Musical Time Travel (Irony Not Included)

Review Score: (8/10)
Almost exactly twenty years ago, I was over at the house of a friend of mine, and he handed me a cassette he'd just purchased -- "Time" by ELO. "Ugh, ELO," I think I said, remembering their sugary roller-disco pop from the '70's. "Time" surprised me, though, and become one of my favorites. The album's "futuristic" sound seems a little quaint today, but its melodies are really quite innovative, and its melodramatic concept still works. And you know the best thing about this album? There is no hip ironic posturing to be found here; it isn't tongue in cheek or cynical. In a world utterly exhausted by irony this is refreshing (and this new digital version, by the way, is exceptionally crisp...this album really benefitted from being digitally remastered). The three bonus tracks are interesting to hear now, since they were apparently recorded during the original "Time" sessions. "Julie Don't Live Here" would have fit seamlessly on the original album, as it blends a sweet pop hook with surprising twinges of regret and loss. "The Bouncer" and "When Time Stood Still", on the other hand, sound like the same uninspired filler that ultimately sank the "Secret Messages" album a few years later. Nevertheless, "Time" was one of the best albums from 1981, and if you've ever thought of buying it, now's the time.

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