Best of ELO

Representing a series of ELO albums (from Eldorado to time), I would like to pay homage to the 1977's the heart of this magnificent stage of the creation of Jeff Lynne and his men here. What specifically Jeff Lynne has done at this stage and with this album, is hard to put into words (myself am so ne kind of music producer and know what I'm talking about). The man composes and writes the lyrics everything is producer, plays all the guitars, is lead singer, makes most backings and arranged essentially the Orchestral arrangements. Lynne knew how to blend into its high-quality compositions elements of rock, pop, romance, classic, effect and synthetic sounds and always to keep sight of the song and the album as a whole. In particular, string and choral elements serve exclusively the songs and help them to special quality. One never has the feeling that it's only a matter of making an on classic rock, so it just sounds so. Always the whole is in the foreground.

Amazingly that's at the fast tracks like Turn To Stone, Sweet Talkin Woman and Across the Border, the go despite strings from really good. Lynne's real specialty is his ballads, here you get all the ELO full wash cycle on melodies and sophisticated harmonies in ingenious sound robe. After the bombastic introduction by Believe me now Steppin out is the first example (wonderful what the strings play here), the latest big wheels is simply just pure pleasure and the final track Wild West hero finds himself in any case hardly anything comparable (perhaps Music by John Miles ??).

Out of the blue also offers some works of art that can not be easily assigned to a division. It's over and standing in the rain, for example, and 'Sure' Mr. Blue Sky, ever heard like it? Since everything is in it, what's going on.

Jungle is my drop-out track, the Whale and Birmingham Blues falling for me a little off, but no problem with a playing time of over 70 minutes. Everything else is perfect, this figure is impressive indeed. Super also the pictures in the booklet, most notably the Jeff the chef's otherwise happy hiding behind sunglasses.

Lynne's most important helpers are the brilliant keyboardist Richard Tandy, who receives a special commendation in the credits and of course wonder violinist Mik Kaminski, the leaves like clockwork the sometimes stunning arpeggios of the leash. Drummer and bassist have at ELO known a rather tepid job ;-) (applies but rather for the previous albums), also there's still two people on the cello.

Here briefly what else I like more of ELO:

Even before the '74 Eldorado album there were works of genius such as from the sun to the world, Ocean Breakup, New World Rising, Daybreaker and 10538 Overture.

Eldorado: The album is a wonderfully mystical work of art in my ears.

Face the music: First commercial approaches and great sentimental Atmo in songs like Fire on High and One Summer Dream.

New world record: Not quite as perfect as Out of the blue, but on the way there with great timeless tracks like Living Thing (according to a survey in the UK officially annoying song of all time in terms of everyone has it, everyone hears him and nobody wants to admit it), the mega-ballad Telephone Line, the wonderful sensitively arranged ballad Shangri-La and hammer-opener Tightrope.

After Out of the blue ELO put on the peak of fame with Discovery another bestseller on the counter, very commercial, but still full of quality and end of the 70 almost overpowering success, not least because even more by the Xanadu project comparable hits flooded the market.

1980 saw the album Time, with light and shadow. The intro from Prologue and Twilight is an absolute hammer, 21st Century is the most beautiful ballad of the album. Here is the news would be actually an ingenious pop number, Lynne would not forget the chorus. Epilogue recalls one last time at the old ELO, now because, after Time they left him then (the songs to Jeff). Is partly interesting then not again until the 2001 album Zoom, practically a solo album by Lynne.

Little gag still on the sidelines, the title Midnight Blue Discovery I'd really like in a boy band version (a'la BSB earlier) with their typical Schmachtgesängen hear the girls would fall over rows. Of course, my original but would prefer at any time.