Electric Light Orchestra

Discovery

Stellar pop

Review Score:

(8/10)
DISCOVERY is a somewhat controversial album among ELO fans, with some referring to it as "Disco-very." This is a terrible misnomer, as only two tracks here are disco influenced. And, can you blame ELO's leader, Jeff Lynne, for experimenting? It was 1979 after all, and everyone from the Rolling Stones to Kiss to Rod Stewart were making forays into disco-fied beats, handclaps, and throbbing bass lines. Truth be told, this is not so much a "disco" record as it is a classic power pop/art rock confection that is filled with more hooks than a bait and tackle store. The kickoff track, the smash single "Shine a Little Love," does indeed have the disciplined stomp of disco, but it is layered with galloping guitars and swinging strings. It's one of those songs that makes it hard to sit still or to refrain from smiling. Things slow down considerably for the hauntingly gorgeous ballad, "Confusion," which is aeons away from disco, but still landed in the Top 40 as a stand alone single. The balladry continues with the sublime "Need Her Love," before the band kicks up the Beatlesque quotient with the whimsical, over-the-top "Diary of Horace Wimp." The next track is unquestionably disco, and unquestionably well-crafted: "Last Train to London," with a bassline that works its way under your skin. The song was another Top 40 hit from DISCOVERY. "Midnight Blue" is reminiscent of Roy Orbison with it's big, slow, echoy verses and sweeping orchestral majesty. The poppy "On the Run" is a sizzling, lighthearted synth-fest and "Wishing" is soulful and longing. Of course, the mammoth hit here is the rocking, fun-loving "Don't Bring Me Down," which is probably playing somewhere on the radio right now as you read this. Among the interesting bonus tracks included here on this expanded, re-mastered version of DISCOVERY is an awesome cover of Del Shannon's "Little Town Flirt," which reveals just how much Shannon influenced Jeff Lynne. The original LP graphics have been restored for this release; the superb artwork and typography set high standards for album packaging. Why DISCOVERY has been so maligned by some is a mystery. It's not, perhaps, as majestic as some of ELO's best "middle period" albums, but it is by no means weak. If you've only heard the four singles off of DISCOVERY, you're missing out on a lot of great music here. Discover this stellar pop gem.

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