From The End Of The World
"From The End Of The World" is the standout track from ELO's "Time".
Write a Review 5 Member Reviews
Surprising gem; bonus tracks shine
By autumn 1981, I'd thought ELO (my favorite guilty pleasure of rock) was out of gas. In college at the time, my mates and I had passed ELO over. Disco anthems and duets with Olivia Newton-John tend to dull one's enthusiasm. I was surprised at how good this was, both then and after playing it recently. Were it not so synthesized, it would be more popular still. Download it all: the three bonus tracks actually stand up to the rest of the album.
Influential
One of the last great ELO records, and like much of the early work by the band, a very influential one. The Sophtware Slump by Grandaddy sounds like a direct descendent of Time. I hear elements of this record, released just before the wheels came off for ELO, in much of the music I hear today. This is one of those rare albums that (mostly) still sounds fresh a few decades after it's initial release.
Vocoders: The original auto-tune. 4.5/5
Time, for me, is a bit "hit or miss." But I give it such a high rating for a few reasons: 1) Even ELO's lesser albums are still gold, 2) Twilight, 3) Yours Truly, 2005, 4) Rain Is Falling, 5) Another Heart Breaks, 6) Here Is The News, and 7) The vocoder work (listen to Prologue). As another concept album, Time does set an interesting feeling: a cold, dark, future where emotions have been replaced by circuit boards. There are a few poppy exceptions, though. Definitely a strange album, but it's very creative and still fresh even today.
ELO Time
I recommend this album for at least most of the songs. Jeff Lynne was at this point contractualy obigated for more albums, and his work showed. Even when he is not at his best, he is still a great pop song writer. By all means buy this album, just keep in mind that it isn't as good as his previous works.
