A New World Record

Last updated

A New World Record
ELO A New World Record.jpg
Studio album by
Released15 October 1976
RecordedJuly 1976
Studio Musicland Studios, Munich, Germany; string and choral overdubs at De Lane Lea Studios, Wembley; fixes at Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles
Genre
Length36:20
Label
Producer Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra chronology
Olé ELO
(1976)
A New World Record
(1976)
The Light Shines On
(1977)
Electric Light Orchestra studio album chronology
Face the Music
(1975)
A New World Record
(1976)
Out of the Blue
(1977)

The band's frontman Jeff Lynne regarded his own songwriting at this point to have reached a new high.

"The songs started to flow and most of them came quickly to me. To have all those hits, it was just ...I mean amazing really. Going from doing okay for probably three or four years to suddenly being in the big time, it was a strange but great thing."

– Jeff Lynne 2006; A New World Record remaster

Patti Quatro, Brie Brandt (both of Fanny) and Addie Lee sang uncredited backing vocals on the album. [4] [5]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [6]
Christgau's Record Guide B+ [7]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
MusicHound 4/5 [9]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Record Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Sounds Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [13]
Melody Maker (favourable) [14]
New Musical Express (favourable) [15]

The album was well received by the music press. In the UK, Harry Doherty of Melody Maker recalled that when Lynne and Roy Wood had formed ELO it was to create "a group that would merge the excitement and colour of rock and roll with the clear lines of classical music", and that "A New World Record is, I feel, the closest that the Electric Light Orchestra have come to realising this". In his opinion the album "takes a giant leap forward... the most striking progression on this album is the use of orchestra and choir. Strings are no longer a novelty." In conclusion, Doherty stated that "A New World Record is ELO's best album in its seven-year history, the most complete of them all. They're a band who haven't yet gained the attention in this country that they deserve. Acquiring this album would be a fine way to change all that." [14] NME 's Bob Edmands complimented Lynne's songwriting, saying, "This is, in fact, a very ambitious album, possibly the most sophisticated the band have put out. But random experiments are no way to crack the States or to stay in favour there, and the complexity on this set is all in the service of strong melodic songs." Edmands also agreed with Doherty that ELO deserved to be recognised as a major outfit in the UK, saying, "Lynne and his band are in the front rank of the nation's rock experts, and it's time their standing was properly acknowledged at home". [15]

Robin Smith of Record Mirror said, "Combining electric guitars with highbrow symphonies is a pretty crazy combination, but for the ELO it works. Often the music borders on clumsiness and the lyrics are sometimes silly, but the band's sense of fun carries them through." [11] Tim Lott of Sounds declared that "with A New World Record Lynne has captured the essential atmosphere of sophisticated pop without sounding overblown or cheap. Each of the nine tracks is immediate, commercial, professional." He noted some minor failings with the record, but that they were outweighed by the album's positive aspects, and concluded, "There ain't a duff track anywhere. And trying to balance the superlatives with useless nitpicking and the 'relevance' of supposed old farts like Lynne would be sheer crap." [13]

In the U.S. Alan Niester had some reservations in his review for Rolling Stone , feeling that the record was something of a "treading of the creative waters" and that the group were at that point "a band, now peaking in popularity, that is attempting to supply audiences with exactly the sound they want to hear". However, Niester then went on to note that "Lynne has always been rather deft with the melodic hook, and both 'Livin' Thing' and 'So Fine' are irresistible additions to his list of catchiest tunes. Numbers like 'Mission (A World Record)' and 'Shangri-la' continue the history of classy orchestral stylings that really rock." He concluded, "By Christmas, A New World Record should be a staple in a million homes". [16] Robert Christgau stated that it was the album that changed his mind about the band, who he said had "made a Moody Blues album with brains, hooks, and laffs galore". [7]

In his retrospective review for AllMusic Bruce Eder compared A New World Record with ELO's follow-up, the double album Out of the Blue , and felt that the former album was the better of the two, being "a more modest-sized creation chock full of superb songs that are produced even better... A New World Record contains seven of the best songs ever to come out of the group. The Beatles influence is present, to be sure, but developed to a very high degree of sophistication and on Lynne's own terms, rather than being imitative of specific songs." [6]

Cash Box said that "the album holds together, with haunting cuts like 'Above The Clouds' juxtaposed against faster numbers like 'Tightrope.'" [17]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jeff Lynne

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Tightrope"5:00
2."Telephone Line"4:38
3."Rockaria!"3:12
4."Mission (A World Record)"4:24
Side two
No.TitleLength
5."So Fine"3:55
6."Livin' Thing"3:31
7."Above the Clouds"2:16
8."Do Ya"3:45
9."Shangri-La"5:34
2006 remaster bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
10."Telephone Line" (different vocal)4:41
11."Surrender" (previously unreleased; also released as a single)2:37
12."Tightrope" (early instrumental rough mix)4:55
13."Above the Clouds" (early instrumental rough mix)1:14
14."So Fine" (early instrumental rough mix)4:16
15."Telephone Line" (instrumental)4:51

The cassette tape version consisted of "Tightrope", "Rockaria!", "Mission", and "Shangri-La" on side one, with side two the same as the LP version's side two except for "Telephone Line" at the end in place of "Shangri-La". [18]

Personnel

Sourced from the original album liner notes unless where noted.

Additional personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [45] 2× Platinum200,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [46] Gold25,200 [46]
Netherlands (NVPI) [47] Gold50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [48] Platinum300,000^
United States (RIAA) [49] Platinum1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric Light Orchestra</span> English rock band

The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood with drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and classical arrangements with futuristic iconography. After Wood's departure in 1972, Lynne became the band's sole leader, arranging and producing every album while writing nearly all of their original material. From this point until their first break-up in 1986, Lynne, Bevan, and keyboardist Richard Tandy were the group's only consistent members.

<i>Face the Music</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1975 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

Face the Music is the fifth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released in September 1975 by United Artists Records and on 14 November 1975 in the United Kingdom by Jet Records. The album moves away from the large-scale classical orchestrated sound of the previous album, Eldorado, in favour of more "radio-friendly" pop/rock songs, though the string sections are still very prominent. The new sound proved successful for the group, for Face the Music was the first ELO album to go platinum.

<i>ELO 2</i> 1973 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

ELO 2 is the second studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1973. In the US, the album was released as Electric Light Orchestra II. It was the band's last album to be released by the Harvest label, the last on which the band used the definite article The in their name, and the one that introduced their abbreviated name 'ELO'.

<i>Out of the Blue</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1977 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

Out of the Blue is the seventh studio album by the British rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released on 24 October 1977 in the United States and four days after in the UK on 28 October. Written and produced by ELO frontman Jeff Lynne, the double album is among the most commercially successful records in the group's history, selling about 10 million copies worldwide by 2007.

<i>Discovery</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1979 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

Discovery is the eighth studio album by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released on 1 June 1979 in the United Kingdom by Jet Records, where it topped record charts, and on 8 June in the United States on Jet through Columbia Records distribution. A music video album featuring all the songs being played by the band was then released on VHS in 1979, then re-released as part of the Out of the Blue: Live at Wembley DVD and VHS in 1998.

<i>Time</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1981 album by Electric Light Orchestra

Time is the ninth studio album by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra, released in July 1981 on Jet Records. It is a concept album about a man from the 1980s who is taken to the year 2095, where he is confronted by the dichotomy between technological advancement and a longing for past romance. The record topped the UK Albums Chart for two weeks, though it attracted mixed reviews for its heavy use of synthesizers and stylistic shift away from the orchestral rock of previous ELO albums. It has since gained a cult following, particularly among retrofuturist enthusiasts.

<i>Secret Messages</i> 1983 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

Secret Messages is the tenth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1983 on Jet Records. It was the last ELO album with bass guitarist Kelly Groucutt, conductor Louis Clark and a full orchestra, and the last ELO album to be released on the Jet label. It was also the final ELO studio album to become a worldwide top 40 hit upon release.

<i>Zoom</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 2001 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

Zoom is the twelfth studio album by British symphonic rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released on 12 June 2001 on Epic Records. It was the first official ELO album since 1986's Balance of Power.

<i>Balance of Power</i> (album) 1986 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

Balance of Power is the eleventh studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released in 1986. It is the final album by the band to feature co-founder Bev Bevan on drums, as well as the last album to feature a significant contribution from keyboardist Richard Tandy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Livin' Thing</span> 1976 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Livin' Thing" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It appears on ELO's 1976 album A New World Record and was also released as a single. Patti Quatro sang uncredited vocals, particularly the "higher and higher" parts.

<i>ELOs Greatest Hits</i> 1979 greatest hits album by Electric Light Orchestra

ELO's Greatest Hits is a compilation by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released 23 November 1979. Despite being released after the album Discovery, this album omitted the band's most recent hits, "Don't Bring Me Down" and "Shine a Little Love".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strange Magic (song)</span> 1976 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Strange Magic" is a song written by Jeff Lynne and performed by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was originally released on their 1975 Face the Music album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evil Woman (Electric Light Orchestra song)</span> 1975 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Evil Woman" is a song recorded by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and written by lead vocalist Jeff Lynne. It was first released on the band's fifth album, 1975's Face the Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Bring Me Down</span> 1979 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Don't Bring Me Down" is the ninth and final track on the English rock band the Electric Light Orchestra's 1979 album Discovery. It is their highest-charting hit in the United States to date.

<i>Armchair Theatre</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Jeff Lynne

Armchair Theatre is the first solo album by Jeff Lynne, released in 1990.

<i>Electric Light Orchestra Part Two</i> (album) 1990 studio album by ELO Part II

Electric Light Orchestra Part Two is the debut album by ELO Part II, released in 1991. In March 1991, lead single "Honest Men" charted at number 60 on the UK Singles Chart, and 36 on the Dutch Top 40 chart. The track "Kiss Me Red" is a cover of the theme to the short-lived TV series Dreams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric Light Orchestra discography</span>

The discography of the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) consists of 15 studio albums, 7 live albums, 40 compilation albums, 13 video albums, 33 music videos, 1 extended play, 50 singles, 1 soundtrack album and 8 box sets. ELO have also sold over 50 million records worldwide.

<i>Eldorado</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1974 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

Eldorado is the fourth studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released in the United States in September 1974 by United Artists Records and in the United Kingdom in October 1974 by Warner Bros. Records.

<i>Alone in the Universe</i> 2015 studio album by Jeff Lynnes ELO

Alone in the Universe is the thirteenth studio album by British rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), and the first credited to Jeff Lynne's ELO. The moniker came out from Lynne as a response to ELO tribute and imitation bands, who repeatedly used ELO for promoting their own tours. Released on 13 November 2015, the album is the first of new original material credited to the group since Zoom in 2001, and the second since the group's original disbandment in 1986.

<i>Wembley or Bust</i> 2017 live album and concert film by Jeff Lynnes ELO

Wembley or Bust is a live album and concert film by Jeff Lynne's ELO. It was recorded during the Alone in the Universe Tour at Wembley Stadium. The album peaked at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart and at number 12 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums. The album was also certified silver in the United Kingdom.

References

  1. Simmons, Paul (9 October 1976). "Managers' Notes" (PDF). Cashbox . p. 31.
  2. "Recording News". NME . 30 October 1976. p. 2.
  3. "News Flashes". Melody Maker . 30 October 1976. p. 4.
  4. 1 2 Quatro, Suzi (2007). Unzipped. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN   978-1-44472-819-4.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Electric Light Orchestra: Song by Song
  6. 1 2 Eder, Bruce. Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record > Review at AllMusic . Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  7. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: E". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved 24 February 2019 via robertchristgau.com.
  8. Larkin, Colin, ed. (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th edn). London: Omnibus Press. p. 915. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
  9. Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p.  382. ISBN   1-57859-061-2.
  10. Rees, Paul (July 2006). "ELO – A New World Record". Q . No. 240. pp. 124–25.
  11. 1 2 Smith, Robin (27 November 1976). "Review: Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Record Mirror . p. 22.
  12. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th edn). New York, NY: Fireside/Simon & Schuster. p.  274. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  13. 1 2 Lott, Tim (27 November 1976). "Record breakers". Sounds . p. 28.
  14. 1 2 Doherty, Harry (20 November 1976). "ELO – at last, a classic". Melody Maker . p. 28.
  15. 1 2 Edmands, Bob (13 November 1976). "Eclectic light and heavy orchestra". New Musical Express . pp. 42–43.
  16. Niester, Alan (16 December 1976). "Electric Light Orchestra: A New World Record: Music Review". Rolling Stone . No. 228. pp. 82 & 85. Archived from the original on 16 April 2008.
  17. "CashBox Album Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 30 October 1976. p. 35. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  18. "Electric Light Orchestra - A New World Record". Discogs. 1976. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  19. "A New World Record - Electric Light Orchestra | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  20. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, New South Wales: Australian Chart Book. p. 101. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  21. "Austriancharts.at – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  22. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5174a". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  23. "Electric Light Orchestra". Danske Hitlister. Archived from the original on 10 April 2016.
  24. "Dutchcharts.nl – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  25. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN   978-951-1-21053-5.
  26. "Offiziellecharts.de – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  27. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   978-4-87131-077-2.
  28. "Charts.nz – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  29. "Norwegiancharts.com – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  30. Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  31. "Swedishcharts.com – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  32. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  33. "Electric Light Orchestra Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  34. "Cash Box Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Cash Box . Vol. XXXVIII #31. 18 December 1976. p. 49. Retrieved 30 December 2020 via World Radio History.
  35. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5175". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  36. "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1976" (in Dutch). Archived from the original (ASP) on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  37. Kent (1993). p. 429.
  38. "Austriancharts.st – Jahreshitparade 1977" (ASP) (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  39. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5558". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
  40. "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1977" (in Dutch). Archived from the original (ASP) on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  41. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. 1977. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
  42. 1 2 "Complete UK Year-End Album Charts". Archived from the original on 19 May 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  43. "Top Pop Albums of 1977". billboard.biz. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
  44. Kent (1993). p. 430.
  45. "Canadian album certifications – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Music Canada.
  46. 1 2 "Electric Light Orchestra" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland . Retrieved 28 August 2013.
  47. "Dutch album certifications – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.Enter A New World Record in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  48. "British album certifications – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". British Phonographic Industry.
  49. "American album certifications – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Recording Industry Association of America.