Out Of The Blue

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

Entertaining album! 4.0

ELO is always an entertaining listen

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

BANGERS

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

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

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

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

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

ELO! College daze. Memories! ❤️

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

Classic songs album was better 2nd half

Great

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

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

Mr blue sky Birmingham Blue’s Jungle 8.1/10

Classic

Very good 6.5/10

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

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

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

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

a nearly perfect album

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

bomp bomp bomp bomp bomp bomp bomp bomp

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

This album is a BOP 4/5

A fun listen! Mr blue sky a standout!

A double album of rock orchestra goodness

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

3.7/5 listened 2x

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

Upbeat disco album. Enjoyable but long.

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

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

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

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

mr blue sky, 10/10, rest, eh

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

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

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

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

little weird. little groovy and cool

Latitude 88 North

Very fun and a bit weird but in a good way

Good album, I've already listened to it before. If the whole album was like Side 3 and Jungle wasn't on it this would be an easy 5. I don't really care for the last 2 tracks, Birmingham Blues and Wild West Hero. I'd give it a 4.4/5.

ELO hits for me and some of my favorite tracks are on this album. The album as a whole is put together really well and has a general overall feel to it. Out of The Blue is a bit to slow or easy for me at times but anyone experiencing ELO for first time I think will have a lot to enjoy.

My first time listening to ELO (besides Mr. Blue Sky) and I love it. However, I am seriously torn about how to rate it. Generally, I'd give it 4.5 stars because while really fun, the album is too long and quite repetitive. There are about four songs I really liked and will definitely listen to again – it would be great for a regular-length album, but this one does have 17 songs. It's better than many of my other 4-star albums, but it's also just not quite a 5-star masterpiece. Damn, I wish half-star ratings were a thing... Also, definitely would like to get this on vinyl. This energy is just what I need to hype myself up while doing stuff around the house. It also instantly makes me want to play/dance/hum along. Okay, it's gonna be a 4, but a VERY tentative one because this album is so close to being among the greats – but just falls a tiny bit short

I like elo a lot, this album is fantastic though maybe a little on the long side for my liking.

ELO's sound is so unique that any song has the potential to be incredible. there are a few weaker songs here that make the album a bit too long, but some of the songs in here are absolutely unforgettable

I liked this album very much

The greatness of Mr blue sky almost brought me to a 5 but overall really great listen

Wow that's so well produced ! Not a fan of the backing vocals on most of the album but it's still a classic. 4 stars

The Move, a sadly little known band in the states (look em' up and be amazed) birthed two bands in the 70's featuring two mercurial members: Jeff Lynne, he who became the fifth Beatle (or the fourth, after the murder of John) and a Wilbury, who brought us classic rock AOR standards with ELO, along with Move drummer Bev Bevan, and Roy Wood, who left after the first ELO album to pursue his own idiosyncrasies with Wizzard, a tragically cult-band in the US. It's fair to say that ELO had creative and critical juice throughout the 1970s until 1986, when ELO's AOR Imperial Phase ended, and produced a great many classic tunes ("Strange Magic" being my personal favorite) with their patented Beatles-esque songs and harmonies, powered by rock band + orchestra flourishes, where Wizzard produced one record Wizzard's Brew and a handle full of singles (notably, the holiday chestnut "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday"), after which he busied himself with solo-albums, the Wizzo Band, and sundry performances. By all appearances, a one-hit wonder. But appearances be damned: Check out the sole Wizzard album; it is one of the most "what the fuck is happening" albums of the 70s, in every conceivable way. Don't sleep on that shit. (If it seems like I'd rather be reviewing Wizzard Brew, I would—but no disrespect to Lynne, Bevan et al.) The four sides of Out of the Blue show the full flower of what ELO could do, with rockers, weird orchestral pieces, all solid writing, all produced as though beamed through space. If we communicate with aliens like in "Close Encounters" through music, I imagine the aliens would like this quite a lot. Standout Tracks (all, really. It's a front to back proposition). Take the ride... And maybe wonder if Roy should've stuck around.

Very ambitious album. Not sure why they felt the need to make a double album- a bit long for my attention span. Cohesive, which I suppose is good for an album but in this case almost turns into too much of the same. Would give it a 3.5 if I could but the musicality involved is going to tip it to a 4.

I always did like ELO, from the time I was in highschool

I can tell why this is beloved, but really I could only sing you back one or two songs. A lot of them are effervescent and fun but not memorable.

I liked this one a lot!!! It was theatrical and cinematic and a wide array of beautiful sounds

#2) I like ELO a lot. Although, compared to this album, I much prefer New World Record or Time. I would easily place one of those other two albums in my top ten favourite albums ever. Discovery, Face the Music, and On the Third Day are also a lot of fun. This one has some interesting ideas - and notably features Mr Bluesky, Sweet Talkin Woman, Turn to Stone - some big hits on it, but outside of a few inspired moments of Jeff Lynne songwriting, this album feels a little bland overall. The production is big and lush with rich orchestral/choral embellishments; delightful textured synths; and big rocking hooks. It's the signiature ELO sound, but still feels pretty hit or miss somehow. Anyway, I think there are better and more consistent ELO albums. This one's sitting at a high 3, but I bump up to 4 for having some of its very strong moments, and I must maintain my bias towards ELO, naturally. I have memories of listening to the double CD in my dad's car. Nostalgia wins.

I really enjoyed this one. Not everything was great, but it was all good in my opinion. I'll have to listen to more of this. 4.5/5

Un peu comme si Supertramp et Queen avaient décidé de faire ensemble un album de rock progressif. Des choeurs, tout une panoplie d'instruments, des sons bizarres, british à souhait : un album qui s'écoute avec beaucoup de plaisir, même plusieurs fois de suite. Découvrir que le tubesque Mr Blue Sky intègre les 3 chansons précédentes pour former ensemble le "Concerto for a rainy day" donne encore plus de saveur à son écoute. Certainement la meilleure partie de l'album d'ailleurs !

Easy listening groovy fun. Overall I enjoyed the album.

I've heard several of ELO's songs, but never listened to a complete album. It definitely has a feel to it and it reminds me of mixing The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and Queen all together. The musical inventiveness of The Beach Boys, lyrics and singing style of The Beatles, and the grand themes and productions like Queen. A distinct style of their own. A solid album.

Is 'Mr. Blue Sky' the greatest song ever recorded? Only drawback is that every song that follows pales in comparison to it.

I enjoyed this!

Enjoyed this so much more than I expected to. Fun shades of early rock and blues, only regret is the "singing dolphin" style of the voices.

Hell yeah

💖 jungle 🗣️ 8️⃣

I'd always discounted this record due to Mr Blue Sky being so overplayed but for the most part it slaps, HUGE pop songs. Very Beatles-esque. Goes on too long but this was unexpectedly great

Something about ELO's sound has always struck me as a bit theatrical, frequently pulling strings and keys into the mix to build out sweeping lush atmospheres. Generally bright in texture with punchy rhythms. It's Over is an early standout with that familiar ELO sound. Just a pretty and well written song. Sweet Talkin' Woman pulls out some sci-fi influence with the vocoder backing vocals (almost sounds like late Daft Punk). Feels like this one borrows heavily from a disco influence with the string swells and the drum rhythm. I was already digging Night in the City and then the cowbell thump started -- I'm sold. This is a really dense song (as typical with ELO) but it works so well. Tempo / rhythm shifts keep you on your toes, but the strings are very effective throughout. Something about the minor key line on Starlight reminds me distinctly of Odd Future production -- can't quite pinpoint it, but I think it has to do with the slight ominous tone mixed in with the otherwise bright sounding instrumentals that puts the thing a touch off balance (in a good way). Absolutely love Believe Me Now. I know its the shortest track on here, but it is so completely epic. Love the buried, echoing "can you hear me?" This segues into Steppin' Out, a ballad that almost sounds like a Beach Boys song upon intro. Beautiful production here lends a space-age vibe to the song; in some ways, I hear Prince on this song. Standin' in the Rain brings back some disco elements into the forefront, making for a prog-disco fusion of a song. Big Wheels is a slow and wonderful song. Once again, featuring gorgeous production and composition. Mr. Blue Sky is an electric song; always loved the hop of the song. True to the name, its a perfect song for skipping down the block in early Spring. Wow that album was an unexpected breath of fresh air. I did not go into this a huge ELO fan, but have come out a changed man. Sure there isn't a TON of variation to their sound, but they fit so well into that pocket that it is hard to complain. Beautiful production and track composition throughout. It runs a little long, but I'm hard pressed to say any track shouldn't be here. This is a very strong 4 from me.

Night in the City needs more cowbell. The Whale was trippy, liked it! Overall a really good album that has a electronic uniqueness to it that I have always enjoyed about ELO's hits. First time listening to an album all the way through and it certainly lived up to what I expected.

Funny, Jeff Lynne just announced yesterday that ELO is doing a farewell tour and I almost put this album on. Turn To Stone, Mr. Blue Sky, Sweet Talkin Woman. All jams. This is such a fun album with their harmonies and fun sounds. I know people call them the Beatles of the 70's. Not sure how entirely I agree with that but they're a fun band overall even though some of the songs tend to sound similar and it's a bit long for my taste. But holy shit The Whale is sick. Felt like I was on the moon. Instantly adding to my tripping playlists. We’re on an insane dad rock run and I’m about it.

I dig it.

no sabía que mr blue sky era de acá, temazo y pedazo de álbum

bangers on this, ran a bit long, but i loved it, i haven’t heard the song Turn to Stone since i was a child so it was a breath of fresh air, really liked the album overall.

Consistent good album. Makes me wanna play the lotto. 4 stars

I think this one has some pretty big potential, I will definitely be giving it another listen in the future.

I've always liked ELO. This album has a few classic on it.

Fun chamber rock pop

What a wild, ambitious sound! It’s a mashup of disco, doo-wop and prog-rock, and takes equal influence from Queen and The Beatles. It’s all big, soaring choruses and orchestral strings and flamboyant theatricality. I like that most of the songs aren’t actually that long. But they pack a lot into 4 minutes! And wow, this album is one song after another, each song matching the previous song's exuberant energy.

I just saw an interview where someone mentioned that they loved Jeff Lynne and they love ELO, and I said to myself "I should listen to ELO, I never really have", and here we are! I can tell right from the start that this is going to be an album that I will enjoy. I can also tell from a few songs in that these are songs I've definitely heard throughout my life but never really put much thought to see who it was, and I think that is a reason why maybe they've never reached a "must listen" status on my personal lists. To me, many of these songs are good-to-great, but many of them lack the big huge memorable moments or elements that many of the best classic rock bands had. It's like everything is good in these songs, there aren't any weak spots. But there's not often some huge standout thing or moment. I think some of this is because of Jeff Lynne's vocals. He's definitely an amazing musician and producer and a great singer but I'm not hearing that his voice has the range to take songs to the next level. Put a real rockin or theatrical singer in this band and these songs would be in that next level. With him here they sound just a little bit "soft". I'm being a little harsh because this is a legendary band, and I'm only being so stringent because I think this is going to be a high rating and when it comes to 4's and 5's on this list then they should really check all of the boxes. Each song is enjoyable, which is awesome. I can't wait for the next time I have a bad day so I can put this on and jam hard to it. I got a feeling this album would put up a good fight with a bad mood. As expected, the production is really a strong part of this album. I'm looking forward to hearing more. Great stuff for 1977. Incredibly inventive yet grounded in "good song making" conventions if that's a thing.

Mr Blue Sky is an incredibly important song for our family, due to personal reasons. For that reason alone, this album rocks.

Love this album

I should listen to more ELO

Some great tracks and it sure I’ve heard it before

Jeff Lynne sure can write a catchy tune. Add that to his skill with string and vocal arrangements, synth and keyboards, and round it off with his top notch production makes it hard to go wrong with any ELO album. 'Turn to Stone', 'Mr. Blue Sky', and 'Sweet Talkin Woman' are almost universally known and have been put to use countless times across all kinds of media. No one puts together so much aggressive happy tunes, but still leveling it with a bit of wistfulness and melancholy. A beautiful double album, start to finish.

A long time favorite of mine <3

Summary: The highs are high, and the lows are just kinda in the middle. Lots of songs sound the same, which is expected with 17 songs, But there were far too many that sounded too similar, making for some boring songs. Cover looks great! Turn to Stone: 10/10. Heard it before. Great vocals, violins and piano. Catchy little ditty. It's Over: 8.5. This song *sounds* great. Like the production on its is very good. Sweet Talkin' Woman: 6.5. Gets me grooving, but it's a little samey samey with the last couple songs. Across the Border: 5.5. 17 songs is starting to worry me. Hope they don't all sound the same. Well... I guess this one did add trumpets. Night in the City: 6. Some portions are catchy. Im gonna getcha part slapped. Starlight: 6. Man this song drags. Its a good slower song. Feels cozy. But yeah this did not need to be almost 5mins long. Jungle: 4. Waaaay too repetitive. This bits thrown in to make me feel like I was in a jungle were kinda goofy. In a good or bad way? I don't know! Believe Me Now: 8. Pretty good interlude. Main melody is nice. Voco parts feel out of place/tacky. Steppin' Out: 6.5. Hate the way the voco sounds. Hook is catchy. Could take or leave the rest. Drags. Standin' In the Rain: 4.5 . Boring. Wish they stuck with the atmosphere in the beginning. OKAY BUT THAT TRANSITION WAS SMOOTH. Big Wheels: 6.5. Peaceful track. Both transition were nice. Summer and Lightning: 5. Eh its just a little repetitive with nothing new thrown in. Besides the little swtich up, nothing note worthy. Nice intro to mr blue. Mr. Blue Sky: 7. Iconic song. Ive never really been one for Mr blue sky though. I can still groove to it from time to time. Piano outro was neat. Sweet Is the Night: 5. Inoffensive, but sounds like every other song. The Whale: 7. Cool instrumental. Very spacey feeling like how I imagined this album sounding. Birmingham Blues: 5.5. Its got its own sound somewhat. Yeah idk I got nothing. Its just fine. Wild West Hero: 5.5. Yeah it gets the closer sound right. Uninteresting otherwise.

good

I've never given ELO a chance! However, has some absolutely awesome melodic songs.

Way better than I expected.

Seems like too many songs... make 1 LP and it is a 5 star album. As is, 4/5

I've heard of this, but only know Mr blue sky and other songs from other albums. I'm expecting a lot, since it's not gonna be basic rock or pop. Plus I'm in the mood of rock and a more upbeat sound in general. First song, fun start. Broadway vibe with that background vocals. He has a good voice, not annoying. Production is giving. It got slow and no background. Tempo is up and clear again. This is brilliant in a way, other songs must be better than this tho. Chorus has an amazing lyrical delivery. Wtf was that Queen like fast talking, love that it's not fully permanent wave and things change quickly. I definitely see Beatles vibe, but chorus is giving ABBA. Ending is becoming epic(genre-wise) but it ended miserably. Second song, got slow, I see Queen and Pink Floyd with that lyrical delivery. The beat came in and it's veeery good, but it's kinda sad. It's giving Arcade Fire, but kinda better. Chorus is too catchy with that piano especially. The instruments are very well and satisfyingly played. I'm amazed by the sound I just can't get enough of it. OOOH THAT PIANO SOLO. Someone said and yes this is so musical Pink Floyd. Ending is very quickly changed to dramatic sadness, loveee that. Third song, back to mid century classical music with that start wtf. THE BACKGROUND VOICES ARE SO FUN. It's repetitive, but in a good way. Wasn't no quick changes in the song, but still one of the best for now. Nevermind it got slow at the end, but quickly beat came back. Fourth song, love the start with that instrumental fusion. It was a weird intro vibe at the start, and then it opened and verse started in the best way possible. Instrumental pause was not good, but the second verse makes it up. That violin is weirdly well put. Btw I get why this is not only rock, but pop, because of it being accessible in an easy way, or not. Fifth song, movie start song vibes. That group singing is the best part in these songs. Chorus is giving Flight of the Conchords, idk why. What was that alien sound after the first verse, now lalalas and chorus again, rarely is that the case in songs. AAAAH THE CLASSICAL VIBE WITH THAT AFTER SECOND VERSE PART IS ADDICTIVE. Lyrical delivery is too well done in each song for now. Plane sounds at the end(?) war-like at least. Sixth song, if only there were transition, I would LOOOOVE this. Amazing start and the beat here. It's slightly slower. The sudden pauses are unhinged(good way). Less likeable song subjectively. No experimentation here, worst song for now. Seventh song, jungle start, oh fuck the name is jungle just realised. What is that beat it's tropical. MUUCH better than what I would have expected after the last song. It's cartoonish too. The chorus isss amazing and fits the vibe lyrically especially. Monkey sound was the one I could recognise from that chaos. At the end it weirdly stopped and a bell rang. Eighth song, dramatic Pink Floyd vibes, especially with that first lyric. Second one echoed and was fine vocally weird. I love the violins here. Autotune I see. Better be a transition. There wasn't. Ninth song, much calmer vibe. It has Starlight's style, it's slow, hope it doesn't last. I'm at the end of the song, and it wasn't what I wanted. Slow as fuck, no good chorus, or anything that is weirdly but well put in. Plus not feeling sad. 10th song, rain sounds. Instantly rock and storm. Autotune again, made me feel like storm talked to me. Biiig intro, but love it. Pause and Abba's-like production. Half the song passed and it just got better. Classical violin into play, but shortly. The fast talking is such a great part here. 11th song, fucking finally a transition between the songs. Feel like intro of this was a finale of the last song. This one's sad too. It's too long for it to give nothing. I heard the orchestra quite a lot here, but it's still not what I want, especially from them. I'm happy that all of them doesn't sound like this. 12th song, another transition lovely. This one's also not giving me what I want. It's not slow per se, but neither fun to listen to. There is a sound that must have been nostalgic if I listened to this year's ago. Oh shit shit it got real with that weirdness, but still not it. 13th song, OOOH been a long since I listened to this. It's as good as I remember. The lyrical delivery, solos, beat being walk-tempoed. Didn't remember the autotune here. Seems like a long outro. Opera women came in, oop men too. Whole beat change and now it's like a different song, only the start was nostalgic, did I never listen to this song fully? It's sad with the violins now. I like this about this band(?) the ever changing vibe. 14th song, this one seems badly slow. It kind of is. Beat isn't fun. Naah doesn't even compete with other songs. It's catchy, but not what I like from them. It only gets worse after this I suspect. Can't say anything more, it was just a good chorus. 15th song, OOH WEIRD ALIEN START. no lyrics? It's futuristic. I actually hear a whale sound, I think. Didn't expect a no lyrical song from them. Ooh best dropped and violin is slaying the scene. I feel like I'm underwater. It was repetitive, but it feels like a movie scene. Loved that they did this, I guess this qualifies as an interlude without the transition. 16th song, dramatic start. Nevermind it's upbeat now and Beatlesque. That instrument after he's done singing is very good, it doesn't last long tho. Solo is not as good. Verses aren't lyrically well delivered. The real solo isn't giving me what I want either. Too basic, feels like a filler song. 17th song, pardon me, but I can't take this slowness. Feels too basic again yk. Like I can find many music like this, but what they did before was an unique fusion. After that verse that solo of guitar and a piano(?) Just Wow. It got back to the same vibe, I must say I find this boring, I need to be depressed for this. Instruments are gone and it's a cappella now, that lasted shortly, and didn't really bring anything new. It's catchy instrumental-wise, but nothing else is as good. 18 and 19 songs aren't available, and they seem way less listened anyway. 20th song, different cover for some reason. This is catchy, but basic. This one is lyrically(delivery) more interesting than instrumentally. Melancholia is noticable. And it just faded away. Reaaally enjoyed this more than I expected. There were some sounds that we're not heard by me ever. Really want this kind of albums more. Thing is there were some songs that were not as appealing, because of that 4 stars feels like a safe choice, however, realistically it's very close to 5. Now I'm interested if other albums of them are here, better be, because I'm interested.

This album by the Electric Light Orchestra is bold and revolutionary. The melding of a broad assortment of sounds and genres, "Out of the Blue" is masterful and exciting. "Mr. Blue Sky" has been called a "miniature pop symphony" which has aged like vintage wine and is regarded as ELO's best song. This song also has an incredible impact on popular culture, being used in a wide variety of movies and other media.

Mr. Blue Sky

Despite not knowing alot of the songs, this feels like I am listening to a greatest hits, in the best way possible. Its a double album so I won't go through the songs one by one, but good vibes all round. One of the biggest positives about the album is that Mr Blue Sky is probably one of the least interesting songs on the album, not in a bad way, but just that there is a lot on here that shines a bit more. The early stand out is the single Sweet Talkin' Woman, which is a great little disco number. Jungle is another highlight, great backing vocals, maybe even deserves a slightly longer run time, interesting song, nice groove. Summer and Lightning is another standout, really really good chorus, great second verse, great backing vocals and harmonies, very beach boys, great musical interlude Throughout the album there are little bit musically, that sound inventive and break up songs perfectly. The vocals are great, the backing vocals are great, the production is great. All the things you'd expect from Jeff Lynne I often complain about lengths of albums, but it's usually due to dumb skits, or people not having enough material, but with this album by the sounds of Latitude 88 North, they had more than enough material for this record. The quality of the songs is so high that i don't have any issue with the length at all.

I always forget what band Jeff Lynne fronted and I'm always surprised it's ELO. You can really hear his influence on the Traveling Wilburys, though. This was fun and bright and sunny and catchy. I reckon we could've cut a few songs had Jeff invited me into the studio, but well, he didn't.

A few familiar tunes on here, the rest follows suit stylistically, with some jammy elements as well as a classical music flavor sprinkled in there. Overall a sparkly production, reminiscent of certain elements of Queen and Bowie.

Very enjoyable listen. Funky, fun, rocking. I like the orchestral instrumentation combined with the classic drums, bass, keyboards/piano. Reminiscent of the era, and also probably genre expanding for its time.

Before anything else, TIME SWEEEEEEEEP. For real though, I do respect this album a lot despite preferring the follow up. Turn to Stone, Sweet Talking Woman, Night in the City, Jungle, and of course the ever-enduring Mr. Blue Sky are all fantastic listens. This record handily deserves a spot on this list, and I wish ELO got even more love.

A sprawling and ambitious double album that really does sound like it picked up where the Beatles left off (with a healthy dose of the Bee Gees for good measure). Slightly unwieldy but a good time.

lijepi album <3

Cijeli album prepun hitova il bar tak zvuče.

Upon a first listen the album at first feels bland, each song sounding the same after just a couple tracks in. A look at the album's run-time doesn't help any initial negative feelings. The album's huge length, however, may be its saving grace. The further through the album, the more each track stands out and the more the album seems to fully form itself into something beautiful. While certainly too boring at times to be considered a personal favorite, there is no denying it is still by and large a solid album and a good listen.

Classic

I like ELO’s sound - that peppy, technicolor mix of guitars, synths, strings and prominent backing vocals. I should probably listen to more of their stuff. It’s credit to them that they made a double album that probably justifies being a double album (i.e. there are more decent tracks than would’ve fit on one ~40 minute LP), though I won’t pretend the whole piece wouldn’t feel like it lacks a bit of magic without Mr. Blue Sky on it.

If it good enough for Groot it's good enough for me

The baby beatles Jeff Lynne is an absolute genius, would've loved to have been a fly on the wall inside the chalet deep in the swiss alps for them 3 and a half intesne weeks, watching this masterpiece unfold 4.5 / 5

A truly historic album and way ahead of its time. It has the stamp of approval from sir Eric Worsley so that is enough for me. Narrowly misses out on a 5. 4.5/5

1977?????

Mega mind song

My dad hated ELO with a vengeance but …

This is a cool album. Seems like something that could benefit from multiple listens. Will I listen to again: 75%

What a pleasant surprise.

Really enjoyed this. I liked Mr. Blue Sky before this and now I found more songs I like! It’s upbeat and positive which I enjoy.

A wonderful album with great arrangements, vocals and energy.

please turn me over

Turns out, this is a great album to listen to while shoveling the snow. It really takes you on a journey and is kind of weather-related towards the end? Absolutely delightful record. Of course, this falls victim to the classic double-album conundrum. Too much of a dip in quality in the middle. It’s a shame too, because the top tracks on this record are AMAZING! A few of the album cuts really impressed me too. Special shout out to the atmosphere of The Whale and the soothing harmonies of Wild West Hero. The arrangements are astonishingly great, combining synths and strings with our traditional rock instruments and operatic harmonies. Very complex writing, and ultimately very engaging. At the end of the day, I grew up listening to ELO and their sound is extremely comforting to me. If only they had gone back to the board and cut this down to a solid 46 minutes, this would be a 5 star album. Top tracks: Turn To Stone, Sweet Talkin’ Woman, Starlight, Steppin’ Out, Mr. Blue Sky, The Whale, Wild West Hero

It is a little long, some tracks should have been cut, but it’s so well made. So much cohesion with all the instruments and I always love strings

Already have heard and know well. Some acoustic versions may be a fresh addition to playlists.

Sonuvabitch. Ok, well, I’m a fan of ELO I had no idea. But goddamn this is some good shit.

I liked their sound and instrumentation especially on tracks such as "Sweet talkin' woman" , and "across the border " . But overall I felt that after a while the tracks started to almost sound similar with rapid instrumentation and the sort of laid back vocals. Similarly I don't know whether it's the fact that it is almost two hours long or the fact that it is a double album but , the second half of the record really let me down especially the most famous track on the project "Mr Blue sky". But the closer was good.

Again, loved the “not hits” from this. It was also super long.

Again, not something I’d ordinarily listen to but decent, recognised a few songs.

Starts out a bit weak, and the dread set in, but is it goes on it gets a lot better, ended up really enjoying this one.

Cool and thick album that's not like much of what I've heard from this time period. A lot of this album sounds like it could be contemporary alt rock. The production, vocal harmonies, and thick soundscapes are really what make this album stand out. Also, it's mostly upbeat and fun which is appreciated for an album that's so dense.

Bangers I never heard before!

I really enjoy the way ELO combines prog rock with pop. It's very satisfying. The musicianship is top notch, and their vocals work really well. I don't tend to love double albums, but this album plays well in the background without being dull 4/5

Want to return to this one as I didn't have time to listen in full. 4/5 is a placeholder.

I've never listened to this album front to back. It's solid. The production is fantastic, but it's a bit too long and boring at times. It's great classic pop-rock and the hits are HITS. Mr. Blue Sky and Turn to Stone absolutely slap. But overall, this could be 5 to 6 songs less than it is and be really good.

Quite listenable.

# Playlist track - Mr. Blue Sky # Notes - I really really enjoy the vibes of this. It's definitely something that I want to go back to and listen more times. - Of course, Mr Blue Sky is amazing.

7,4

Solid 4

Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman, and Mr. Blue Sky are all classics. The album is mostly upbeat, even Abba-esque? at times. The sound quality is pretty rough though (overly noisy/distorted at times). Lots of harmonies (sounding like Queen or even the Beatles at some points). Jungle & Birmingham Blues were new songs for me that I enjoyed. It's a good album and there weren't really any songs I wanted to skip, but I wouldn't say it was great by any means. 7.5/10 (3.75/5)

An album that makes you actually feel like you’re on a spaceship. Heaps of songs where I went ‘oh! I know this one! And it makes me feel… really good!’

Great listen while I worked yesterday afternoon. Upbeat but mellow.

Guardian of the Galaxy vibe

So many things happening on this album it should be a smoking car wreck. Somehow it's all held on the rails with endlessly insane hooks and melody. Hard to take really seriously but impossible not to like.

8/10 - 4/5 Really fun! Probably the most fun album so far. Heard some songs that reminded me of Bowie and Queen, a little. That wild west song at the end is a jam. And Mr Blue Sky? Forget about it!

At times a little cheesy, but much of it felt like the next incarnation of the Beatles if the Beatles had continued with the more experimental style of Sgt. Peppers. Out of the Blue has a lot of layers and interesting things to listen for, not to mention good songs.

A great album with a lot of great songs, with the occasional filler.

A good album, I was already familiar with Mr Blue Sky, and the rest of the songs on this album were on par. I listened to this album while cleaning and it made good background music to work to.

Awesome journey, cool synth vibes, enjoyable listen

Good

I like this album more than I should. I prefer A New World Record overall. Great songs on here including the excellent suite. Favorite songs are Turn To Stone, Sweet Talkin Woman, Summer And Lightning, Mr. Blue Sky, and The Whale. Objectively a 3.

I have to rate 4 stars because my wife loves ELO 😀

Too much ELO can be a little draining. I like them but this record is a little too long for me.

Classic ELO album.

Solid 4/5 Ihan menevää oli paikoittain 3.5/5

That was great. Unexpectedly so. I’m obviously aware of this band (how could you not be) and their distinctive style, but never listened to an album. I really enjoyed it. Bopped along nicely. A couple of times I felt it was going a bit Status Quo but that soon passed thankfully. Really loved the hits, and quite a few others. A beautiful and appropriate appearance by a cow bell on ‘Night in the City’. I’m a sucker for an appropriately used cow bell. I enjoyed ‘Steppin’ out’ and ‘Big Wheels’ too. Another ‘New to Me’ old album I’ve added to my library. A mid to high 4

How cool was it to say 'I love ELO' in the 1970's/80's? It wasn't. Luckily for them, I believe thanks to The Magic Roundabout film and the distance of time, they are actually cool nowadays! Thoroughly enjoyed this. It was nice to delve a bit deeper into their catalogue than just my 'Best of' collection. The rock/ classical sound with a hint of prog/ psychedelia, along with excellent songwriting, it is a winner with a mid 4.

Orchestral rock delight!

This was fun. Took me all the way back to middle school.

Classic. There were a few rough spots but ever all great album.

Playing Catan with my wife and daughter one evening and much to my surprise, Sis plays Mr. Blue Sky. I owned the greatest hits disc, but I had no idea she was a big fan. The things you learn when you hang out with your children. And for that reason, Mr. Blue Sky, holds a little extra spot in my heart and best song off this album. Several great songs, Mr. Blue Sky, Sweet Talkin Woman and Turn to Stone and a few others I really liked in Jungle, Steppin Out and Sweet is the Night. But this album could have cut a few songs off that didn't seem the test of time. Looking at you, The Whale. Overall a very good listening experience and really enjoyed a good portion of the album. ELO was a big name back when I was High School and I have always enjoyed a lot their music. Nice to see the younger generation taking an interest. Thinking of Salter as I type this! Peace, brother. It is a double album and went a little long, but I still enjoyed. Made me think of Sis, high school and Slater. How can I give this anything less than a 4? I can't........ 4

We all know how I feel about double albums. This one is one of the only ones that almost breaks that rule. I think Out of the Blue is a rare album that exemplifies absolutely great about a band who are all performing at their absolute peak. Out of the Blue has quite a few of their greatest hits which says a lot about this album's importance in ELO's discography. While I do hold New World Record in slightly higher regard you simply cannot go wrong with (most) of Out of the Blue. 4.5

lush and grandiose, a classic elo album

Ahhh ELO.

Pretty good timepiece. I may or may not listen again.

Such a fun listen! Never fails to put me in a good mood. Grade: 4/5

Typically ELO: Nice voice, many instruments and many different melodic songs

Love this! Brings back so many memories!

i was already going to love this based on how much i like mr blue sky. i like the strings i love the energy i wasn't expecting to hear as much cowbell on here but i'm here for it. i don't think i'd sit down to listen through a ton but there's a lot of songs i'd like to hear again

Always liked ELO. It was great to hear this whole album.

Это очень крутая музыка. Слушать долго, но можно и опустить этот момент

i enjoyed it, have not listened to ELO in many years.

Non-stop energy machine! Always been a fan of ELO and this has some of my favorites

I know the album well from my youth. Jeff Lynn is a semi-under-appreciated genius songwriter. And while some of this is a little bit of the time, it’s still masterfully done.

4.5

This is the Walmart version of Queen. 8/10

Man I really love the three biggest hits on this album: Turn to stone, Sweet Talkin’ Woman, Mr. bluesky but the rest just don’t do it for me. Songs began blending together and at the same time sounding like amalgamations of other bands of the time like Queen, Floyd, Boston, Beegees and the Beatles. I dig the Sci-Fi themed instrumentals but the vocals were just too repetitive and the harmonized effect was overdone like 4 songs in. An interesting album with a couple bangers, that in the end overstayed its welcome. 7/10

8/10

Überraschend kurzweiliges und abwechslungsreiches Werk. Hat keine absoluten Höhepunkt aber mit Steppin’ Out einen Hidden Star. Guter Mix aus instrumentalen und melodischen Stücken.

Good for baking pancakes while your Christmas almost got ruined by Covid

I TURN TO STONE. WHEN U ARE GONE.

Boring.. pop... Mr blue sky though! Catchy I guess

Amazing album with mista bluesky

It’s a double album but thankfully it’s a good one

good album. kinda long. but enjoyable through and through. 7.6/10

If this album were just a little bit shorter it would be amazing. It is still a really good album, just has some filler that drops it a slight bit. "Mr. Blue Sky" of course is an all time classic that has such a great place in history. Fantastic fucking listen just a slight mark short of a 5 for me.

Highlights: Turn to Stone Sweet Talkin' Women Across the Border Night in the City Jungle Standin' in the Rain Summer and Lightning Mr Blue Sky* Birmingham Blues Wild West Hero This album was good. I enjoyed the various use of instruments. You could hear the influence of the time this music came out, with a lot of similarities to Queen, and Billy Joel in sound. A couple of the songs probably could have been omitted but I will definitely be coming back to this album and songs as well. Turn to Stone was a great starting song.

It was better than I thought. Would listen again

I was afraid this would be self Indulgent but it is surprisingly playful and quirky. I it could end up sounding like musical sausage… the vocals Come close but it is adventurous enough to allow for an almost mechanical sheen but still feels human. I think it uses pretty standard musical tropes but does not sound bored or tired. As close to a 5 As a 4 can get.

Sometimes it feels like Jeff Lynne is trying to sound like a Beatles cover band, but in a way that favors how George Harrison wanted the Beatles to sound. But when he focuses on writing hits, he and ELO fare much better. This is likely their best effort, but it's a few songs too long.

a vibeeee, i love electric light orchestra

Positive, some all time great songs, very easy listen, some ncie layering

Great vibes, and good sound all the way through. Could have used a little more experimentation, sounds a little too similar to other albums of the time.

Really liked this album, Mr Blue Sky was the only song I had previously heard, but overall it was quite the experience. This is like a combination of prog, pop, synth, and a bunch of other genres. I had read somewhere that one of the Beatles was quoted as saying if the Beatles had stayed together, they would probably have sounded like ELO. I can hear the influences from the Beatles on this album. It was a great listen

It's not The Beatles, but it's kinda The Beatles.

Really good album, reminded me a lot of queen

4/5 Really enjoyable listen, can't keep the quality of the big hits throughout but still really solid.

Také queenovité, prekvapilo

very enjoyable! liked it a lot and it reminded me of queens! great songs but wouldnt be a crime if one or another song wouldnt be on this album but it works either way 3.5

Overall a fun album that sounds like The Beatles went to space. Would probably listen to it again just for all the ear candy that's available throughout the album. Mr Blue sky is still a classic track for valid reasons. Sweet is The Night & Jungle both stand out as the more distinct tracks.

So much joy in one place. Forget genres, forget fashion, forget being cool, just listen and enjoy.

Pretty good, nice 70’s rock. Cool Thanksgiving album.

Electric Light Orchestra's "Out of the Blue" is another example of an album that I would call "pretty good." I think this album has a lot going for it. The production on this thing is top-notch. The instrumentation, the editing, and the whole flow of the album are very high quality, especially for 1977. The songs are quite enjoyable. Some of them are a bit somber in their theming, and others are Mr. Blue Sky. Speaking of which, the big hit from this album and ELO's biggest song ever is a hit for a reason. Sure, it is a bit overplayed and I may have heard it in too many movies by now, but it is absolutely a good song. The singing is alright. It's not the best singing I've heard, but it definitely isn't bad though. My main complaint about this album is that it's too long. This thing did not need 17 songs. Oh well, at least it wasn't annoying as well. The length really isn't that big of a deal. Overall, this is a solid album with some good songs. Light 4/5.

Like a lot of double LPs on this list, I now realise, some great tracks but would be better if a few fillers got the chop. I felt this in particular sags in the middle so can't rate it super high I only really knew Mr Blue Sky before though, so I enjoyed hearing some of their other singles and I'm a sucker for vocal harmonies :)

Fun blend of pop-ey rock with orchestral elements. Recognized some of the guitar parts from Dad playing them

Haha gøy! Dette var en sann fornøyelse å høre på. Virker som om artistene har hatt det gøy med å produsere dette albumet:)

This album kept losing my attention though the first half. I like a lot of what's going on, little bits of individual songs, but no songs were standout winners to be. I like the occasional use of the vocoder like at the end of Big Wheels. Mr. Blue Sky is great, a classic. I like The Whale but it does seem to be one of the most unique songs on here.

Lots of good memories of this album. They nailed the combination of rock, disco and strings.

Really liked it

It's a little cheesy at some times, but when it's in a groove it is so much fun. Maybe I'll return to it, maybe not, but I have a lot more appreciation for ELO than I already had after listening to this.

I definitely knew Mr. Blue Sky before listening but nothing else. Cool rock music with interesting orchestra music thrown in. Also some cool soundscapes in some of the songs. I thoroughly enjoyed it even if it didn't quite blow me away. 4/5

I liked it. I feel like I don’t know who came first but def heard some Queen influences. It was a good hooky space opera rock album I think

I enjoy this band. Lots of good stuff on here

Cat: LOVE 4/5 stars AJ: instantly pictured you on your white house walk montage with Mr blue sky as the song playing

classic

Possibly slightly over-blown, but excellent nonetheless.

Sinto que eu deveria conhecer mais que apenas mr. blue sky

I did not expect to like this but boy did I. Summer and Lightning > Mr Blue Sky > Sweet is the Night > the Whale = 🤯🔥😛

Have heard Mr Blue Sky before - classic song. Not the rest of the album though. Going to listen on a walk. Immediately a vibe with Turn to Stone! Still a vibe at Sweet Talkin Woman. Happy, upbeat tunes with sad lyrics? Really liked this! Added it to my library. Songs all sounded similar but not necessarily in a bad way (like Jungle has a distinct ‘sound’). Vocals were similar to Queen and sounded a bit Matt Bellamy-esque in a few songs. Would rate this 4/5!

Excellent album, proper singalong vibes Songs all sound the same but that sound is class so doesn't matter. Could use a bit of variety toward the end

Overall very good album. Few hits on it and a few missers. Best one ive got so far

Really good stuff, mister blue sky is the shit

Pretty big for its day. Sure to have made an impact. Music is fine, but I'm not singing along. Adding - it does have Mr. Blue Sky which was huge.

This is fantastic

Some hits on this album

This is a great album. Flows well together, I liked a bunch of tracks. Will probably listen to again

I don't hate this at all. A nice change of pace from what I've listened to so far.

Pretty enjoyable pop experience. Lil funky, lil groovy, palatable crooning and pleasing instrumentation.

It's always a nice surprise when a 70 minute long album turns out to be a fairly easy listen. Obviously I knew that one song, but the rest was completely new to me. God damn these guys knew how to write a catchy pop song. Every single one had a great hook whether that was in the vocals or some kind of guitar lick or keyboard line. Just super fun all round. The length might stop me from putting it on too often, but it wasn't a drag at all.

All bangers

A little long but a certified banger. Groovy, bluesy, and well paced. 4/5 because the middle sags under its own weight.

Great album. Pretty dramatic at times but overall I really liked it.

By any measure, this is an incredibly innovative album, one of the few that I own on vinyl. That said, it is relatively new to me. I only discovered ELO in the late 90's as they were just ahead of the time or the curve of my childhood music listening. It's pretty terrific and musically complex and well put together. As orchestra would suggest, many disparate parts come together to make this music and composition (as well as harmony) are at the fore. It's pretty impressive. And I mean, album art is a 10.

I feel like I should be watching some happy pseudo-80's porn montage while listening to this album. But, maybe that's just my inner Dirk Diggler talking.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this album, it just made me happy. I knew Mr. Blue Sky but not much else and I loved the emphasis on the orchestra and the combination with the pop hooks and falsetto harmonies that reminded me of the Beach Boys. The album felt grand and dramatic like Queen, but lighter.

Pretty fun, a bit overproduced for my taste.

I’m extremely biased already. I’m looking forward to listening to this album again, it’s probably getting at least a 9/10. Turn To Stone: very good opener. Introduces the Album perfectly. I’ve heard this album a number of times. ELO were one of my favourite bands for quite a while. I still love them. So I’m kind of biased here. This is a great album. And I think I enjoy it more than I realized upon my latest listen. It’s not perfect, it’s not even in my top 3 ELO albums. But it’s still very good. One of the great double albums. Turn To Stone is a great opener, Wild West Hero is a great closer, and Mr Blue Sky is Mr Blue Sky. There are a couple not so great tracks (Jungle), but for the most part the album stays consistently good. 8/10. If you asked me like a year ago I’d probably say 9/10. Top 5: 1. Mr Blue Sky (was there any other choice) 2. Turn To Stone 3. It’s Over 4. Steppin’ Out 5. Wild West Hero

THE album by ELO, and the first album on this list that I've heard in full before. Features different progressive sounds that made me think that this album was from the 80's rather than the 70's.

Partly heard before Saved 11/17 Top track: Mr Blue Sky

Dank vibes, does drag on a bit

2 of october

I really like this album. I've enjoyed ELO's music for quite a while now, so this one was already familiar to me. I was actually surprised to see the album got such mixed reviews when it initially came out because I feel like over time a lot of this album has become pretty universally liked. If anything, I think this album may have been judged more harshly because it's a double album and often times people question whether that's really justified, which is totally fair. I think this album could be slightly edited down and easily be a 5/5, though it's still very strong. The production is really incredible to me and I love the unique sound and mix of influences. Standout Tracks: Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman, Across the Border, Starlight, Jungle, Summer and Lightning, Mr. Blue Sky, Sweet Is the Night, Birmingham Blues

I've seen it written that whatever someone is listening to when they were 13/14 will have a big impact on their musical tastes. Well my first album was an ELO Greatest Hits tape put together by Teledisc - back when you could order an album by phone and it would turn up in the post a month or so later. I think this hit my mailbox around that impactful age. So the greatest hits of ELO got a LOT of playtime (for a while it was literally the only album I owned) and had four tracks that appear on this double album. I know those songs as old friends, but every other song on this album was entirely new to me. ELO are awkward to pigeonhole. They have elements of classical, prog rock, and disco, all constructed with pop sensibilities. Sometimes sounding like the Bee Gees, syrupy ballads, rockier numbers, catchy pop songs all with dense and rich backing music. Having listened to the entire album, I have to say that it's not my favourite ELO album. I think Time, Eldorado, and Discovery are all superior. But I can appreciate how this was popular and I love the cover. The vocoder is used a lot here, maybe even too much, like a new toy that someone just found and couldn't put down. Almost every song has at least one vocoder section thrown in. I was tempted to give this a 5 star rating, partly for the nostalgia effect, but it's not quite perfect enough to deserve that rating. It's still a very strong 4 star album though.

Había escuchado una sola rola y no sé por qué, está bien chingón.

Du bon vieux rock un peu "opéra rock" style comme on connait de ELO. Je ne sais pas si c'est supposé être un album concept, mais il y a un peu un feeling de ça au travers de l'album. Un tantinet long et répétitif comme stye, mais honnêtement un bon album. 8/10

In my memory a 5 star ELO album, but I listened to it twice and although still very good overall, I am no longer convinced it is 5 stars. score: 8/10

Always thought I didn't like ELO - too sweet, too orchestral - but I enjoyed this album quite a bit.

Really interesting album. Can hear some strong Beach Boys influences in the vocals and composition, in turn must have been a major influence on acts such as the Flaming Lips. Slightly too long perhaps.

Oh yeah

Nice, happy. Iconic songs.

It's magnificent display of what ELO is all about.

Turn to Stone is such a fuckin electric way to open an album. I really love how wide the instrumental palette is here, especially stuff like the mariachi band on Across the Border. Thunder and Lightning is beautiful and uplifting.

Todo un icono de la música electrónica con toques pop-rock de los años 70. Estilo inconfundible. Melodías muy conseguidas con auténtico ritmo. También un poco de rock psicodélico

Un album qui va permettre à nos amis de l'Electric Light Orchestra de prendre de la distance sur leurs rivaux de toujours, j'ai nommé les manchots du Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

Un fabuleux album de la part des ennemis jurés du Pinguin Cafe Orchestra

\m/ \m/

I knew who ELO was but only their popular stuff. As I listened I feel like I got a Queen vibe/sound from the album. Very good!

Not a fan of pretentious symphonic rock, but this sounds fresh, happy, and cool. The vocoders proved to be influential. Lots of seventies influences in the way of singing, background choirs, and more.

A really solid album throughout. The highlights are obvious and there's not really a poor song amongst them. "Mr Blue Sky", whilst being one of the most overplayed songs of all time, still stands up and sounds wonderful.

This is over the top in the perfect way/amount for me tbh. Surprisingly, I don't think I'd ever listened to this front to back despite Mr. Blue Sky being one of my favorite songs. Anyway... I dig it. Gonna call it a 4 with room to grow.

It's ELO. You know it's going to be solid. What's amazing is not that this is a double album but that Lynne wrote it all in a few days and the band laid it all down in two months. Side 3 is so good.

An interesting and unique album. I enjoyed it

The overwhelming use of studio tricks and sounds makes a lot of the first half of the album sound the same. it really kicks off in the second half though. This would be much more my style if the music was a little less pop-y — maybe more weird Beatles and less Bee Gees. It’s sort of like if the Flaming Lips made a straightforward album in the 70s.

Too many “meh” songs to earn 5, but when this album goes, it fucking goes.

This is such a palate cleanser of an album. If you're feeling down and just need to feel good about the world for a while, listen to Mr Blue Sky. The rest of the album almost as well.

Ambiance robotique. Très bonne vibe de groupe, excellente musique de fond pour s'ambiancer / faire un truc chiant et le rendre moins chiant 1. Awesome mix 3 2. Commence comme Mr Blue Sky finit, ferait une bonne musique de fin d'album, un peu nostalgique sans être déprimant (même plutôt joyeux). 3. Très sympa, assez collectif 4. Sympa 5. Sympa 6. Chill 7. + énergique, on apprécie 8. Piano dramatique, mois fan car très robotique et court 9. Vibe de chanson d'amour, agréable 10. Vraiment bizarre le début 11. Rappels de Mr Blue Sky au début. Joyeux, j'aime 12. Sympa, j'aime beaucoup la partie instrumentale de la fin 13. Mr Blue Sky >>> 14. Excellente surprise, plus doux 15. On dirait littéralement des sons de baleines ou d'aliens mais j'aime bien. Pas du tout de paroles donc ++ 16. Sympa 17. Construction lente mais augmente petit à petit en intensité, très sympa, un peu cyclique et "western" dans certains passage 20 . J'aime particulièrement, court mais efficace, + centré sur un seul des chanteurs (mis en favori)

- fantastic grooves - feel-good music - a tad long

i really liked the optimistic/active pop. Some songs felt they were copies of other songs, but overall really solid. 8.5/10.

hell yeah. 77 minute album has never felt so good. the sound effects are such a nice touch and they feel just goofy enough to work. best tracks: mr blue sky, turn to stone, wild west hero

4/5. A solid pop album with some great songs but some weak ones too to get a 5. No doubt I will be listening to this multiple times but not a perfect album, wish it was.

favorite ELO album

This is brilliant production. It's joyous, weird, eclectic and still seems like everything fits well. Including the mariachi brass and the vocoder(?) out of nowhere. some of the tracks around 8-12 get a little long and lose momentum. you could lose a couple there and I wouldn't miss them. But that's faint criticism. Rhapsody in Blue in the Birmingham Blues, lol.

Overlong perhaps but glorious and grand. Compulsively listenable from start to finish.

Pretty good and entertaining

De pop evolueerde van de wilde haren en het raggen op gitaren uit de jaren zestig allerlei kanten op, ook naar dit soort gelikte jarenzeventig-progrock. Hoge stemmetjes en zwiepende violen, een mopje cowbell op z'n tijd. Het klinkt best lekker, maar na meerdere keren luisteren kan ik nog steeds de vinger er niet op leggen: waarom is dit eigenlijk gemaakt? Maar goed, geen lastige vragen stellen, dan luistert deze strak gespeelde plaat prima weg.

"Mr. Blue Sky" is one of the best, most infectious pop rock songs ever written. Pure genius. I mean, this whole album, like so many ELO albums, show just how good Lynne was at writing catchy songs (kind of like Elton John). It's all such amazing easy-listening cheese.

A fun romp.

Crazy record 8/10

very fun 90/100

ELO were a bit too poppy for me back in the day, but I now have a better appreciation of what fine tunesmiths they were. Not sure they bettered Out of the Blue with its plethora of hits - Turn to Stone, Mr Blue Sky, Wild West Hero, Sweet Talkin' Woman - while the other tracks don't quite reach these heights, there is much to admire in the melodies, arrangements and harmonies (and the clear influence that the Beatles had on Jeff Lynne!). Great listening and stands the test of time

Decent 8

pretty weird album to be honest. kind of a mix between prog rock and pop. prog pop if you will

This one was pretty good

As an album it seems to have found it's footings few songs in, but once it picks up it's fantastic.

Pop

Great album! Sweet talkin' woman is my favourite.

Over-the-top, overly dramatic prog rock is right up my alley. This album tested the limits, and probably went slightly TOO over-the-top. Its instrumentation is a bit cheesy and dated now, but this album is a lot of fun.

ELO is one of my wife's favorite group and this is an album she grew up listen to. The radio played hits are all favorites of mine and the less familiar tunes were easy for me to connect with.

I am a big fan of ELO, one of the last "big" concerts we saw — albeit a few years ago now — was "Jeff Lynne's Electric Light Orchestra, and though he took something of a backseat in the whole affair, they were awesome. I remember, long ago, hearing a story of how "Mr. Blue Sky" came to be, detailing how Lynne was in the studio having trouble coming up with marterial and stepped out to get some air and the sun was shining after days of gloomy rain and the song just came to him. It's a standout on the album for sure, but my reaction was, "if you're having writer's block, why are you putting out a double album?" Pare this down to a single album and you're gold. As it is, it's longer than it needs to be and all the production ideas packed into 10-12 songs would be amazing. And, BTW, all the haters of Lynne's production aesthetic are bonkers. I love it.

Sometimes more is more. Aside from the hits, I'd never heard this before today. I dug it. Not every song works, but every song tries its darndest. It's definitely a lot to take in in one sitting, with every second of every song packed to the gills with inventive flourishes and effects. It would be annoying if it wasn't so filled with joy and fun. Of the songs I'd never heard before, Birmingham Blues was my favorite. It's a 3.5 for me, but I'll round up for its audacity.

I like ELO. I really like Jeff Lynne. So many stand-out songs but listening to the album, I hear a lot of repetition. This album got me thinking about this notion of repetition vs a band/artists' sound. Such a fine line. At one point I thought Spotify jumped to Traveling Wilburys. But for Mr. Blue Sky alone this album is awesome and I feel generous because that song puts me in a nice mood.

un peu beaucoup d'informations mais tres sympa

I like the cowbell

Genuinely can't fault the ambition on here. It goes big! I almost want to say it'd be better as a single album, but then that ignores that one side is its own symphony (sorry concerto - Concerto for a Rainy Day), culminating in Mr Blue Sky. It's pop magnificence, but at points gets a little samey. But it's peaks are so very high you almost feel bad for those points where you get a little bored.

I like this one a lot. Sounds like 'space opera' the album. Highlights: Turn to Stone, Big Wheels, Mr Blue Sky (obvs). Heavy on the falsetto vocals, but it complements the synth sound.

ELO is one of the most agreeable bands, I feel. I get it too, space-rock-orchestra is a vibe. Some fantastic singles here. Despite Mr. Blue Sky being heavily overplayed in pop culture it is still so much fun. Genuinely impressive and detailed production for '77. It is a full 70 minutes and it feels like it. It is a pop rock record, not too wildly experimental anywhere(keep in mind this is from the perspective of a first listen in the 2020's). Yes it is corny, it's ELO, price of admission. Overall a good listen. I'd say between 3 and 4 stars but I'm nice.

The style of elo is recognizable and consistently good, a lot of techno and synthesizers but the lyrics are emphasized which is a bonus

A bit long, but very enjoyable.

I did not think of myself as an ELO fan, but I really liked this

Fun to listen to.

This was party

Got a blindspot for ELO, nearly gave this 5 stars before I listened

classics