OUT OF THE BLUE

Out of the Blue is pretty much in the same vein as ELO's previous release, A New World Record. Again, it is solely a pop album from beginning to end, except this time it was a two-record (now one CD) release. The most notable thing about it is the fantastic flying saucer cover, one of the best album covers in rock history. However, the music is far from being spacey. It's basically filled with cheesy songs about nothing in particular with titles like Turn to Stone, Sweet Talkin' Woman, Night in the City, Mr. Blue Sky, and so on. This would be one of their most popular albums and one of their best sellers.

I must admit that I did find one song interesting, that being The Whale, with it's vocoder passages and actual recordings of whale song. Also of note is the four-track "Concerto for a Rainy Day" featuring Standin' in the Rain, Big Wheels, Summer and Lightning, and Mr. Blue Sky. However, this is not a progressive rock epic. It's just four pop songs tied together under a loosely related theme.

Overall, it's nice album, but it's not progressive rock. Therefore, I can only recommend this to fans and collectors only. All others avoid. Start with ELO II or On the Third Day instead. They are far superior to this.