I did a search but couldn’t find a previous thread. Anyway, I know we have some rabid ELO fans on this board beside myself. JL’s ELO’s “From Out Of Nowhere” came out almost a year ago, but I finally got around to getting myself a copy. I thought it was awesome! I was underwhelmed by “Alone In The Universe” a few years ago, so didn’t rush to spin this one. But now I’m sorry I waited! I think it is as good as anything they’ve done. Sure, most of the songs remind me of other songs from past albums, but they are still enjoyable and fresh.
My favorite songs so far are “Down Came The Rain,” “One More Time,” and “Time Of Our Life.” But the rest are good, too, What do the rest of youse guys think?
I really enjoy it; I had pre-ordered it before it came out last year, and I think I got it in the mail on release day. The songs are, as one would expect from Jeff Lynne, intricately and lovingly produced. There’s a good mix of uptempo and slower songs, and I feel like most of them would have fit well on older ELO albums.
Years ago, I had decided that we were unlikely to get any more new albums from ELO, and to have now gotten two all-new albums in just a couple of years is an unexpected treat.
I’ll disagree with you on Alone in the Universe, which I love, though I acknowledge that the songs on that album are mostly slower-paced – they’re beautiful songs, but they represent only one aspect of Jeff’s songwriting and performing. Jeff has said that he wrote “I’m Leaving You” as an homage to Roy Orbison, and it really sounds like it could have been a Roy song – it’s probably my favorite song on that album.