Time [Remastered] - Electric Light Orchestra

...of the top fifty all time albums in another poll.

By 1981 ELO had hit their peak and were starting that gradual decline experienced by many established rock groups. However, Jeff Lynne still managed to bring out a classy album that has remained as one of my all time favourites over the years.
The most striking thing about Time is the total absence of ELO's signature, the big orchestral backing. Indeed, this album is quite conventional ...
...the album for the first time and asked to predict when it was recorded, one could confidently predict the year with near accuracy. But despite this Time stands up on account of the rollicking good tunes it thumps out, a mixture of pop and good rocking numbers.
Ironically, despite it's slightly dated feel, the theme of album is it's title, with many of the songs set in the future. It's predictions anticipate new forms of travel on Earth, (as ... more

I'm not afraid to stand up and say that I always have and always will be a fan of the Electric Light Orchestra. These days they are often derided, indeed a poll voted the track "Mr Blue Sky" the cheesiest record of all time. Big deal. It seems fashionable these days to knock this group, especially by those oh so hip DJs and pretentious music journalists but during their heyday in the mid to late seventies they were popular. Their sound, a mixture of pounding rock with heavily orchestral backing, really did sell well with regular appearances in the top five of the singles charts. The sound itself was a product of the inspiration of band leader Jeff Lynne, who as well as being lead vocalist also wrote most of their material. He himself had been inspired by the work of the Beatles, particularly such tracks as I Am The Walrus. Ironically, despite their alleged unpopularity today, I also noticed recently that their 1977 album Out Of The Blue was voted as one of the top fifty all time albums in another poll.

By 1981 ELO had hit their peak and were starting that gradual decline experienced by many established rock groups. However, Jeff Lynne still managed to bring out a classy album that has remained as one of my all time favourites over the years.
The most striking thing about Time is the total absence of ELO's signature, the big orchestral backing. Indeed, this album is quite conventional of it's period with it's use of synthesiser and guitars. If, after hearing the album for the first time and asked to predict when it was recorded, one could confidently predict the year with near accuracy. But despite this Time stands up on account of the rollicking good tunes it thumps out, a mixture of pop and good rocking numbers.
Ironically, despite it's slightly dated feel, the theme of album is it's title, with many of the songs set in the future. It's predictions anticipate new forms of travel on Earth, (as in Yours Truly, 2095) and in space (Ticket To The Moon). However, pessimism is voiced in The Way Life's Meant To Be, when Lynne voices his dismay with lyrics decrying the changes to the familiar things in life. That could be said for today. Was this penned during the start of a mid life crisis?

Top tracks on this album, in my opinion: Twilight, with the prominent drumming getting your foot twitching; Ticket To The Moon, lamenting of imminent departure and loss; Here Is The News, telling the news of the future to a cracking good beat; and Hold On Tight, which was released as a single, though I can't recall how far it got up the charts.

Yes there are a couple of naff tracks, such as Another Heart Breaks and The Lights Go Down, but all in all I'd recommend a listen, particularly those people who have always been turned off by ELO's trademark tune. This is something different.

Playlist:

1. Prologue
2. Twilight
3. Yours Truly, 2095
4. Ticket To The Moon
5. The Way Life's Meant To Be
6. Another Heart Breaks
7. Rain Is Falling
8. From The End Of The World
9. The Lights Go Down
10. Here Is The News
11. 21st Century Man
12. Hold On Tight
13. Epilogue
 

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