So many new things to listen to, but this week’s album comes from my past. I have recently rediscovered Out of the Blue by Electric Light Orchestra. At $7.99 of my own money, it was the first record I ever bought. Though I used to lie and say it was Devo’s Freedom of Choice. For shame.
Out of the Blue was phenomenally successful at the time, and a high point for ELO. And it’s easy to see why. It still sounds wonderful, big and symphonic. There’s nothing wrong with this album, with song after song of layered, listenable pop, including ‘Turn to Stone’, ‘It’s Over’, and ‘Sweet Talkin’ Woman’ — and that’s just the first three songs. I’m gravitating toward side 3, known as ‘Concerto for a Rainy Day’. Jeff Lynne lets his classical muse loose, but doesn’t let it get in the way of the sunny masterpiece ‘Mr Blue Sky’. And at the end of the side, he returns to the theme of the ‘concerto’ with a flowing piano solo that sounds to me like nothing less than — I’m not kidding — Rachmaninoff. See if you don’t agree.
And now for the five.
Good Dancers by The Sleepy Jackson
Album: Cold Front: The Winter Chill Collective
One from a Perth band. A lovely sprawling song that could have been written by Prince in a strawberry field. In fact, is that the ghost of George Harrison on guitar? I might have to become a believer after all.
Debussy: Children’s Corner Suite – 2. Jimbo’s Lullaby by Peter Schmalfuss
Album: World of the Classics: Claude Debussy
If this is a lullaby, it’s an awfully dissonant one. The use of seconds isn’t comforting. Is this the mind of a child haunted by monsters?
Debussy makes me want to learn piano again.
Anaesthesia by Clouds
Album: Clouds [EP]
Clouds were a really talented band that never seemed to get out of Australia, like so many others. I was fortunate enough to catch them for an in-store at 78’s in Perth, as well as their farewell concert. This was in 1996.
Tighter songwriting than Veruca Salt, and they rocked harder than Lush, which whom they are frequently compared.
Planet Claire by The B-52’s
Album: The B-52’s
The B’s were the face of new wave in the early 80’s. It was easy to notice their fantastic dress sense and beehive hairdo’s, but listening today I notice how strong a guitar band they were, and how much they owed to surf rock. And, of course, b-movies, to which Planet Claire is a goofy sort of tribute. Few of their songs can match it for sense of humour.
Drowning [Group Home Demo] by The Cure
Album: Faith (Deluxe Edition)
You know what I love about the age we’re living in? Everything from the past is available and in digital. And one manifestation of this is the Deluxe Edition. Like the album? Get it. Really like it? Then why not go deluxe? You get the album, plus a second disc of rarities. You can choose your level of fan-ness! And of course, you can pick songs out of it with iTunes if you like. Everyone gets only what they want. Truly a perfect world. Except for the fact that I’ve now bought this same album three times.
It’s interesting to hear this early Cure song, which didn’t appear on the album. I can imagine how it might have sounded if it had been developed.
Love by Gecko
Album: Lizard Point
I think Gecko is one of the guys from Groove Armada. This is a very pleasant guitar riff, surrounded by a sample from ‘Love Will Keep Us Together’ by the Captain and Tenille. Nice.
27 April 2007 at 10:22 am
I say..There seems to be more than five, but I’m not complaining.
I love the cover of that Sleepy Jackson album. The girl with the violin on her. I want that.
And yay for Debussy and the advance of atonalism!
27 April 2007 at 1:35 pm
Yes, I decided to throw on a bonus track.
The actual Sleepy Jackson cover is different; this is on a Winter Chill compilation. This cover is nice, though. I think the ‘cello woman’ idea dates back to Man Ray.
28 April 2007 at 10:22 pm
Thank you for bringing back the famous random five! I used to play Jimbo’s lullaby when I was young and like you, questioned the soporific potential of the piece. It was fun to play though.
30 April 2007 at 3:06 pm
I remember some real fun times listening to that ELO album over at Patricks and staring at Bo Derek posters.
1 May 2007 at 3:14 am
Good times, good times. I bet Pat still has that poster up.
It’s too bad that symphonic rock became unfashionable, even though it was a bit wanky. It was pushed aside by the punk/new wave synthesiser invasion of ’78. I seriously hadn’t listened to this album for almost 30 years.
1 May 2007 at 9:17 pm
After a year of being in the new house I just finished unpacking the last of the boxes out of the garage getting ready for the young ones and lo, in a box I hadn’t opened in years was that very album… along with some olivia newton john and Elton John, Bad Company etc. I don’t think I’ve listened to any of these in that long as well.
9 May 2007 at 12:30 am
I have a “woe is me” ELO story! During the backmasking witch hunt of the late 70’s my family began playing all their records backwards to see if the voice of Lucifier was indeed present. Blondie got a passing grade. So did Neil Diamond (barely). However, ELO sadly was carrying the mark of the beast, we clearly heard Jeff Lynne garble backwards “marfleglinklesataaaaanarfglom”. So my mothers COMPLETE pristine collection of ELO records up to that date hit the bin. Ironically, Uriah Heep got lost in the shuffle and a few weeks later my Mom tried to burn her copy of “Demons and Wizards” and, I kid you not, it would not burn! Later we realized it was due to the thick wax cover on the sleeve which melted without burning. I was especially sad to see “Eldorado” hit the bin because I loved the cover art.
My sister and I have an in-joke whenever we hear an ELO or Jeff Lynne tune on the radio in the U.S. We turn to each other and say (in our best Casey Kasem voice) “The over-produced sound…of Jeff Lynne”. It’s stupid but it’s ours.