FACE THE MUSIC

I was so impressed by El Dorado that I had to run right out and get my hands on some more ELO. And so, I ended up learning a lesson. Just because one album blows your mind doesn't mean the next one in line will. Don't get me wrong, I don't really think Face the Music is a particularly bad album. In fact, I kind of like it. It has some old favourites like Strange Magic and Evil Woman. The problem arrives when you look at it from a more progressive point of view. It's a pop album. The way Fire on High and to a lesser extent Waterfall kick it off you probably wouldn't realize it at first. The album is polished and the songs are fun, but I was looking for something a little more adventurous out of ELO. I think a great crossover prog album probably has to pay equal attention to the progressive elements as well as the popular elements. In this respect I cannot help but compare Face the Music to it's predicessor since it is one of my all time favourites. El Dorado is approachable and at times toe tapping but it still goes out on a limb in a way that Face the Music never does.

In rewritting this review I have changed my rating from three stars to two and back about four times. It's been difficult to make up mind. If I could, I would give it a two and a half. I can't help but think many of my reviews are on the lenient side so I've settled on two for Face the music on my second pass. I recomend this album on it's popular music elements, but not it's progressive ones.