I don't like ELO.

I don't like classical strings slapped on top of a rock band, it always seems cheap, too easy and it almost always sounds the same as every strings slapped on top of a rock band. Talking about which as a rock band they're feeble. I don't like their Beatles pastiche stuff, why would I want to listen to this when it's as easy to just listen to the Beatles? And I don't like the effect that they put on the singer. And I don't like the songs. They're too AOR. Boring. Elton John. Well, they're not that bad, but they're getting there.

I think they were semi-passable when they had Roy Wood sawing wood in the background.


This album did their thing much better than anything I've heard by them, it's sound well produced, and it seems to work better than the other stuff I've heard. And it kept it short. I never want to listen to it again. But I will say it's probably their best album, of the post Roy Wood stuff.


I'm still thinking of what rating to give it.

Does this mean he won't want to hear their Synth-Pop albums?

They went synth-pop?

Why did no-one tell me?

After Xanadu, Jeff fired the string section and went full-on Synth-Pop - and Concept Album.

I put this whole album on my iPod the other day (I knew I'd be away for at least 24 hours) and listened to it when travelling back home from Walthamstow to South Hampstead.

I was very very tired and badly hungover but it was one of those hungover states where music is celestial and wonderful.

Anyway, a song from ANWR came on and I decided to listen to it properly from start to finish and...

Y'know, it's really wonderful.

Better than Eldorado.

So thoroughly entertaining.

Really really great.

When I was a kid I didn't like Rockaria at all, but now it's clear that it's delightfully entertaining.

I think there was only one track I was a bit cool on (and that wasn't in any way bad).

Anyway.

Not sure how I scored it this time, but if it was less than fünf sterne then shame on me.