Out of the Blue

E.L.O.

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: November 1977
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000025DV
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (98 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #52,039 in Music (See Bestsellers 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. Whale

16. Birmingham Blues

17. Wild West Hero

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

ELO's fusion of Beatles-esque harmonies and melodic structure, coupled with their symphonic arrangements was just on the verge of wearing thin at the time they released Out of the Blue. To argue that the double album went platinum because of the band's live extravaganza to support it--the band performed inside a flying saucer--is a premise worthy of consideration. Song for song, Out of the Blue is not as strong as Face the Music, but it still has some of Jeff Lynne's finest compositions ever recorded. "Turn to Stone" and "Sweet Talkin' Woman" are almost downright giddy in their deliveries; the former opening with a string riff, the latter with a minor key violin line, before boasting a choral background accompaniment. "Mr. Blue Sky" and "The Whale" are almost too hokey, yet still managed to work. "Standin' in the Rain," "Big Wheels," and "Summer and Lightening" are more memorable. But in the end, power cello riffs can only take you so far. Stick with a "greatest hits" or "best of" collection in this case. --Steve Gdula

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jeff Lynne's masterpiece, March 19, 2004

By	native main-ah "steven_g" (Sedgwick, ME United States) - See all my reviews

You know those desert island discs people talk about? Those top 10 lists? This CD is one of those for me.

In 1977, I was a teenager, just graduated from high school, working the lightweight job. ELO's previous album "A New World Record" was in the 8-track deck in the Pinto a lot. I adored everything about that project and like a lot of ELO fans anxiously awaited the next release. When I heard it was going to be a double album I was prepared for the worst. After all, how many double album packages were great? OK, the Beatles white album was pretty good but I was afraid Jeff Lynne would produce a mess like the John Lennon "Number 9" thing at the end of the white album. (OK, you can direct the hate mail to me.)

But I was not prepared when I went to the record store in 1977 and plopped down almost four hours wages at the time to buy the 8 track on the day of release. I didn't open it up then, I went immediately home and relaxed a bit, put on the headphones and listened. Holy moley! I listened again. And again. I remember I listened to it 6 times that night. I couldn't get over the fact that there was nothing wrong with this album. Starting off with the single "Turn To Stone" and ending with the fantasy "Wild West Hero" I couldn't find fault. I instantly thought "Sweet Talkin' Woman" was one of the finest singles ever. "Jungle" a song about ALL the world and its inhabitants having one big party, the four song "concerto", "The Whale" one of the finest songs with whales singing the lead.

Each song evokes a different emotion and strong memories for me. This IS Jeff Lynne's masterpiece. I'd recommend buying a greatest hits package if you want ELO's biggies, but if you want to dig a bit deeper and get a sense of what a great composer and producer Jeff Lynne is (hey, he wasn't a "Traveling Wilbury" for nothing), then this 4 sided record on 1 CD is the to buy. Since that initial 8 track, I bought it on LP and now on CD, where it sounds as bright and crisp as the LP and of course 100 times better than the ol' 8 track. Where is that thing anyway?

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating album from a unique band, August 23, 2003

By	Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The ELO evolved from The Move, a late sixties pop group famous for Flowers in the rain and Blackberry way, but their music is noticeably different. Although my favorite ELO album is A new world record, this is a very fine album in it's own right. Originally released as a double LP, it is a classic example of ELO's music.

The standout track is Mr Blue Sky, a happy, upbeat song that was (at least in Britain) the biggest hit on this set - the other UK hits were Sweet talking woman, Turn to stone and Wild West hero. Although the hits were mostly upbeat, rocking songs, most of the album is actually quite mellow by comparison. Still, the blending of orchestral swirls with rock rhythms makes for interesting listening. I think the hits are actually the best tracks here, but there are several other gems, most notably Across the border and Birmingham blues.

If you are unfamiliar with ELO's music, I recommend you go for a compilation of which there are plenty to choose from including double CD's. However, if you like their famous songs enough to be interested in exploring further, you will find much to interest you here.

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Double Album, July 1, 2000

By	Candace Scott (Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

The knock on most double albums is, "Well, it would've been a great single album." People even say this about the Beatles white album. There is no such criticism here, ELO packed many marvelous songs on this fine work. It constantly amazes me that critics loathe ELO, radio stations refuse to play their music and they have been relegated to the scrap heap of music. Why? Jeff Lynne wrote some of the most amazingly durable and futuristic songs of anyone of that era. Beatlesque in his arrangements, his lyrics are oftentimes more probing and clever than most of what McCartney churned out in the 70's.

ELO's music continues to inspire, bring a smile to your face and awaken you from the doldrums. This is a fantastic album, you can listen to it without skipping a song, it's that good.