Advantages: Some good songs, but... Disadvantages: A sad end to one of the UK's top bands of the 70s
When "BOP" appeared in 1986, nearly everyone thought ELO had quietly gone their separate ways. It might have been better if they had, for this farewell album was obviously an exercise in contract fulfilment that did their reputation no good at all. Much of it is so mechanical that it might almost be Jeff Lynne and a studio full of sequencers - in fact, it probably was. Guest musician Christian Shnieder (saxophone) contributes nothing of significance, ... ...shadow of its real self - or was he replaced most of the time by a drum machine? The best-known track and only Top 30 single, "Calling America", showed that Jeff could still knock out a reasonable song, as did the OK "Heaven Only Knows" and "Is It Alright" (well, just!). The subsequent single "So Serious" is even better, and in fact is perhaps the album's real saving grace. An attempt at electro-reggae-funk, "Send It", misfires, while there's yet ...
JOHNV 12.08.2000
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