I fucking love ELO. For a long time now, I have argued that they are one of the most underrated bands in history. Not necessarily the best, mind you. But as far as I'm concerned, they're one of the greats. I've reviewed a few of their albums now, and I've listened to this one, Time, before, albeit a while ago now. And I wasn't entirely sure what to think of it at the time. I'm much more certain now. It really is an eccentric album, even by ELO standards, with a greater emphasis on electronics and an Alan Parsons Project prog rock feel in some parts. There's even less fiddling with strings here than there is with knobs and oscillators - ELO has traditionally been about the amalgamation of both - but the fiddles quite clearly play second fiddle here, if you will pardon the pun. And it came out at a time where many 60s and 70s act had proven themselves to be well past their prime and struggling to keep up with the pace of what the 1980s demanded from musos in an era defined by an era of aesthetics of futurism and the like. And even ELO themselves, as innovative and progressive as they were, weren't immune to this phenomenon plaguing many successful 70s hit makers. It is nowhere near the caliber of jems such as A New World Record or Out of the Blue. And subsequently, many reviews then and now haven't been so kind in their assessment of this record. But for ELO fanatics like me, it still has plenty of charm, and its more eccentric aspects are not just forgivable, but embraceable with a bit more attention paid to them. Side one is the more solid side here, with tracks like "Twilight" and "Yours Truly, 2095" being my top picks, with "Here is the News", and "Hold on Tight" being the best side two has to offer. This is really an album for ELO fans, but I hope everyone else comes to see the underrated record that it actually is. B+
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