FACE THE MUSIC

Electric Light Orchestra

Crossover Prog

3.38 | 295 ratings

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ZowieZiggy
Prog Reviewer

What comes next to El Dorado ? Well, I must say that with "Face the Music" ELO does a pretty good job again.

Jeff is pursuing his idea to offer a great instrumental opener with "Fire One High". The intro sounds a bit similar to "Overture" from El Dorado in its initial pHase (but ELO will produce a lot like this). Nice piece of music, less intruiging but interesting. The pop orientation will be deeply visited of course (more and more should I say). But melodies are really nice and of course, deeply influenced by the Fab Four ("Waterfall" is a prefect example). The famous hit "Evil Woman"is a good rocking number : good rythm (piano-oriented), catchy melody again. Not their best number but very acceptable : pop music as nice as it could be with this so famous classic flavour. Same mood again with "Nightrider". Not a highlight, but a very decent song.

"The Poker" is one of my preferred number of this album : nice rythm changes (from good old rock'n'roll to mellowish ballad). Its rocking side reminds me of "Illusions in G Major" from "El Dorado". The album goes on very gently with "Strange Magic", another very nice ballad of master Jeff. The weaker song of the album is probably "Down home Town" : a country rock song which I donot really like, but it is really the only one of the album.

We'll go back to a strong melody-oriented pop song with the closing number : "One Summer Dream". Maybe a bit too repetitive, but still pleasant. As you have read, my feeling about this effort is rather positive : it is a very levelled album : no real highlights and only one weak moment. It is not a masterpiece of course but the type of album that you may listen to in its entirety to relax after a hard day. It was the last ELO album I bought at the time of release.

Three stars.

ZowieZiggy | 3/5 | 2007-4-10

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