Customer Reviews

New World Record

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It's far to say that Jeff Lynne picked up where the Beatles left off sans the ability to play any type of music. 1976's A New World Record showcases once again that Jeff Lynne is THE most overlooked singer / songwriter / producer / musician in the history of recorded music. E.L.O's trademark of scoring an orchestra to perfectly written rock songs is showcased no better than on this album. I grew up on this album as my father was quite fond of it for many years. One of the most dark, trippy and wonderful pieces of music can be found in the bridge section of "Mission." "And all the stars above, rain icy fingers down on me." True beauty, true genius. This is an unmatched masterpiece from Jeff Lynne and co. Give yourself a treat and purchase this gorgeous, flawless album.

What more could one want in a pop/rock album... except perhaps more songs? Many (including ELO's guiding light himself, Jeff Lynne) count OUT OF THE BLUE as ELO's brightest moment. And while there's no arguing the brilliance of that long-play release, may I make a case for A NEW WORLD RECORD? "Tightrope" is sheer brilliance; a seemless melding of orchestral grandeur with driving rock and roll. "Rockaria!" is a thrill a second, over-the-top romp. "Mission (A World Record)" is sad, chilling, and profound, and oh so lovely. Perhaps you've heard of "Telephone Line," one of ELO's biggest singles, which wraps bitter loneliness in a sweet candy coating. "So Fine" is a quirky, bright, danceable confection. The classic "Livin' Thing," another huge hit, is the textbook definition of pure pop, and "Do Ya" is one of the great rockers of the 1970s. "Above the Clouds" is simply sublime, a heavenly slice of balladry that wafts in and out all too quickly. Then, there is the gorgeous and majestic closer, "Shangri La," which is absolutely heartbreaking and haunting. Overall, A NEW WORLD RECORD is the perfect art pop/rock album that sits quite high indeed in the realm of stellar 70s releases. You don't want to miss it.

From the Electric Light Orchestra's inception from the ashes of the Move in 1970, bandleader Jeff Lynne's aim was to continue on the trail the Beatles had blazed, crafting pristine melodic pop against a backdrop of classical grandiloquence. Lofty ambitions, even for a talent of Mr. Lynne's magnitude. But on 1976's A New World Record ELO got as close as anybody ever has to picking up where the Fab Four left off - and that's the highest praise you can give them.

On this, their sixth LP, ELO refined the increasingly commercial sound of Eldorado (1974) and Face the Music (1975) into a polished, super-accessible hit machine. Their recipe for success went something like this: A) Create an exciting, instantly memorable melody that would do the likes of Paul McCartney himself proud. B) Put lyrics to it and perform with bassist Kelly Groucutt's and drummer Bev Bevan's solid foundation, keyboardist Richard Tandy's spacey synthesizers, and Jeff Lynne's fluid guitar work and spine-tingling falsetto. C) Frost it with coat upon lustrous coat of fluttery vocal harmonies, overdubbed guitars and synths, and bombastic orchestral flourishes. D) Bake for 1 hour at 400 F, let cool for 10 minutes, and enjoy.

This ingenious formula forms the groundwork upon which A New World Record is constructed. Not surprisingly, it produced three huge singles - the adrenaline-charged Do Ya, dynamic Livin' Thing, and crushingly bittersweet Telephone Line - but every last cut here could've been a hit. Don't be fooled into believing this stuff is formulaic or uninspired, however. Jeff Lynne, who wrote and arranged it all, is as imaginative as he is ambitious. His most impressive achievement is the fact that, despite its prominence, he doesn't allow the orchestra to overwhelm the songs. Rather, true to his aspirations, he turns it into an absolutely integral part of the whole. In doing so he makes Rockaria's overwrought blues-meets-opera sound almost effortless, lends the quasi-symphonic pretensions of Tightrope a sense of authenticity, and elevates the stunning closer Shangri-La to positively epic proportions, not to mention the rest. Quite an accomplishment, made all the more astonishing by the fact it could've gone so wrong.

Granted, A New World Record was a product of its time - feathery falsettos; quasi-prog showboating; string-laden (what some might call) overproduction; and an irresistable, state-of-the-70s commercial aesthetic. But if it's to be taken as any indication, them's was the best of times...

In 1976 ELO finally achieved global superstardom with the huge-selling "A New World Record" album. It is this record (along with the very good '75 effort, "Face The Music") that marks Jeff Lynne's creative apex. Lots of ELO fans will argue until they are red in the face that Lynne's '77 "Out Of The Blue" double album was the band's finest moment, but I think that this CD beats its overlong and sometimes self-indulgent successor hands down. It is a relatively short album (a touch over 36 mins) but it is packed with quality : the first three songs are the best opening tracks on any ELO album, two of them becoming hit singles ("Telephone Line" and the supremely silly, if highly enjoyable, "Rockaria!"). "So Fine" and "Living Thing" also became AM radio staples in the mid-70's, and a rockin' version of "Do Ya" makes yer speakers shake later on in the album. "A New World Record" for me is the perfect example of Lynne's vision : combining rock and classical instruments to grand effect. And here he succeeds splendidly. Ironically, despite huge sales and massive popularity, ELO continued to be reviled and ridiculed by the critics in the music press and indeed the whole punk movement would hove into view a year later determined to destroy the "pretentious dinosaurs of rock" forever... but 25 years later are people still listening to the snotty screaming of the likes of Sham 69? I think not. Just ask anyone in Milwaukee (see above). Well done Jeff : we salute you.

In 1976 Jeff Lynne and ELO rose to the lofty heights of rock superstars experiencing lifestyle few musicians ever dare to dream of. The future had been most definitely prepared with the previous two albums the majestic Eldorado and the more commercial Face The Music. and therefore it was with little surprise that A New World Record was a massive worldwide success. What did come as a surprise was just how big a success it proved. Upon it's release, it went straight up the charts on both sides of the Atlantic and everywhere else and quickly became one of the biggest selling albums of the year and of all time. What further added to the surprise was the complexity and depth of the songs on the album, each and every one a mini masterpiece in some way or other. Whether it was the feverish beat of Tightrope the majestic Shangr-la the energy of Do Ya or the depth of emotion within Telephone Line the album explored concepts and musical height only a few other popular albums or bands had done before them.
There was something almost frightening about the competency and mastery of Lynne's songs and production, something which left his peers within the music world looking woefully inexperienced.
The whole musical experience had well and truly gelled and Jeff Lynne and ELO entered their most popular and financially rewarding phase of their existence.
A truly magical album.

What more could one want in a pop/rock album... except perhaps more songs? Many (including ELO's guiding light himself, Jeff Lynne) count OUT OF THE BLUE as ELO's brightest moment. And while there's no arguing the brilliance of that long-play release, may I make a case for A NEW WORLD RECORD? "Tightrope" is sheer brilliance; a seemless melding of orchestral grandeur with driving rock and roll. "Rockaria!" is a thrill a second, over-the-top romp. Both "Shangri-La" and "Mission (A World Record)" are sad and profound, and oh so lovely. Perhaps you've heard of "Telephone Line," one of ELO's biggest singles, which wraps bitter loneliness in a sweet candy coating. The classic "Livin' Thing," another huge hit, is the textbook definition of pure pop, and "Do Ya" is one of the great rockers of the 1970s. There's not a weak moment on A NEW WORLD RECORD. If you've never heard it, it's about time that you did.

I won't repeat what others have said already, except to add that this album means as much to me at 41 as it did when I was 16 - possibly even more. Not only is it ELO's finest album, it is one of the most pleasurable recordings ever made in any genre - and I say that as someone whose listening tastes are dominated by classical music and jazz. One suggestion: could Sony do a new digital remastering of this (and "Out of the Blue")? The current release, albeit at a budget price, feels a little spartan, and this album merits so much more!

Ok, if you're like me, you had this growing up and either have the 8-track (omg) or perhaps the cassette tape. Now it's time to step up and get the CD. This particular album is probably the single best to own if you are not a devout ELO follower. They have gone through 3 or 4 really big sound changes throughout the years and if you want to get an accurate depiction of the various modes this album has most of them. Their earlier albums had a very chamber-esque sound to them whereas their peak late 70's albums had a very electric, rythmic sound to them. As time went on they became a bit more mainstream and vocal but managed to still give it that ELO flair we all admire. I agree with a reviewer that said "Tightrope" has to be the best track on the album. One thing I have noticed throughout my ELO enjoyment is that their songs and albums are tied to more great memories of my life than any other artist I can think of. That is what makes this album paramount in any audiophile's collection. It has such range from track to track that it's sure to please any fan regardless of which period they admire most. This is a solid buy and should come with a money-back guarantee because you would never have to cash in on it!!

ELDORADO is probably the best ELO record, but A NEW WORLD RECORD still stands as the DEFINITIVE ELO record. It was released just as the band approached super-stardom and became a multi-platinum smash. The production is superb. It is also chock-full of pop gems.

There are, of course, the hit singles. "Livin' Thing" and "Telephone Line" would both hog the airways well into 1977 while "Do Ya" and "Rockaria" reminded fans that Jeff Lynne still liked guitar-heavy mixes, at least sometimes. But even once we get past the hits, the quality is still high. Let's face it, "Tightrope" is probably the best track on the album, and "So Fine" would have probably surfaced as a hit single if it had been released on any other ELO record. "Above the Clouds" has almost a PET SOUNDS type vibe, while "Shangri-la" is another great moody closing track (with a big choral ending - you gotta love that!). "Mission" is another great progressive pop piece despite the preachy lyrics.

If you were going to buy 1 ELO record (not including a best-of collection) this is the one to buy.

Basically, ANWR is the best of ELO in my opinion. I think so because it's a balance between the early ELO that many fans love and then the more "commercial" ELO of later years that another faction of ELO fans love so much.

Every song is a gem, nothing is filler and it's beautifully crafted by all involved. One of the best albums of the 70s in my opinion