Electric Light Orchestra - Out Of The Blue (1977)

Note: the CD I listened to was the 2007 reissue.

It was the best of albums, it was the worst of albums. (OK, I'll admit that statement may be a little extreme, but I just couldn't resist showing off that I skimmed the Cliffs Notes for Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities when I was a freshman in high school.) What was the first half of this two album set is classic ELO while the second half is mostly unremarkable filler except for the best ELO song ever released, Mr. Blue Sky. Nonetheless, this is essential ELO listening.

Woulda made a helluva single album if Lynne had edited it to a single 40 minute LP as follows:

Side 1:

1. Turn to Stone
2. It's Over
3. Across the Border
4. Sweet Talkin' Woman
5. Jungle

Side 2:

1. Mr. Blue Sky
2. Night in the City
3. Starlight
4. Wild West Hero

Press of the time:

• Billboard: "a truly spectacular, multi-track extravaganza"
• CashBox: "their musical art is more of the enduring than the ever-changing quality."
• Rolling Stone: "perfectly hollow and bland rock Muzak."
• Record World: "Jeff Lynne's material maintains his usual high standard"
• Stereo Review: "First-rate pop"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #4
• CashBox: #5

Tracks: see above

Bonus tracks: Meh. Then again, totally unnecessary bonus tracks are the lifeblood of CD reissues, so you can't really blame 'em for trying.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Sweet Talkin' Woman reminds me of a hot West Texas summer in 1978 while Mr. Blue Sky reminds me of a wet, cold high school band bus in Austin for the UIL State Marching Band Contest in November, 1980. That song was a welcome relief from all the misery implied in the words "wet, cold high school band bus."

Previously revisited for the blog:
Alone In The Universe (2015)
Zoom (2001)
Time (1981)
Xanadu Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1980)
Discovery (1979)
ELO's Greatest Hits (1979)
A New World Record (1976)