Out Of The Blue

This album is rich, indulgent, and excessive. A delicious cheesecake in pop record form. The run time is excessive. The arrangements are excessive. The artwork is excessive (it originally included a cardboard diorama of the space station on the cover that you could punch out and assemble). I love every moment of it. Side C (tracks 10-13) might be one of my favorite vinyl sides on a pop record. Years ago, my band was invited to contribute to an ELO tribute album. Everyone else on the album immediately picked one of the big singles, greatest hits material. Me? I chose "The Whale". Lots of ear candy in that song. I wouldn't want to listen to this album every day. But whenever I do listen to it, it makes me feel happy, full, satisfied. Like cheesecake. 5

Fuck yeah ELO.

Very much psychedelics influenced. An explosion of sound with a huge variation of melodies. Easy to see why this was such a huge influence on the industry as a whole.

Last listened to this at a mate's place a decade ago but now I have had a proper listen it is just superb. Mr Blue Sky & Sweet Talkin' Women are well known but I liked Turn to Stone, Across The Border & Wild West Hero. A bit unsure about Jungle's lyrics but that won't deduct from 5 stars from me.

Such a good album.

I LOVE THIS FUCKING ALBUM good

Great album!

puta madre esta bien verga wey

This album is just simply a 10/10. This is just so good song to song. ELO of course has their own sound and feel to their music, and it shows the best on this record, you really feel the music with every part of your body it seems like. Such beautiful songs, and great rockin tunes. This album doesn’t fail to entertain every single time. It’s a joy to listen to this!

Masterclass in composing. Disco rock with orchestral breaks. Every song is snappy.

In the summer of 1980, my older teenage bad boy cousin's favorite band was Rush. He got me to declare to his older brother, my studious college student cousin, that I also liked Rush better than ELO, the older cousin's favorite band. Both cousins are gone now, but I still feel badly about what was then, and is now, a lie, told out of affection and fear. It's funny what memories music brings back. I miss them both. That digression aside, this is a pretty magnificent album. It is epic and grand and glorious. Strings, and choral backgrounds, and the vocoder! A Concerto for a Rainy Day! Mr. Blue Sky!!! Lovely.

It doesn't get much better than this for me. It is perfect!!

A distinctive and glorious sound. Thumbs way up.

As I kid I would stare at the glorious foldout album art for Out of the Blue and spend entire afternoons immersed in the Electric Light Orchesta. I have played this album regularly ever since. It is easily the most listened to album I will ever know. The cover still spurs excitement in me! Hearing the driving Turn To Stone beat fade in and Jeff Lynne’s lead vocals call out over the orchestra garnering perfect harmonious responses is still an incredible experience for me. This epic album soars, boogies, laments, reflects and triumphs for more than an hour and has so many moments that still give me goosebumps even though I know every note. It’s hard to call out any single song on an album like this. I love it end to end, although Concerto for a Rainy Day is always a particularly special part of the journey. There is no doubt that if I were asked to take one album with me to a desert island this would be the one. This bombastic, melodramatic and wonderfully ambitious album will forever be the heart to my love of music.

Phenomenal from start to finish

Love this album, you can listen to every song and enjoy.

Holy bejeebers this album moved me. Soundtrack to my life

It’s impossible to not love elo and especially this elo album. It’s just so fun and funky from start to finish that it’s impossible to not jam out to at some point. If don’t let me down was on here it would be the all-in-one ELO album but as it stands it’s still great. I’ve always loved turn to stone Mr blue sky and sweet talking woman but starlight was the new fav from listening to this album all the way through the first time

1. Turn to Stone: great vibe, good melody, love the backing vocals. makes you swing to it. 9/10 2. It's Over: great harmony - chill overall vibe. 8/10 3. Sweet Talkin' Woman: again swing song, great progression and good vibe. 8/10 4. Across the Border: big beatles vibes, sax sounds great. 8/10 5. Night in the City: nice little song, not as big as the other songs. 7/10 6. Starlight: quirky tune, love the vibe of this song. 9/10 7. Jungle: bit repetitive but still nice tho. 6/10 8. Believe Me Now: nice little interlude with beautiful violin/piano interplay. 8/10. 9. Steppin' Out: great song love the transitioning into the chorus. Banger of a track. 10/10 10. Standin' in the Rain: big vibes but not entirely it for me. 7/10 11. Big Wheels: great verses and good chorus. love how it builds up and breaks down. 8/10. 12. Summer and Lightning: not really my thing. 6/10 13. Mr. Blue Sky: absolute classic and such a big banger. 10/10 14. Sweet Is the Night: nice song with great harmonies and backing vocals. 8.5/10. 15. The Whale: ethereal sounding. very well composed. 9/10 16. Birmingham Blues: not really my thing but still a pretty good song. 6/10 17. Wild West Hero: great song, subtle buildup and just really good harmonies once more. love the little solo. 9.5/10 New favorites: Starlight, Steppin' Out, Wild West Hero

Brilliant, camp af, but really fun stuff

I own this on VINYL! Thanks, Dad!

Mischung aus Queen & Supertramp Coole Lieder, sehr fun

Just greatness, a truly AWESOME album

I like it. I think bex played it for me in college.

ELO are probably one of my favourite bands. You know their music instantly without having heard it before. It’s big interesting and uplifting. Most of the tracks on this album are on their greatest hits. Had a great time

This is certainly an album I adopted rather than grew up with - My mum wasn't even born when this album came out, let alone myself. I already knew of Mr. Blue Sky of course, but quite recently I found this beautiful gatefold double-LP in a charity shop for £10 and decided to give the whole album a listen. Oh my god I love this album. It's just a wholly fun intergalactic pop and rock journey that blends rock instruments with an orchestra and throws in a generous serving of vocoder for good measure. Mr. Blue Sky still remains my favourite - It's dopamine in audio form, and I can't help but feel happy and warm when it comes on, no matter how my mood was before. But it's all amazing and I don't think there's really a bad song on here. This album is just comfort and motivation to me, and I appreciate it entirely for that. Favourite: Mr. Blue Sky

Great stuff, still played regularly.

10/10 no words other than that this is one of my all-time favorite albums

muy divertido, buen descubrimiento

Much like Chicago, the whole album was great 5 stars. Was just a fun album. Lots of dynamic range and good stuff going on. I had never heard the whole album before.

Is there a more joyful album on the list than this? The brightness in the production, the up tempo pace, the harmonies, the orchestration and that infectious Mr Blue Sky. Was expecting repetitive prog, found glorious gold.

Yes, all of this.

absolutely stacked with honkers. 5.

👍

This album was quite a journey. It is dense, layered, and extremely musically literate. At times I could hear the Beatles, the Beach Boys, rockabilly, prog, and quite a bit of glam rock. I disagree heavily with the Rolling Stone review that states that this album is soulless. I found this album to be full of passion; it is obviously very lovingly written and arranged. I was a bit worried about the length, but after listening to it, I feel like this album is so cohesive without being repetitive that it plays more like a symphony.

A musical experience, way ahead of its time and very pleasing to listen. I need happy music like this in my life

It's like if The Beatles and Queen went on a very, very successful date to see a scifi flick. As it turns out, putting classic 70s rock together with catchy hooks and futuristic beep boop elements before enhancing it for an orchestral or stadium setting results in something huge. There's not a bad song on here. Each track is a grand affair that stands out on its own already, but they all become even better when you blast the whole record front to back. Take me out to space, ELO! Standout tracks: Sweet Talkin' Woman, Summer and Lightning, and The Whale.

Love it, so funky, so fresh so ahead of its time. This shit mustve banged back in the 70s

What an incredible album! A mix of harmonies reminiscent of the bee jees, Beatles and beach boys, while pure rock and roll throughout. The sound is so crisp and produced so well that despite there being so much going on, it is always easy listening. I love how subtle the songs change midway creating such interesting dynamics. One of the best albums on the list for me.

What a big box of chocolates, this album goes places..... Beatles, Dylan, The Who, Bowie, Supertramp, the list of artists that this sounds like is seemingly endless. Super catchy choruses paired with prog rock and an orchestra, what's not to love?

meh

9,1 Such a great album Bangers on bangers Perfect pacing Mr. Blue Sky is a perfect song

So much energy in this album !

What a fucking masterpiece of an album. Incredible instrumentals and vocals throughout. Picking one favorite track here feels sacrilegious, but Mr. Blue Sky has always been my favorite from ELO

What a masterpiece! Flows so well and songs are still great individually. Fav track: Turn to Stone

Pure perfection - not a dud song in the track listing. Slightly blinded by nostalgia, with memories of it regularly being played around the house and in the car when I was a kid, and being fascinated with my mum’s vinyl copy which had a pop out/make your own space ship. An album that's still guaranteed to put a smile on my face. Jeff Lynne is a genius.

Excellent and a breath of fresh air compared to standard rock from then or now.

Swirly, orchestral, shimmery, innovative, original rock and roll for the tuna sandwich demi-intellectual who appreciates both Beethoven and the Beatles. Almost prog rock, but never actually lands in that haunted territory. Not a blue note in sight, but minor keys appear liberally, making this both shiny-happy and occasionally ominous (somehow, occasionally even simultaneously). This album is so much more than its tiny handful of massive hits, with very little fat but a lot of cream (and pure cane sugar).

Top Quality

Bangers all around.

Awesome classic.

In my opinion ELO is the best group when it comes to Branding. The name, imagery on their albums, all fit in so incredibly well with the music. Out of the Blue is simply an incredible album. It's very cohesive front to back and filled with great tunes. Lots of classics but really no weak songs in here from what I see, and loved the Weather Suite portion ending with Mr Blue Sky. Easy 5 stars.

Great album and I am glad I own a copy of it on vinyl as the cover art is amazing

Loved every minute.

Wow what a surprise that was. I've heard the singles from the album and we all know how good they are. But the other songs where brilliant too. And best of all, it was not just a selection of songs, but a proper album - all the songs seemed placed perfectly. A proper 5 star album

A joyous, energetic, fantastical romp of an album. Starts with 'Turn to Stone,' which is great and a hit, but the rest of the songs somehow manage to live up to the bar the first song sets. And I mean, come on, who doesn't like 'Mr. Blue Sky?' It's one of the most feel good songs I've ever heard. ELO made an amazing album here, and it shines bright all the way through.

Masterpiece

stone cold 5

Great tunes! Always something new to hear each time. Sounds great, hasn't aged.

A work of genius, with some all time classics. Even the random bonus tracks are good!

first listen a GOAT record

Tried and true

This is a masterpiece, particularly Side 3. Great all round.

-Obviously, "Mr. Blue Sky" and "Sweet Talkin' Woman" are quite famous songs from this album. -One of my favorites is "Turn to Stone," especially the fast part where they say "Yes, I'm turnin' to stone/'Cause you ain't coming home/Why ain't you comin' home/If I'm turnin' to stone/You've been gone for so long/And I can't carry on/Yes, I'm turnin', I'm turnin'/I'm turnin' to stone" -"Night In The City" also stands out as a strong, catchy song. -Overall a very cool rock album with lots of keyboard and vocoder and multi-singer-harmony parts to give it a unique sound.

heck yeah!! super funky and my vibe. 80s kind of, lovee it

I have my own little system of rating out here...everyone gets one star anyway...but influence, innovation, and just pure entertainment or listening pleasure all come into play...and if an album has more than 3 tracks that I add to a playlist (or already had) it's going to end up in that rarified air of 5 stars. This is one of those albums.

I have a lot of love for ELO. My dad loves them so my first mixtapes were ELO hits and deep cuts. Later on I picked this album up during my vinyl collecting days for a buck or so. I used to listen to this one quite a bit, especially side 4. Side 4 is really where I think this album shines brightest. Sweet Is The Night is probably my favorite song on the whole album; I even put it on a mix CD for my wife when we first started dating. The Whale has some notes of cheddar but it's still a cool instrumental. Wild West Hero is my second favorite song on the album. It's just so good. My dad would always sing it when I was a kid. That probably adds to why I like it so much. There's some other classic ELO songs here: Turn To Stone, Sweet Talking Woman, Mr. Blue Sky. A few songs that are a little meh but nothing bad to be found on this double album. A pretty nice feat. This is probably a 4 overall, but I have so many great memories with this band and album that I gotta bump it to a 5.

Excellent album!

Out Of The Five

5/5. Truly legendary

Wow

When I think of quality, classic 70s music, ELO is one of the very first groups to come to mind. They take the fun vibe of 70s soft rock and elevate it with wonderful orchestration and tasteful synths and keyboards. So many of these songs are just so fun and catchy and make you wanna dance. Fun listen I hadn’t paid attention to Sweet is the Night before, but I think it’s one of my very favorites of the album

Hell yeah that's what I'm talking about

Sweet sweet is this album.

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Turn to stone, It’s over, Sweet talkin’ woman, Night in the city, Jungle

Really sweet album. Missing __something__, though.

Big 70s Jammies

All great. Surprising to see just how many listens Mr Blue Sky has compared to some of their other bops though.

electric blues

One Of The Greatest Electronic Balades That I've Ever Heard

A little long, but Jeff Lynne's gift for melody is unparalleled.

One of my all-time favorites

Amazing album. top #5 of all time for sure.

Man what a great album. Unique

An extraordinarily well named band. The music is unforgettable and well crafted. Unfortunate that Debbie Gibson used the same album name...

ELO seems to stand in a genre of their own... majestic orchestral rock. Jeff Lynne's songwriting is fantastic, the music is catchy, with a pretty impressive variety of approaches on the album. Even with 17 tracks... i can listen to this on repeat for an entire day. Love it.

Chipper pop rock, definitely of its time. Strings and keyboards vs. guitar rock gives it a real 70s vibe. Even disco-ish, I must admit, although dismissing it out of hand for that is short sighted. There’s definitely a lot more going on here than that statement gives it credit for. Besides, it’s right there in the name: Electric Light *Orchestra*. You can’t accuse them of false advertising. I like this, although a lot of criticisms would be justified, and I wouldn’t have an answer for them… except to say that this album contains “Mr. Blue Sky”, which is a song that never once in my life has failed to put me in a good mood. For that song alone, 5 stars.

this may have too much nostalgia in my rating because some of the tracks lean on weird synth sounds a little TOO heavy, but this is one of my favorite albums and I can't make myself take a star away for that. <3 ELO

Super groovy, great harmonies. Definitely a favorite album

Awesome. Great flow.

Just awesome.

Brilliant space odyssey

Buen álbum

Excellent! ELO are a genuine sound all of their own.

I'm a big fan of this album, it contains most of ELO's stand out tracks along with some lesser known ones which are still pretty great. I can't really mark this one down.

Just a vibe

very good, had forgotten those great songs, gonna put it on my play list.

Discazo de rock muy al estilo de Supertramp.

Two disks filled with brilliant pop music.

Noice

Nice sounds, love them, I already knew mr blue sky

Great

Omg how did I not know these people? I knew half the songs already, classics! The other review is for Beauty And The Beat, which is alright I guess

Absolute banger!

I like it

yesss top track - sweet talkin woman every track hit the spot apart from jungle. electronic willy wonka papooz

fuck yeah

Richtig krankes ding

Bem feliz

What the beatles could have become. Fantastic album

Fun listening.

Loved it. Classic fun pop. Good melodies.

One of my all time favourite albums! Jeff Lynne is the man!

Great ELO album. 10/10

A bright album with a distinct sound

it was really upbeat most of it

Il m’a fait un peu penser à des chansons des Beatles quelques fois, j’aime beaucoup, les chansons sont entraînantes, originales.

I won’t be revisiting, but this was a pretty enjoyable album. For the vibes, it gets a 4

There's actually a lot to like about this album. It seems quite fun. I have a bit of a core memory assigned to Mr Blue Sky, so that always going to be a hit with me

Lettbeint, corny og fengende. Stueren sci-fi pop. Skjønner godt hvorfor de ble hyret inn til å lage musikken til Xanadu. Snill firer.

Det her var både kult og bra. Skal høres mer på.

Liker det bedre og bedre for hver gang jeg hører på det. Plata er for lang, selvfølgelig, men høydepunktene sikrer en firer.

Not always in the mood for what ELO have to offer, but I did enjoy this one. They sort of feel like one of one. Their sound and recording technique is very specific and unique I feel like they deserve some credit for pulling it off so well despite using some pretty cheesy techniques that usually don't age very well. Biggest critique of this album would be how little diversity between tracks there is on here.

nice

not to say every song from the 70's is guardians of the galaxy coded, but i am envisioning a montage with Rocket and Groot from the first song played 'turn to stone' Top songs: - turn to stone - across the boarder ...update, just found out Mr Blue Sky IS in guardians of the galaxy lol love the album though, great vibe

Overall: 8/10 I love ELO. This isn't even their best album and it's chock full of really great stuff. It's sort of proggy but it doesn't get crazy so its a bit more accessible to general audiences. Fav Song: Starlight

Oh yeah these are the mr. blue sky guys. I don't know if I've ever heard it in full. Ended on Wild West Hero interesting. I enjoyed this. I liked the instrumental work on a lot of it.

Really nice, catchy pop music with a little bit of creative weirdness. I was actually surprised by how many of the songs hold up to Mr Blue Sky. Good as an album also - a consistent sound with enough variety to keep me interested.

Enjoyed it - bit of its time - some great tunes

A tad too long but a fun listen.

Being mostly familiar with ELO through their more pop-oriented singles ("Don't Bring Me Down" is a childhood "classic", in the sense that I heard it a lot due to my mother but I could never stand it), this is a bit of a shock to my system. "Turn To Stone" opens this thing up like a spacey Queen song, for God's sake. That being said there is a samey-ness that sets in halfway through the first disc, a repetition of the fact that these guys are trying to sound like the Beatles (and they succeed occasionally), but it's all starts to merge together after a while. And honestly this album gets weird at times and not in a great way, whatever that cacophony at the start of "Night in the City" took me out completely. "Mr. Blue Sky" is of course undeniable, though, as is the entire "Concerto" suite. That alone probably nets this album the 4 star rating.

I had fun with this one.

Enjoyed this one, heard a couple of tracks before, but good vibes all round

Awesome. Will probably be adding this to the rotation. Glancing over reviews, I kind of am casting doubt on my enjoyment so I'll listen again but first listen was nice.

Vraiment une masterclasse de rock orchestral/prog/art avec quelques banger. Structure assez similaire et même recette ce qui rends vite redondant mais lorsque que l’album s’échappe de cette approche = pépite. Avec Mr. Blue Sky évidemment come single de ouf et tant d’autres…

Not my first time with ELO or this album, but for a second day and double-album in a row, I wish this was also bit shorter. The good songs are great, but a bit too much similarities (and length) that it all really started blending together. Good harmonies, nice general blend of styles. Overall 3.5/5

Brought back a ton of memories from being a teenager during this time. Some of these tracks were nice and raw and others seemed a little overdone but that’s probably because I’ve heard them so much before.

I mean, they were incredibly influential, despite being obviously influenced by the Beatles. Quite a lot. It's specifically like Jeff Lynne wished George Harrison had written more songs - so he tried writing those songs himself. And it's very fitting that Lynne went on to produce some of Harrison's later solo stuff - and played with Harrison (and Orbison and Dylan and Petty) in The Traveling Wilburys. But Lynne wanted to make the Beatles even bigger, so everything here sounds like it's made for American cinemascope, big gestures, big lights, big stages, none of that hanging around in the Star Club in Hamburg or some Indian guru in the middle of nowhere. Some of the sound effects and general sound shenanigans here are really quite something considering when this was recorded. And they aged in a nicely retro way, too, rather than badly (like Lynne's preferred snare drum sound in the 80s/90s did, unfortunately). So yeah. Definitely earned its entry on the list. But ELO always has this effect of really impressing me, and having a bunch of good tunes... But leaving me mostly untouched emotionally.

Is that a little Gershwin quotation in "Birmingham Blues"?

(5/7) lots of energy and drive

ELO is great.

I'm a fan of big, theatrical, over the top orchestral/choir-ish type music, so I thought ELO was fun. Despite being a double album I feel like it went by pretty quickly.

I’ve listened to this album before and it’s very fun & groovy. 4 stars

Really impressive album never knew what this group had to offer but I’m glad I listened

Overall Rating - 4.03/5 (8.06/10). Great album, definitely worth listening to the whole thing. Rich, full orchestrations, excellent harmony, not the biggest fan of the vocoder use, but it fits the style. Concerto for a Rainy Day (Side 3, from Standing in the Rain to Mr. Blue Sky) is awesome.

Like, clearly it’s really really good, and I like the depth of sound and the way the just go ham mixing orchestral into the balled brit pop vibe. But there was something nagging at be for the first couple of songs- and it’s mostly that the album is largely overshadowed by blue sky- and I’m not a fan of how the lyrics and story telling of the other songs landed

9/10

Hey, that's a pretty good rock opera album

It’s pretty good and very much a continuation of a Beatles type sound like Jeff Lynne was going for. I do think there are some weak tracks, but there are also plenty of bangers.

Mr blue sky over here

i like it, steppin out has to be my fave i think, i wasnt really focusing but it caught my attention

Tons of vocal processing that brings to mind a lot of things that were clearly inspired by this

Un savant mélange entre Queen et Les Beatles. On ressent une énorme inspiration de la période "Sgt. Pepper" des Beatles. J'ai vraiment apprécié l'ambiance orchestrale et le côté très ambitieux du projet MAIS un peu trop long à mon goût. J'ai trouvé certains morceaux répétitifs même si je les ai tous appréciés. Une super expérience en tout cas et une très bonne découverte. Écouter Mr Blue Sky au soleil samedi pour le début de l'été c'était quelque chose. 1) Mr Blue Sky 2) Sweet is the night 3) Wild West Hero

Great songs, it did drag a little, but I can't say unenjoyable! :)

Dare I say it was... electrifying! Loved every minute of this. Completely encapsulated the feeling of hovering in nothingness lightyears away from earth, periphals turning blue and hyperspace. Makes me want to dance. Makes me want to party. Maybe even have a little LSD.

Banger🔥

4 starts for Mr Blue Sky alone!

sun is shinin in the sky their aint a cloud in sight album does feel like a blur to go through at first but trust me it hits. Just a bunch of really cool songs with the perfection of Mr. Blue Sky hitting at the end.

01) Turn to Stone - 9,0 02) It's Over - 8,5 03) Sweet Talkin' Woman - 8,0 04) Across the Border - 7,5 05) Night in the City - 8,0 06) Starlight - 7,0 07) Jungle - 8,5 08) Believe Me Now - 8,0 09) Steppin' Out - 8,5 10) Standin' in the Rain - 7,5 11) Big Wheels - 8,0 12) Summer and Lightning - 8,0 13) Mr. Blue Sky - 9,0 14) Sweet Is the Night - 7,5 15) The Whale - 7,0 16) Birmingham Blues - 7,0 17) Wild West Hero - 8,5 TOTAL: 7,97 (80/100) I'm not really familiar with ELO discography, but somehow, to my surprise, they remind me of Queen (Chat GPT says i'm not the only one who thinks that way). I've been thinking all along that these songs would be much better if they were sung by Freddie Mercury :-)

Buen disco, se nota la onda del final de los 70, grandes similitudes con queen, buscando llevar el rock hacía algo más, hacía la orquesta, a la grandeza del sonido pero con un sonido espacial y sintetizadores que te transportan a la inmensidad del espacio. 4/5 el último tercio del disco me pareció un poco denso pero en general la prolijidad y calidad del disco es increíble

Great songs, incredible production. Maybe a couple too many tracks with the same tone and tempo, but otherwise a very unique sound.

A pleasant surprise! I loved the hits and the lesser known tracks all the same. I'm really glad I listened. 8/10,

This is #day669 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… this was actually my first-ever time listening to an ELO album, let alone "Mr. Blue Sky," which I wasn't even aware of. My initial thought was something like, if Muse had formed in the '70s, this is probably what they would've sounded like. I mean, they also have a song called "Starlight," right? Anyway, this is a very late '70s record. The progressive side of the music shines through, while the pop sensibilities are... orchestrating, literally. The futuristic electronic backbone is fun, and so is the use of the vocoder. It's kind of like, "Hey, here's a new toy. What if we use it throughout the whole record?" At first, I thought it was too long, but putting my thoughts together, I think the length is justified. Times were different. People made big albums, you see. Better yet, you had to sit through them. Right to the very end. I think it's historically important work. This is a 4 out of 5. Looking forward to #day670.

For Mr Blue Sky

ELO has to be one of the most underrated groups of all time

Such a well done blend of instruments and rock, really great for something different.

Mr Blue Sky is a perfect song

As I listened to this album on my walk, the sky slowly grew grey and it started to rain; as Mr. Blue Sky started to play, the clouds lightened and the sky got brighter. Electric Light Orchestra is truly such a strange band in the best of ways; blending classic rock songwriting and guitarwork with synthetic orchestral swells is a strange move to dive into so wholeheartedly, but they absolutely nail it. Each song moves between wildly distinct sections while still feeling cohesive, leading to this album to feel just as expansive as space itself, as if the spaceship on the cover is necessary to traverse the entirety of its sound. I love the band's constant use of robotic talk box vocals, and the ways in which they bring in power pop aesthetics amidst the other varied influences on display. ELO exhibits a maximalist approach to rock and pop that still manages to feel laser-focused and precise at every moment despite its sheer grandeur. With just how perfectly it reflects not just their sound, but the very ethos of their spirit, there may not be a more perfect name band name in music history than Electric Light Orchestra. I do find some of the lower key songs to be a little lacking in comparison to the sheer power of the big hits, and even those start to suffer from diminishing returns. Just like a magician repeating the same trick too many times, this is just a lot of ELO to hear all at once without it starting to lose a bit of its magic. Highlights: It's Over, Sweet Talkin' Woman, Across the Border, Night in the City, Steppin' Out, Summer and Lightning, Mr. Blue Sky, Sweet Is The Night, Birmingham Blues, Wild West Hero

Such a wonderful album. Mr. Blue Sky is one of my all time favorite songs.

As I have observed with this experience it is hard to release a good and engaging double album that keeps my interest for most of the runtime. This album starts our really strong and does kind of start to drag towards the middle. I didnt fully check out from the experience but it did hamper what my overall rating would be. It picks back up on side three, especially with Mr. Blue Sky, and left me enjoying this album overall. A solid double album and one of my favorites I've heard so far. 4/5

Why does the album cover look like a Boston record? This is very radio friendly pop music, not far from disco, but far enough to avoid the stench. I don’t think there are any skips here, but nothing truly stands out, except maybe Mr Blue Sky. Not progressive, but hints at progressive, not disco but hints at disco, not really rock music but hints at it. It stands out for not being pigeonholed into any one specific genre. My initial impression was that it reminded me of the Alan Parsons Project, which is not a bad thing. 4 stars

Everyone always says this is like more Beatles than the Beatles or whatever, but honestly I was hearing something more like futuristic Motown? Like it's something about the string arrangements for me, and of course "Turn to Stone" takes some melodic ideas from the Four Tops' "I'll Turn to Stone". With respect to "Mr Blue Sky", that's not the Beatles either; that's the Kinks' "Do You Remember Walter"! Anyway, fun album, if a bit too long.

It's good, nothing crazy though.

Very enjoyable, i really like a few of these. Solid 4

What a joy! Not their best album but a pleasure to listen as prog meets synth.

Timeless pop. Apart from The Whale. And the occasional whiff of cheese. 4*

Much better than I anticipated. Nice mix of styles, well done. I feel like I’ve been listening to my dad’s 8-tracks.

I used to have the LP - I really only listened to disc 1, side 1, so very familiar with Turn to Stone, It's Over, Sweet Talking Woman, and Across the Border. Really strong, pop-rock, great harmonies and synth, and ambitious. Maybe over-produced, but I wouldn't hold that against them, it was 1977 and that was the sound. On balance, disc 2 is a bit of a slog, but Wild West Hero is a good ender. Mr. Blue Sky does make up for it. Quite enjoyed Latitude 88 North too, but I think that is re-release only. 5 stars for the first big part, 3.5 for the second part.

What I really enjoy about 𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦 is how shamelessly huge it sounds. Electric Light Orchestra throw strings, harmonies, giant hooks, and glossy production into almost every track, but the album somehow never collapses under its own weight. It’s excessive, but in a genuinely fun way. A lot of that comes down to Jeff Lynne. No matter how polished or theatrical the songs become, he keeps them grounded in strong melodies. Even the most overblown moments still sound warm, catchy, and surprisingly sincere. Normally an album this ambitious would start feeling bloated at some point, but 𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦 mostly avoids that because the songs themselves are just so enjoyable. It’s very much a “more is more” record, and honestly, that’s exactly why I like it so much.

Good and didn't expect Mr. Blue Sky

thats right

This pop rock double album really does deserves it's 'doubleness.' It has E.L.O.'s iconic orchestral-focused, instrumentation-rich, pop-leaning sound. It's anthems all the way down; it has a consistent high, never fully dipping down too far. Side A is probably the side has the best songs, but that's followed up closely by the weather-focused Side D (Concerto for a Rainy Day.) Which has the masterpiece "Mr. Blue Sky" on it, so it has to be at least 'good.' This is a must-hear album. Solid 4. Highlight Song/s: "Sweet Talkin' Woman", "Starlight", "Summer and Lightning", "Mr. Blue Sky" and "Sweet Is The Night"

what a nice surprise

Wasn't familiar with your game.

Overblown, pompous, ridiculous, and fucking glorious. I love all things ELO.

Bra og kult. LIkte det godt, overrasket over at Mr Blue Skye er herfra. 4-3

Would have easily been a 5 but double albums are just not it, bro... I liked all the songs but it just.... Was a lot Also Conner will probably say I only like this because it's "upbeatslop" or something and it's true

really nice stuff! finally a double-album that doesn't feel like 90% filter. great compositions, love the maximalist arrangements + production.

Best Track - "Mr Blue Sky"

Just a really enjoyable classic rock album.

I didn’t think I was going to like this. But I did - so much so, that I’m now wondering what I ever had against ELO.

Classic

A classic. Not my favorite ELO album but you can't argue with Mister Blue Sky

Movie-soundtrack-ass album. That being said, listening to this, walking around my neighborhood on a sunny day was perfect.

If The Beatles and Queen had a baby, it would be ELO.

Fucking amazing I can't wait to listen to it again! 4/5

Meu pai adora Electric Light Orchestra, mas eu nunca ouvi um álbum completo. Maravilhoso!

ELO is way cool. I like Jeff Lynne :)

Mr. Blue you did it right

So fun

love love love

Great album chock full of hits… but could have been a single LP. I figure they had too much material and rather than cut good stuff they added some average stuff. If there were CDs then they probably could have cut some stuff and had more room for just the goodies. Funny story… my sister worked at a country radio station when this was released and received a copy and knew they would not play it on the air. So she gave it to me and I loved it. Headed on heavy rotation in my freshman and sophomore year of high school. Then I turned to new wave and punk and forgot about them, but Mr. blue sky has always been in the back of my mind.

banger

Some very solid tunes

I really liked this. It reminded my a lot of Queen

Very much enjoyed listening to this one

3.5/5 https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/electric-light-orchestra/out-of-the-blue/ Starts of strong (and comes back strong later with amongst others, of course, Mr. Blue Sky), but overly long and loses focus.

Turn to Stone - 5/5 It's Over - 4/5 Sweet Talkin' Woman - 5/5 Across the Border - 4/5 Night in the City - 4/5 Starlight - 4/5 Jungle - 4/5 Believe Me Now - no rating Steppin' Out - 5/5 Standin' in the Rain - 3/5 Big Wheels - 3/5 Summer and Lightning - 4/5 Mr. Blue Sky - 5/5 Sweet Is the Night - 4/5 The Whale - 3/5 Birmingham Blues - 3/5 Wild West Hero - 4/5 Average score: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

These guys were wetting that electronic whistle. Just hitting instruments never seen before. Yes, most of it is dated, I admit it, but it’s so fun. The fun factor has to be a metric. Fun/100

Doesn't wow me and a bit cheesy in places but not really any bad songs on it which is impressive given its so long. 4

A rock opera style album. Big hits which are well known, other tracks are similar. Actually have a updated version of this album. Listened to on 9 May 2026.

Buen álbum, me gustó. 8/10

I like the use of violin and piano. Real orchestra 😂

Álbum Nº1/1001 Out of the Blue - Electric Light Orchestra 1. Turn to Stone (9,5) 2. It's Over (7) 3. Sweet Talkin' Woman (9) 4. Across the Border (9) 5. Night in the City (6,5) 6. Starlight (6,75) 7. Jungle (7,5) 8. Believe Me Down (10) TOOOP 9. Steppin' Out (8,75) 10. Standin' in the Rain (9) 11. Big Wheels (8) 12. Summer and Lightning (7,5) 13. Mr. Blue Sky (10) TE AMO Y NO SABÍA QUE ERA DE ELLOS WTF 14. Sweet Is the Night (8,75) 15. The Whale (8) 16. Birmingham Blues (8) 17. Wild West Hero (9)

Mmmm very interesting

3.5

Brown sugar was good, good musicians bad singers

++: Turn to Stone, It's Over, Night in the City, Starlight, Jungle, Big Wheels, Mr. Blue Sky, Sweet Is the Night, The Whale, Birmingham Blues, Wildwest Hero +: Sweet Talkin' Woman, Across the Border, Believe Me Now, Standin' in the Rain, Summer and Lightning +-: Steppin' Out 8,8/10

분위기가 아름다움. 스페이스 록 그 자체임.

Tune after tune, after tune. (Also, plenty of nonsense. But, who could begrudge the Jeff some nonsense). Sometimes dadrock rocks, ya know.

My blue sky so nostalgic lol

Pretty good

Interesting. every song is a surprise.

4/5

Underrated gem

The only flaw for me is that it's a bit long... it's a darn good time tho!

Love

I dont think you can be sad listening to this.

8/10

Fun and pop filled album. Some mainstream hits and others that have gotten bigger over time. A good listen but a bit lengthy.

Like ELO and it's a great album but ends up a slog at the latter stages when the album is 1hr 16m. Probably cut a few songs from this. Still 4/5 though, more interesting than that boring Pump album from Aerosmith.

un peu vibe comédie musicale

la musique des pubs SFR !!! Bon délire : Queenesque (en moins iconique), cohérent sans être trop vite lassant

First ELO I've listened to in full. Just a sense of grandeur to every track, phenomenal listen.

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.

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

good

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.

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

Better than 🥶 play

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.

oh yeah, this rocks

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

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.

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

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!

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

me encantó

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

Fav- sweet is the night 4/5

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

It's cheesy but fun.

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.

lowkey they could have benefitted from cutting a couple of songs

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

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.

80

Great album

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Sure sounds like springtime to me.

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.

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 good

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.

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

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

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.

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