Electric Light Orchestra

Out of the Blue

ELO's magnum opus. Approach with caution.

Review Score:

(6/10)
And so it came to pass ... if "Face The Music" was the ignition, and "A New World Record" the lift-off, then this album, "Out Of The Blue", sees the Spaceship ELO at full throttle. Destination : Global Superstardom. In 1977 Jeff Lynne's unique sound of orchestrated rock reached its zenith with the relase of this sprawling behemoth of a double album. The beautifully illustrated sleeve of the exterior and interior of a giant spacestation floating high above the Earth and the lavish, intricate, portraits of the (frankly hirsute) band inside are as well known as the music. Complete with full lyrics, never before or since has an ELO album looked so darn good. Musically, Lynne goes all out, and tries to outdo "A New World Record"... and for me anyway, fails to do so. A lot of people will disagree with me - the high points on this album are indeed as good as anything Lynne has ever done : the mighty "Turn To Stone" single thundering along on its heavy synth-bass opens the album; the catchy, airy "Sweet Talkin' Woman" follows it up; the AM radio friendly fodder of "Mr. Blue Sky" (with its gloriously overdone, pompous one and a quarter minute coda !); the cracking "Sweet Is The Night"; and who could forget the grandiose closing track "Wild West Hero" - absurd, cliched lyrics - but the sweep of strings during the chorus are possibly my favorite ELO Moment. But before I get carried away in the rush of sentiment, there are quite a few lows on this album too. For a start, it's too long and there is a fair amount of filler liberally sprinkled throughout. "It's Over", "Starlight", "Believe Me Now" fail to impress, and if "O.O.T.B" is ELO's equivalent of The Beatles' "White Album", then "The Whale" is Lynne's "Revolution 9" : self - indulgent and boring. The "Concerto for a rainy day" side seems to go on for ever. "Jungle" is just plain dire - "Chooka chooka hoo la ley" ? Please. The production and mixing are spot on however, courtesy of the great Mack, and the orchestration on this album is as good as it ever got. Supported by a then state-of-the-art live stage show, complete with lasers (first time they were used for concerts) and a giant spaceship rising from the stage, this album logged something like two years in the charts, and propelled ELO to heights of fame that they would never manage to recapture in their later career. Close, Jeff, but no cigar.

More Reviews: