ON THE THIRD DAY

With their third album (I wonder how you guessed that one ;-), ELO is continuing its transformation into a poppier outfit and this album is great step "forward" in that process, but you might want to still hang on to your prog-ropes for a few albums. Compared to the previous album, only one more "permanent member" (of the classic commercial line-up ) Kaminsky enters . Apparently this album, like its predecessors came out also with two different covers on both sides of the pond with again another spacey theme at hand on the other version than the one here in our beloved archives.

Opener Ocean Breakup/King Of The Universe are somehow still the fruits of their first astounding album, and can only impress the nay-sayers and its book-ending New World Rising is very impressive and should convince most stubborn and deaf progheads of ELO's prog credentials. In the meantime we had listened to Bluebird and Susan with its huge Beatles-esque flaunt of strings (and it is a treat especially with Lynne not really hiding his infatuation on the fab Four) especially on the awesome closing minutes. Following this almost uninterrupted flow of music (the tracks are almost linked), comes a huge hit Showdown, really setting in place the future of ELO's later 70's music. Deceptively simple and on a descending scale, this track is blood curdling if you dare let yourself get carried away by the easy melodies. This track (originally a non-lp single) has come under different version and the best one is not on this album, though. Apparently a concept album, (I can see a thread between some tracks) but the full story does not pop-up obviously to the eyes, I am not sure this track belonged to the album's storyline.

Side 2 starts with a rather upbeat instrumental Daybreaker, yet another rather impressive and inventive track (ELO are not virtuosi but these guys are a tight bunch of musos who know a thing or two about arrangements) but unfortunately the more RnR Ma-Ma Belle is rare flaw in an otherwise very good album. 4000 is a rather endearing but hardly perfect pop track that was probably a bold try, but came away flawed, but not failed. The finale of this album is yet another highlight heavily borrowing on you-know-who (nope, not those four ;-) for the main wolf theme although a tiny bit too repetitititititive.

After the average but open-minded proghead, this album will be anything but a masterpiece, but it will still be a bloody good album, much worthy of its collection and I certainly hope this review will set the record straight.