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Post by Lord Emsworth on Dec 23, 2020 9:34:13 GMT
What's yer verdict punks?
I've always had a soft spot for these two early gems...
Electric Light Orchestra - Roll Over Beethoven
Electric Light Orchestra - 10538 Overture
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Post by Lord Emsworth on Dec 23, 2020 9:37:53 GMT
And indeed Long Black Road...
Electric Light Orchestra - Long Black Road
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Post by andyloneshark on Dec 23, 2020 9:53:34 GMT
Pre-Punk Rock, as a young pupp there were four bands i saved my pocket money to buy records when i could afford it:
Alice Cooper
Kraftwerk
Wings
...and the Electric Light Orchestra.
Funny you should post this, as in recent months i have been playing my ELO albums again, after years of them being untouched.
For me, Face The Music was the last essential ELO album.
Here's Jeff and the boys playing Punk Rock in 1975...
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Post by personunknown on Dec 23, 2020 10:04:42 GMT
Grew up with the Harvest label years and still have the debut album with Roy Wood. Great clutch of singles Beethoven, Rockaria, 10538 Overture but then punk came along and the highly polished Jet albums were not for me. Their stuff sells well amongst all age groups.
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Post by stu77 on Dec 23, 2020 12:03:23 GMT
Out of the Blue is an excellent album..
Always loved this
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Post by Lord Emsworth on Dec 23, 2020 14:04:44 GMT
Pre-Punk Rock, as a young pupp there were four bands i saved my pocket money to buy records when i could afford it: Alice Cooper Kraftwerk Wings ...and the Electric Light Orchestra. Funny you should post this, as in recent months i have been playing my ELO albums again, after years of them being untouched. For me, Face The Music was the last essential ELO album. Here's Jeff and the boys playing Punk Rock in 1975... Never heard that before Andy, or indeed the Face The Music album (singles aside) It's good innit? |
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Post by andyloneshark on Dec 23, 2020 14:45:59 GMT
...For me, it's hard to decide which is the best ELO album... it's a toss-up between Eldorado and Face The Music ...but the latter has this STUNNER, so it wins
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Post by Lord Emsworth on Dec 23, 2020 14:52:38 GMT
...For me, it's hard to decide which is the best ELO album... it's a toss-up between Eldorado and Face The Music ...but the latter has this STUNNER, so it wins Another pleasing slice of magic You've inspired me to investigate both Eldorado and Face The MusicThank you Sir |
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Post by Lord Emsworth on Dec 27, 2020 12:10:33 GMT
Today I'm focusing on  A New World Record (1976)I've been loving the early LPs so thought I'd get to grips with the moment the albums started shifting in very large numbers. The singles aside this was not an LP I knew so was looking forward to getting stuck in. Gotta say it took a couple of play throughs to “get” this. I was already a firm fan of Telephone Line and Livin’ Thing which are both superb pop singles however the charms of opener Tightrope only emerged on the third play when I realised I was listening to an absolute stunner. I was already aware of Rockaria which is great fun and which harks back to earlier ELO when they genuinely tried to fuse rock n roll and classical music with, I think, quite a high degree of success. Check out early singles for more evidence, like Rockaria, they will guarantee a big grin on your face. ELO are really something. I love their ambition and how they fused elements of classical, opera, prog, doo wop, orchestral soundtracks, rock n roll, and pop. Jeff Lynne’s alternately melodic & gravely vocals are a pleasing addition to an already heady stew. I love clever pop music (see also 10cc, Sparks etc) but, to really elevate it, we need hooks and that’s where A New World Record scores highly. After a few plays it became ridiculously addictive. All nine tunes are hooktastic, hookalicious if you will. A life reaffirming soundtrack. What's yer verdict punks? |
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Post by personunknown on Dec 27, 2020 12:24:08 GMT
Rockaria as mentioned and the rocker Do Ya are my faves from that one. The last of their output I'll have any truck with. The follow up double disc Out Of The Blue was one lp too many and after that it's Discovery and Horace Wimp, Destroy!
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Post by Lord Emsworth on Dec 27, 2020 12:35:23 GMT
Rockaria as mentioned and the rocker Do Ya are my faves from that one. The last of their output I'll have any truck with. The follow up double disc Out Of The Blue was one lp too many and after that it's Discovery and Horace Wimp, Destroy! I can well believe that PU Next up for me is the debut, when Roy Wood was still involved....
The Electric Light Orchestra(1971)
Most histories claim that the initial idea for this spin-off group from The Move which combined rock and classical music was Roy Wood's and not Jeff Lynne's
The first two tracks are v different. Jeff's hard rocking "10538 Overture" is in stark contrast to Roy's baroque "Look at Me Now"
Looking foward to giving this a few spins to try and get to grips with it
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Post by andyloneshark on Dec 27, 2020 15:04:47 GMT
i asked my parents to buy me A New World Record as Christmas present in 1976, so just looking at the cover and inner sleeve bring back ALOT of memories of that winter. It was a further stage in a much more commercial direction, which in retrospect, i wonder if their notorious manager Don Arden was pushing them in, to globally go multi-platinum. In reptrospect, as a complete collection of songs, i don't like it as much as Face The Music. I remember buying the first ELO album which Roy Wood plays the Cello on aound 1974... apart from the classic 10538 Overture, it didn't really jell that well... but it's decades since i have listened to it, so maybe i should go back. ELO really began with this album for me after Roy Wood had left the band...  |
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Post by Lord Emsworth on Dec 27, 2020 15:19:46 GMT
i asked my parents to buy me A New World Record as Christmas present in 1976, so just looking at the cover and inner sleeve bring back ALOT of memories of that winter. It was a further stage in a much more commercial direction, which in retrospect, i wonder if their notorious manager Don Arden was pushing them in, to globally go multi-platinum. In retrospect, as a complete collection of songs, i don't like it as much as Face The Music. That point about Don Arden makes sense Andy I remember buying the first ELO album which Roy Wood plays the Cello on aound 1974... apart from the classic 10538 Overture, it didn't really jell that well... but it's decades since i have listened to it, so maybe i should go back. Gotta say, and based on only one listen, aside from the wonderful 10538 Overture it's borderline unlistenable It's completely different to their other albums that I've heard and they seem to have gone more for experimentation than hooks Interestingly Roy Wood's tunes feel more challenging than Jeff Lynne's which, given what he went on to do with Wizzard, surprises me ELO really began with this album for me after Roy Wood had left the band... I'm looking forward to getting stuck into ELO2. I'll give the debut one more go but I think it might get filed under "just not for me"  |
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Post by andyloneshark on Dec 27, 2020 15:40:49 GMT
With ELO2 they were mostly appealing to mildly militant beardy University Proggers, so the extended songs (with the exception of Roll Over Beethoven) tended to reflect that, but still a great leap forward from the first album, i'd say. On The Third Day (also released in 1973) is another early record by them that gets overlooked.  |
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Post by personunknown on Dec 27, 2020 16:00:29 GMT
Regardless of what you think of their actual musical content, the vinyl debut and 2 on Harvest are collectable items, go for about £25 each in excellent condition. Whereas, it's difficult even to give away the Xanadu film collaboration with Olivia Newton John....no love for that surely?
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