красивой более классической 'человеческой мелодии', а затем приходит шикарная интерлюдия (люблю это явление если честно), мне понравился этот проигрыш и продолжение в виде песни длиннее Хорошее продолжение, 'Starlight' шедевр 3️⃣Третья часть про погоду, мне вообще стоит говорить про 'Mr. Blue Sky'? Её все знают, ода солнцу Наиболее запомнилась 'Big Wheels', лёгкие мелодии и в то же время, разнообразные 4️⃣Ну и 4 часть, это прям олицетворение обложки - холодное звучание, более космическое, это как раз то, о чем весь альбом - довольно пафосно в какой-то мере, но чувствуется что сделано с намерением и душевным порывом, а не желанием показать крутость и что мол 'смотрите, это технически сложно' Это сложно, да, но и приятно, легко считывается И заканчивается альбом рок-н-роллом как и начался, с БОЛЕЕ СЛОЖНЫМ построением и бриджами 'Birmingham Blues' вернуло меня к воспоминаниям о битлз, песня 'Taxman' битловская с их особым пением и построением ритма, но не похожи вставками Последняя песня это пианино, красивое и чистое, классическое Даже удивительно какая изящная простота, окончание звучит как оно и должно быть В этом мне ELO зашли - они делают контраст между человеческим вокалом и темами, перемежая это высокотехничными вещами и гармонией инструментов Жанры типа кантри, диско, рок-н-ролл, которые очень человечные они смогли красиво и органично сочетать с футуристичными напевами и проигрышами Могу сказать что весь альбом пропитан любовью к миру Дают полетать высоко, но недолго - Земля с ее солнцем все же прекраснее, чем космическая синева

Well I dunno what to say. It was all kinda OK to listen to in the background, but I am thoroughly unimpressed. Nothing really stood out to me. Some of the songs were perhaps a bit more evocative with their tones and atmosphere, but as a whole I found it boring. Barely found the strength to not click away to something else. D:

like how fast it starts, you jump right into it very disco on sweet talking woman, and yet very ELO love the horns on Across the border slows down by Starlight the album is kinda hopecore ngl second half of Summer and Lightning sounds like The Joker by Steve Miller Band Mr Blue Sky is just hopecore holy shit nikad nisam slusao kraj od MBS, kad krene DUNDUNDUNDUN the whale sort of sounds like what the 90's thought the internet would sound like, very futuristic in that regard from retrofuturism to classic rock honkytonk on Birmingham Blues love the vocal only part on Wild West Hero, before coming back to a sick guitar solo album kinda ends abruptly-ish, but overall it went by so quickly, in a good way

Jamais écouté avant. Tout le talent beatlesque pour la mélodie pop de Jeff Lynne, mais aussi tout son penchant pour les productions boursouflées, option section orchestrale, vocoder et disco kitsch. Quelques pépites, mais ça reste indigeste. Top : Turn to Stone Flop : Jungle

Þrususkemmtileg en dálítið einhæft

Rosa skemmtilegt sánd. Mér finnst platan samt ekki alveg nógu sterk fyrir fjórar stjörnur, en fær samt þrjár komma eitthvað.

i like the overall vibe. most of the songs i didn't remember well but the good ones are really satisfying to listen to

como si miranda, queen y los Beatles tuviesen un hijo. love it.

There's a line somewhere here which connects the Beatles, Queen, and this album. It's a great listen. Classic.

Believe Me Now

1. Okay here we go, this album has 17 songs, idk if i'll bother getting to all of them, we'll see. This first one's okay. Catchy, OH I'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE SOMEWHERE. I don't love it. It's just catchy that's it. 2. Okay, all of this is obviously very disco, and I live for disco, but it's not really getting out of the catchy level, it's not reaching further. I don't love this one. 3. Okay this one's pretty catchy, pretty 60s. 4. bored 5.Very catchy, much better than the last one, but im getting bored of the album GOD HELP ME maybe im just not a music fan in general. But i'm gonna give this one a few more chances. 6. okay im bored with this one im skipping it. 7. meh. 13. Okay i skipped straight to mr. blue sky which is a classic and could wake me up from the grave. I've loved this song for maybe 8 years. So beautiful, so much energy, beautiful melody, inspiring but also a tiny bit meloncholic in the bridge with the guitar solo, WHAT A FUCKING INCREDIBLE SOLO, an incredible piece of music that lives in my heart i think about it all the time. That tiny little note that goes up ( i dont know how to explain it) lives with me till the day i die, so earnest, like someone getting down on their hands in knees and putting your hands in theirs and begging you for love but instead of rejecting them you love them too, or maybe you're the one begging, all of this coinciding perfectly with such a danceable melody and beat. It's incredible, the whole lame album is worth that tiny guitar solo. Life changing. One of the pieces of music that stands out above literally everything else i've ever heard in my whole life. The whole album isn't really worth the 3 but those six seconds make it worthy I think.

Never really heard anything by ELO outside of the hits, but even for this being over an hour all of it is quite enjoyable

fav songs: it’s over starlight mr. blue sky birmingham blues space opera, orchestral, symphonic pop 70/100

Dédicace au Did à Rennes

Not impressive.

ELO released albums throughout my high school years and were incredibly popular but just about everyone. There were some that liked hard rock and some that liked soft rock and maybe disco but everyone listened to ELO. This is not, however, the best album and I’m not quite sure why it’s on the list. I think it could be whittled down to 10 songs which would make a much stronger album. Listen to A New World Record, their masterpiece.

Turn To Stone is such a great creative opener. Imagine hearing this for the first time in the 70's? This was a great album from start to finish. Sweet Talkin’ Woman and Mr. Blue Sky were my standouts.

Not bad at all, but listening for the first time in 2026, I can't help to hear queen, beatles, floyd, etc.

Solide. Toller Sound, Classic Rock. Blieb aber nicht im Ohr.

Amazing album. One of the most prominent reasons why this isn't a 5 is that Mr. Blue Sky is one of my least favourite songs ever. God, I hate that stupid song. "It's Over" is an incredible song, though, I wish it wasn't ever over.

They were great in the early days with Roy Wood. This is a formulaic mish mash of pop.

ELO walked so Queen could run Second album on this list I've listened to so far which I would consider "most perfect" - no corners cut throughout the production process, makes you wish for more in the best way possible. Can't begin to imagine how revolutionary this album sounded back when it released in 1977

did YOU know rock can ORCHESTRA? did you KNOW orchestra can ROCK?? they try so hard to be grand and flush but they just dont have the songwriting or arranging chops for it. actively grating for a lot of the 70 minute runtime. generous 2

3.5/5

Great record, the music lives up to the name of the band. Reminded me of Queen, but I believe it's a bit softer and more gentle.

I’ve heard this before but I don’t own it and it’s not in my dad’s collection. I’ve always liked ELO whenever they show up on the radio and ran through all their albums a few years ago, but nothing jumped out beyond the big radio hits. I dig the production on this with the 70s version of wall of sound. The coke budget must have been astronomical but it affected the production in a 70s manner (complementary) rather than 80s style (derogatory). Listening to this by itself rather than cramming and entire discography into a few evenings gives a new perspective; there aren’t any of the real big radio hits in here, but a few recognizable singles mixed in with some deep cuts shows their range, however limited it is. Altogether it’s a well crafted album, the songs are dense but purposeful; and I feel like going rollerskating.

What an absolute peach of an album. I never felt like it outstayed it's welcome and it's packed full of belting songs, including a few stone cold classics. This has to be five stars

Easy and pretty light listening with some early psychedelic rock elements. Very beatles sounding with more flashiness. Would give it another go.

Fave track: Summer and Lightning Least Fave: Mr. Bluesky

Enjoyed the vibes. Wasnt keen on the same vibe for one hour tho :')

Pretty good. I like plenty of the songs, but I still prefer Time. Need to listen to this again later.

A very good and fun prog-pop album. I do feel it's unfortunately too long and drags a bit in places. There is absolutely a 5/5 album here, but this did not need to be a double LP. Removing the extras from sides 1 & 2 and cutting side 4 would streamline the album and make for an all-timer in my opinion. No bad songs, but the album does suffer from bloat. Top tracks: Starlight, Steppin' Out, Big Wheels, Mr. Blue Sky

Incredible album by an incredible group. Of course, "Mr. Blue Sky" has been etched into the collective conscious thanks to Guardians of the Gakaxy, but this entire ELO album is magical and endearing pop music. I can't help but love its genuine enthusiasm. If I am to criticize, I will admit this album drags on too long. Cut at least 10 minutes for brevity, and it would be better.

Bra vibe Skönt gung Ablosut värt att lyssna Favorit: turn to stone

One of my very favorite albums

It's ok, not really my thing though

Is there a band that’s more accurately named than Electric Light Orchestra? You hear them, and they sound like an electric light orchestra. Anyway, I’m an ELO fan, and this has some great songs. Probably doesn’t need to be a double album, hence the four stars.

ELO is a like a doughnut: so sweet that you sometimes can't consume so much. This exceptional album is the exception. This album has it all, some highs, some lows, some songs that run together beautifully. 'Out of the Blue' is not only the best ELO album; it is also my fave album of 1977. Top tracks: "Jungle," "Mr. Blue Sky," "Turn to Stone," "Standin' in the Rain," "Steppin' Out," "The Whale," "It's Over"

It’s fine. Great 70s rock.

--Turn to Stone...production masterclass --It's Over...cheesy but wonderful --Sweet Talkin' Woman...the hits keep comin'. reminds me of "You're Going to Lose That Girl" --Across the Border...booty shaker with a great build --Night in the City...didn't love it starting out but the back half is nice --Starlight...feels like I'm playing the night levels from Sonic the Hedgehog --Jungle...we got a stomp-clapper! a good one! --Believe Me Now...spacey instrumental --Steppin' Out...feels like one of John Lennon's solo songs --Standin' in the Rain...weird. I appreciate weird --Big Wheels...starts slow but soon soars --Summer and Lightning...another one that takes a while to get going but the Righteous Brothers back half is fun --Mr. Blue Sky...I'm convinced Wes Anderson was birthed from this song. Venus out of the sea foam shit --Sweet Is the Night...bless you, Jeff Lynne --The Whale...tasty instrumental --Birmingham Blues...this is a brilliant dude having fun and it's infectious --Wild West Hero...this was a great experience

Impossible to not catch the good vibes. Accessible and catchy but with plenty of variance

Just wasn’t for me.

Delightful in a lot of ways, so many genres covered

A successful double album of string ladden ELO pop.

yea

It’s a good pop album with lots of filler. I mean lots of songs are on here. Sure they are decent but they kind of fade into the background. I can understand why people like it. The hits were big. Mr Blue Sky is great. I like that song. I have heard it often. But the rest is kind of just like good pop rock. I enjoyed it.

If your favorite thing *ever* is a well crafted pop song, you'll probably love this. On Out Of The Blue, ELO occupy the same space as something like Boston or Steely Dan, where you have a band that has gotten their studio wizardry down to a science in a really incredible way. But they just keep using that studio wizardry to make the most clean-cut, sunny, and at times, almost generic sounding pop music possible. There are some moments where they play with cool effects, but even these aren't especially interesting, considering that the experimentation here is relatively tame, all things considered. Keep in mind that I didn't dislike my time listening to this per se, its just a lit of relatively similar sounding pop songs which are all well crafted, but which ultimately have little that really excites me or draws me in. Even Mr. Blue Sky, (and fun song, for sure) is never one I've ever really fallen in love with. Compound this with the fact that this is like an hour and 10 minutes long, and things start getting a little trying. I personally think that the runtime overstays it's welcome by quite a bit and that this would have been better as a tighter experience. I can only take so much pop that's *this* big and sunshine-y. While I don't hate this, I didn't really enjoy my time all that much.

Mint. Blusey and beatlesy.

Sweet talkin woman and Mr Blue Sky are fantastic. The whole album obviously has the distinctive sound of ELO - well worth multiple listens.

Love the album. A strange mix of emotion though. A 3,8 for me.

So great

a 4 on the merits of Mr. Blue Sky along. The rest of the album is a 3.

Seeing that this album was released a year before the game, I’m going to go ahead and say the creators of Simon were big fans of this album.

This one (and ELO in general for that matter) was massively formative on my taste in my early teens. Still a favorite even after all this time.

The first few tracks seemingly posed the question "what if The Beatles were bland and milquetoast"? Things improved slightly, but not to the point of ever feeling like there was a track that I enjoyed the entire way through. In fact, there were quite a few songs that I strongly disliked and found it quite tedious to make it through all of them. I had hoped that things would improve closer to the end, as Mr. Blue Sky had a disproportionately large number of streams compared to the other tracks. Yet it was just as insipid as the rest.

There are some delightful, if overcooked, pop songs. This is an album that sounds like its cover art, in a way; futuristic and floaty but also elegant and of its time. If John Lennon and Stevie Wonder made a collab record with a sci-fi concept, this might be what it sounds like. Jeff Lynne could have done less but then it wouldn’t be ELO.

I've never listened to ELO before apart from their radio hits, but was actually really impressed. I enjoyed the wide variety of instrumentation and also enjoyed the unconventional song structures they used. 4/5

A sweeping melodious epic of an album. Probably could've made it a bit shorter but overall a really good effort. Favorite track: Mr. Blue Sky

Not bad. Easy going melodies

Mr. Blue Sky is a banger but surprisingly long. I think in general the album went on a bit long and felt a bit dated.

Another one I feel like I should like more than I do. Something irritates me about the vocals. Lots of Beatles similarities but not clicking with me. Even the songs I know from just being alive when it came out aren't as good on a closer listen.

First? 2,5/5 Again? 1/5

Out of the Blue was beautiful. The first few minutes were simple fun pop rock with a unique catalog of instruments and layering. But as the album progressed, it showed emotion, complex orchestration, and beautiful arrangements that gave the album engaging variety. What a colorful album to go with a perfectly fitting design cover. Perfect 5.

An easy listen, a few good tracks

If you enjoy ELO's style of rock and roll, this is one of their classics. If you don't, you'll find this as overdone overly produced wankery. Luckily, I enjoy what ELO does. The Beatles influence is always prominent in Jeff Lynne's work. But this album also seems to take quite a bit of influence from the BeeGees. A lot of Gibb-style harmonies. Jeff Lynne looked at disco and said, "Yeah, I'll have a bit of that too." The album should have ended with side 3's "Concerto for a Rainy Day', but they had to fill side 4 anyways,

Turn to Stone remains one of the GOAT opening tracks

great fun album

8/10

A classic.

its coool

I usually listen to these albums a couple of times, but it was tough with this one being a double album and it being a Saturday so it only got one. Looking at the plays on Spotify there was a track near the end with far more than any other, so I thought that might bring things together and explain the album's inclusion on the list. But alas, no.

love these songs, classic album

A little bloated but Jeff Lynne is a genius, gorgeous sound

Really enjoyed this

Top 3: It’s Over, The Whale, Starlight

Crazy instrumentals

With obvious Dylan and Beatles influences. Enjoyable album all the same, tough to give less than a 4 to an album that includes Mr Blue Sky 4*

This I think is the most complete and consistent double album ever. Double albums almost all have the same problem, which is that they're too long and didn't exercise enough quality control, which is how come they ended up as double albums. So there's some where I think the strongest single-album you could cull from that material is better (e.g. Physical Graffiti, Use Your Illusion, Mellon Collie, White Album [although The Beatles sort of get a pass because they clearly knew WA2 was kind of crap, that's why they stuffed all the junk into it], even Europe 72 [where they stuffed all the 20 minute space jams noodles into the 2nd album]), but there are none that have as high a floor as this. Partly that's because it's not THAT long for a double - at 70 minutes it's about as long as the most bloated single-albums from the CD era, so relative to e.g. Mellon Collie, which runs over 2 hours, it's more like a 1-and-a-quarter album. Partly it's because it has so many instrumentals and long instrumental sections, which functions better as filler. Partly it's because it's so strong on the back half, with several of the best tracks (notably "Wild West Hero" and the title track) closing the album, so it doesn't feel like a slog. And partly it's because there's such a strong continuity of sound - it doesn't seem like it's explicitly a concept album, but the palette is very consistent, and there's even a theme that they play a couple time (e.g. the beginning of "It's Over" and the end of "Mr. Blue Sky"). And this really does have just a remarkable sound. ELO plays with a massive sound that covers the whole range, with Lynn's falsetto and the orchestral instruments (or their mellotron equivalent) at the high end, enormous backing vocals on basically every track, and thumping drum and bass. They do a really nice job blending blues-rock with their sort of default-mode music-hall style sound, the way the Beatles did, e.g. on "Wild West Hero" or "Birmingham Blues". They've just got a ton of catchy hooks too - in addition to those listed about, each of the first three tracks on the CD has a killer hook. It's just beautifully done - catchy melodies, clever harmonies, wonderful instrumentation.

Mr Blue Sky on this album? What an album!

I remember the release of this album very well. My musical heritage up to then (Beatles progressing into Prog) meant that I should have embraced this album. However I had foolishly abandoned my music principles in favour of a brief dalliance with punk and ska and this album arrived bang in the middle of that. So initially I never gave this album the time I should have. It was only after the release of Mr Blue Skies that I came to my senses. One of the happiest and uplifting tunes you are ever likely to hear. A song which also reminds me of one of the happiest times of my life attending a five week advanced driving course. Odd thing to say but still personal to me. I never bought this album for reasons above but after listening to it today still feel I know every note. I really do need to right this wrong and I am about to go onto Music Magpie to purchase along with other ELO classics I also missed. 5/5 9/2/26

awesome space rock tunes

Like warm bathwater. Absolutely fine.

It's very atmospheric album with the 1970s vibes. And actually I found a lot of familiar motifs in the songs but the songs also contain the harmonies which are not my cup of tea.

Some absolute bangers on here, but also some filler.

This album surprised me, in part because I'm just not a big Mr. Blue Sky fan. But I found several of the other sections intriguing; the sound gave me a mix of David Bowie and Pink Floyd. It was a little prog rock and a healthy mix of pop. Individual track highlights for me include Jungle, and then the run of songs from Standin' in the Rain up to Mr. Blue Sky. Again, Mr. Blue Sky might be one of least favorite tracks on the album...but the rest of the album made me appreciate it a little bit more.

El álbum es muy largo pero está muy bueno, es como una mezcla de los beatles y queen la verdad, pero cada vez que lo escucho me siento en los guardianes de la galaxia, la producción está muy bien hecha y me gusta como implementaron la orchestra, la canción que más resalta en el álbum es Mr blue sky, porque no se parece en nada a lo demás del álbum, también me gustó mucho Wild west hero.

This was such a fun album and outside of what I would usually put on. I loved all of Spotify's suggestions when it was done, too.