Out of the Blue: 30th Anniversary Edition (W/Book) [Extra tracks, Limited Edition]

E.L.O. | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 20, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Limited Edition
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000LE0THO
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #48,121 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Turn To Stone

2. It's Over

3. Sweet Talkin' Woman

4. Across The Border

5. Night In The City

6. Starlight

7. Jungle

8. Believe Me Now

9. Steppin' Out

10. Standin' In The Rain

11. Big Wheels

12. Summer And Lightning

13. Mr. Blue Sky

14. Sweet Is The Night

15. The Whale

16. Birmingham Blues

17. Wild West Hero

18. Wild West Hero

19. The Quick And The Daft

20. Latitude 88 North

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! Great deluxe packaging for a classic album with one minor flaw..., February 20, 2007

By 

WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Out of the Blue: 30th Anniversary Edition (W/Book) (Audio CD)

One of ELO's finest albums gets a terrific, deluxe reissue that recalls the original vinyl 2 album release. The packaging on the outside looks like a bit like a hardcover book (similar looking to David Gilmour's "On An Island" album). Inside we get an expanded booklet with notes on the making of the album. We also get the punch outs that you could use to make the ELO spaceship as with the original release (except this time I'm not going to be punching out them). Naturally, it's not quite as large as the original pop out ship--it's sized to fit inside the booklet. We get terrific photos from the tour that supported this album as well. Lynne also provides ancedotes about the making of the album and a couple of amusing stories about the tour.

This is one of ELO's most infectious albums and while it may lack some of the more experimental touches on the band's first three albums, there are plenty of melodic experiments here such as the sythesizer driven "The Whale". "Turn to Stone" has never sounded so good on CD before. While the band would continue to put out hits after this, "Out of the Blue" captured the band at a commerical and artistic climax. They never got better than this! Be aware that there is a minor tape drop out on one track ("It's Over") which I'm surprised wasn't caught prior to issuing the CD. They could have digitally repaired it.

We get three bonus tracks. The first is an alternate bridge for the song "Wild West Hero" and runs about 24 seconds. The second is an unfinished instrumental "The Quick and the Daft" that runs under a minute and a half. The last is "Latitude 88 North" which Lynne finished for this reissue. It's a terrific song that would have fit in well with the rest of the album. I'm glad that Lynne went back to finish it as it makes a fitting finish to a terrific album.

My only complaint is that the disc slides into the packaging which increases chances of it getting scratched (mine had some minor scratches on it but nothing to effect the quality of the music (it just makes the surface of the disc look rough). Other than that the packaging is nicely designed. I'm not sure why they didn't include one of those little spindles like the Gilmour CD to hold the CD in the case and not damage it.

I have heard that the first Japanese pressing of this sounds better than this one but I can't compare it as I've only had the US CD issued over a decade ago. It compares favorably to the origina vinyl version. According to audio remastering engineer Steve Hoffman (at his forum), this is the best sounding of the editions released on CD and also sounds the closest to the original mastertapes of all the previous releases.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OUT OF THE BLUE: 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION (W/BOOK) FINALLY!!!! IT'S ABOUT TIME. I ADMIT IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT............., February 20, 2007

By 

Patrick Miller "SAUROPOD" (NEW YORK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Out of the Blue: 30th Anniversary Edition (W/Book) (Audio CD)

First the negatives, as there are only two. 1: there are no song lyrics as there was with original lp. 2: To pull the cd out of its envelope is quite a challange, use extreme caution when removing the cd, as it is extremely tight, as you would not want to damage the cd in anyway. My advice would be to burn a copy and use it for listening, keep the original "Out Of The Blue" cd in stock. All that aside, the rest of this review is all positve. Beautiful package by Sony, the 24 page booklet is extremely informative, the pop out space ship is a nice retro 1970s treat. Elos most commercial album release is not as experimental as their earlier releases but is definintly a synth masterpiece that leaves experimenting far behind. As I listen to "Out Of The Blue" I hear how Jeff Lynne and Elo have matured at this stage of their careers, the result is a mind blowing recording masterpiece. Commercial as this album was, Elo broke the mold with "Out Of The Blue" as they never appraoched this level of creativity and popularity ever again, despite many excellent recordings after "Out Of The Blue". "Out Of The Blue" catches Jeff Lynne and Elo at their creative zenith. This original lp recording was done with care and precision during its production in 1977. Every song is treated with that Jeff Lynne touch, that every song on an lp should be treated like a single, as every song is a story and not just filler on an lp. "Out Of The Blue" is in my opinion a landmark rock recording. A true synth masterpiece. "Out Of The Blue" speaks volumes of pop, rock, disco, fusion, jazz, blues and classical. "Out Of The Blue" is a true Elo magnum opus. What more can I say? you ask, the remastering is incredible and life like as every instrument is heard in its own seperate space. Especially the synthesizers on "The Whale" the sound is life like. I swear at times listening to this cd, an Elo chorus was inside my speakers. Harmoniously the remastering really stands out as you hear the Elo voices fresh and new like you did during "Out Of The Blues" release in 1977. I waited along time for "Out Of The Blue" to be remastered, as I own all the Epic Legacy Elo remasters. There are also 3 bonus tracks 18."Wild West Hero" - (alternate bridge mix, previously unreleased, bonus track)19. "Quick And The Draft", The (previously unreleased, Bonus 20."Latitude 88 North" - (previously unreleased, Bonus). I admit the wait was worth it. This newly remastered 30th anniversary limited "Out Of The Blue" edition is a well thought out cd package release that transports me back to 1977-1978. A must own for any fan of music. Special praise for Jeff Lynne for an incredible supervised remastered edition of "Out Of The Blue". Its 1977-1978 all over again, only this time it isn't with a double lp set................

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still a great album after all these years., July 23, 2007

By 

Dark Star-The Other One (The Bus To Never Ever Land) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Out of the Blue: 30th Anniversary Edition (W/Book) (Audio CD)

I still remember this album from when it came out. I remember the tv ad with two teenagers making out in a car and all of a sudden a flash of light. "What's that?" she asks. He replies "Why it's the new album from the Electric Light Orchestra" while pulling it down from the roof of the car. This album starts with the big hit Turn To Stone and already you can here the disco influence that would become more prevalant on the band's Discovery album. Still, it is a good song. It's Over has always been one of my favorite ELO songs and it's never sounded better than on this edition. Back when this album came out, I couldn't stand the hit Sweet Talkin' Woman but it really doesn't sound as bad now. Across The Border is fun. Night In The City and Starlight are both nice enough. Jungle, Believe Me Now and Steppin' Out are great songs. Jungle is fun. Believe In Me Now and Steppin' Out show Jeff's Beatles influence and are better for it. What used to be side three is Concerto For A Rainy Day and is/was the most consistant side of the old album including the third big hit, Mr. Blue Sky. Sweet Is The Night is nice. The Whale is another great song. Birmingham Blues is only ok and Wild West Hero is better. The unreleased bonus tracks are short but good. It is to Jeff's credit, that unlike most two record sets at the time, there are no real terrible songs on here. As far as the packaging of this one, I don't currently see what all the complaints are about. First of all, the Joe Gastwirt version came out in 1987 and not 1990 and as far as a few brief dropouts, those are on the master tapes. Most albums recorded in the late '70's have this problem as the tapes actually fall apart and need to be "baked". I like the fact that they went for a version that actually sounds like the master tapes which makes this sound more like the original release and not overly remastered(IE new mixes, erased parts and stuff like that). My first copy of this was from 1977(without dropouts) and in 1982 I bought a fresh copy but by that time the dropouts were already there. The Gastwirt version was from a cleaned up vinyl copy and the dropouts are on there too as well as the box set versions of the songs. As far as the box, I've gotten cd's that have been worse packaged than this one including a couple by ELO. I would suggest putting a wrapper around the box to help keep it from getting too dinged up. I like the fact that there's a mini version of the put it together spaceship that used to come with the lp and I like the interview with Jeff Lynne. I should add that the other new version comes with an edited booklet and doesn't have the nice stuff that this one does.