Out of the Blue by Electric Light Orchestra (CD, Jun...

One of ELO's finest albums gets a terrific, deluxe reissue that recalls the original vinyl 2 album release. The packaging on the outside looks like a bit like a hardcover book (similar looking to David Gilmour's "On An Island" album). Inside we get an expanded booklet with notes on the making of the album. We also get the punch outs that you could use to make the ELO spaceship as with the original release. Naturally, it's not quite as large as the original pop out ship--it's sized to fit inside the booklet. We get terrific photos from the tour that supported this album as well. Lynne also provides ancedotes about the making of the album and a couple of amusing stories about the tour.

The 30th anniversary issue was a strictly limited one-off pressing in hardback book with expanded 24-page full color booklet. It features full-length sleeve notes by Jeff Lynne and ELO archivist Rob Caiger, as well as rare photos and memorabilia. A push-out replica ELO Space Station for this version was released as well as the standard jewel case edition with a full colour 12-page edited booklet. The album once again reached the top twenty album charts in the UK peaking at #18. A sixth single "Latitude 88 North" was released as digital download single.

This is one of ELO's most infectious albums and while it may lack some of the more experimental touches on the band's first three albums, there are plenty of melodic experiments here such as the sythesizer driven "The Whale". "Turn to Stone" has never sounded so good on CD before. While the band would continue to put out hits after this, "Out of the Blue" captured the band at a commerical and artistic climax. They never got better than this! Be aware that there is a minor tape drop out on one track ("It's Over") which I'm surprised wasn't caught prior to issuing the CD. They could have digitally repaired it.

We get three bonus tracks. The first is an alternate bridge for the song "Wild West Hero" and runs about 24 seconds. The second is an unfinished instrumental "The Quick and the Daft" that runs under a minute and a half. The last is "Latitude 88 North" which Lynne finished for this reissue. It's a terrific song that would have fit in well with the rest of the album. I'm glad that Lynne went back to finish it as it makes a fitting finish to a terrific album.

Track listing
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 _____________________ (concerto for a rainy day) 10. Standin' in the Rain 11. Big Wheels 12. Summer and Lightening 13. Mr. Blue Sky _____________________ 14. Sweet Is the Night 15. The Whale 16. Birmingham Blues 17. Wild West Hero _____________________ BONUS Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks 18. Wild West Hero (Alternate Bridge Home Demo) 19. The Quick and The Daft 20. Latitude 88 North
Details
Playing time:	80 min.
Producer:	Jeff Lynne
Distributor:	Sony Music Distribution
Recording type:	Studio
Recording mode:	Stereo
SPAR Code:	AAD
Album notes
Electric Light Orchestra: Jeff Lynne (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Mik Kaminski (violin); Hugh McDowell, Melvyn Gale (cello); Richard Tandy (keyboards); Kelly Groucett (bass); Bev Bevan (drums, percussion). Nowadays, 1977 is remembered as both the year of punk and the year of disco. At the time, though, it was the year of Fleetwood Mac's RUMOURS and Electric Light Orchestra's OUT OF THE BLUE, two albums that were simply inescapable. But where overexposure made RUMOURS feel somewhat stale and dated, OUT OF THE BLUE sounds as fresh now as it did at the time. This is due in large part to the obsessive insularity of Jeff Lynne's aesthetic. He seems not to be ignoring musical trends, but to be simply unaware of them. Lynne's mid-period Beatles fixation combines with his love of lush orchestrations and pristine production to create some of his strongest music, including the enormous hits "Turn to Stone," "Sweet Talkin' Woman" and "Mr. Blue Sky." However, the autobiographical "Birmingham Blues" suggests that Lynne was tiring of the rock-star grind, which might explain ELO's lowered profile after this release.
Editorial reviews
5 stars out of 5 -- [I]t shows ELO at their most lush and broad: the choral arrangements have something of '30s Hollywood, the strings arrive simultaneously from several eras -- past and future... Mojo   4 stars out of 5 -- The symphonic pretensions and STAR WARS-via-Sergio Leone imagery have impacted everyone from Air to Muse. Uncut   4 stars out of 5 -- Their virtuoso musicianship dazzled. But the real genius was in the songwriting and wonderfully unorthodox arrangements.