Electric Light Orchestra - Out Of The Blue / Balance Of Power

Classic and lesser ELO

For anyone with an ear for sweet 70s soft-rock, there’s little better than ELO’s 1978 double album, Out Of The Blue. It’s bolstered here by a short alternate bridge snippet, the upbeat choral instrumental of The Quick & The Daft, and the pleasing Latitude 88 N (all previously unissued).

It’s hard to find a weak link in the album proper. Jeff Lynne and co weighed in with their most sunkissed effort yet, with rich harmonies, strings and bold, temperate rock in evidence throughout. Among the singalong standards are the effects-laden Supertramp-like Sweet Talkin’ Woman, Latino-edged Across The Border, and regal Believe Me Now. Amid one or two soporific moments, Mr Blue Sky perks things up in time for anthemic closer, Wild West Hero.

As for 1986’s Balance Of Power, among the seven add-ons (five unissued), there are better, rockier versions of some album tracks. They sound like classic ELO, without the horrid 80s synths. In For The Kill and two B-sides also add lustre. The 10-song set itself has a mix of Tom Petty and Giorgio Moroder on So Serious, the tinny Secret Lives, a Roy Orbison-esque go at Endless Lives and the skiffley Send It. Without Someone could be REO Speedwagon, braking.

4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

SonyBMG | 82796942722 / 82796942792

Reviewed by Tim Jones
<< Back to Issue 334

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