ON THE THIRD DAY

I can't get over the difference in sound between this 1973 release and the next one "Eldorado". Much better production and sound quality here with "On The Third Day" and it's just more my style of music as well. This one while still very much tapping into what THE BEATLES did is a pretty good rocking record. "Eldorado" is dominated with orchestration and the sound quality is not good, There's no way I could go more than 3 stars with it. Sure that style would be the key to Jeff Lynne and ELO's success but for my tastes give me that gritty, slicing cello any day and that harder edged record.

Like "Eldorado" there are two songs I recognize, probably from listening to FM classic rock stations. "Showdown" is one I really like but wasn't the biggest fan back in the day. Also "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" is the other one I know and this rocks pretty hard, no doubt a good live track for these guys once upon a time. I can't believe Marc Bolan is playing guitar on this one along with the next tune "Dreaming Of 4000". Marc has been on some good Fusion albums and speaking of that check out the final 30 seconds of "Oh No Not Susan" with the Jerry Goodman-like violin.

Back in the day when I was 17 years old and finding my way musically I did check these guys out by buying "Out Of The Blue" for the very happy "Mr. Blue Sky". Interesting that the RYM site has the four straight albums beginning with "Eldorado"and ending with "Out Of The Blue" as their highest rated. And add "Time" from 1981. I'll take the "The Third Day" thankyou.