Fire On High/Waterfall/Evil Woman/Nightrider/Poker/Strange Magic/Down Home Town/One Summer Dream
Face The Music was where ELO continued their transition from a classically inspired progressive band into a commercially successful pop supergroup. Featuring Evil Woman a top ten hit in both the US and UK. (US:8)
“This is where ELO really begins to develop into a commercially successful band, with much more pop weaved into the orchestration. I love this album but it is really the end of the experimental symphonic stuff that I liked the most.”
“Very smooth and soft symphonic rock, with a bunch of progressive and art rock influences as well. The material is well written and tightly performed, but at times it gets a bit boring, as some elements do tend to sound a bit repetitive.”
“This is a fantastic set of songs, particularly the crashing drums and irresistible groove of Nightrider, and the ridiculous approximation of Brits executing a hoedown in Downtown Home Town. Violins shriek, clavinets pout, strings swell, moogs send out funky rhythms, all the while Lynne and his backing muses roaring along, coming into their own distinctiveness. ELO are now unstoppable.”
“Face The Music sees the band moving in a much more commercial direction, with songs such as Evil Woman being well-crafted pop. The more progressive and classically-influenced pieces seem lacklustre and unenthusiastic, as though ELO were simply going through the motions of providing something for their prog audience but didn't have their hearts in it. This is a transitional album which won't impress those who liked their earlier, more progressive material, and has too much filler to be good value to fans of their pop period.”
“The face of radio was changing and by this time FM as a format effectively ceased to exist. Many bands began changing their styles, leaving the excesses of progressive rock behind them in a bid to become more commercial.”
“Face The Music presents a fine synthesis of pop and classical music. Merging rock and classical music was a brave and interesting move back in the 70s but it unfortunately had no real staying power as evidenced by Jeff Lynne jettisoning the string arrangements. Despite that shortcoming, this album is worth a listen.”
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