Out Of The Blue

There's some good stuff in here, and plenty of fluff and stuff I'm just not into, but they get points for creativity. I think I'd this album were cut in half it would be a lot stronger.

Classic

I know two Elo songs (don’t let me down and witchy women) I guess from the radio when I was in a car as a kid. Those songs are terrible. These songs are terrible. I think it’s my first 1. It’s really terrible.

Catchy and enjoyable, despite its length.

Just perfectly silly and pleasant to listen through, with several big hits. 3.9/5

Average

british beach boys ver good very nice vvery good very niicceee

Aww

downloaded 6,9,11,13,15

Just too perfect. Mr. Blue Sky is a classic, but I just couldnt care about the rest of it

An hour of fun and frolics

Mostly better than I expected but goes on for far too long

Quite an interesting record, because it's a mix of beatlesque rock and orchestral pop with a bit of broadway here and there. There are unique layers and the production is lovely. I can even heard the later Traveling Wilburys in this sound. However, it's a tad too long and a bit too theatrical for my taste. I liked it, but I liked my 4-star albums bit more. So it's somewhere in between.

Liked quite a few songs on this but the production sounded a bit muffled? Still a pretty solid album though

Really great album. I love progressive pop and art rock and orchestral pop/rock and this is such a great example of the genres. An album that sounds both of its time and futuristic, this is just a stellar achievement for Jeff Lynne that still rocks to this day. I remember pumping gas once maybe 10 years ago and hearing Mr. Blue Sky blasting on the gas station speakers, with its full extended instrumental outro. Magnificent.

Great listen, front to back

# Album Name: Out of The Blue # Artist: ELO # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: This album is big, bold and beautiful. Admittedly it is bloody long. Too long in fact. Another long album added to the book. However, its a good listen. Theres times when it gets a bit too dramatic. But overall theres some good tunes on this bad boy. Very enjoyable but doesnt quite hit a 5 for me. I think the length let it down. # Top Tunes: Turn to stone / Its over / Sweet talkin woman / jungle / steppin out / Standing in the rain / Mr blue sky. # Would I listen to it again? Yes

They've got a couple of tracks that are good, one of which is on this album. It's okay, okay minus. I'll go a soft 3/5.

this was fun…it’s obviously over the top and very, very silly but in a way that feels more interesting and listenable than, say, queen. i was bopping along quite capably to a few of these. i wouldn’t reach for it in my own time but it’s fine.

Defying all odds I really liked this album. It has all the theatrical, over-saturated elements of the ones I really didn’t care for — Elton John, Queen, XTC — but for some reason it really worked in this context and I can’t figure out why…but I had fun. I found a lot of the songs insanely catchy and the hint of electronic elements in the little flourishes on some of the songs really worked for me. It’s a little too long still but Mr. Blue Sky falling towards the end of the album revived my interest. *Fav tracks: It’s Over, Sweet Talkin’ Woman, Mr. Blue Sky*

Incredible spin! So many good songs and the production in on point as well. I might very well be returning to this one.

Good, but every song the same

Big solid 3. Mister Blue sky is a high note.

Amazing album

I didn’t know much about ELO other than a vague feeling that they were supposed to suck. Against those expectations, I thought it was pretty ok.

2.5 Beatlesque songs covered in an excess amount of 70's production layers. Didn't really do it for me

fun but overall not my thing

- The weakest songs on this release would make a great album ...... -

Oeh, Mr. Bluesky :-)

this is the closest I will get in my late twenties to going to church. jeff lynne is not unlike a god to me.

Who would knew there was more where Mr. Blue Sky came from?

HELLLLL YEAH!

I’ve always said, somewhat in jest, that Jeff Lynne is kind of like Paul McCartney if McCartney had no taste. Every song on this album is pretty good and there are bangers like Summer and Lightning and Sweet is the Night. It’s hard to fault ELO with being a bit extra when that’s just baked in and is what they are going for. What it comes down to is music that I certainly enjoy when I hear it, but is rarely what I’m in the mood for. If I’m trying to assess this album on its own merits, though, I can’t say there is any way to argue that they don’t achieve exactly what they set out to do.

Love these guys so much. Their big symphonic style is unique and had to be super influential.

I enjoyed all of the robot voices but overall it was kind of boring.

Solid mediocrity.

Good rock n roll

I guess I could see why a more overblown version of the Beatles could appeal to folks, but it's not my cup of tea.

Out Of The Blue is a good title for this because while I'm familiar with the hits, there's some unexpected favorites on this that blew me away. Steppin Out, Standing in the Rain and Big Wheels is an incredible stretch of songs.

OVERALL: I like this style of super grand and theatrical rock music in moderation, but this is a bit much. I do like a lot of the stuff here, but I struggle to remember what some of the songs sound like (I rate as I'm listening). Regardless, there are some notable standouts. Turn To Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman, and Mr. Blue Sky are all pretty good, catchy songs. Big Wheels, Summer And Lightning, and most of Wild West Hero are very beautiful with fantastic instrumentation.The Whale is an excellent instrumental, feeling very dreamy and trippy. Almost everything else I cannot remember most of the song. I do remember Jungle, and I am so unbelievably confused with whatever is going on with that song. It's very charming, but someone needs to put it down. SONG AVG: 8.7/10 PERSONAL RATING: 8/10 Turn To Stone: Very fun and catchy, especially for a song about a break up. Very good production and vocal performance. The strings are kinda goofy but in a good way. It does do the fade out outro though. 9/10 It's Over: Pretty good vocals and strings. I'm pretty surprised that this isn't a more popular standalone song. 9/10 Sweet Talkin' Woman: Very upbeat and catchy, great strings. Surprisingly groovy. So far, the album is very consistent in both sound and quality. 9/10 Across The Border: Now it starts to sound different. I love the strings and the intro, and it continues to be fun and catchy with pretty good vocals. Very energetic and a pretty interesting melody. 9.25/10 Night In The City: Feels more intense while keeping many of the fun and catchy aspects of earlier songs. They definitely did more different stuff in this song than the ones before it, and I love it. I can kinda hear the gummy bear song in the "I'll get you" part, which stops this from being a 9.5. 9/10 Starlight: Very dreamy, with great production and smooth vocals. Although it sounds pretty good, it drags on a bit and does a fade out outro. 8.5/10 Jungle: What is that cursed intro. This is really charming because it's really stupid. It has some pretty good percussion, but what the fuck is chooka chooka hoo la ley supposed to mean. It has lots of detail, but I don't think I like all of it. It also kinda has a fade out outro. 5.5/10 Believe Me Now: Why is this as dramatic as it is? It's mostly instrumental, and it probably should've stayed like that since the autotune(?) orgasms (that I forgot to mention earlier) are not that good. The instrumental is pretty good though. 6.5/10 Steppin' Out: Very nice string arrangements, and the vocals are not that bad either. The transitions into the choruses are the best parts of the song, and the instrumental during the chorus is actually really good. Not that much autotune orgasm in this one. Also, no fade out outro! 9.75/10 Standin' In The Rain: Very energetic. I think I like this? Some things here are pretty weird, but not that bad. I can see arguments for liking this and hating this. Pretty good atmosphere and is an extremely good song after like a minute but the intro is really bad. Also the screams near the beginning are corny and there are some pretty weird details. I'm leaning towards liking this, but it could definitely be rated higher or much lower. 8/10 Big Wheels: Love this. No weird details, no weird intro, no fade out outro. Fantastic instrumentation, really good vocals, and a pretty good meaning. My only complaint is the short autotune orgasm section, but it's pretty easy to ignore it. 9.85/10 Summer And Lightning: I can give this the same review that I gave Big Wheels. Very beautiful and they do their style very well. This is a bit better because of the lack of autotune orgasm. 10/10 Mr. Blue Sky: mister blue sky :DDDDDD Did some research, apparently this and the last three songs are a 4 part concerto. Pretty cool ig. Anyways, we all know this song. I have always thought that the autotune orgasm was weird, but loved everything else about it. Obviously it has gotten a bit old, but that doesn't mean it isn't good. 9/10 Sweet Is The Night: Very romantic and dreamy. Pretty good overall, great melodies, instrumentation, writing, and vocals. I guess it might be a bit boring? Idk man, I'm really tired. Good song. 9.25/10 The Whale: Very nice and atmospheric. I love the strings and synths here, this is a great representation of a song without vocals. The theme is very well executed, and sounds very trippy. 9.75/10 Birmingham Blues: A bit messy, but not bad at all. It's above average, but compared to the other songs, it isn't anything too special and kinda forgettable. 7.5/10 Wild West Hero: That guitar feels so unbelievably out of place. It's an incredible outro and a fantastic, beautiful song outside of that, but that guitar should have been strings. It would've been so much better, but the guitar's existence makes the song worse. Still a great song though. 9/10

I’m gonna tell it straight. I don’t care that this album is over an hour long. I don’t care if the final few tracks were objectively weaker than the rest of the album. I don’t care if some of the songs sound weird. This is the shit. They’re something about this album that just pulverized my g-spot. Nearly every song put me in a high. It isn’t just Mr. Blue Sky. It’s either peak 70’s pop with a touch of disco in the likes of Turn to Stone and Sweet Talkin’ Woman (every time the phrase “slow down” is sung, it sends me places) or slow impactful tunes like Big Wheels and Starlight. It did lose a little steam at the end, but fuck it. Making a hour album not feel like a chore is a fucking achievement is its own right. Thanks in part to the production bringing out the O in ELO and the more unique elements such as the backing vocals and the Electronic elements, this is a double album that could have gone for hours and I would have still loved it. Favorite track: Mr. Blue Sky Favorite track that is not Mr. Blue Sky: Sweet Talkin’ Woman Other hits: Turn to Stone, It’s Over, Night in the City, Starlight, Big Wheels, Sweet is the Night

A lot to like here, can’t help but enjoy some of these songs. Sweet Talkin’ Woman is an enjoyable number. Album far too long though and a few songs that don’t hit the mark but still a pleasant listen.

Someone likes Paul McCartney! Not bad, but a bit too 70s and long for me. Top track: Mr. Blue Sky

There is the theory that dogs looks like their owners (or vice versa). I think ELO are by far the premium case of the lead singer (Jeff Lynne) looking more like what I imagine his fans to look like than what you imagine he does. As for the music itself, I’ve always wanted to listen to an ELO album, so I got my wish. My overriding feeling is it’s feels ambitious and very well played and produced but just far too ‘nice’ to be anything other than a completely inoffensive listen, with the odd bit of excitement on the occasional song. It sort of manages to be orchestral, prog and pop but not, and the sum of the parts don’t elevate anything spectacularly. I’ll just stick to Mr Blue Sky in future, that sums the lot up without needing the album.

Ich liebs ❤️. Die erscht Schallplatte vom Thomas - da ischer 9ni gsii... (Mini im übrige Level 42). Wots garnüd usenand näh, die Musig macht mich glücklich.

turn to stone isch si ELO finds sehr geil. day in the life-schluss. it's over und sweet talkin woman isch alles afoch meeeeega ELO. seeehr geil so viel schichte. night in the city au wieder SEHR elo. aber immerno spass. chönt nervirg werde. aber s isch mega abwechsligsriich. ha währed starlight immerno meega spass. er chas. jungle fühlt sich racist aah. lohs etz mol sii. s einzig woni chan kritisiere isch dass d strings amel xhli viel sind. bi steppin out sinds uuuhuere schön defür. gfallt mer. standin in the rain rieeesig. summer and lightning macht au uhuere spass. ICH LIEB MR BLUE SKY. es isch soooo gueti luune fuck. obvious meisterwerk. etz chönds nocher mache was wönd. sweet is the night isch au uuuuhuere geil ich ha heeert spass da isch e FÜFI. es macht immer alles immer. the whale tönt wie en chillige wal liebs super geil füfi time. birmingham blues sie sind vo birmingham? uuuh mit klavier tönt actually noch blues. AHA ES ISCH RHAPSODY IN BLUE aso die eint strings line. wild west hero isch au geniaaaaaal oh mein goooooootttt füfi füfi füfi füfi ohmeingottttt

ELO MUUUSK omg isch das nostalgie pur d bgvs sind soooo geil omg es isch so fucking guet ahh sweet talkin woman het am ahfang soooo schöni strings across the border cool aber find d blöser chli tacky hahahaha poaaah bi night in the city ischs dödödödö sooo ihbrennt is hirn ok starlight isch jz s erste lied woni nümme so im chopf han...isch easy jungle isch jza u nöd de börner ich verstah immer coca-cola light jo han offesichtlich die erste paar songs sehr guet im chopf, nachane haperets. steppin out isch aber au uhuere schön standin in the rain hani wieder gfühlt alles uswendig chönne riiese übergang zu big wheels mr. blue sky isch halt en unglaauuubliche banger würkli de break und am schluss denn de gsang und wies sich laaangsam verlürt und langsamer wird, han vergesse wie fucking guet s lied als ganzes isch the whale isch sicher crazy gsi im 77, oder underschätz ich das? wild west hero isch en huere schöne abschluss fürs album. es isch chli lang und ich glaub wennis nöd wür kenne, fändi au d strings ah gwüssne stelle chli tacky. finds aber au so megaa schön und guet und mite nostalgie isch das für mich es ganz klars 5i.

4/5

the better end of the prog rock block. It can be a little grandiose, but most of this is solid 70s pop music at heart.

This would be a good soundtrack for a new Austin powers movie

truly electric

Fantastic, one of a kind experience, however had some rougher moments that didn’t make it 5, overall cause of the uniqueness and vibe I let it slide for the weirder moments

Great experience

Felt like the whole album was just an intro for blue sky. Still jams tho. Birmingham Blues oh baby

classic

Nice one!

There are countless standout tracks here that would easily be huge hits for any other symphonic/prog rock bands, yet here pale in comparison to the pop-single trio of Turn to Stone / Sweet Talkin' Woman / Mr. Blue Sky. It's easy to lose track and dismiss half these "filler" songs for bloating the album's runtime. But then you listen closer and realise that lesser-known tracks like Summer and Lightning, Steppin' Out, and Night in the City are pretty darn sick. The same applies to just about every song on this monster of an album. The record is incredibly diverse and yet maintains this homogeneous "soft wall of sound" feel. The vocals are a big contributor to this sound, being mixed non-overbearingly and meshing really well with the synths and strings. The whole album feels light, pillowy, hopeful. Clearly Beatles-inspired, though a little more laser-focused on their style than the Beatles (who were more experimental in terms of genres). There could be more emotional ups and downs on the album. And maybe the vocal and string melodic lines are a bit artificial and predictable. But even those are a stretch as far as criticisms go. There isn't much to criticise – Out Of The Blue is just that darn good. 5/5 Key tracks: Turn to Stone, Night in the City, Jungle, Mr. Blue Sky, Sweet Is the Night

70s rock is objectively better. More interesting melodies, better chord progressions, wild cover art, varied instruments. Some of the arrangements, especially those with a choral element, are very Handel-esque. Top track was Jungle. It's going on my Summer Certified Bangers playlist.

sounds a bit like Queen

Never knew I knew this album so well. Every song is used in the background of life

Ihan mielekästä kuunneltavaa, mutta ei sykähdytä eikä mitään yksittäistä biisiä halua kuunnella useasti uudelleen.

Lustig. Wenn man sie nicht ernst nimmt, sind sie gut.

Звучат прямо как Queen, ну либо Queen звучат как они :) Достаточно много миролюбивой философии, Stepping Out действительно выделяется для меня хотя судя по оценкам всем нравится Jungle. Космические миротворцы

9.5/10. What a treat of an album!!! This is so fun!!!!! :)

sin mas, bo, però nomes escoltaria en bucle 2 cançons

This is deserving of an overly wordy review, but it's 4:30 am here. It's good. I will listen to it again.

I only remember this band from Don't Bring me Down, and the giant UFO stage show photos that awed every kid in 1979. WAY more Beatles-esque than I remember. Sounds like a lot of Bowie influence in there too. Overall, I don't dislike it, but the whole "let's add orchestral instruments to rock" just doesn't get me going.

oh yes this is a fun one. longer than i expected but that’s not a bad thing with a solid theme and consistently good tracks.

Sounds like Queen

Kan godt lide Across the border er god Jungle er god Mr blue sky Birmingham blues Night in the city Standing in the rain Genre Jeg troede det var orchestral rock Det var progressive rock and symphonic rock blandet med pop Rock og art rock

Wonderful! Some part of me thinks the Beatles would have made music like this if they had kept going. So much variety and so many layers, it's truly lush.

Out of The Blue was a fun upbeat album that you could tell was heavily influenced by The Beatles. You could hear it in their melodies, and in the way they sprinkled in some strange high pitched spooky riffs out of nowhere. I liked listening to this one and added some songs to my oldies playlist :)

Mr. Blue Sky is one of my all-time favorite songs. I don't care how popular it is, I absolutely love it. 5/5

I love this album. So many fantastic feel-good tracks!

nem tudom, nem rossz zene.... de igy baszott unalmas. beatles typeshit alvos zene ez nekem sajnos... nem nekem talaltak ki track 15 vegre egy track ami rendben van

Sounds good, some of it reminds me of Pink Floyd, some is more like the Beatles. But similar to those two bands, it's nothing I'd listen to very frequently. "Sweet Is The Night" was my favorite, I think because I'm biased towards catchy songs.

I've heard singles from the Electric Light Orchestra, a progressive pop-rock outfit, here and there and generally enjoyed them, including three singles from this album, Out of the Blue. I likewise enjoyed the album overall, but there is a threshold to that sentiment. Let's make this clear—this is a double album that clocks in at 70 minutes, and the length was certainly felt by the time I got to side four. I remember getting the most kicks out of side three referred to as Concerto for a Rainy Day, where all the tracks were weather-related and culminated in "Mr. Blue Sky" which has become the most well-known hit. At that point, I would have figured closing out on that track would have been genius, but the album kept going and ending on the slightly inferior "Wild West Hero". To be fair, there's not a bad track throughout, and I certainly don't mind the well-apparent Beatles influence on this album. It's clear from Jeff Lynne's vocals and songwriting that he wanted to continue down the experimental pop rabbit hole that the Beatles went through a decade prior. But I can't deny that this album would have done better in under an hour. I still enjoyed Out of the Blue and am glad it's included here. I'd recommend splitting your listening experience into two halves for this one.

Zany and transporting

If you don’t fuck with Mr. Blue Sky, I don’t fuck with you. Aside from that absolutely legendary track, though, I thought this was weaker than some of ELO’s other albums (Discovery and Time are really good). It’s a 3.5 but I’m rounding to 4 to honor Mister Blue.

More like EL No

Well that was fun!! Amazing walking around snowy New York to these beats and grooves.

….“too ridiculous to take seriously and too serious to be ridiculous”…. I love some of these songs, clearly a work of mastered craft - but there are too many divergent attitudes and ideas going on here to love this as a whole. The back half really saved it for me.

Turn to Stone Sweet Talkin' Woman Mr. Blue Sky

Test

An incredibly inoffensive 70 minutes of beautifully produced, over-indulgent rock that I've ever heard. ELO wants to take every nook and cranny of your aural orifices and jam them full of audio. Is this Lynne's masterpiece? I'm certain it is. Is it something I'm going to return to? Probably not. I'm torn in my rating. This is one of the most 70s things ever produced in music. It masterfully represents the crossroads of pop, rock, and the burgeoning electronic scene. And just look at Lynne! If anything screams 70s, it's that man's look.

MR. BLUE SKY!!!!!

album so well composed i want it injected in my veins

Great listen.

I’m sure there’s a 5 star EP or even single album on there, but they got carried away and nobody told them to snap out of it. Favorite song: turn to stone

Magnificently absurd? Absurdly magnificent? Depends on my mood. It is an overly-long self-indulgent epic, the first 3/4 of which I have adored regularly for almost fifty years, and the last 1/4 of which I've probably only heard twice because it's just too much, which I'm guessing was always the point.

Good album. Takes me back. Realize why I rarely listen to many albums. Songs are similar and I have a short attention span.

unsurprisingly enjoyed!! perhaps a bit too long but I would listen again - jungle, across the border and obvs mr blue sky as highlights 8 out of 10

Not for me, bit camp

This would be a 3 1/2 if half stars were here. I didn’t dislike it, but too many tracks for not enough wow factor.

This was an extremely frustrating album to listen to. The songwriting at times is so infectious as to be unbelievable, only for the song to transition wildly into something incoherent, and then again to a third thing. I don’t pick up on the through line here. Stand out track is Mr. Blue Sky, obviously.

That vocoder drabble cost this at least one of my stars - just grating. I think this album when it came out drove me away from prog rock and on to punk and new wave when I first hear this back in 1978 and I don’t regret that one bit!!!

would give 3.5 if I could, it’s a pleasant listen that overstays it’s welcome just a little bit so i’ll be nice and round up. can definitely tell they like the beatles but who doesn’t ? also shoutout to jeff lynne for being part of the legendary prince “while my guitar gently weeps” rock HOF performance

Yah Nice!

Quite enjoyable, but dweeby as fuck. Surely ELO were never cool? Mad to think what happened to the cellist. If you don’t know, watch ‘Upright’ with Tim Minchin. Great series!

If this was a single album full of the best tracks from this it would easily be 5 stars. As it is you have a 5 star album mixed with a 3 star album of more average tracks.

Legendär, aber nicht meine Lieblingsmucke

This album is pure magic. Puts me in a great mood every time.

First impression: this maximalist pop doesn’t suit me. Weirdly enough, given that ”Mr blue sky” has a billion plays on Spotify, I don’t think I have ever heard ELO. As expansively produced music often grows on me given the chance I gave this a handful of listens. And it definitely grew! ”Sweet talkin’ woman” is a new favourite. As is ”the whale”.

2.5

The length is daunting. I still say not many great albums are over 50 minutes. But I did love a lot of these songs. Will definitely be retiring to certain tracks. 4/5

If you look up the word 'Fun' in the dictionary, you'll be shown a picture of this album cover.

Boring and not original

I have loved this album since I was a kid and the magic of it has never worn off. Mr. Blue Sky, Turn To Stone and Sweet Talkin' Woman are elite tier songs that never get old to me, no matter how many time I've heard them. There are also some deep cuts on this album that I love, such as Starlight, Jungle, and Summer & Lightning. Even the few filler tracks are non-skips for me. This album rules and if you don't like it you just need to listen to Mr. Blue Sky again and cheer the fuck up, loser!

Double meh

Good stuff, high-quality space rock

This is what the Beatles would sound like if they replaced John Lennon with Freddie Mercury (or what Queen would sound like if they replaced Mercury with Lennon)

Somewhat underrated, ELo was massive. Pleasantly surprised to see this here but New World order but the albums either side were better. Having said that this sold 50 gajillion so makes sense. ELO were one of three bands who got what the Beatles were trying to do and tried to extend what they did. (XTC and Queen being the other two). The clash of rock and classical is nice. It’s strong pop and yes I prefer Queen and xtc but I like ELO. Big hooks. Strong singles. An enjoyable listen. 3.5 stars

I confess that my heart dropped when I saw that this was a double album. I did listen all the way through, but after 20 minutes, my ears just couldn't differentiate between the well-produced, string-sweetened, mid-tempo, melodic yet forgettable rock songs. It's all over-produced songs with middling melodies and Beatle-esque harmonies, and all the songs sound exactly the fucking same. All the songs are between 60 and 90 seconds too long, and there are too many of them. They should have cut the 'suite' at the very least. Rolling Stone reviewed it as a "totally uninteresting and horrifyingly sterile package" and "all method and no madness: perfectly hollow and bland rock Muzak." Apparently, Axl Rose is a big fan, which explains Use Your Illusion. I couldn't possibly comment.

There are some classic ELO tunes on this album. I've always liked "Mr. Blue Sky".

5/10 Wait...there are songs other than mr blue sky on this album? NO? no there aren't. 12-23-2024

Jeff Lynne perfected pop

я в нереальном восторге,то самое состояние находишь вещь которая будто всегда была частью тебя я знала только несколько хитов ELO,и невероятно рада что предоставилась возможность послушать этот альбом,теперь он один из моих любимых вообще,обязательно послушаю другие

кроме одной песни зацепа не было

God I love ELO

This was okay, I usually like them but all the songs sounded the same.

Great album

Out of the Blue is prog trying to dress itself up as something different, but unsuccessfully. It goes on for too long and it's only Sweet Talking Woman and Mr Blue Sky that stand out; the rest is a mix of okay arrangements with annoying synthesised twists to them, a singer who lives in a higher register that serves to annoy, and yeah, not good enough to warrant more than a 2.

This was quite fun - definitely went on too long though. Super cheesy, bouncy, lots of energy (though it's hard to keep up that energy over such a long time). Think it would be really fun to see live (less so now than 20-30 years ago), but listening to it on my own makes it feel a bit lightweight. A very comfortable 3/5.

i fsr kinda bounced off this when i heard it a few years ago but idk what was happening other than maybe i was overwhelmed by the embarrassment of riches FHJFS. so monumental it kinda freaks me out...one of those double albums thats not this long for such pedestrian reasons as Wanting To Make A Big Statement That Requires A Lot Of Space but simply due to the fact that apparently jeff lynne was waking up just accidentally coughing out genius musical ideas every morning and he had to put them down somewhere. the effect is certainly inherently exhausting, ur eating a whole rich cake by urself in one sitting, but no quibbles can be had with the cake itself. all the harmonic elements make me feel like im swimming in them, all the arrangements are attuned to maximum color, half the lyrics feel like childhood daydreams treated with the gravity of the world's proggiest rock opera. something truly elemental here. i need to hear way more ELO

Excellent album

“Hey Paul! It’s your cousin Leroy McCartney. You know that new sound you were looking for?!” “Jungle” was a highlight for me

This is incredibly cheesy but you'd have to either be a miserable bastard or a desperate try hard to not enjoy it.

I had the chance to see ELO a few months ago and most of these songs live are incredible. The story behind “Concerto for a rainy day” and the move from Steppin’ Out to Mr. Blue Sky really is incredible. Great album.

I think this is so fun! Very theatrical, knees up high marching.

Underrated band of the genre, monster album

La pochette était intrigante et je n’avais entendu parlé ni du disque, ni du groupe. Ça part fort avec « Turn to Stone », un bon disco entraînant. Rapidement, on fait des parallèles avec Queen , autant dans les harmonies vocales, que dans la voix du chanteur, que dans les orchestrations. Puis on arrive à la 3e chanson « Sweet Tallin’ Woman », avec des arrangements intéressants de cordes et des passages plus électroniques à la Daft Punk. Ensuite, des orchestrations de cuivres et de cordes pincées surprennent dans « Across the Border », et on croit entendre des cloches à vache parmi les guitares électriques et les samplings de sirènes dans « Night in the City ». Et on continue d’être étonné par la difficile à classer « Jungle », à la fois beatlesque, belafontesque et électro-futuriste, avec même un petit intermède de chorale gospel. Les influences des Beatles et de Queen reviennent tout du long, mais avec une sauce éclectique et originale. Disque ambitieux, dense, mais franchement réussi. Très belle découverte pour ceux et celles qui aiment les orchestrations touffues et lourdes.

Trop réalisé, trop produit. Trop long. Ça sonne parfois comme un spectacle de comédie musicale hommage aux Beatles/Bowie/Bee Gees.

I am familiar with ELO and their iconic songs but I have never been a huge fan. I have never listened to this album in its entirety before. It's pretty good but is a little too much over-produced pop music for me.

I have no thoughtful or academic review of this album, but it's so weird and I loved it.

This album had a lot of highs and lows for me. Overall I dug it, just wish it was a little more consistent. I'd probably pick and choose which tracks to listen to again as opposed to the whole thing. 3.4/5

Liked this less than I expected. I never really put together how much they were aping the Beatles. Still, a couple bangers on this. Just samey overall. 3/5

Not a huge ELO fan, but I do think that this works pretty well for a double LP. Keeps the energy alive and hardly overstays its welcome. Has a good chunk of their best songs. C…+?

This was a bit of a struggle for me. I don't even like Mr Blue Sky. Can't quite put my finger on it - I find over produced, too much surface, too perky , too much going on , too many harmonies.

Pretty great

Mr blueeeeee, I remember hearing this song in high school and immediately being hooked. I’ve never listened to the whole album. Yes it’s over the top and yes it’s a specific mood but that mood is awesome and it’s got a lot of groove and happy vibes. They were so ahead of their time especially in the context of the other music largely being made during this era.

Was digging it

I enjoyed listening to this album. ELO has some great song writers and musicians and there are great hooks in every song.

It is both electric and boogey oogey oogey!

An album I have on vinyl, courtesy of Graham Currie. A great album with some very memorable tracks. I generally preferred the early ELO releases but this ticks all the boxes for me.

Odlican

Apparently I know the opening track. I really don’t know what ELO that I knew. So far this is great. On track 4. This album is great. I love everything about this album so far.

Alright. Other than Mr. Blue sky nothing stood out to me and it will mostly be forgotten

I remember my parents playing this record a lot growing up. Solid 70's rock.

What a fantastic album! From memory, Jeff Lyme has never actually been able to read music, but he sure can play a mighty fine assortment of instruments. Love it.

Put a smile on my face

There were enough good songs on this record for me to give it 3*. It's a lot of listening with a lot of similar production, though. A regular album would have been a better album.

I am giving up and giving this 3.5 stars. I have tried many times to listen over the past few days and work+phone data issues have made it hard. But I like it. Even the stuff that's not quite to my taste, I think is relatively interesting and well done. I like that while they have a sound and in that way all the songs sound the same, there's a lot of variety in the album as well.

Generic poppy ahh but still pretty good, instrumental was the best

Some okay album cuts on here, but mostly I’m realizing why the songs that made it to the greatest hits were Turn to Stone and Mr Blue Sky. The rest of the songs range from tolerable to exhausting. It’s not that there’s anything necessarily bad on here, just a lot of filler. Okay wow, I just looked and this is their seventh album. No wonder there’s so much filler. Crazy that their biggest hit was on here though.

temazo mr blue sky

ELO. Man, they were an interesting blend of the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Yes and Bob Seeger. Knowing my pleasure for Progressive rock I feel like I should’ve liked this album better but there was something about it that just didn’t grab me. The talent: obvious. The orchestrations: excellent. But after two listens there weren’t any songs that I felt like listening to a third time. Jungle and Sweet Talking Woman felt like they could have come off Sgt. Pepper. I don’t hate this album. I could listen to again. I’m not sure I would go looking for it and I can’t even tell you why.

This is a fun album. There are several good songs on here and if some of the ballad songs were dropped it would make this an even better album. Sweet Talkin Woman and Mr. Blue Sky are the hits on here but I enjoyed several of the other uptempo songs. Are ELO overrated, underrated, or properly rated? Clearly Jeff Lynne was respected by the greats (or he was the funny dude that could score them drugs). How else could you explain his membership in the Traveling Wilburys. I'll likely try to revisit this one again.

I know this one well. Gorgeous production and lovely songs, although I do think it starts off strong and falters towards the end. Still a fantastic record though and one I will come back to. 4.5

High quality

If you couldn't give this 5 stars you may have an ear infection

Can’t go wrong with ELO. Long album but an easy listen.

If you ever listen to one ELO album... If you were a teenager in the late 1970s or early 80s you weren't supposed to like ELO. They weren't trendy. They were a bit old fashioned. Your uncle and aunt liked them. This album is very much a "guilty pleasure". 4/5.

Gee, I really enjoyed this. I felt like I should have known it more, and that it was a special discovery. Yes the Marvel movies use of ELO flavoured that, but I always thought there was something to them even when I couldn't find them on the airwaves or in the record/tape/CD shop.

I TURN TO STONE WHEN YOU ARE GONE I TURN TO STONE Una de las mejores piezas de Pop que he oído. Me pone feliz, a bailar, a imaginar planetas lejanos. Un disco eclipsado por sus varios éxitos en él, sí, pero qué éxitos. Y las canciones menos conocidas también tienen muchísimo mérito. Me ha costado decidirme, pero como esto es mi lista y hago lo que quiero con ella creo que ELO se lleva unas merecidísimas 5 estrellas.

A meticulously produced and truly epic and cohesive orchestral pop-rock masterpiece. One of the best albums of the 70s, and one of the few double albums that doesn't overstay its welcome.

An enjoyable listen - nothing revolutionary here, but pleasant

Amazing space/rock opera. 4/5

Good, vocal layering gets old after awhile but enjoyable. Best track - mr blue sky

Heel leuk om da lied er ineens in te horen, goeie vibes voor de rest

Of course I knew some ELO songs earlier but listening to the whole album is a whole another experience. Every single song made me say 'wow, this one is great!' so in the end there's none that stands out, because all of them are so extra.

I am myself surprised how it grew on me during the first listening. I love how homogenous and still internally varied this album is. Instruments are magnificent, vocals are great. That is one of the album that makes me still listening 1001.

Just great!

Underrated band. Album has some great tracks

Estay chulo...

Might grow on me with repeat listens.

Y'know what I just love ? Y'know, what I really fancy myself a bit of sometimes? Overproduction. Now that's typically a bad word in talking about music, but for my own money... Oh, goodness, there's just nothing like it. When you take what coulda been normal, average songs and just pump them up with so much until they become larger than life, and then some. That's why I like OUT OF THE BLUE as much as I do. Front-to-back, every song sounds like a grand adventure. Even the shorter or more lowkey ones, it doesn't sound like there could be anything bigger. Like, it hardly matters to me if these songs are "soulless" or if there's way too much cribbed from The Beatles or whatever. The mere fact that for a while there I would put on the third side of the record, "Concerto For A Rainy Day," every time I woke up to find it was raining outside should tell you how much I don't mind either of those things. Besides, it's not like I have a problem with bands wearing their influences on their sleeve; as long as they can still sound unique in spite of that, it's all good. And, well, even acknowledging the fact that Jeff Lynne would go on to produce two Beatles songs 20-some years later, I don't think I'd mistake ELO for another band, y'know? It doesn't even matter to me that this album is as long as it is. It's one of those 60+ minute albums where I feel like it truly justifies its runtime. The songs, to me, are really just that consistently solid and carry the pace so well that it hardly even feels like it's that long. Accepting the "Concerto" as a different, mini-album in the middle of this album helps, too. Honestly, if there's anything I'm down on, it's the fact that I was kinda, like... Extra-tired today when I heard this? Which gets to me, 'coz this is an album I wanted to pay the fullest of attention to. And I feel like I paid enough, don't get me wrong, but... Ehh, I just had this feeling of "tired" behind my eyes ever since I woke up two hours later than I wanted to, I'unno. But that's besides the point, and hardly impacts my enjoyment of this album. For me, it's a full 5. Jus', goodness me, so many great songs and moments. Like, that rapid-fire breakdown in "Turn To Stone"? Goodness me. All the way to the grand closer of "Wild West Hero". Which is actually how I closed my 2023, by the way, after the album had also opened that year. (Huge shout-outs as well to the "PLEASE TURN ME OVER" at the end of "Mr. Blue Sky". I've always loved that. Really, the whole outro of that song... Goodness.) Now, I'll be 100 and admit that it's not actually an album I've put on too often. Like, outside of the "Concerto," I think I've only played this album in full four times (contrat with the **53 times** I've played the "Concerto"). If there's any commitment I wanna make after this review, though, it's to listen to this album way more. It really, truly deserves it. It's a masterwork of 70's overproduced pop — which, yeah, is absolutely not for everyone. But if no one else, it's for me. Jus'... Goodness. I don't even know what else to say. Go listen to "Mr. Blue Sky" — I mean, chances are you already have, but go listen to it again. You hear how happy it is? That's me when I play this album. Nothing but clear, blue skies and sunshine as far as the eye can see.

I don't even need to relisten to this to know that I'm giving it 5.5 if that were possible, but I will anyway because ELO is one of my top 5 bands of all time and deserve even more praise than they have already. But getting back on topic, this album just has so many essential tracks in their discography that it's almost absurd, alongside deeper cuts that could have been hits if they were released. Turn To Stone. Sweet Talkin' Woman. Night In The City. And don't even get me started on how absolutely magnificent the Concerto For A Rainy Day is. It starts strong, keeps up with the usual excellent orchestral work, and just becomes basically perfect when the one ELO song everyone's heard comes on. Mr. Blue Sky is just perfection, front to back. And again, this is a 5.5 star album, maybe even a 6 if I'm in the right mood for it.

That’s obviously a 5. This is my first time listening to this album in full – obviously, I know Mr. Blue Sky, but that’s about it, really. My experience with ELO as a whole is super minimal – maybe an occasional thing heard on the radio, but the big thing, other than Mr. Blue Sky, is reading once that John Lennon reportedly said the Beatles, had they stayed together, would’ve likely sounded like ELO. That sentiment rings pretty damn true here: this feels like a Beatles album, in a very good way. Perhaps there’s a bit more bombast and synth, but in terms of the overall compositions, vocal styles, and just the underlining intangibles… yeah, this feels like where they all could’ve gone. Admittedly, I’m not quite sure how to describe my overall thoughts here – I think this is just fantastic across the board, from top to bottom, but I wonder how much of it is simply a factor getting really into the zone with this general style. This clicked extremely well with me; just about everything I like in this album can be traced back to every style present in the genre around this time. There’s some jukebox U.S. rock influence ala Boston or Kansas, there’s obviously the Beatles, there’s occasionally a dip into some Zeppelin/Stones style stuff, the piano feels sort of Elton John-esque at times, and the synth/vocoder work blends in part of what was making disco, pop, and R&B work incredibly well at the time. I do wish there were a few more chances to have me, as the listener, breathe a bit within the songs themselves, as some of these go at a breakneck speed without much of a pause, but I kinda love the rollercoaster feel. It’s an album that feels tailor-made to me, which makes it all the more baffling that I’ve never really interacted with it until now. It also makes it sort of baffling that, once the experience of the album wore off, it almost felt like the cracks started to pop up, oddly enough. Again, this is a great album, it’s easily deserving of a 5, and I loved everything here, but… I couldn’t help but get a lingering sense that maybe, just maybe, the album’s bombast overstays its welcome and creates just a bit of a homogeneity that stops some of the tracks at an individual level from feeling as memorable. That is to say, I kind of found it hard to remember why I was super into stuff like Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin’ Woman, Across the Border, Night in the City, etc – those feel incredible in the moment, and they work cohesively and brilliantly within the album, but until I went back to listen to them again, I couldn’t really place why I had liked them after I was done listening to the album. Perhaps it’s just a “first time listening” thing. Ultimately, though, this is just too damn good to let little cracks or perceived imperfections get in the way of what this is, at its core: 70 minutes of blistering rock, that maybe sometimes goes a little too fast for its own good, but it more than makes up for it with the orchestral instrumentation, the huge variety of influences, and a very distinct style that clicks extremely well with my tastes. Someone else can write about the nitty gritty of the compositions and really break down why this has all those intangibles that just work, but for my ears, good music is good music, and this is fantastic music. It’s an absolute highlight of the 1970s, and a crime that I haven’t heard it until now. Very, very easy 5.

Alright, chipper but a bit too Beatles’-sounding

Good solid albulm

Not ELOs best album but soild

Never listened to these guys before. It's okay, a little light and corporate-sounding, as another reviewer stated. Prob will never listen to this again, not because it was bad, but because there is just nothing to hook me.

Tiene sin dudas un sonido interesante, me gusta como es un sonido bastante propio y personal, tiene sus momentos en los que realmente me gusta como suena, y varias canciones que si que me llegar, pero también esta bastante plagado de canciones que al menos a mi, no me parecieron del todo interesantes y hasta llega a aburrirme con bastantes canciones. Otro punto negativo es que me parece un poco demasiado largo, y ya para el final estaba bastante harto de escuchar el álbum. Mejores canciones: Mr. Blue Sky, Standin' in the Rain, Jungle, Turn to Stone Álbum completo:65 Turn to stone: no me gusta la voz en los versos y la instrumental no me parece nada del otro mundo, pero cuando entra el coro... debe ser el mejor coro del álbum, siempre que empieza me transporta directamente dentro de la canción, no se como hicieron pero me encantó, todo lo que no consideraba muy llamativo hasta el momento de repente suena muy bien, la instrumental, la voz, todo. 85 Its over: de nuevo el coro es excelente, pero los versos no terminan de atraparme nuevamente y en este caso los coros no tienen una presencia tan relevante dentro de la canción como si lo tenia el coro de la anterior. 75 sweet talking woman: me parece una canción mas redonda que las dos anteriores, no hay ninguna parte que me aburra, la instrumental es interesante desde el principio, lo mismo para el resto de la canción, es lo suficientemente interesante, pero, dentro de lo interesante no hay nada que realmente resalte y realmente me encante. Dentro de todo mucho mas interesante en general y bien lograda. 80 Across the Border: empieza muy bien, con esa instrumental que es el punto fuerte de esta canción, la intro con la voz con filtros es mi parte cantada favorita ya que de nuevo tengo un problema con la voz, siento que le falta algo. Sin dudas la instrumental salva a esta canción de alguna manera. 60 Night in the City: la instrumental baja un cambio, me gusta bastante el coro, la voz tiene mas sentimiento en esta me gusta mas, coro bastante divertido, me gusta la instrumental en partes mas de lo que esperaba y con ese final me da la sensación de que muy buen ambiente tiene la canción. 80 Starlight: bastante bien, es una canción menos ambiciosa que el resto, por decirlo de alguna manera, pero bastante consistente. Nada que llame mucho mi atención, pero sin dudas suena que es interesante. Solo no para mí. 55 Jungle: instrumental interesante desde el principio, siento que la voz al fin tiene eso que me estaba faltando, todo suena bien funky y amo lo lleno de soniditos, que parecen sueltos, que están por todos lados. Tiene partes y cosas muy extrañas y la verdad que para mi funcionan, me gusta mucho en general esta canción. 90 Believe Me Now: me gusta el cambio de todo en esta parte del álbum, después de la anterior canción toda divertida este sonido mas oscuro realmente capto mi atención y la mantuvo. 80 Steppin' Out: continuando con el tono mas oscuro presentado en la canción/interludio anterior, ahora toma un tono mas triste, mas lento y mas de balada, lo que aprecio dentro del álbum pero sonoramente no me parece muy interesante y me aburre un poco. No suena nada mal tampoco, pero no es lo mío. 50 Standin' in the Rain: la primera mitad de casi totalmente instrumental es un viaje, realmente muy interesante, y cuando entra la voz ya re tarde realmente no decepciona, muy buena composición, me encantó. 90 Big Wheels: no se que es esa melodía del principio per me encanto, aunque solo haya sonado unos segundos, después eso lo que le sigue realmente me aburre, tal vez sea porque no estoy muy interesado en música por la letra en este momento. Cuando realmente activa la canción creo que ya es muy tarde, ya me perdió. Genuinamente casi me duermo. 40 Summer and Lightning: está de nuevo esa voz que no me gusta, creo que para este momento el álbum ya me tiene cansado un poco, es demasiado largo y no importa si esto podría gustarme ya me siento desconectado de esto, tal vez sea porque big wheels es demasiado largo. tiene sus partes interesantes igual, que no importa que estaba ya aburrido casi me llaman de nuevo dentro del álbum. Pero termina sintiéndose bastante repetitivo con la canción yéndose en fade y todo eso. 50 Mr. Blue Sky: la estrella del álbum, obviamente la conocía desde antes y no decepciona, no importa cuan harto haya estado del álbum esta fue como una bocanada de aire fresco, tanto los versos como los coros y el control de la instrumental, todo forma una muy canción que no se vuelve aburrida en ningún momento. 100 Sweet is the Night: volvimos a que nada me parezca realmente digno de ser resaltado. 50 The Whale: muy buen inicio, da una buena ambientación, y como siempre creo que la instrumental es lo fuerte de este álbum la mayoría de las veces, así que esta canción es lo suficientemente buena. 70 Birmingham Blues: canción bastante divertida, me gusto el blues rock combinado con el sonido del álbum mas delo que creí que lo haría. 75 Wild West Hero: me tuvo bastante aburrido en el primer minuto y medio, pero después de esa parte interesante vuelve un poco a aburrirme. 60

I've barely been aware of ELO. It's... whatever, but I don't think I need more of it.

one of the best

Used to spin this on vinyl often over a decade ago. It was a pleasure revisiting an album I haven’t thought about in quite some time. So many delicious melodies. Jeff Lynne bringing fun symphonic pop to the masses. This is prog rock stripped of a lot of the pretensions.

No notes

Love me some ELO! And Mr. Blue Sky is one of the happiest songs ever written. :)

Rocking prog rock classic. Tasty jams that everybody loves.

This was pretty fun, though long! It also has a lot of Beatles to it, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but 74 minutes is a lot.

This is one of those albums where I can clearly remember seeing the cover for the first time - that multicoloured flying saucer with a space ship about to dock promised great things and the album really delivered - mixing electric guitars with orchestral arrangements, some effective sound effects and twiddles, and impossibly catchy songs. The highlight is side 3 which is a sequence ending with the iconic Mr Blue Sky and the instruction ‘Please turn me over’

It felt like a strange, orchestral mashup of the Beatles and Pink Floyd, but stripped of the originality of both. Not that bad, but a bit too long for what it offers.

Somehow my favourite Beatles album

What a gorgeous perfect album. Was hesitant at first before I jumped into it - it had quite a few songs I knew but not that well - but it turns out to be up there with the best Beatles albums while being its own boss and also being a cohesive fun gorgeous whole. This is very criminally underrated I think

I like Jeff Lynne's vocals and there's some good songs on the album but I'm damned if I can hear them properly underneath the dense shiny production. It's like they're trying too hard to impress. Much like the cover artwork, there's something a bit sterile that puts me off ELO. Think I'll stick with my Idle Race LP's.....

This double album is very long probably didn’t need to be more than a single album. Just because you write a load of songs doesn’t mean they all have to go on the album. The songs either sound like The Beatles or The Bee Gees. 2 stars only for all the drunken times I’ve sung Mr Blue Sky

E L what

Bloody hell! Over an hour of this??? Emulating the Beatles ten years too late is not cool. Little wonder that punk came about, in fact ELOs contribution to the birth of punk might be their only redeeming feature.

No need for a double album here, it's so long that I started to go delusional, and I misread the subtitle of side 3 as "Cornetto for a Rainy Day", which may be my new favourite phrase!

Very fun

Good album

Quite a fun listen

I grew up with this album. Have probably listened to it a few hundred times. At the time also special since it is a double LP (and therefore quite long). Today, I think it's ok. But still, there are sooo many songs on it which I really love. So it's a five.

Liked it but most of the songs sounded very similar to each other.

cool rock and synthy fun. I've never heard of ELO before but I enjoyed this quite a bit. Sweet Talkin' Woman got me hooked. also unrelated to the music, I absolutely love the cover art, weird 70's sci fi does it for me. great energy throughout, it gets a little too bombastic here and there but man was this fun.

Nobody sounds like ELO! All of these songs are so infused with life and charm. The hits are HITS and the rest of the stuff is all good fun. Shoutout to Wild West Hero. Unsung classic

Lots of great songs, but also lots of ok songs

I love the use of Mariachi in Across the Border, and Mr. Blue Sky of course, since I recognize it. It was like a crossover of the Beatles and ABBA, but didn't love the whole album.

So many songs, but so many highlights. I really enjoyed this one. It was a strange mix of prog and pop that works incredibly well. Great arrangements. Key tracks: Turn to Stone It's Over Sweet Talkin' Woman Mr. Blue Sky

All these songs somehow sound like 70s TV theme songs

Quel incroyable album, je frissonne à chaque fois que je l'écoute. L'orchestration est top notch, le groove est là et tu te rempli de bonne humeur à force à mesure que le double album progresse.

A tremendously fun album whose most memorable song comes just a tad too late. Not every song here fits exactly, and I think we could lose 15 minutes throughout, but it’s hard not to feel uplifted after a listen.

ELO delivers high-voltage, arena-sized pop with precision, if not restraint.

wasn’t this the first album i added to my now huge apple music library?

A really fun ride, filled with unexpected chords progressions and sumptuous orchestrations. Loved it!

Good music

Voilà. C’est fait. J’ai survécu. Je viens de m’infliger les 70 minutes et 22 secondes de "Out of the Blue" d’Electric Light Orchestra. Soixante-dix putains de minutes. Je pourrais presque ajouter ça sur mon CV, juste en dessous de « Vendeur de disques pendant la guerre Blur vs Oasis » et « Animateur radio pendant l’invasion de la Macarena ». Ça pose un homme, une telle épreuve. Quand j’ai vu ce double album arriver dans la liste, j’ai senti une vieille angoisse remonter. Pas la bonne, celle qui te prend aux tripes avant un concert des Stooges. Non, plutôt celle du dimanche soir, quand tu sais que le lendemain, il y a interro de maths et que t’as rien révisé. ELO, pour moi, c’est le son de l’ennui poli, la bande-son officielle des salles d’attente et des après-midis chez des amis de tes parents qui ont une collection de cactus et des murs couleur saumon. Alors, c’est avec un courage que je qualifierais de surhumain que j’ai posé ce disque sur la platine (métaphoriquement, bien sûr, on est en 2025, merde). Et là, le drame. Le drame attendu, mais le drame quand même. On va aller droit au but, parce que contrairement à Jeff Lynne, je n’ai pas l’intention de vous faire perdre votre temps. "Out of the Blue" n’est rien de plus, rien de moins, que la plus gigantesque, la plus boursouflée, la plus prétentieuse contrefaçon des Beatles jamais produite. Je pèse mes mots. Ce n’est pas un hommage, c’est une OPA hostile sur l’héritage des Fab Four. Tout y est, mais en version Wish. Les enchaînements harmoniques de McCartney ? Copiés. Les envolées mélodiques de Lennon ? Pompées. Les arrangements orchestraux de George Martin ? Imbibés de sirop pour la toux et recrachés avec la subtilité d’un éléphant dans un magasin de porcelaine. Et cette voix… cette voix de Jeff Lynne qui s’évertue à sonner comme un mélange de Paul et John, mais qui finit par n’évoquer qu’un clone sous anxiolytiques. C’est un rock tellement orchestral qu’il en oublie d’être du rock. Les violons dégoulinent, les synthés pépient comme des oisillons sous ecstasy et le vocodeur, mon Dieu, le vocodeur… À l’époque, ça devait sonner « futuriste ». Aujourd’hui, ça sonne comme un GPS qui aurait pris un mauvais acide. C’est la technologie comme cache-misère, un gadget pour masquer le vide intersidéral qui habite ces compositions. Le pire, c’est que c’est un double album. Pourquoi ? Quelle était l’urgence ? Le côté « concept », la fameuse suite « Concerto for a Rainy Day » ? Laissez-moi rire. Un concerto pour un jour de pluie, c’est exactement ça : long, gris, et tu attends juste que ça se termine pour aller prendre l’air. On est face à un album qui est non seulement mou, mais qui s’étire, qui se vautre dans sa propre mollesse avec une complaisance qui force le respect. Chaque morceau semble durer une éternité. Les intros s’allongent, les ponts n’en finissent plus, les codas sont à rallonge. C’est pompeux, c’est grandiloquent. C’est l’équivalent musical d’un discours de politicien : ça brasse beaucoup d’air, ça utilise des grands mots, mais au final, il ne reste rien. Même le fameux vaisseau spatial sur la pochette (qui a dû coûter un bras, d’ailleurs) a l’air de vouloir fuir la musique qu’il est censé illustrer. Je veux bien admettre que c’est techniquement irréprochable. La production est tellement léchée qu’on pourrait manger dessus. C’est propre, c’est lisse, c’est nickel. Tellement nickel que c’en est stérile. Il n’y a aucune aspérité, aucune faille, aucune humanité. C’est du Formica sonore. Une musique de designer pour des intérieurs sans âme. Alors, pourquoi diable ce truc est-il dans le livre des « 1001 albums que vous devez écouter avant de mourir » ? Pour les chiffres de vente, sans doute. Pour son succès à l’époque. Mais depuis quand le succès commercial est-il un gage de qualité artistique ? On a bien vendu des millions de disques de La Compagnie Créole, ça n’en fait pas pour autant des oeuvres impérissables. L’écoute fut difficile, et le verdict est sans appel. Cet album est un monument de prétention, un colosse aux pieds d’argile synthétique. Il ne raconte rien, ne procure aucune émotion brute. C’est une symphonie du vide, un space opera pour comptables. La note de 1 sur 5 est presque charitable. À éviter, sauf si vous avez une armoire à caler ou besoin d’un frisbee de luxe. Passez votre chemin, il y a mille autres disques qui méritent vraiment votre temps. Celui-ci, vous pouvez mourir tranquille sans l’avoir écouté. Croyez-moi, vous ne manquerez rien

Enjoyed that. Don't know many ELO tracks - liked what I heard here.

Actually had a copy of this back in the day but not listened to it for decades. I enjoyed giving this a listen. I remember most of the tracks very well and it’s great pop music. Think it just about deserves to be on the list

High school memories, oh well, I don't really like it much but 3 stars for the memories

Amazing album, maybe a little too long and could be rearranged. But I don't know what I would cut.

Very likeable, and when it is good, it is really damn good. Just the sort of sound you would expect from a band with "electric" and "orchestra" in the name. Theres a bit of queen and a hint of ABBA. I think some of the more old school rock and roll tunes and some of the more dancy tracks fall a bit flat, however. Best Song: Mr. Blue Sky / Turn to Stone Worst Song: Across the Border

good stuff, a little too long

Hype music for cardigan-wearers.

what a group!

You know that Autotune trend that was everywhere 15 years ago? That's Jeff Lynne's creation, from thirty-five years prior. But unlike that trend, Lynne knew when to rein in the autotune so it isn't so overwhelming. Electric Light Orchestra were electronic pioneers but used rock and pop to make it accessible. They sure created some catchy songs, like the electronic chorus in "Sweet Talkin' Woman"! Lynne created a beautiful album that has highs and lows--but most importantly has bangers, some of ELO's most iconic songs. But even the songs that weren't hits were great and engaging. ELO never shied away from pure instrumental songs, and this album was no exception. The instrumentals aren't throwaway songs but are engaging and impactful. I was struck by how similar to a musical Out of the Blue is. Its creation was purposeful, to the point that the position of each song was carefully determined. One motif in particular popped up multiple times, and it was a chord from "Mr. Blue Sky." This connected the album musically but ensured the listener could connect the themes, too.

Electric Light Orchestra is one of those bands that had some very catchy singles over the years, and therefore, a lot of people know those songs. That said, for a more avid listener of ELO, their albums hold a treasure trove of progressive, artsy sound. "Out of the Blue" may be the finest example of that. To me, it listens somewhat like a cousin to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon": it has its singles that it is known for, but the entire album has a very distinct synthy, space agey, artistic vibe from start to finish.

Boring dad rock, some interesting song but overall too long and lame.

ELO holds a sentimental value to me, i bought this album for my mom as a present as a child. The combination of slow pop-rock, string orchestras and vocal harmonies really hits me strong. it's easy listening music, for some it might be a bit boring. But the album also has some of their big hits like Mr. Blue Sky

Never met anyone that disliked ELO, but then again never met anyone that was all in on ELO either. Happy, upbeat, catchy radio music - it’s good for what it is. Certainly better than most of the junk in this list, it’s just not on my “bring it to the island” play list.

I like it very much! Perfect album! It is very melodious. Vocals are brilliant! Every track is a Masterpiece.

Not really my genre, but they did it well, enjoyed the musicianship but not so much the songs

It’d be better as a shorter album , the production is joyfully way over the top , but this album is great . 5 stars if you chop out about 7 tracks. 4

ELO had a distinct and unique sound, nothing else like it in the 70s. Strong start with Turn To Start, It’s Over, and Sweet Talkin’ Woman. Just heard Mr Blue Sky on the radio - always liked that one. Standing In The Rain was an unknown gem on this listen. Album runs a little long and songs become similar, but all good. Comes in at (2.9*s)

Signature ELO sound that I was expecting but don't know if I needed 70 minutes of it. Still a good listen, starts off strong, some surprises I wasn't familiar with. A bit overproduced but accolades for all the layering (strings, chorus, orchestra, authentic rock). I like the cover art and overall triumphant feel of this. Comes in at 2.95.

ELO is such a great band and although I'm against it as a collector, you can get by with just their greatest hits album. Def a few on here and some lesser known good ones like "Standing in the Rain" and "Birmingham Blues" but also a bunch of filler. "Jungle" did come out of the blue and I liked it. Felt like a journey through the star system at times and you can feel the electric light coming from the orchestra. Gotta give Jeff Lynne credit for coming up with such a complex rock band. I'm in for more from ELO if the list provides...2.85.

It's got a lot of the signature Jeff Lynne ELO sound that I enjoy but I don't need 70 mins of it. This would be better served as a tighter single album. Trim a bit of the fat and it would be a really strong entry. As it is, its still a good album, just a little bloated. Despite the complexity of album some of the songs start to sound the same after a while. As much as I'm a fan of ELO I mostly stick to the greatest hits, but this is still a solid entry deserving of the 1001. 3.02 stars

pink floyd but without the drugs

mr blue sky!

An undeniable classic!

This is like the 5th best Electric Light Orchestra album, and yet it's still getting the maximum rating. I know why this one is on here though, it obviously has the "Concerto For a Rainy Day" suite, you can't really argue with "Mr Blue Sky". I do think something like "A New World Record" or "Time" are better albums all around though, because this one is a little overlong and some songs are a bit forgettable, in comparison to the all killer, no filler albums I rank above it. You have an impure soul if you're rating this under 3 stars. I'm sorry, I don't make up the rules.

Only know Mr. Blue sky. Don’t have too high expectations for this one. Guitar solo in mr blue sky needs is fun. Need that energy on the rest of the album. Just feels like cookie cutter drab 70s music thats only crazy when you’re cooked on acid. Not a fan. 2 stars

Disco with classical instruments? You son of a beautiful woman, I'm in!

A double album is a lot of info. Aside from the hits, “Whale” was the only memorable song on the album. Of course I heard a lot of other influences in here, including The Beatles (obvs) and The Who’s Quadrophenia.

A fun and dense double album that pays homage to psychedelic-era Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Queen. Some great songs on here including ‘Big Wheels’, ‘Across The Border’, and especially ‘Mr. Blue Sky’. Musicianship is very high level. The production is cutting edge for 1977 but also extremely busy with many unnecessary string flourishes, Mellotron choirs, and sound effects that often just take away from the songs. Also it’s just way too long with not enough great songs to justify it. Maybe this is an album that grows on you with repeated listenings but I think I’d like it better at half the length. 3.5 / 5.

It's really hard to release all this music at once and have it be great or even good from start to finish. I enjoy me some ELO, but this is suffers from the same thing just about every other double album suffers from. There are some bangers, and I will always sing Mr Blue Sky at the top of my lungs when it comes on, but most of this could’ve been left for the 50th anniversary deluxe edition or whatever.

When the day is done and there's nowhere to run And the people of the city have all lost and won In your city dress you stand and stare And you smoke another cigarette and comb your hair And the light that shines Paints a trace of sadness On the street I wait But I can't seem to get to you. Well, you start to sway check your Cartier Cause it's getting late you can't afford to wait So you move along where it's going on And the people of the night are playing 'til the dawn And the sun that shines Paints a trace of sadness In your eyes that cry Wishing and hoping Oh Sweet, sweet is the night Now you are near Dark dark were the days They disappear Sweet sweet is the night Now you are near Yeah, this album is pretty fucking great. 5/5

Sooooo much better than the first time I listened to this. There's something just so correct about Jeff Lynne's songwriting, you put on a song and go yep, that's a song right there, it's got everything I need. About as simple as that, this album is a joy

Fine. Probably not going to listen again

ok

Mr. Blue Sky is a banger...the rest is meh. Essentially a Beatles tribute band.

eu era apaixonado por esse álbum nos meus tenros 12 anos de idade, então vou dar 4 estrelas pela mais simples e pura nostalgia. (que conste nos autos que eu ainda acho bom)

achei que ia ser rock progressivo bem doloroso de ouvir. eu estava completamente errado (ô glória). bão demais esse aqui, eu to muito surpreso papo reto

Love this album, just a tiny bit bloated by the sound is great and most songs are really catchy

I was hoping for more from this but I didn’t really find anything new that I’ll be returning to. “Mr. Blue Sky” is one of the best songs ever.

Too much over produced pop for my taste. That being said if you are an ELO fan you will probably really like this.

Holy shit was this album great. I don't know if there was a bad song on it. I've only heard the ELO hits before and wow I need to keep deep diving. I'm blown away. The Whale was probably my least favorite track, but it wasn't bad at all Favorite songs: Mr. Blue Sky (obv), Across the Border, Sweet is the Night, Wild West Hero, Night in the City

liked songs: most of them This is such a happy, uplifting double LP. It's good, but it does run a little long and some of the songs start to sound similar. 3.5

Good!

Ó já. Hljómsveitin sem ég elska en hlusta samt aldrei á. Af hverju? Ég veit það ekki því þetta er algjört meistaraverk. Ekki margar hljómsveitir sem fá mig til að dansa eða hlaupa um úti á götu en þessi gerir það. Ég verð svo glaður. Ef það er ekki fimm stjörnur þá er ekkert fimm stjörnur

I really didn't like this one. Maybe if I had listened to the whole thing I'd think differently. ajr of the 1970s never really liked mr blue sky and the whole album was like that

Zesty tunes.

The songs on here are essentially a new wave version of The Beatles. There are some catchy beats, and fun tunes, but nothing too mind-blowing here. Favorite Track: "Mr. Blue Sky"

Upbeat and fun, nice harmonies. 1 extra star for Mr Blue Sky

Good but I would much rather just listen to David bowie or the bealtes.

WOW

This was fine. It’s another lame name for a band that I don’t want to listen to. Heavily influenced by the Beatles but who is not.

ELO is a puzzling band. Their signature sound is impressive in small doses but overwhelming and tiresome in its consistency, always harkening back to the Beatles to an downright uncomfortable extent. Moreover, Jeff Lynne too often grabs from the same bag of tricks (that's enough compression, thank you very much). When they break with the formula, they're a much more interesting band, but Lynne doesn't allow for it very often. None of my favorite ELO singles are on this album, and the deep cuts simply aren't moving me. I imagine if I were a greater audiophile, this would be a higher review from me, but it taps out at 2.5/5 stars.

You can sum up a lot of my reaction to this album with my reaction to the quote from Rhapsody in Blue which shows up in Birmingham Blues. It's arresting, it's surprising, it's... not actually saying anything. It sounds like it's supposed to be smart but it's just showing off. Without a doubt, there's good songwriting on the album and production which was undoubtedly novel in 1977. But the fact is, every time I hear ELO, I wish I were listening to Abbey Road or The White Album. Or if I'm going to listen to soft rock, someone who does it without pretension, like the Carpenters. 2.5, rounding down.

I liked this enough. Inoffensive at the very least. I don't think I'll return to most of it, but the parts that are good are quite good, and the album's biggest crime is its length.

Sweet swinging pablum. Just about everything I dislike about pop music is a characteristic of this album. Get some edge, guys!

Quite a contrast to yesterday's In Utero. Part of the charm of this list, but doesn't actually do any favors to Out of the Blue.

Competent melodies and lush orchestrations, what’s not to like to like? Oh yeah, it’s an hour and eleven minutes…

Fun fact: This was the first album I ever bought on CD. This was my favorite album for a long time, but it's been out of my rotation for a few years now. I'm stilling giving it a 5/5 because I feel I'm obligated to do so but it's not really the kind of stuff I listen to these days. The Vibe: You are zipping through space at a zillion miles an hour to see a performance of Beethoven's 9th, which is being played on one of Saturn's moons.

Echt een briljant album. Alles voelt als een opbouw naar Mr Blue Sky toe. Vind dat nummer eigenlijk helemaal niet meer zo leuk als je de rest hoort. Jammer dat hun imago zo erg op dat ene nummer is gebaseerd. Heb een brandweerauto gehoord. Dikke dikke vijf sterren.

"Out of the Blue" by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) is a landmark album showcasing a rich blend of orchestral arrangements, lush harmonies, and a sophisticated mix of rock and pop. As a producer, engineer, and writer hybrid, there are many layers of musical theory, production techniques, and compositional choices that can be both insightful and inspiring. ### 1. **Complex Harmonic Structure** - **Extended Chords and Non-Diatonic Modulation**: Jeff Lynne often uses **extended chords** (7ths, 9ths, 11ths) and **non-diatonic modulations** to create rich harmonic textures. In "Mr. Blue Sky," for example, the song moves through unexpected key changes that maintain a bright and uplifting character, often modulating through keys like F major, Bb major, and C major. - **Writing Insight**: For a writer, using extended chords can help add color and complexity to an otherwise simple progression. The clever key changes in "Mr. Blue Sky" contribute to a feeling of constant movement, making the song unpredictable and engaging. These modulations also provide contrast between sections, adding to the song's narrative and emotional arc. - **Production Note**: For a producer, ensuring these harmonic shifts are clean and coherent requires careful arrangement, especially with orchestral instrumentation. Each modulation needs orchestral voices to align properly to avoid dissonance that isn’t intended. ### 2. **Orchestral Arrangements in a Rock Context** - **Layering Strings, Brass, and Choirs**: ELO's signature style blends rock with orchestral instrumentation—strings, brass, and choirs. In songs like "Sweet Talkin' Woman," the strings are not merely in the background but actively participate in creating the harmonic rhythm and sometimes even take over melodic duties. - **Engineering Insight**: Balancing a rock band with an orchestra requires an astute understanding of frequency management. Strings and guitars often occupy similar frequency ranges, so panning decisions and EQ are critical. In "Out of the Blue," orchestral strings are frequently layered with guitars, but each instrument's part is arranged so that they complement rather than compete. Cutting low mids on the strings helps them sit well with electric guitars. - **Production Insight**: These arrangements use a combination of **counterpoint** and **layering** to provide both movement and depth. For example, each string line might serve a distinct purpose—one line playing rhythmic stabs while another plays a counter-melody. Understanding how to layer these elements to create a coherent wall of sound is crucial. ### 3. **Use of Ostinatos and Hooks** - **Repetitive Motifs and Hook-Driven Writing**: Many tracks feature **ostinatos**—repeating rhythmic or melodic motifs that drive the song forward. The opening of "Turn to Stone" is characterized by an infectious, repeating synth and guitar line that underpins the entire verse, giving a sense of urgency and excitement. - **Writing Perspective**: An ostinato can provide a hypnotic quality to a track, making it instantly recognizable. Jeff Lynne’s use of these motifs is a reminder that repetition, if done effectively, can be the foundation for memorable hooks. Writers can use ostinatos not only in melodic parts but also in rhythmic sections to build cohesion across different sections. - **Production Insight**: Producing such hook-driven tracks requires ensuring that the ostinato stands out. In "Turn to Stone," compression is likely used on the repeating motifs to keep them prominent without overpowering the vocals. Each repetition is also slightly varied with automation—changing the EQ or the level to keep the ostinato evolving. ### 4. **Layered Vocal Harmonies** - **Choir-like Harmony and Vocoder Use**: Songs like "Mr. Blue Sky" and "Jungle" utilize dense, **choir-like vocal harmonies**. Jeff Lynne employs multi-tracked vocals, often creating lush, Beatles-esque harmonies that are both uplifting and ethereal. The use of a vocoder in tracks like "Mr. Blue Sky" adds a futuristic, robotic character that contrasts with the warmth of the human voice. - **Writing and Arrangement Insight**: For a writer, these harmonies are a critical component of ELO's sound, adding emotional depth and grandeur. Harmonizing in **thirds**, **fifths**, or even more complex intervals can enhance the richness of a melody and make choruses feel more powerful and climactic. - **Production Techniques**: As a producer and engineer, capturing this kind of vocal harmony requires meticulous attention to panning and reverb. Vocals are often spread widely across the stereo field, using subtle panning variations to give the harmonies more space. The use of tape delay on individual vocal layers helps create a thick, lush texture that feels expansive without sounding cluttered. ### 5. **Contrasting Rhythms and Rhythmic Experimentation** - **Polyrhythms and Syncopation**: "Jungle" incorporates various **syncopated rhythms** that reflect its title, using percussive sounds that create a groove almost independent of the underlying 4/4 beat. This contrast in rhythms gives the song a unique feel, almost hinting at world music influences while still maintaining its pop-rock core. - **Engineering and Production Insight**: To make polyrhythms and syncopation work in a mix, it’s crucial to prioritize rhythmic clarity. This might mean using EQ to carve out space for each percussive element or panning different rhythmic components to distinct areas. The key is ensuring each rhythmic layer feels like it contributes to the overall groove, rather than creating muddiness. - **Writing Considerations**: Syncopation helps keep even repetitive sections engaging, as it plays against the listener’s expectations. This unpredictability is one of the tools Jeff Lynne uses to add forward motion to his compositions, and it keeps the listener on their toes. ### 6. **Effective Use of Dynamics** - **Soft Verses and Explosive Choruses**: ELO masterfully uses **dynamic shifts** to differentiate sections of their songs, such as in "Sweet Is the Night." Verses are often relatively sparse, with soft vocals and minimal instrumentation, building up to large, lush choruses with full orchestration and vocal harmonies. - **Engineering Insight**: Capturing this dynamic range in the studio means strategically using compression but not to the point of squashing the natural rise and fall of the performance. Often, automation plays a key role—slowly increasing gain on the strings or guitars as the chorus approaches to enhance the natural crescendo. - **Production Insight**: The shift from a soft verse to an explosive chorus is made even more effective by reducing or removing elements in the build-up—stripping back instrumentation before allowing it to flood back in during the chorus. For example, Jeff Lynne might mute backing vocals and hold off on the strings for the verse, then reintroduce them in full force for the chorus to maximize impact. ### 7. **Synths and Electronic Elements in Orchestration** - **Analog Synth Layers**: "Standing in the Rain" and other tracks use analog synthesizers to add a futuristic, almost sci-fi atmosphere. These synth parts often play in unison with the strings or brass, adding an electronic sheen that contrasts with the acoustic elements. - **Production Note**: Balancing analog synths with orchestral instruments requires careful frequency separation. Often, the synth is used to add body in the low-mid range, while orchestral strings take care of the upper harmonic content. Understanding how to blend the warmth of analog synths with acoustic elements without them clashing is key to achieving ELO's characteristic lush sound. - **Engineering Insight**: Adding modulation effects like chorus or flanger to synths can help integrate them more smoothly with orchestral strings. Additionally, reverb and delay settings can be matched between synths and orchestral elements to create a unified space where both electronic and acoustic textures coexist seamlessly. ### 8. **Concept Album Approach and Thematic Cohesion** - **Unified Motifs Across Multiple Tracks**: "Out of the Blue" is considered a semi-concept album, with many songs sharing thematic elements, such as the **weather-inspired suite** on side three (including "Mr. Blue Sky"). Motifs and themes recur, providing cohesion across different tracks. - **Writing Insight**: Recurring motifs, whether melodic, lyrical, or rhythmic, help build a sense of unity throughout an album. As a songwriter, this can be a useful tool for creating a larger narrative arc. Repeating musical themes across songs or within a suite allows you to link disparate pieces together. - **Production Consideration**: From a production standpoint, maintaining a consistent sound palette across related tracks (e.g., using the same string patches, reverb settings, or synth tones) reinforces this cohesion. It can also help listeners feel they are part of a larger journey, enhancing the album experience as a whole. ### Conclusion "Out of the Blue" is a sophisticated blend of rock, orchestral arrangements, and electronic elements, showcasing Jeff Lynne’s ambitious approach to songwriting, production, and arrangement. For a producer, the meticulous layering of instruments, creative panning, and frequency management are crucial lessons in how to make a dense mix feel expansive and balanced. For an engineer, capturing both the power of rock and the subtleties of orchestral dynamics requires precise microphone placement, EQ choices, and modulation effects. For a writer, the use of extended harmonies, dynamic shifts, and recurring motifs provides tools for crafting rich, emotionally engaging songs.

Good rock

Yeah, pretty decent. Not my favourite, but heard worse.

I didn't listen to this album. I could NOT bring myself to. Wrote a poerm about this song once though THE WIND WANTS TO TAKE ME FROM THE GRIPS OF THE EARTH AND INTO THE BLUE SKY. IT’S A FRENZIED, FINAL BREATH OF NATURE, THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA ARE PLAYING THE END OF THE SONG, THE END OF EVERYTHING, PLAYED OUT BY THEM, I’M GOING TO DIE, EVERYTHING’S MASSIVE AND IT’S ALL EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME. OH BROTHER, GIVE ME A BREAK! THE SONG ENDS AS I ARRIVE OUTSIDE MY HOUSE. SKIES CLEARING. RAINDROPS ON DOUBLE GLAZING. AN HOUR LATER, A RAINBOW, BARELY REAL, APPEARING IN THE SKY. 3 stars innit

yeah i mean its fine. like i dont actively dislike it but i wouldnt go out of my way to listen to it. i like 'starlight' for its interesting chords, but really disliked 'jungle' - mainly because it was shit - didnt mind 'big wheels', 'mr blue sky' would be worse if it wasnt nostalgic

Love me some ELO. Always loved their sound. And this is a great album...start to finish.

I love ELO, but this album does become a bit repetitive overtime.

I liked this but did not love it. I kept waiting for it to really get better. On the three side of a 3.5.

Like it 3/5

The Disco Beatles. Sorry, I just call ‘em like I see ‘em…

Much better tjan anticipated. Jeff lynne is an a amazing arranger and composer and even with all he has done he is still not recognized enough

I have to say, I really liked this one, and it surprised me. I had purchased two or three ELO albums back in the 70s, and by the time this one came out I was quite tired of them. Everything kind of sounded the same to me. I didn’t hear Mr. Blue Sky until much later in life, but really did like that one. But needless to say, I had low expectations for this record, but I really did like it a lot. Probably would give it nine out of 10, so I’ll round up to a five. If I see this used in a vinyl store someday, I’ll pick up a copy unless it’s too expensive.

Rock on baby! What a fantastic record. Inject those furious strings. This is a masterpiece in pop rock arrangement. Every track is so enrapturing to air guitar desire. The big 3 singles deserve all of their status. A wonderful hour of enjoyment.

It's a hard album to hate. The only song I knew coming in was Mr. Blue Sky but a lot of the other songs have that cheery upbeat tone to them. The synth motif used throughout is interesting. Just a fun and enjoyable listen. 8/10

Overall really enjoyed the album, sounds like Queen with a robot voice megaphone. Album is long though and felt hard to get through.

An absolute gem. Transports you to a different mind state. Also you have to applaud the creative risk for combining orchestral instruments with a rock band.

ELO transports you to another world with whimsical romantic orchestral rock. Rarely is pop music this interesting and catchy.

Very cohesive sound through the album - Stand outs are Mr. Blue Sky (duh) and Turn to Stone (great opener). Definitely of the time but also a classic.

Some absolute gold on here, but it's a little too long.

I have a soft spot for ELO, I like their signature orchestral/rock mash-ups! I'm giving this one 3 (One full star for the very 70s album art!)

This album was really fun - I knew a few of the tracks already but had never listened to a full album before! Its pretty joyful fun music, a tad long but I'd revisit!

Lots of classics but a few completely forgettable ones too.

4 - this album to me is a 1:20 lead up and cool down to Mr Blue Sky, and it might never be anything else

Geht so

I enjoy the occasional string arrangement on a rock song, and I can’t think of anyone that does it better than ELO. Jeff Lynne is a master at his craft. I just don’t know about a double album of it. This album is full of fantastic, incredibly well composed songs and it deserves 5/5. But I just can’t get into it that much. I’m the one who’s wrong here.