[BestEverAlbums]

Today's album of the day

Out Of The Blue by Electric Light Orchestra (View album | Buy this album)

Year: 1977.
Country:
Overall rank: 542
Average rating: 78/100 (from 355 votes).

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Tracks:
1. Turn To Stone
2. It's Over
3. Sweet Talkin' Woman
4. Across The Border
5. Night In The City
6. Starlight
7. Jungle
8. Believe Me Now
9. Steppin' Out
10. Standin' In The Rain
11. Big Wheels
12. Summer And Lightning
13. Mr. Blue Sky
14. Sweet Is The Night
15. The Whale
16. Birmingham Blues
17. Wild West Hero

About album of the day: The BestEverAlbums.com album of the day is the album appearing most prominently in member charts in the previous 24 hours. If an album, or artist, has previously been selected within a x day period, the next highest album is picked instead (and so on) to ensure a bit of variety. A full history of album of the day can be viewed here.

[Fischman]

Very fun album. Often maligned for being to poopy/mainstream/lightweight in the hits, and too long as a double overall, but still a great listen.

[rockinsteve]

It's my favorite ELO album. I like pretty much every track and I love the artwork! Thanks for bringing this album some positive attention.

[mickilennial]

Still unsure why ELO doesn't get enough attention. They were excellent.

[Romanelli]

Out Of The Blue would have been a great single album. As a double...you could easily lose The Whale, for starters. A horrid and wasteful instrumental. The first three tracks of the Concerto For A Rainy Day (?) can go, too. Take away the weaker tracks It's Over, Believe Me Now, and Night In The City...and here's what Out Of The Blue COULD have been:

1. Turn To Stone
2. Sweet Talkin' Woman
3. Across The Border
4. Starlight
5. Jungle
6. Steppin' Out
7. Mr. Blue Sky
8. Sweet Is The Night
9. Birmingham Blues
10. Wild West Hero

Much stronger.

This is the album where Jeff Lynne's production abilities surpassed what he was capable of as a performer. It's also the album where he started slicing the strings and replacing them with synths, a progression that continued on until ELO was pretty much unlistenable and done by Balance Of Power. Out Of The Blue has its moments...but it also has glaring red flags of what was soon to come. The album after their peak...the beginning of the end. Still good, but a turn in the wrong direction.
_________________
I'm leaning on the threshold
Of her mystery
And crashing through the walls
Of dying history

[bobbyb5]

[quote="Romanelli"]Out Of The Blue would have been a great single album. As a double...you could easily lose The Whale, for starters. A horrid and wasteful instrumental. The first three tracks of the Concerto For A Rainy Day (?) can go, too. Take away the weaker tracks It's Over, Believe Me Now, and Night In The City...and here's what Out Of The Blue COULD have been:

1. Turn To Stone
2. Sweet Talkin' Woman
3. Across The Border
4. Starlight
5. Jungle
6. Steppin' Out
7. Mr. Blue Sky
8. Sweet Is The Night
9. Birmingham Blues
10. Wild West Hero

Much stronger.

This is the album where Jeff Lynne's production abilities surpassed what he was capable of as a performer. It's also the album where he started slicing the strings and replacing them with synths, a progression that continued on until ELO was pretty much unlistenable and done by Balance Of Power. Out Of The Blue has its moments...but it also has glaring red flags of what was soon to come. The album after their peak...the beginning of the end. Still good, but a turn in the wrong direction.[/quote]

I agree. I'm a fan, but this is where they really fell off. Like you, I think they probably could have made a decent single album out of this. But unlike you, I think this is where the hits from this album were among the weakest tracks. Except for Mr. Blue Sky. I think summer and lightning came closest to equaling the old panache. But jungle and a few others you picked are fresh and different.

[rkm]

What do you guys think of Jeff Lynne in the role of producer on later albums for the likes of Roy Orbison and Tom Petty?

[boyd94]

[theblueboy]

[bobbyb5]