Out Of The Blue

If this kind of theatrical and Symphonic Rock is for you then I couldn't be happier, but for myself it was just a bit too much for me to enjoy here. While I can respect the effort to make such interesting Progressive Pop that feels so mystical with the blend of electronics, I can't say I found this album to be very compelling or even up my alley in terms of taste. The only real standout here is Mr. Blue Sky as that song alone is both one I've had plenty of time to digest but also understands how to make a Progressive song much more Pop-y than normal. Everything else here feels like a watered down version of the Alan Parsons Project albums I have previously covered. The songwriting here is also just decent and doesn't help the case of this album just dragging itself out way too much. This album obviously has its' own set of fans and I am okay with not being one of them. I am glad I gave it a shot though and tried my best to see eye to eye with what ELO had to offer, but Out of the Blue was just not my cup of tea. Nuff said.

Meh. Did not care for this one.

This album is a joyous journey from start to finish

Madre di dios this album is too long. That said...it's pretty great

not my favourite ELO album, but definitely a classic.

It's over esta guapa Across the border parece que rips off heroes and villains de maneira un pouco cutre... Non sei se é un tropo habitual no surf ou no blues q non controlo Mima e night in the city e como un refrito dos Beatles e the who un pouco regular Non me mola como soa o disco en xeral, é como que non ten punch Paréceme música bastante superficial

While Mr. Blue Sky is a banger, the rest is a trifle meh. I remember being so disapointed that the group that did that awesome song came back with Wild West Hero, which is a dirge. Not a plus or minus, but a lot of the songs do start very quietly...

Yeah

Excellent.

The hits on this album are hits for a reason, but just because this album has some awesome bangers doesn't make the album that good overall. Just can't give it a 5 despite me wanting to.

There is some fun to be had listening to this but I find it cheesy and Mr Blue Sky is difficult to listen to after hearing it so much. Reminded me of Crime of the Century at times. 2.5

Jeff Lynne is a special talent. The songs on this album are masterfully composed, beautifully arranged and full of feeling.

What a great album! Before now, I only knew Mr. Blue Sky because I sang it in high school choir. I don't know what it is about ELO's sound, but the vibes are excellent. They've got "orchestral" elements like strings and piano, cool electronic elements and sound effects, lovely harmonies and falsettos, and a je ne sais quoi. The album is a journey and has a good amount of variety. I have heard good things about this album and now I can see why. 9/10.

One outstanding track that everyone knows but the rest just sounds like a poor man’s Beatles to me but without the memorable tunes and added weird spacey bits. Maybe it needs a few listens. Ironically the line “soo long” in Mr Blue Sky sums up my feelings of this album. Father in law went to school with Jeff Lynne and raves about ELO. Maybe you had to be there at the time. Not bad compared to some but wouldn’t listen again.

Another album on the longer side. The famous song Mr Blue Sky stands out and the rest felt very similar so going for a generous four which could stick or go down with subsequent listens.

Awesome from start to finish, so many banger. Mr blue-sky, need it say more

Ah ELO. A good throwback to my youth, getting picked up by a friend's mother and listening to the greatest hits album on CD. Mr Blue Sky was a particular favourite. Brings me right back. Overall a fun poppy "rock" album, good vibes, easy and interesting listen. Not quite a 4* for me but may return eventually.

Far too long. Perfect for your 1970s vacation home on the beach, seducing a lady on the shag carpet with a jug of pink wine.

ELO’s Out of the Blue is a pop-oriented symphonic rock album. It generally lacks the raw rock energy I prefer, though they were probably a band that helped shape their era.

helllll yeah

It’s ELO, you either love them or hate them. But if you hate them you probably hate fun.

Feel good music, love it.

Catchy songs

There's a perfect 40 minute album in this 70 minute behemoth somewhere.

Psychedelic pop music. Fun to listen to but I wouldn't return to it often.

ELO is classic fun. I Turn To Stone and Mr. Blue Sky are two of my favorite songs of all time. I don't know if I've ever listened to this album all the way through. It got weird, but I held on, and it was worth it!

Love love love

Epic, fun, lots of layers

I like what they’re doing

Know a few songs of theirs. Enjoy the album

Electric Light Orchestra's definitive album. Almost every other song is a classic rock radio staple, and ELO's pop-infused rock makes no secret as to why. Fantastic vocal performances and harmonies galore, disco-esque danceable beats and strings, as well electronic experiments are the ingredients for a very listenable album. Highlights: "Mr. Blue Sky", "Sweet Talkin' Woman", "Turn to Stone"

Belle surprise

Mr blue sky was great. Rest is ok

p376. 1977. 3 stars. A 70s double album, so points immediately deducted, and the falsetto vocals don't help. I've always thought there is something vaguely artificial and passionless about Jeff Lynne - he so desperately wants to be The Beatles, this album is almost a parody. Having said that, there are some fabulous pop songs on here - it just outstays its welcome.

What a carnival of an album, just pure joy. It’s performative in all the right ways. Yea it’s 71 minutes long but it didn’t really feel like that. I imagine they were an absolute spectacular live show at in their prime. It’s an interesting blend of other bands I’m hearing here as well. I hear Queen, I hear some Rush when they’re leaning into the Prog, I hear the Beatles and Beach Boys in the melodies and it all blends together for such a cool trip. Having been a fan of a good portion of the band of Montreal’s work, I gotta imagine frontman Kevin Barnes was heavily influenced by ELO’s theatrical approach. Yea it’s 71 minutes long but I’d argue they made great use of all 71. I’m gonna get gummied up and return to this one some night for sure. 5 stars

- bem teatral, tenta se manter interessante com mudanças de ritmo e estrutura - muito moderno, algumas músicas que poderiam ser lançadas hoje - achei um pouco genérico pra rock progressivo

One of my mothers favorite band so I grew up listening to this. A lot of nostalgia in this album for me so I might be skewed but its a great album that I gladly listen to many times over.

Wow. I have sort of avoided ELO my whole life and now I know what I was missing. No idea what I expected, but it wasn't what I got. This was a very enjoyable listen with music, lyrics and arrangements that exude energy.

Jeff Lynne doesn’t get enough credit.

2.88

Perfeito 10/10

It sounds like a continuation of the same song. By the time it gets to Mr. Blue Sky, it makes an otherwise good song sound repetitive. It’s better than some of the twos I’ve rated though.

This is a sound it would take me a long time to get into. There are moments that I start to get it, like "Mr Blue Skies," but so much feels corny to me.

I’m proud of myself for getting as far as I did in this album without giving up. I think I would like this if married to a great movie or TV show.

I've never made it through an entire ELO album. I hear "Mr. Blue Sky" and think I would be able to find my way in, but something about his voice or the sheen or just the lack of any depth at all grates on me quickly.

The best songs are the hits. Coincidentally, the hits are the best impressions of Paul McCartney songs. The harmonies and melodies pop, but somehow, the songs are lacking in personality. Nonetheless, this was a breezy listen.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

Excellent

What a flashback this album is! Listened to it a ton as a kid. Had the cd in my car. My closeted gay friend absolutely loved the album and would sing along to every song.

Phenomenal album. This was a repeat listen for me. ELO is always worth it

Great album front to back, has some undeniably classic songs. Big Wheels, Turn to Stone, Jungle, Mr. Blue Sky being some personal favorites. 9.5/10, maybe a 10/10... Cool album art too.

Not bad

huzzah!

Very 70s and reminds me of Queen. I like “Sweet Talkin Woman”. Really nice ending to the album with “Wild West Hero”. Very interesting album, didn’t know they made “Mr. Blue Sky” which is super recognizable.

yeah nice

A very interesting if not totally enthralling record. Kinda Beatles with a synth twist and a singular vision it feels like. I could be totally wrong but it feels less collaborative than the beatles were in some regards. I saved a handful of tracks. Everyone knows Mr blue sky. That's a certified classic. Some others are also pretty good. Some have classical DNA. Thats fun. That's it though. Its fun. Not exactly the beatles but very enjoyable. Some songs are kinda crap to me but its more than an hour long so its not that big of a deal. Pretty enjoyable stuff and woth a listen for sure

Creativity is off the charts with this one! Jeff Lynne is a power house in creative melodic song writing and structures. 17 songs does make it a long album but the songs are so fresh and different, it never feels like a chore. If only people still wrote songs like these!

I am Groot

Sweet Talkin Woman is one of my favorite songs of all time, and Turn to Stone/Mr. Blue Sky are all time hits as well. Those three I think catapult this album to 5 stars regardless, but I also think that ELO doesn’t get enough appreciation for their impact as a whole. The songwriting, production, performances, and just general vibes of this album I think are all attributed to the genius minds behind one of the most iconic and influential bands of all time.

Interesting sound, but not favor the melody

I was excited when this popped up today. This was an album I loved when I was young, staring at the cover art for ages and listening to all four sides of the record. Since that time I’ve enjoyed a handful of ELO songs I’d hear now and then, but none were from this album. I’d considered seeing them live the past few years but never pulled the trigger on getting tickets. Upon listening today, disappointment set in. This was not as much fun as I recalled, and I was mostly feeling bored and looking to see how many more songs were left. I don’t think it’s bad. It’s just one of those things that was better when I was younger but has lost its luster as I’ve aged and my tastes have changed. Interestingly, this is my second album in a row from 1977 where my opinions have changed dramatically from when I listened back then to now. Apparently 14 year old me is quite different than 62 year old me. Who knew?

its okay i guess i wasnt able to listen very intently, closer was good

Pink twats

It was hard for me to decide but I think this is a really good album.

So many happy 70's songs on this album. I realize that I prefer ELO in smaller doses, interspersed with other music. Collectively this album is a 3, songs individually a 4. I'll round up, it's Friday.

Loved this. Yes, I'm an ELO fan.

Interesting experience: do I just think some songs are better than other because I've heard. Good album

I had heard Sweet Talkin' Woman before! Night in the city sounded like Starfox SNES. Lots of tracks sounds familiar...because MR BLUE SKY is on here. Good tracks, all very like Mr Blue SKy. A good piece. Would have to be in the mood for it.

Okay, geht aber auch in Richtung Rock und ist nicht ganz mein Geschmack.

Some classic songs on here but equally some that I find unbearable. I know it’s well reviewed but I can’t get into it.

Out of the Blue is a dazzling double album that effortlessly blends rock, pop, and progressive elements into one ambitious, theatrical package. The album’s diversity and cohesion make it a standout in ELO’s discography and a landmark of 70s music.

De início subestimei, mas achei bem agradável, eu ouviria de novo.

Very nice instrumentals, you feel the age, but still enjoy it

Pretty, lifeless. Pretty lifeless. Overlong and lacking urgency, Out Of The Blue is a vocoder tapestry without a pulse. And yet it's a template for indie music in the aughts — or at least I hear echoes of it in bands like The Arcade Fire and others.

Out of the Blue is the album that transitioned ELO from a cool band, especially amongst college students, into a mainstream blockbuster. Sweet Talkin' Woman and Turn to Stone were both massive hits in the US and the album cover was incredibly cool for it's day. The big turn off was that it was so long. While the music is great, it's not as densely packed with great songs as A New World Record from a year earlier. Even so, it's pretty spectacular and made ELO a household name in popular music.

Great album! Consistent theme, some real bangers.

This album had me from the jump and held my attention the whole way through, which is surprising as I expected it to sounds the same after a while, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Some great pop songs but overlong

3 out of 5. This album felt like an upbeat space rock opera.

decent bground. only 1 banger

Very fun, too long to make me consider a 5* though

Has a couple fun songs at the beggining, but ends up being way too long and most songs in the 2nd half are a bit generic. Also not usually a fan of bands adding orchestral elements to their songs to make them sound more epic, and they do that a bit here.

Very positive surprise!! Liked a couple of songs and added them to a playlist. Always love Mr. Blue Sky!! Very vibey when listened to while in bed at night talking about math being discovered or invented 👍

Väldigt höga toppar (Turn to Stone, Mr Blue Sky), men resten rätt slätstruket (dock absolut inte dåligt)

Känns som det här bandet lyckas med bedriften att vara överskattat och underskattat på samma gång. Unikt sound och även om det är lite långtråkigt ibland så finns det faktiskt tillräckligt med bangers.

En underbar album

Swebrawl-favorit av en anledning!

Meh, never been a huge ELO fan. Couple of stand out tracks though

I was raised on this, and I love it. There's a constant drive, the harmonies are excellent, songwriting is intelligent and vibrant. Great, great record.

I don't why we bother rating these albums. None of us can say if an album is objectively good music or bad music. Ultimately, were just sharing how much an album matches up to our personal preferences. We're all just here screaming into the void how much we like or dislike something, hoping to find other people like us - people who like the same things as us; other members of our tribe that time or distance won't allow us to meet. So, for anyone who likes this ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ much, I'm out there

di ganze zitat i dem album sind so geil!! ich ghör beatles, tina turner und gershwin‘s rhapsody in blue. s album gaht mega ab! am afang ischs mer chli zu heiter feel good und i dem sinne chli eintönig. aber s wird mega vielfältig und d musig macht eif gueti luune.

Decent.

I hear harmonies and I press like.

I was surprised that I didnt enjoy it as much as I did. The hits were amazing, but there is a lot of filler songs that were a little sappy for my taste. Overall- good, but a little cheesy

I love them!!! They have such a unique sound! I dont think it hit quite as much as all over the world i have such a soft spot but i think in the right mood the songs would hit even more i would listen again!

A tad too long

Ok operatic 70s rock.

Great album

Enjoyable

If you've ever thought, "gosh, I wish I could listen to Mr. Blue Sky 17 times but on 16 out of those 17 times it was a bit less good," then boy have I got an album for you! I think there's definitely an element of the one single being so typical of this group, and being so fucking great that it ruins the rest of the record, because there's good stuff here but ELO just very much have a certain style.

songs that i’ve loved: night in the city standing in the rain to mr blue sky suite is absolutely amazing! also i have always loved the vocoder sound so it’s pretty fun to hear it this early in commercial music.

Couple of solid tracks, talented artists, but I'm not a giant fan.

Fun listen

This is a wild album. It's fun as hell but I have a limited experience with ELO so I'm not sure if it's a concept album or if they just go for it on every song.

Had to get acclimatises to the whole production sound, with everything thrown at you, every effect available in the later 70s. Initially was struggling and didn’t think I was going to make it to the end, anyone mentioned that this is a long long album? Had a couple points, one being jungle that almost just quit. But to be fair by the end was into it and enjoying, that Lynn guys a bit of a Beatles fan ain’t he?? If had been listening to this since it came out may have had a long enough time to get to know and would probably love this, but I didn’t and just don’t have the time. Going to have to be 1 I missed out on 3.5 Stars

This album is pure ELO perfection. ELO has such a unique rock sound with classical and futuristic elements infused in that makes their music so exciting to listen to. Their music makes me feel like I’m in a spaceship flying through time and space because of how immersive and transportive it is. This album was full of bops and I would definitely listen to it again!

Me gustó un montón, esta banda siempre me levanta el ánimo, no sé qué tienen sus temas pero me atrae.

GOD como dice el piberío, me pareció excelente sin caer en lo repetitivo, una experiencia musical futurista espacial

Musica para escuchar si sos un guardian de la galaxia Muy lindo la verdad, aunque algunos temas en el medio no me llamaban tanto

This is too much. There were no bad ideas in the studio. They threw everything at the wall and everything stuck. I love maximalist pop. Pet Sounds is my favorite album of all time. But ELO needed an editor. Or someone to say no.

Some great songs, some really great production. Each individual song is good to great, but it overstays its welcome and feels a bit too "Samey" after a while.

Some great melodies, obviously very Beatles-y. But too peppy and clean production for my taste.

Much better than I festes. Great production, fantastic arrangements, a lot of good songs, but there really is no heart. I don’t feel the songs, I just hear them

Electric Light Orchestra, has an unique voice in seventies rock music. They dared to make more complex structures and were so good at it that the songs remained catchy as fuck. Joy is pouring out the speakers when they pkay. Having said that, Out of the Blue is not their best, most cohesive project. Still a lot of bangers on it. Mr. blue sky is still an encredibly well know hit and it's well deserved. I'm secretly hoping their real masterpiece 'Discovery' made it to the list.

One hour and ten minutes of dorky theater kid prog bullshit :-(((

I'm gonna admit something that I feel like my family only knows: I really like ELO. I've listened to their biggest songs, some featured on this album, way more than plenty of times. I dunno what I like about them so much, I just think they're good, but I think I've only listened to one album on my own. Maybe it's because I love their biggest songs and I'm afraid that if I listen to any full album of theirs I'll realize their bad, that's something that's happened and heard opinions on other people of them finding a song from someone/some band and they look at their other stuff and it's bad. I just didn't want that to happen if I listen to ELO fully. Fortunately, listening to this 70 minute album, I did not feel that way. When the album starts with Turn To Stone, few songs late Sweet Talkin' Woman, and then the end of the third side is Mr. Blue Sky, one of my all time favorite songs, and listening to 60 more minutes of ELO, I can definitely say they aren't bad at all. So in conclusion, and as mentioned before, I really don't know why I like ELO so much, I just think they're a one of a kind band and Jeff Lynne is an underrated genius.

Legendary album, one of my favourites.

very familiar with the hits but never listened to the album. What a fun ride! Every song is worth listening to and several of them could’ve been additional singles. Fun, energetic, well produced and unique.

Have wanted to hear more of this band after hardly knowing much of their work. Pink Floyd meets Slade with a sprinkling of The Beatles and not sure what I think about that. 80 mins. Okay, let’s go. Pretty standard above vibe but like the switch of ‘Night In The City’, a welcome change and brings a bit more rizz. And ‘Starlight’ following in the same direction. More electronics and psychedelia. And of course the classic ‘Mr Blue Sky’ which pretty much sums up their sound. Kinda got the memo from early on and felt similar feel throughout, mostly. Similar to yesterday, it’s pretty good at what it does, but just doesn’t wow me. (3.5)

Is the difference between art rock and progressive rock just the sexual orientation of the artist?

This album feels like a train chugging, but specifically like a steam engine and each song feels like you're getting closer to some destination. A very happy feeling album.

Magical. I like how some intros mimic Classical music. Vocals are sublime, instruments masterfully layered. Nothing more that I can ask for.

This was a very enjoyable album, but much too long for no reason. It felt like they were padding for time with some of these tracks. "Night in the City", "The Whale", and "Birmingham Blues" were all unnecessary and could have been cut to make for a more concise and cohesive project. Otherwise, all of the songs were fantastic. The songwriting is good. The vocals, mixed with the production and instrumentation are iconic. Overall, liked it a lot. 4/5

This is definitely an album. 1.0/5.0 Best song: Mr Blue Sky I guess

Very shit, pure cheese and at times a pretty difficult listen. I like the music, but Jeff Lynne has to shut up sometimes. CNF 2.1/10

I don’t really like the electric vibe in voices but I love electric light orchestra and will allow it!

Okeeee

Wow! really enjoyed this. Haven't listened to much stuff by ELO, other than Mr Blue Sky - certainly are overshadowed by that hit, as there are a lot of gems on this album. Birmingham Blues, Turn to Stone, and Wild West Hero were some good ones.

Classic rock album.

Producción excesiva, pero buenas canciones pegadizas.

This is like if Pink Floyd and Queen had a kid, and then one of those bands turned into a psycho stage mom and forced that kid to become somehow even more ridiculous than its parentage would indicate. I think I'd only known that "Bruce" song and "Mr. Blue Sky" from ELO, and deliberately avoided them because of that. Good move, me! I know there's a big ideological divide about this and that generation of three-chord wonders, and it's obvious which side of the fence I'm on. This is overwrought, sterile and overproduced. On the plus side, this reaffirms my belief that I will almost certainly hate any album that has an airbrushed spaceship on its cover.

Turn To Stone, Sweet Talkin Woman, Mr Blue Sky, Birmingham Blues

Would probably give 3.5 stars is possible.

Magnificent from start to finish. Bursting with energy, fun and variety. The orchestration and great vocals make it a joy to listen to. It has that Beatles and Queen vibe. How could you not love it?!!

I’ve always loved ELO’s singles. This album is upbeat and gives good vibes. A great album to listen to on a sunny day.

Is this what Queen wishes they sounded like? I loved this. Really cool transitions between songs, larger than life feel, and great vibes. I've heard all of their radio singles but never a full album. I really enjoy ELO now.

All the songs sound the same.

Well that definitely wasn’t boring. A lot going on. Made me feel like I was in a movie. I like the theatrical vibes and dreamy harmonies. Reminds me of The Beatles and Elton John.

sounds cool

Super fun

All hail the genius that is Jeff Lynn! I love this album, it's a bunch of bops with a really creative approach to recording.

Absolutely not for me. Never liked ELO and still don't.

this was very fun!! reminded me of a mix of Abba with Queen. don't know how I haven't heard of them before

So happy to have discovered this band! Beatles with an orchestral integration? Will definitely explore more of their music Tracks to Track: Mr. Blue Sky

Over the top sound! Huge production and instrumentation on this double album. Lots of Beatles influence seeps through. Was familiar with ELO but never took the deep dive on this one.

21/07/2025 I couldn't give it any more than 3 stars, I just didn't like the album.

Great album

Provavelmente a banda mais Beatles que já Bítou desde os Beatles. Claro, a influência dos Beatles no mundo da música popular é incalculavelmente extensa, mas aqui, eles a tatuam no corpo. É clara, é óbvia, a ponto que muitas vezes quem não é iniciado acaba confundindo as músicas do ELO com as do Fab Four. Dessa maneira, eu interpreto esse álbum como um Beatles sob efeito de esteróides. Tudo aqui é maximalista, os vocais, os corais, as harmonias, e o mais suplicante de tudo, as strings! Essas strings… Meu Deus, essa banda tem Orchestra no nome e não é à toa! Agora, se tudo isso te agrada ou não, é inteiramente subjetivo. Eu gosto, pois amo Beatles, e por mais que eu seja amante árduo de minimalismo em música, um maximalismo também faz cócegas nos meus ouvidos. Vejo muita gente que odeia o quão “super-produzido” as canções aqui são, e o quão exageradas são as temáticas. Tudo isso transpira nesse álbum, até mesmo na sua duração. É um álbum longo, um verdadeiro empreendimento. Ao meu ver, cada lado tem uma temática específica, e apesar de tudo, sonicamente, ele mantém uma consistência admirável. O maior exemplo de sua total ambição criativa está no contraste entre uma canção como Mr. Blue Sky e The Whale. A progressão instrumental que a banda é capaz é eletrizante. Por isso digo que parece que o álbum está sob anabolizantes, esteróides, bomba mesmo. É uma expressão artística riquíssima e fascinante, mas que pode sim se tornar irritante para algumas pessoas. Vai do seu ouvido e do seu paladar sonoro! Eu gosto, mas poderia gostar mais. Algumas canções chegaram a me irritar um pouco com suas extravagâncias. Mas nada demais, ouviria milhares de vezes esse álbum e certamente sempre me atentaria á alguma coisa nova. Lindo e mirabolante! 4.5/5

This was just great all the way through. Mr blue sky is a certified classic but this album was filled with nothing but joy. Loved it.

Great album. I was surprised by how many of the songs I knew. Mr. Blue Sky is probably the most famous of the songs, but it’s a solid listen and I want to get this on vinyl now

Son agradables, me han gustado también me recuerdan a queen

i've been loving my fair share of ELO singles so i think it's a bit late to get around to an album. but whateva man im doing it now. could this have been condensed into a single album? probably yea. does Electric Light Orchestra's sound tickle my ears better than any other late 70s pop? also probably yea. still only my second favorite progressive pop album from the late 70s with this album title. Blue Gene Tyranny takes precedence. deserves to be one of the 1001? yes. maybe another album of theirs could be on here too but i haven't explored their catalogue enough to say

3.5

2- Stars (4/15)

I have a confession. I had a vapid hate for this band until about 10 years ago. Jeff Lynne is a genius though, effortless singer, amazing writer. Tastes change, opinions shift. Sometimes you gotta admit you were wrong. Love Sweet Talkin' Woman and of course, Mr. Blue Sky.

I had never heard this album in its entirety before today. I've heard "Blue Sky" and remember seeing this LP as a kid because the cover looks like a board game/toy that was popular when I was a kid. Just as the name of the toy escapes me so too will this album. There are 3 or 4 really great songs but the rest are kind of everything all at once and so they don't really stand out.

I have never listened to an EOL album only the hits on the radio. What a great album!

10 STARS, welcome to the human race

Pretty darn good album.

Fantastic double album.

Fuck yeah

I really like Mr Blue Sky so I was excited to listen to this but I honestly found it extremely underwhelming and somehow a bit boring? Shame.

Some sparkle but its length ultimately defeats it as it rambles a bit at times.

20 songs of pure delight! Bits of Beatles and Zeppelin and shades of Queen. Almost every track was upbeat, even when it’s talking about heartbreak. They seemed to really enjoy making music. You can really hear it. As far as when my first time sitting down, listening to an entire ELO album and I get the love fans have. Groovy!

Love me some ELO, but I think I'm more of a "enjoy when a song comes up in a playlist" ELO fan than a "listen to an entire double album start-to-finish" ELO fan. It sounded almost like the soundtrack to a movie I've never seen. Looking at the cover and title, shouldn't the ship be EXITING the station? "Birmingham Blues" was a refreshing return to structure after that "Whale" nonsense.

I like what they’re doing

If my soul could make music it would sound like this.

Five stars, don't even have to listen, ELO is just a five star band.

I love Mr Blue Sky. So good. Overall it’s not an album all play a ton but it’s a 3.5 for me…

I really enjoyed this album but I found that I was checking how many songs were left multiple times.

A very solid pop album of its time. It’s the first time vocoder’s were used regularly but it compliments the vocals well. It’s impressive that this entire album was written in the space of a few weeks. Only thing is that it’s slightly too long. 1. MR. BLUE SKY 2. TURN TO STONE 3. SWEET TALKIN’ WOMAN 4. BIG WHEELS 5. IT’S OVER 6. SWEET IS THE NIGHT 7. STANDIN’ IN THE RAIN 8. SUMMER AND LIGHTNING 9. WILD WEST HERO 10. STEPPIN’ OUT 11. ACROSS THE BORDER 12. NIGHT IN THE CITY 13. STARLIGHT 14. THE WHALE 15. JUNGLE 16. BIRMINGHAM BLUES 17. BELIEVE ME NOW

I wanted to give it a 5 but it’s… maybe I’ll give a five. A weak five

Obožavanje!!! Često ih slušam i volim jako. Doduše, imaju mi boljih albuma, ali i ovaj mi je drag. Baš mi paše taj orkestralni zvuk, pogotovo u ovom žanru 🫶🏻 4/5, 8.5/10

a little long but very little filler

So big, so many strings, so many choirs… they can write a melody but damn dude, chill a little. Best song: Mr. Blue Sky

Electric Shite Orchestra

Music that is remarkably sanitised and uniform. You can walk into a room and after a second you can recognise its ELO from any of the tracks in this album or any other.

So I'm a huge ELO fan, BUT . . . I don't think this is one of their best albums. The curse of the double album--too much weaker material watering down the good stuff. "Turn to Stone" is a great opener, and "Sweet Is the Night" is probably the best ELO song that never became a hit, and there are some other good moments, but the two albums preceding this one--El Dorado and A New World Record--are both better front to back. I hope El Dorado is also included in "1001 Albums," because if it ain't it should be.

Ceaseless string section fills Robo-space voice Beatles wannabe songs Rococo excessive production E.L. Hell, No

I’m a big fan of what I consider ELO’s signature sound. It’s so Beatlesque (Kinks, Beach Boys) but also so forward looking. I do think this album needed an edit; it felt a little baggy.

Rating: 2.8 There were a lot of good ideas here, but the execution just comes off feeling like “more is more.” The first few songs were absolutely flawless and then it just devolved into vocoder nonsense and drawn out, indulgent fiddling. I will admit I enjoyed it as a spectacle though.

This was a weird one - every song comes out swinging with a unique and different and cool opening. I’m intrigued and primed to like what’s coming. But then as soon and the vocals kick in it devolves into like, idk, The Beach Boys? Super bland and boring falsetto vocals. And then even the instrumentation which was cool a minute ago is now super boring and basic. Idk this baffles me and I didn’t like it.

7/10 A really fun album that doesn’t make it to great. Fantastic composition, music, arrangements. More pop than rock but stil rock. You can very much hear the Beatles and Beach Boys in here, and I can hear this in later period Super Furry Animals But it is too long and self indulgent and, most importantly, doesn’t really feel like it means it or has a heart. Best: Big Wheels

Brilliant!

This is one of those border albums for me. It’s a classic but there are some downsides that make it a full 5/5. But I’ll round up for this site.

The Good: I’ve got Electric Light! The Bad: Missing Second Sight… The Ugly: There go my amazing powers of observation… Did you get that one? Just thought I’d throw that curve ball out there. Did I enjoy the Out Of the Blue? Yes I did. Is it the next best thing after sliced bread? No it’s not. Will I listen to the album again? Hell yeah. So what do you give an album like this, one where it at times feels like a chore to get through, yet when the last tune is done playing you kind of start missing out on all the fun that this album seems to embody. I can’t in good conscience give this album a 5* rating… so the next best thing!

🩵

A classic. Every song could’ve been a radio hit

Catchy stuff

ELO is one of those classic 1970s bands that I never really got into outside of their big singles. I always thought the saying that they would what the beatles would be if they had continued into the 70s to be quite a superficial one, as their music always felt more of a sonic homage to the beatles rather than continuing with the experimentation and sonic diversity that characterised most of their late 60s work. I was pleasantly surprised - the album neither proved nor disproved the above saying, but did show that ELO was a good band in their own right. Turn to Stone is a really catchy opener, and most of the album holds up to the standard it sets. If I were to compare to the Beatles, it would be the end of Abbey Road, the three track punch of Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight and The End. The main issue is that the album goes on for too long. Around the tenth track, the album starts running out of tricks and it starts feeling like a bit of a chore.

3,5

Got some cool tracks. Mr Blue Sky probably the best and most recognisable

Pretty good pop rock album Has some bangers

This album walked so Benson Boone could backflip. If someone recommended me this album, I’d assume they don’t wash their legs. Honestly though why is it so long? High: The Whale Lows: The other hour of listening.

This album still sounds great, it's full of nice, layered harmonies and lush strings. When this album is at its best it is excellent but it's too long, which ultimately detracts from the listening experience. This is a five star single album struggling to get out of a three star double album. Three stars. Would I listen again? - Only the hits. Would I buy this album? Yes, I did, on a whim. Side one 1 "Turn to Stone" - Nice fade in. Lush melodies and strings. Great chorus. Excellent. - 5 Stars. 2 "It's Over" - 3 Stars. 3 "Sweet Talkin' Woman" - Brilliant. Fantastic chorus. - 5 Stars. 4 "Across the Border" - Faster paced. Again, this has all of the elements that ELO are famous for. The Mexican sounding horns are a nice touch. Some of the keyboards sound a little dated. - 4 Stars. Side two 5 "Night in the City" - Nice opening to the song. - 3 Stars. 6 "Starlight" - 3 Stars. 7 "Jungle" - This is interesting and a little different to what has gone before. - 4 Stars. 8 "Believe Me Now" (instrumental) - Pointless? - 3 Stars. 9 "Steppin' Out" - I found this dull.- 2 Stars. Side three (Concerto for a Rainy Day) 1 "Standin' in the Rain" - 4 Stars. 2 "Big Wheels" - 3 Stars. 3 "Summer and Lightning" - 3 Stars. 4 "Mr. Blue Sky" - A brilliant slice of pop. 5 Stars. Side 4 5 "Sweet Is the Night" - 3 Stars. 6 "The Whale" (instrumental) - This just drags on. - 2 Stars. 7 "Birmingham Blues" - 3 Stars. 8 "Wild West Hero" - 4 Stars. Total 59 Average 3.50

good synthpop

ABBA for dudes

Fuck I almost forgot to rate this one. Highly enjoyable. Think it'll grow on me more, too.

7/10 sickeningly sweet at points and asking a lot for 70 minutes, but it sure is sweet

Favorite Track: Mr. Blue Sky

Every track has this wonderful energy about it that drives the music forward, resulting in multiple satisfying payoffs per song. There’s a great sense of unity between the tracks too, but that doesn’t stop them from have a good mix of timbre and varied vocal approaches throughout! Songs lead into one another beautifully and with intention, lending the record a great flow between highs and lows from start to finish. It’s great, or at least it’s right up my alley.

This all started sounding the same after a while, but I gotta give 'em credit... pretty much a masterpiece. 5

Jeff Lynn = Musical genius.

Fab

Yeah

(Que Mr Blue Sky Intro). This album is amazing! I had listened to one of ELO’s previous albums, and it blew me away! So I figured I’d get another album I liked from them, and I did! The main thing I love about this album is its variety. It has slow ballads like It’s Over, upbeat pop numbers like Mr Blue Sky and Turn to Stone, groovy rockers like Across The Border and Wild West Hero, and everything in between. Jeff Lyne’s writing and production on this album are great, with all the songs feeling like they have their own distinct sound. Bev Bevamn’s drum grooves are always a welcome surprise, and Roy Wood, the other multi instrumentalist on this album, works well off of Lyne’s parts. Overall, this is a great album fusing orchestral pop and rock, and I would highly suggest checking it out.

Iconic 70s sound. Most songs sound the same though. "Mr Blue Sky" is a classic.

Let’s get weird

Electric piano and synth flute just isn't for me. Normally I would like this genre but I'll take Bee Gees and Elton John and the others from this time period instead. The track "Birmingham Blues" started strong but yeah, this artist isn't for me. Still gonna hear this tired ass song at the end of bad Chris Pratt movies tho.

This has a very 70s sound. It also strangely sounded a bit like The Beatles or Queen, two bands I like a lot, but yet I didn’t really like this very much.

9.5/10 holy

Very unique album, feels like a theater kid's dream. If listened to in parts it's very distinct and enjoyable, especially act 1 and mr Blue Sky stood out to me. But it you listen to it in 1 full go, the songs start to blend together into eachother and the album starts feeling very long

Some fun melodies and a few bangers. Enjoy the ELO vibe, but so many songs on the album and not enough highs/differentiation overall. 2.5 if I could.

Undeniable sound and genius from Jeff Lynne. Production is impeccable. Pretty solid record front to back, but there is some filler inside. 'Summer and Lightning' is one of the best ELO tracks I've never heard.

One of my fave albums ever!

This is a fun album to listen to, although I don't think I would ever play it again all the way through. Maybe if I was cleaning the house or cooking or something on the weekend when I could have something playing in the background that I don't really need to pay attention to. It's great for that. Some interesting parts here and there and the whole thing is pretty atmospheric. Although a little cheesy and dated sounding now, I can appreciate that this was a brand new kind of music in 1977 so there is something to be said for that. 3/5

Jeff Lyne is so obsessed with wanting to be in The Beatles, he seems to have forgotten he was in the 70s pop/rock masterclass of an outfit in ELO. Here he shows off a range of styles but never forgetting the hooks. If you want a lesson in classic 70's pop/rock, you need not look any further. A double album that's worth the time - half of these tracks are easily certified bangers. Best Tracks: Turn To Stone; Sweet Talkin' Woman; Mr Blue Sky

It was a fun listen while me and the boys had a board game day. 7/10

if ziggy stardust was white and from a shitty town in bristol. god its really just so fucking bad highs: the whale was pretty lows: the album

I don't like ELO. It sounds good but it's just a futuristic copy of the Beatles and sounds like Queen and many other 70s groups. Mr. Blue Sky is the worst hit song ever from a rock band like this. A necessary evil to influence better acts.

Oh dear, I find this irritating.

I like the hit singles I’ve heard off of the previous and subsequent albums better than the ones here. Still, the album has plenty to offer in its deeper cuts. Not sure it needed to be this long, but I could see myself getting into this more with more listens.

I have a soft spot for this kind of audacious 70s rock music. An overstuffed double album, the first half would have been a classic in its own right, and does feel like a complete song cycle, ending with the wonderful “Stepping Out”, but then you are lead into the second half by the “Concerto for a Rainy Day”, a sweet small song cycle that ends with “Mr. Blue Sky”, arguably ELO’s best track. The rest of the album is just as enjoyable as anything that came before it, and explores enough new and interesting sounds to make the long run time worth it.

I liked Wild West Hero. Nothing else really stood out to me though. And this was too long.

I must admit nostalgia is a big factor in how much I am enjoying this album. ELO have such a distinctive style, somewhat "Beatle's like"and Dylan's narrative style with Queens grand layered production giving it a special touch. " Mr Blue Sky" has been a favourite for a long time, and "Sweet Talking Woman" & "Turn to Stone" both made me smile and turn up the volume. It feels very much like a group of very talented artists decided to have fun and push technical boundaries. Love it

I'll rate it straight away, I own it, loved it when it came out, saw it performed live, still love it!

Wanted to like this more but just didn't hit as much as I thought when I first heard the synth.

Took a little while to get into, but enjoyed it. Beatles influence is very evident. Especially liked Sweet is the Night, listened to it multiple times.

Good

Fantastic album

Classic. One of my first purchased albums.

Nice upbeat stuff. 4/5

There was some cool stuff here, but I really wasn’t feeling most of the songs and lyrics. “Turn to Stone”, “Standin’ in the Rain”, and “Wild West Hero” were standouts for me. Wish I could give it a 3.5, but 3 seems way too harsh, so a reluctant 4 it is…

A strong album with several solid hits. A soundtrack to a good portion of my 70s childhood. The only problem is that it all sounds like ELO - as, on one hand, it should. But this isn’t necessarily what you want. Some great tracks, excellent production, but the musical ideas are - in the end - repetitive.

Quality boomer vibes - would’ve given it 2.5 stars if an option - I got really tired of it and wanted it to end a little over halfway through though. Double LPs shouldn’t exist

If this album had been half the length it would be an easy 5. There's a lot to love here, and every track is passable at worst, but there's just so much of everything.

ELO, a band I like, but don't love. Some really fun songs on here. While listening with my headphones on, I took a peak at some of the reviews. Some complained that all the songs sounded alike. Maybe, except "jungle" which, to me felt out of place. Or I just didn't like it. This album is a 3 all day. Except for one thing. Mr. Blue Sky is on it. Mr. Blue Sky is a plus one all on its own. So 4 it is!

Very theatrical. It was a fun listen and I could see putting this on, but it's still not really my thing. Wish I could rate it 3.5.

Overblown

This is fun. Smooth and funky vibes. The Beatles doing ABBA. A bit of Pink Floyd abs Bowie, too. The track Jungle is great. And one of those ‘Oh, it’s them!” moments with Mr Blue Sky. Sweet is the Night also great.

One of the most unique sounding rock bands in history. Three big hits are on this album (Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman, Mr. Blue Sky), all good ones, and some not very memorable filler on a long album. Best track I hadn't heard before: Steppin' Out (I think that was the one). I might explore some of their other stuff later.

It's well executed but it's soft cheesy dad rock ang I got sick of it after the first few songs.

This stuff is right up my alley. Beatlesque with a hint of old time rock n' roll.

Not really my jam.

So many good ones

Kyllä tän läpi kuunteli, mutta ei nyt ihan oma suosikki.

Kyllähän mää Elosta tykkään. Aikansa musaa.

Tämä levy oli mielestäni tosi mitäänsanomaton ja tylsä.

"Turn to Stone" and "Mr. Blue Sky" and "Sweet Talkin' Woman" are lines of pure dopamine on the mirror tray of the late Seventies. The rest of the album feels good like a massage or a fancy candle, inarguably pleasurable but doesn't linger. I used to hate ELO so much I received a merit badge for it, but I heard a Cajun band do "Hold On Tight To You Dreams" and my mind lit up like a jukebox bubble light.

It’s orchestral, alright. And it’s heavily informed by soft rock, synths, the vocoder, and prog, and even by The Beatles’ whimsical senses of harmony and melody and The Bee Gees’ take on disco. A quintessentially 70s mix to be sure. Then there’s the cinematic sci-fi of “Believe Me Now,” which sounds like a precursor to the band Air. But the whole thing sounds a little overstuffed, like a soundtrack of bloated show tunes, and the vibes just don’t hit for me. Neither do the lyrics, which seem to celebrate good weather (“Mr Blue Sky”) or other mushy subject matter. Also, were ELO and Boston in direct competition over the right to commandeer flying saucers that resemble jukeboxes for their bands’ respective brands or something? Just asking.

It's rare that a double LP of the pre-cd era isn't at least 25% filler. This one has almost no throwaway songs and has great pop hooks. It was cool to hate on this band during the postpunk period but I really adore them.

It already gets a bonus star for having a spaceship on the cover. The hits off of this one are the hits for good reasons. But...70 minutes...that's a lot of ELO in one serving. I feel this would have been stronger as a single album. Granted, I seem to say that more often than not so maybe that says more about me than the artist.

I don't think ELO has ever really been for me. This is largely inoffensive, but it's not super interesting either.

that was a fun ride!

Didn't even have to think if it's a 4 or 5 Masterpiece Exactly my kind of music

you know what? that was fucking awesome. it’s so ambiguous, so all over the place (but in a good sense)

ELO is doing too much. This album has so much going on in each song - instrumentation, effects, vocals - it is exhausting after about 10 minutes. Mr. Blue Sky is a great song, and one of my favorites, but if I had to listen to an hour of this before I heard it, I never would have made it. Self-produced albums are so easy to spot.

Great for background music, enjoyable but not super ear catching to me

The Whale holds a special place in my heart. This album is golden

It was ok but a bit boring

In a rush rn, amazing album. Very epic, over the top in a dope way. Sounds kinda 👽4/5 better than beach boys I’d say gotta go GRIDAY 13 RAH 2 day till bully

Like if the grand finale of a fireworks show lasted for and hour and ten minutes. Which is as cool and, at times, as boring as you'd think it would be. The playing on the album and the quality of the recording are there to fall back when times get tough.

Day523 - if your complaint is that too many of the songs sound the same then you’re probably right but anything with mr. blue sky is awesome

4.6 - This was so much better than just having Mr Blue Sky

Feels a bit campy but I like a lot of the songs here. Its like Queen but a bit less flamboyant, which leads to higher lows and lower highs, though I do think Turn to Stone and Mr Blue Sky are just great pop songs. Fave Tracks: Turn to Stone, Mr Blue Sky, The Whale 3.8/5

A classic!

Happy Dad memories

Better than I thought it would be

I’d forgotten how many great tunes were on this album 👍

Catchy, kind of fun, enjoyably poppy, but starts to grate after four sides. If you’re looking for some disco classical prog-pop, this is probably the band for you. But I’m not really looking for that. Still, this album did not make my day worse.

• 4/5 • wonderfully crafted, if overwrought, prog-pop • acknowledging that it doesn’t really live up to its grand pretensions (Jungle … really?), the album is so full of great pop hooks (even on the lesser songs) and the singles are so great that it earns a bump up from 3

Heeel goed

Mr. Blue Sky, Sweet Talkin Women, and many other good songs.

Some decent tunes, crap band names

Sehr poppig, bisl beatlsy, pleasant

thought this was going to be on of those "damn what have I been missing" moments. maybe went in with too high of expectations but didn't find this to be too noteworthy other than the hits.

wow so fun, love!!!

Pop-influenced, good harmonies. Didnot like vocal sound mixing on some songs.

Not a style I enjoy. Not objectively bad though

Beatles inspired yacht rock? I’m here for it. There are some bangers on this album. I particularly liked “Jungle”.

Its like an orchestra of electric lights.

nice!

Cool album.

MR BLUE SKY!

4/5

Look, I like the Beatles as much as the next guy. There’s some undeniably sublime stuff here and great disco slanted production, but when I want to listen to the Beatles, I’ll just listen to the Beatles. Standouts: Sweet Talkin Woman, Jungle, Summer and Lightning, Mr Blue Sky (obviously).

Definitely a lot of really catchy songs on here, but a lot of them are catchy precisely because they plagiarized from existing hit songs. In isolation, I would absolutely be giving this a 4 or possibly even 5 stars, but knowing that good chunks of this album aren't original brings it down to 3 for me.

"Steppin' out" just blatantly ripped off part of the melody from John Lennon's "Imagine" at the end. The bass from Steve Miller's "The Joker" is replicated with only slight variation in "Summer and Lightning." There were many, many other moments on this album that felt distinctly familiar, and I'm sure if I cared to listen to the album again, I would identify other connections. (I wrote this and then finished listening, hearing a direct quote of "Rhapsody in Blue" on one of the last tracks.) Musical borrowing is fine and can be really interesting when done well, but hearing it over and over on this album made me wonder if ELO can actually come up with any good ideas on their own.

Love it!

Beatles-like, too well-behaved for me, samey.

I cannot find any reason to give this less than a five.

I'm biased. I've listened to all of side C ("Concerto For a Rainy Day") countless times. Still, I'd put it up with the other two albums I've listened to so far as being very solid, including its singles, but not every song is excellent enough to pull it through to a perfect score. If I did, I feel like it'd be a disservice to Nevermind.

Classic. Top of the line.

Absolutely horrendous boomer rock slop with no substance. Its like they heard The Beatles and said "We should do this but worse. The big hit "Mr. Blue Sky" is probably one of the most annoying songs ive ever heard 3/10 Favourite: None Least Favourite: Mr. Blue Sky

Turn to Stone

When I saw this was my album I was alittle disappointed cause I already knew I’d give it a 5. But then I decided I should listen to it again from front to back before I do that. And sadly that affected my opinion alittle. It’s a nearly perfect album. It’s great, and I adore this album but it is bloated. It’s alittle long and there’s a few skips, but that’s good problems to have. Ultimately I think this is as close to 5 as you can possibly get. Go listen to this album but maybe make sure you have a roadtrip or something cause it’s pretty long.

Fun album. There are a lot of good tracks on this one. Turn To Stone, Sweet Talkin Woman, and Mr Blue Sky are all classics. I really like the style of this too, it’s like movie scene music.

Best and First Album i got

8/10.

Sometimes super fun and sometimes just too damn cheesy.