Out Of The Blue

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

I can't lie, I kind of rolled my eyes when this was generated, but I enjoyed it much more than I expected to.

Really nice album . I want this one .

I own this one and it's good. I feel maybe it's a few too many songs, but it's really good.

Great album, just a little long.

es un disco que lo tiene todo. Lo abarca bien, siento que es el disco que queen siempre quiso tener. Ser capaces de mezclar tatno seguir sonando bien y todavía tener la potencia del rock en alguna manera. Esta especie de rock progresivo suena bien tambien y es reconfortatne que para el 77 se estaban haciendo estas cosas. A pesar de todo lo bueno el disco es muy largo. Si, tiene buenos temas, pero aflojale cabeza, no vas a llegar lejos con albumes tan cargados que estén faltos de conceptualidad o de un hilo conector grande 7/10.

Peak naff but actually the songs are great and it's a proper pop album.

Really fun!

Banger!

3.75/5 As you listen more times to the album it gets more and more interesting. I now listened to it twice but will for sure try it again in the future. I think at the time this came out it was revolutionary, I love the spacey sounds and variety in the music. And then there is mr blue sky as masterpiece. Favourite songs: - Mr blue sky - The whale - Wild West hero

sdqds

i just love elo- such a unique sound imo

Musicianship is what sticks out here…just pure instrumental and vocal musicianship. A fun album, with lots of Baby Groot dancing in my head.

Believe Me Now esta buena y se parece a una cancion de lana

I've listened to ELO here and there, but never really noticed their obvious Pet Sounds-era Beach Boys worship before actually sitting down with this album. Jeff Lynne can really write a tune, and while a few songs kind of feel same-y, there's enough here to break up the monotony. Favorite tracks: "Jungle", "Mr. Blue Sky", "Turn To Stone"

Good music but sounding pretty dated now.

Not what I usually listen to but pretty good

very groovy:)

Fun album :)

oh hell yeah

I should have listened better but I still liked it

BEAUTIFUL!!! That’s all that’s need to be said about this album

Solid album overall, some fantastic songs and also some mediocre ones. I felt like a lot of it was filler/wasn’t memorable in any way, but the good songs made it worth it. Favorite: turn to stone

If happiness was music this would be it

It’s not Discovery (which was my first and favorite ELO album) but it is really good and if you dig 70s synth pop prog this is the band for you!

Good vibes. Really fun.

This is kind of a low 4. Not sure if I will change my mind on this later. It was nice. I also really don’t like double albums, so I might be more inclined to give it a higher rating because it wasn’t that tedious.

PREFS : Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman, Across the Border, Jungle, Standin' in the Rain, Summer and Lightning, Mr. Blue Sky, Sweet is the Night, Birmingham Blues MOINS PREF : It's Over

Recognized some but not all. Will have fun re-listening to this again soon

Good fun listen, I'm sure my dad had a ELO record but can't remember which one. Fave tracks Sweet Talkin' Woman, Birmingham Blues, and of course My Blue Sky is a cracker.

Prettt-ay, prettt-ay good. Very polished - almost every track could be dropped into a film soundtrack, no doubt. Fave tune - "Mr Blue Sky" is great, obvs - fun at karaoke too! "Birmingham Blues" also great, and I enjoyed the oddness of "Jungle"...

Surprising range of genres. Classic rock, disco, proto-electronic, british invasion, queen, honky-tonk. Liked several tracks for later listing (Diary of Horace Wimp, Hold on Tight, Telephone Line, Showdown, Strange Magic). Pretty good stuff, but need to be in good mood (or in need of one..) when listening!

Most of the heavy hitters from ELO, all on one album. I definitely hear the Beatles influences in their music. Never sitting down to listen to an album before, I was struck by their theatrical sound, with exaggerated emotions and spacey David Bowie vibes. I waffled between 3 and 4 stars on this one, but Mr. Blue Sky nudges it over the hill for me.

Mostly killer, with some filler - big double album to fill and the hits were just sooooo bloody good.

Definitely A LOT more ambitious than I'm used to from pop. Progressive orchestral pop does fit quite nicely. I definitely liked it, although it did go on a bit too long for having just a bit too little oomph to fully keep my attention.

Solid 7th album by Jeff Lynn & Co. Contains the hit "Mr Blue Skyx

infectious, head boppin

den får en svag fyra på grund av längden men ändå en fyra för det är fan gött sound på det här alltså.

4.5

noniin öö joo on aika hyvä.. rattoisa.. hupahtava meininki.. iloittaa harmaata elämää välillä vähän liikaa toistoa...ei yleensä haittaa, mutta jos toistetaan huonoja lyriikoita...pirun sanomaa...ongelma. erilaisia biisejä mutta jotenkin ne vähän mekkaloituu yhteen ja vähän menee koheesio pois... hyvää settiä että voit. heh. odottaa hyvää (hyviä uutisia tulossa) mutta ei parhaimmistoa ole tämä kun ei hirveästi muista yksityis kohtia turn to stone

At times the songs get lost in over-production

Jeff Lynne is a musical genius.....highlighted by his work with the Travelling WIllburys.....this is a great album.....

Yes nice

It’s good, I much prefer side 1 and 3 (concerto for a rainy day) than sides 2 or 4 but it’s all nice 4/5.

mix between queen and bowie but is surprisingly gewd

I have listened to Out of the Blue by Electric Light Orchestra at least once before. I generally like Jeff Lynne as a song writer. The music of ELO (and Lynne) has a sort of joyful melancholy. For a double album, this is a strong showing. There weren't any tracks that I wanted to skip. "Turn to Stone" and "Mr. Blue Sky" are a couple tracks that I already added to my personal play list. "Steppin' Out", "Big Wheels", and "Summer and Lightning" caught my attention this time through. I might come back to listen to the whole album again.

Close to a 5/5. ELO still somehow feels very underrated.

Hyvä levy, hyvän mielen levy. Tulee Queen mieleen ajoittain. Avaruussynia. Mr. Blue Sky tuttu. Kuuntelisin uudestaan

Fun album, good for long road trips

Så bra att jag lyssnade 2x... stark 4

Viikonloppu eessä taas ja milläpä sitä aloittaisi kuin synapoppiksen klassikolla. 4/5

I'm a sucker for ELO - this album is loaded with some amazing cheesy faves, but there's enough misses to warrant not giving this a five.

Would listen again.

I am pleasantly surprised. ☺️

This is an album that can put even the most heartless scumbag (me) in a good mood. It's magic. It's what Queen tried so hard to be. Wish it was less bloated though. The first half is much better than the second one (excluding "Mr Blue Sky" of course) with its crazy over-the-top theatrics and mixing of various genres. It truly sounds like something they would play in a space orchestra.

Listens: 1 Enjoyed: Yes I'd have liked to give this another listen or two but couldn't justify it with being a few days behind and the album being over an hour. Its a very strong album with only one or two tracks preventing it from being perfect

baita som

The most consistently solid double album I've ever heard. First two sides, especially side A, are fantastic. Started to feel fatigued at times in the back half but it was still good and never got boring.

Starlight Standin' in the rain Mr. Blue Sky Wild west hero

I've really rated their renaissance. ELO are not one hit wonders, and I bet this album sounded... Different?!?

- Never listened to an ELO album in full before - Expected it to be good from the songs I was already familiar with - Excellent album, just a lot of the songs sound too similar and blend into eachother - Very nearly went 5* - Fav songs: Sweet Talkin' Woman, Mr Blue Sky, Night in the City

Enjoyable album with the *chefs kiss* rainy day suite near the end of the album being called off with the generational banger that is Mr Blue Sky

Poppy goodness

4.5

Instantly transports me back to being 7 years old riding in the back of my Mom's '75 Pontiac, sliding around on the vinyl seats (seatbelts? bah!) and inhaling second hand smoke while we cruised around town. Turn to Stone and Sweet Talkin' Woman are the touchstones for me on this one. The rest of the album is solid, but did not age well and has the feel of a band who wanted to rock but had to throw some disco in for pop appeal.

8/10

Incredible spacy 70s orchestral rock. Harmonies layer incredibly. Album felt like a journey. Long but kept my attention. Synth but a full orchestra

An elaborate attack of music that struggles to maintain its quality by its end, Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood's music however stands the test of time and no one can disagree that Mr Blue Sky is a stone cold classic

Turn to stoooooone, very good album.

Had heard 'mr blue sky' before, but nothing else from these guys. Enjoyed the album. 'Sweet is the night' was a standout. Really liked 'Big Wheels' and 'Summer and Lightning' too. Obvious comparisons to be made with Pink Floyd, Queen, and even late Beatles stuff. And while it doesn't hit the heights of those guys, still a fun listen.

Epic double album ELO. ELO rules, though I'm partial to the more succinct predecessor to this record "A New World Record" this album definitely is a banger and has plenty of what we love about ELO. Meticulously produced and meticulously performed, Jeff Lynne's ambitious swing is pretty grand.

It has some great moments, but it should have been culled into one disc. New World Record and Discovery were stronger.

Classic record. Honestly want this one on vinyl.

Didn't listen but needed next album

Awesome stuff. Long but I didn’t mind. Would like to relisten again soon. Pink Floyd + ABBA = ELO Fun and big/full feeling Creative and well put together

Surprised me how good music they have!

Amazing. Electric and jazzy but great voices too. Really enjoyed the listen. I do feel like the album doesn’t progress super well idk.

Really fun to listen to, doesn’t feel like it’s over an hour long. Will listen to again. Listened 2x

3.5/5. This is alright. It's kind of weird, and a little lengthy, but it's enjoyable.

Upbeat and happy. Love it so far

Solid beats. Started strong, dragged a bit in the middle and finished strong.

This one intrigues me. Should listen to it a bit more, but certain songs I already quite enjoy, such as Turn to Stone, Mr. Blue Sky and Across the Border. Quite long with 17 songs though; some felt a bit to filler to me right now.

Wild 80s stuff, kinda sounds at times like Queen, surprisingly.

Great nostalgia. Love this one!

Come for Mr Blue Sky, stay if you want the rest

Great Album

timeless today, and ahead of it's time 45 years ago. Easy to listen too and uniquely enjoyable

Very groovy. Mariachi notes are a nice.

Very good. Complex and layered pop.

Classic, Soundtrack for so much of my life

Sweet, big-hearted and fun, this is impossible not to like. One considers Jeff Lynne both a high-quality entertainer and something of a pop music genius, as well as an underrated vocalist and songwriter. Sure, it's Beatles-Lite but the hooks don't stop. Lynne gets great mileage out of – and is clearly having a blast with – all the toys and tricks at his disposal. The synths, the strings, the backing vocals, the echo box. It all works even when one's convinced it shouldn't. "Sweet Talkin' Woman" (check the swinging articulation on "WOE-myn") is irresistible and "Turn to Stone" is just short of that, though a total toe-tapper. "Mr. Blue Sky" is light opera for people who don't like light opera. "Steppin Out" and "Big Wheel" are poignant and "Sweet is the Night" is moving. After considerable deliberation, one has decided that the fact that his 12-year-old-son loves ELO is a feature not a bug.

A little long but very easy listening

Mange sanger jeg har veldig glad i. Alt høres nostalgisk ut.

J’ai aime, j’ai trouve le style tres bon et les arrangements musicaux bienfaits. 4

A delightful crowd pleaser for all ages, this record threads the needle between the excesses of both glam and prog, primarily by focusing on great hooks, tunefulness and fun. Indeed, one traces a likable lack of embarrassment about making music to be enjoyed. Jeff Lynne does it all – compose, orchestrate, sing and entertain. A few top-class songs ("Turn to Stone" and "Sweet Talkin' Woman" and "Mr Blue Sky" [basically light opera]) plus lots more fun ("Birmingham Blues") and a few credibly poignant moments ("Steppin' Out" and "Big Wheels"). One believes ELO is unnderrated given that they are accessible and (at least somewhat) derivative of the Beatles and didn't act like tortured artists. But one counts 8-10 first-rate and near-canonical songs in their library that hold up well 40 years on, which can only be rated a triumph (even after discounting for the work on Xanadu and with the Traveling Wilburys). 4.3/4

They had a unique sound and really enticing

A bit long but a good album

4.5

Electric Light Orchestra is one of my favorite acts of the 1970s. I love their take on 70s psychedelia! This album is no exception. Out Of The Blue starts with the epic Turn to Stone, the only song I know where they successfully use a fade-out at the end. The next songs follow, and they add to the air of overwhelming emotional music. The alblum should have ended with Mr. Blue Sky, but it unfortunately continues into The Whale, Birmingham Blues, and Wild West Hero; three songs that are seriously weak. It is a great album, but has serious errors towards the end. Best Songs: Turn to Stone, It's Over, Standin' in the Rain, Mr. Blue Sky Worst Songs: Jungle, The Whale, Wild West Hero

With Mr. Blue Sky being on this album, the more important thing is trying to figure out the non-hits. Its got a lot of duwop and tight Brian Wilson like harmony. Jungle is a fun song. Summer and Lightning is a great tune.

great orchestral rock album, mixing classical, rock and roll and other influences to create a complete fun album

fankastic

251225 13:56 4 / highlights: sweet talkin' woman, across the border

Skladateljski i aranžmanski sjajno ali nije po mom ukusu. Zato četiri

Great

ELO has such a soaring and monumental sound, full of gorgeous arrangements and infectious, melodic pop hooks. When they're at their best here, this is joyful, exhilarating, perfect music. The album moves along really breezily and avoids most of the pitfalls of double albums. Most of the songs are legitimately listenable for the most part, without much in the way of filler. Sure it has its self indulgent moments, as double albums often do, but we're talking ELO here. Self indulgent is a big part of the brand. Jeff Lynne and band really lean into the musical landscape around them in 1977, resulting in a slicker, pop-ier, spacier, somewhat disco-fied sound. ELO has better albums. But if we're not grading ELO against their own curve, there's still a lot to enjoy here. Several of the band's absolute best songs appear on this album, including "Mr. Blue Sky," and "Turn to Stone." You can't listen to these songs and be in a bad mood. I highly recommend enjoying "Mr. Blue Sky" outside, on a perfect day, preferably near water. Fave Songs: Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman, Mr. Blue Sky, It's Over, Wild West Hero, Big Wheels, Sweet Is the Night, Standin' in the Rain, Believe Me Now

This album hits different. They have a very distinct sound. Their greatest hits albums is really good.

El magnum opus de Jeff Lynne. Un doble disc infinit que barreja els grans temes pop amb melodies contagioses com 'Turn to Stone', 'It's Over' o 'Sweet Talking Woman' amb temes més experimentals, i també la pompositat orquestral i barroca, que és una altra de les marques de la casa de Lynne. Tot plegat un experiment que li surt força encertat i que es demostra con un dels grans discos dobles de la década

You already know

You're telling me ELECTRIC made this light orchestra??

LP

One of the great, but sometimes overlooked albums (and band) of the seventies. Solid work by Jeff Lynn and crew.

Amazing album. Mr. Blue Sky is masterful

I love the band, and I love most of the songs. Did it need to be a double though?

Top album, elk nummer is een banger

Nice mix of sounds. Lives up to the Orchestra name. Easy listening, very enjoyable.

A great album and I'd love to give it a 5 but honestly, it's too damn long. So many great songs but it does start to get repetitive after a certain point. I feel like you could easily cut 20 minutes and still have the same experience. 4.5/5

It's big and beautiful.

This is a very impressive record with much more consistency than I thought at first. I already knew "Mr. Blue Sky" and some other songs, but never had listened to it as a whole album and it makes much sense listening to it in this way. The final result is a little bit repetitive, but it's definitively a great album.

Nice east rock album. ELO made this one pretty unique in the rock sense with an arrangement of instruments and stylings. The songs are easy going and mostly cheerful and fun to hear. The album is really just enjoyable. 7.7/10

One of the most sophisticated pop-rock bands of the 80s that managed to be in the best international positions.

Overall good album with songs I had forgotten about.

There are moments where ELO is way too disco-adjacent for me, but the strength of Side 3 of this record is enough to cover over a multitude of sins. Best track: Summer and Lightning

70’er pop, masser sf strygere, futuristisk stil, progressivt, opløftende

Chill vibes, pretty fun. But did it need to be a double album?

04/14/2022 Super fun 70s pop! Mr. Blue Sky is a classic! Some other really good tracks fill the album. Not quite an all-timer, though. Had this on vinyl when I was little, and loved the album art - really influenced my music taste/appreciation at a young age.

It's ELO, so you know it's gonna be good. It's happy and cheerful music and yet I feel like it needs to be a little bit more than just ELO.

Hey there mister blue

Podug album, ali oprošteno! Želim na vinylu ovo. ★★★★ i pol.

A mislim… Mr. Blue Sky ono

An album that transitions the 70s into the 80s

Hadn't listened to this in years. Came in fresh for a Monday morning

A fun listen!

sounds way too cheerful and upbeat for my taste... but great production

I only knew Mr Blue Sky before listening to this (as most of the people), but it is a really good algum! Kinda long, but it still slaps. Favorite tracks: * Mr. Blue Sky * Turn To Stone * Big Wheels

Didn't jam with me the first listen but it's quirky style is growing on me.

It's great

very good, liked them to start with and this album increased my awareness of their styles.

I’m not as into progressive rock but this was interesting to listen to.

Incredibly solid album, right up my alley. There’s something I’m trying to put my finger on with this. A lot of the albums I’ve liked during this project will have a few songs that I really groove with, but will also bore me a lot at some other point. Vs ELO here, who held my attention and gave me a really good time the whole way through an entire double album-length of stuff… but at least on first listen, there wasn’t any particular song that yanked me in. A slower burn. Any case, liked it a lot.

Don't have this and mainly knew the hits from this one. Very enjoyable as expected when I saw it come up.

Хороший альбом

This was a great listen… first time properly listing to ELO. Some amazing melodies and harmonies.

i got a Beatles/queen vibes from this whole album. overall pretty good album

pop rock no espaço

I was surprised by how much I liked it. I've heard of "ELO" but never listened on purpose. A couple of tracks were familiar. My least favorite thing is the "spacey" synth stuff, but there's a pretty good mix of sounds going on. The vocal style might be a little fatiguing, but it's consistent and ties everything together.

I was never really been a fan of ELO's synthesized sound and some of the production Jeff Lynne did for other artists, but they produced enough good songs to make me feel nostalgic every time I hear them. Each of their early albums had a few songs worth listening to and definitely Out Of The Blue is the most fulfilling. They had quite a bit of radio play during this time and they were popular enough I felt I didn't need to buy the record (if that makes sense?). The best songs are super catchy and I've heard Mr. Blue Sky more in the past couple of years than ever before. It must have appeared on some movie soundtracks or TV shows or something, anyways it's a great song!

I really enjoyed this album and their unique sound mixed with classic rock! I ended up knowing more songs than I realized too

Hall and Oates meets Queen meets the Beatles. I really enjoyed this entire album, easy listen with interesting melodies and the orchestral instrumentation is great.

A la disco, yet ahead of it's time. Cover is apt, felt like a space shuttle tour soundtrack. Loved it.

Absolutely love this album!! I was always obsessed with Mr Blue Sky, but never listened to the entire album and happy to be introduced to some absolute TUNES what a happy and exciting vibe. Loved the influences from the Beatles and I can see what they mean by trying to carry on from where I am the walrus left off. Love it! Some songs were a bit filler-y for me so it's lost one star.

I love it! Really fun, a mixture of different moods/sounds all coming together, had a good time listening to this :) from the name and the picture I expected something really different though

By 1977, rock's ballooning excess had been well and truly pierced by the tight and gritty authenticity of punk. For some, ELO represented all that had gone too far in rock, from their orchestra section to their live shows beginning with the band emerging from a spaceship. Yet despite all the criticism, there is something very direct and unfussy about Jeff Lynne's songwriting. It's absolutely unadulterated pop, taking obvious influence from The Beatles and other pre 70's popular music while picking up other cues from disco. I've always been a huge fan of ELO and all they stand for: bombastic arrangements, sugary sweet melodies, beautiful harmonies and falsetto, and an unashamed love of pop music. "Out of the Blue" has this in spades: beginning with the propulsive energy of "Turn to Stone", and mingling sunshine pop with aching ballads, it's one irresistible melody after another in a perfect fusion of synths and strings. Most of the songs in the album's first half are very good and then have one little touch- a middle eight or instrumental hook- to elevate them into "great". The rapid fire vocal section in "Turn to Stone". The "doo-doo" backing vocals in "Sweet Talkin' Woman". The blast of horns in "Across the Border". The fake-out coda in "Stepping Out". And then just when the album might be running out of steam, we're treated to side 3's "Concerto for a Rainy Day." This sequence of songs is pure magic and much greater than the sum of its parts. "Big Wheels" is underwhelming on its own, but the tracks around it lift it into the top tier. "Summer and Lightning" and, of course, "Mr Blue Sky" are blissful and need no further explanation. I hope they'll stay with me for the rest of my life. However, no matter how effusive I can be about this album at its best, the fact remains that it's 70 minutes and doesn't quite stick the landing. Everything about rock's excess can be held against it, and it starts to feel its runtime by the home stretch. "Birmingham Blues" is a hokey throwaway. "The Whale" is too unfocused, the closest the album comes to muzak. Even "Starlight", earlier on, is plodding and unessential. I hate to mark it down because there's so much I love about "Out of he Blue", but it has to be said that there's clearly a five star album nestled within it. The decision to set it as a double album in Lynne's burst of inspiration is admirable, but ultimately brings the quality down. Had some of the lesser tracks been dispensed of, it would be an all-time classic. Instead, I'll settle for "A New World Record", which is tighter and even more fun than this one. Oh, by the way, "Jungle" has never not made me smile. One of the most delightful recordings ever produced.

Yep, what an album, even today in 2022 it still sounds modern and good, which is more than can be said for a lot of music that was produced back then.

Felt a little corny/70s disco at first but really enjoyed this overall. While the early songs were very similar - albeit solid - much more variety later in this extended album with touches of disco, blues, progressive, old-tyme etc. Good lead vocals and I got used to the falsetto backup vocals. It’s over, jungle, sweet talon woman, stepping out Beatles, ST, PF, BGs, bowie, Dylan sounds 3.7

The Whale bangs in the whip

Big Bangers. The use of full orchestra sound and voices is magical. Operatic even. An album that packs a punch while still being really fun to listen to.

An album made even more outstanding when one considers its lead architect can't even read sheet music. Jeff Lynne fires on all cylinders with this LP, interlacing stacked vocal melodies on top of horns, organ, guitar, bass, and countless other multitracks to form a carefully crafted wall of sound that defies any genre label one might want to put on it.

feel good music meets prog rock

Classic rock is classic. Mr Blue Sky is such a lovely song.

Awesome album, lots of various music styles incorporated into a final rock product. Classics as well as some other songs that stretch the genre in a cool way!

I've always liked ELO but don't own any of their albums or know which songs come from which albums. It's hard for me to put a finger on what this album is - it's slightly more synthy than what I remember them for (I only recognized Turn to Stone and Sweet Talkin Woman). They always had synth, but a little more rock edge in other tunes. Night in the City still has more of that edge. It also has some spacey, dream pop motifs - which after reading up was apparently where they were going with their whole style? I guess them and Badfinger both, in trying to be a new age Beatles sound (which I kind of hear, but not always). I think bonus points for the double album and the running theme throughout which gave it an almost prog rock feel, but with progressions combined across not within songs - e.g., Side 3 from Standin in the Rain to Big Wheels to Summer and Lightning to the big finish in Mr. Blue Sky. I liked it, but it also made me question what it is that I call classic rock. It also made me realize that these guys (well, Jeff Lynne mainly) probably opened the door for crappy pop rock - they did it well but the imitators not so much.

elo combines my 2 favorite genres rock and classical. there are a lot of my favorite elo songs on this album.

my god this album art is just fantastic. i'm starting this rating at 4 stars just because of that, let's see if the music keeps it there. Yea it was pretty good all around, I'm keeping it at 4!

Super fun listen! Many many good songs, but WOW is Mr. Blue Sky just an incredible feat of music. Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman, Summer and Lightning, just to names a few others. The incorporation of strings and backing vocals really makes the songs on this thing so different from typical 70s pop rock. 8/10

ELO is a solid band to get me in a happier mood or feeling more energized...I might not have a clue what they are talking about half the time, but the vibe is solid

Another album that rocked during high school days…. Many great tracks on this album….

Love theses guys; Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin & Starlight are great oldies. Thanks Mr Blue Sky😊

This was an absolutely classic album. Along with the cover and time frame, this felt right up there with Boston's albums. I wouldn't directly compare them beyond that but I really enjoyed this. My favorite was Mr. Blue Sky but the rest all felt like the classic rock I know and love that helps close this week out on a better note.

Really dug this one. It feels extremely cinematic, like a rock opera with the pretense that saddles so many rock operas (looking at you, Tommy). It's maybe not narrative the way others are, but so many songs on here feel like they could be pivotal scenes in a story, or end credits in a movie. I've heard some ELO before, but barely anything from here and I think they killed this. Really vibrant rock, a bit refined but doesn't lose the sauce. Days like this make me glad to be doing this list and finding things that I may have otherwise continued to go without. I won't be counting ELO out after this. Favorite tracks: Mr. Blue Sky, Jungle, Steppin' Out, Summer and Lightning, Sweet is the Night, Across the Border. Album art: Gorgeous picture here, I've never even seen this before. Alex compared it to a Journey cover, and I can see that. Excellent colors, seriously great job matching the feel of the album. Talk about a sleeper hit. 4.5/5

elo!!!!! so iconic!!!! kinda love the musical motifs that recur throughout the entire album--a rock orchestra to be certain. 4/4 for concept; last star is missing only because i'm not sure how willing i'd be to re-listen/re-visit any specific songs outside of the context of the whole album

So much joy in this album. It was a fun, buoyant listen.

Pretty good album. I've always thought ELO doesn't get enough recognition, but this was the first time I've listened to a full album

Full of bangers.

Good album - will return for another listen

Good

I dont know how i've never heard of this album, while having known most of the songs in that album

Holy fuck how did I not come across this album

Great orchestral pop rock, simple arragements that have aged well though. (8/10) FT: Turn To Stone, Mr. Blue Sky, Sweet Talkin' Woman

This is the album they became ELO rather than the Electric Light Orchestra. The voyage from pioneers to settlers was complete. The craft is evident with some great songs.

4.5

Pop-rock setentero. Está bien.

ELO has established themselves prior with albums such as Eldorado and A New World Record. Leaning heavy into the string arrangements made them one of the most notable "Symphonic Rock" bands . Hell, there's even a "conerto" on this album! It's always been their wheelhouse, of course, but Out of the Blue was the most ambitious ELO album at the time of it's release, being a double album and having their most popular singles ever. Being a symphonic rock album, it's naturally going to be very theatrical by nature. This usually isn't my style but ELO sells it so well that I can't not love it. However, the album's tracklist length hinders the total product as a lot of the songs on the first half sail right by me. I love Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman, and Jungle, but the rest didn't stick with me as much. This then brings us to the second half which kicks off with the "Concerto for a Rainy Day" and I'm 100% enamored with what this album does. Just a fantastic display of musical prowess. Wow! The last few songs are a nice way to close the album, especially The Whale. Overall a wonderful experience that I'm sure I'll love even more with repeat listens. Based and GOATed

In 1977, I was listening to The Clash, The Sex Pistols and Sabbath. ELO wasn't even something I was remotely interested in. But 45-years later, and several listens over the years, it's grown on me. It's a lot of fun to listen to. Except Mr Bluesky. I'm so, so tired of that song.

Not exactly my thing but a lot better than I had thought. Very much like the post-Beatles Beatles releases from the anthology series

Mr Blue Sky such a timeless classic.

It sounded to me a lot like a queen album, and I wonder how much cross influence there was there.

немного в стиле куин, супер аранжировки, гармонии, максимально интересно, старый звук 70-ых

I enjoyed this album.

despite of being aware of the band since like forever and of course being a fan of Mr Blue Sky, I had never listened to this record, a very very nice surprice, I think I may buy it!

Enjoyable the whole way through. Put me in a good mood. Sweet Talkin woman and Mr blue sky highlights for me

ELO has a rather unique style. Whenever they come up on the radio they annoy me more often than not. But as an album I will return to them in the future.

Love the musical vibes.

Way too long and some songs feel like fillers, but overall a classic and a good album

Maybe it's because the site happened to give it to me on a perfect day for it (clear mid-70s skies following a storm that caused a shitload of flooding), but I really enjoyed Out of the Blue's spacey, grandiose sound. The impeccable instrumentation works beautifully off of Jeff Lynne's voice, producing euphoric highs that resemble a top-tier prog rock band with more strings and less noodling. It's a double album, so it inevitably runs into a handful of tracks that feel more like filler, but it's still tighter than you would expect a 70-minute double LP to be. Hell, I went into this knowing I wasn't the biggest fan of Mr. Blue Sky, but it works really well as the finale of side 3's weird little weather-themed suite. Great stuff all around. Key Tracks: Turn to Stone, Night in the City, Big Wheels

For about a year they ruled the world. A string of singles from this album (including the sublime Wild west hero) meant it was impossible to go anywhere without hearing ELO playing. Places me forever in Coventry shopping precinct.

Good time.

Overall pretty good

L. 7/30 - 8/1 Immaculately and meticulously crafted. Grand Rock music. Standout Tracks: Turn to Stone, It's Over, Night in the City, Jungle, Big Wheels, Summer and Lightning, Mr. Blue Sky, The Whale

This is a cool album. Don't know if it's "good" but it is definitely cool. The harmonizing is something else. "Turn to Stone", "Sweet Talkin' Woman", "Sweet Is the Night", and, of course, "Mr. Blue Sky" are the standouts but there aren't really any duds.

Really good

Good, need to listen again

Really liked the general vibe of the album. Have listened to ELO before so kinda knew what to expect but also wasn't disappointed. Really like Turn To Stone and Mr Blue Sky, nothing else really stood out to me.

At least 3 stand outs.

Who could dislike ELO? Who is not happy listening to this music? Well, probably many people for some valid reasons, but I’m not one of them. I love how the strings are used on this record. Not overdone, just the right amount coming in at just the right time. Every track is magic. I love it. Favourite track: C’mon. “Mr. Blue Sky”

I used to know this for Mr. Blue Sky alone, but wow have I been missing out. This album isnt slept on, not every album is talked about for decades, but this one deserves it. Favorites : Turn to Stone, Birmingham Blues, Sweet is the night. Overall 7/10

Love ELO. Such an unmistakable sound.

Catchy pop rock. Can't go wrong with a bit of ELO

Good songs in addition to Mr Blue Sky, would listen

Damn I need to listen to more ELO. This is like a softcore Beatles. This is good. Four stars.

A classic. Full of great tracks.

I like ELO and generally enjoyed the album

Easy-listening music, straight out of the 70's. I really liked hearing an entire orchestra of music in this album.

Has some huge songs on it that are really good, but it sort of felt samey some of the time, and let me down

Bunt und spaßig?

Hell yea

You are in for a ride with ELO, an album that is almost 80 minutes long, and it has its moments. So what I think first of is a mix between some Beatles-esque songs with Queen harmonizing set to take place in space in the late '70s. You have probably heard some part of Mr Blue Sky, and it is a really fun and happy song in its whole length. Listen to this and feel yourself get filled with joy and happiness.

ELO struck gold with this album, and as a result kept the art motif for any subsequent efforts. Boasting several of their most recognizable singles this album flows from one track to the next.

Some great Beatlesque pop. Well known hit singles and THAT side 3 weather sequence concluding with the gilt edged Mr Blue Sky. Pretty good, but a little long.

This was fun, although the style admittedly wore me out after a whole album. Way too much perky for too long. It really does lift you a bit though. Mr Blue Sky is a fun quirky song.