Balance Of Power

ELO has always been wildly underrated but I believe this album is their most underrated of all considering it got/gets very little attention despite being ELO at their pop best (along with Discovery). 70s ELO (except Discovery) was more prog rock/pop (also awesome) but 79-86 ELO was pop and Jeff Lynne is a genius at whatever he touches. So if you love pop music, give this album a try. Calling America and So Serious are infectious, classic ELO tunes and the rest of the album could have all been released singles they are that good!

I confess, this one got by me somehow............So glad I found it, but all it takes is seeing that name & I buy it. Lots of ballads. I just have to acknowledge each one, to do it justice"Heaven Only Knows," is very upbeat and ELO for sure."So Serious," very well done, but very short for this band, but good. Liked it from the beginning. Almost disco, but I love it! I never had a problem, like the other Critics had, with their disco, as long as it's ELO."Getting To The Point," What A beautiful song, a ballad as only they can do. I mean this song is so beautiful you don't want it to end & you will probably play it again."Secret Lives," Is pretty good, but not the best one & too short also."Is It Alright," great music, that incredible music we expect from this band, and with that voice of Jeff's, a sure thing."Sorrow About To Fall," Almost a ballad with such sounds, which is always good. Awesome horns sections that take you back to some oldies. Kind of makes one think of Jerry Rafferty, equals great!"Without Someone," A really good ballad. Such a melody and the harmony is so nice. A little sad, but such is life."Calling America," This one I already have, but love it & sounds good every time you hear it. Sounds like it might have been on their first album!"Endless Lies," Begins very slow, picks up & back down then you realize, Yup, that's ELO, always a welcome surprise!"Send It," Wow, this one is almost a bit country, but yet very techno and still ELO. Jeff can really hit the high notes. Rather different, but trust me, it will grow on you before it's over.It has six bonus tracks, alternative version of "Heaven Only Knows," (with parts of the Lords Prayer, but with reverence. Along with "Secret Lives," (alternative mix) maybe even better. "Sorrow about To Fall." A nice treat and loses nothing. With an added new "In For The Kill," good song, with awesome keyboards. "Caught In A Trap," & "Destination Unknown," were both side B's in the UK. The latter is the best! You can't sit still with this one either! I mean this is a real sleeper and sorry it wasn't released in the US. It's got every thing you could want, typical ELO, with a great beat, lyrics, lots of horns. So strong & will take you back to the late fifties, early sixties. I played it repeatedly six times. You will dance and sing along with it. Yup, I guess I have to say, I think it's my favorite! What a sweet treat, you won't be expecting!Naturally, all songs written & produced by Jeff. Any ELO fan has to have this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe it's called progressive rock because with every album they put out they got better and better. This album I have on vinyl. I feel like it didn't get promoted enough when it was new. Every track on here is a gem and the *bonus* tracks are a nice treat for the completest, or those who want to explore this group further. I loved the alterna-versions of "Heaven Only Knows" & "Secret Lives", and "Destination Unknown" was a GREAT surprise! "Calling America" is full of synths, bleeps, blips and the song bops. I bought the vinyl single when it was new and wore it out before I got the album. "So Serious" was a catchy little ditty that was released as a single as well. I don't think it did so well on the charts here in the USA, and lesser so than "Calling America". "Send it" was a rollicking fast song that could have been a hit as a single. It sounds like the rhythm of a train. Kind of like if Johnny Cash made pop records. I also felt like the end was near for this band with this album. Actually, I thought that it was the end of them. I never realized that "Secret Messages" even followed this album until some long time later after it was already in the cut out bins and flea markets, which is where I found my copy of the vinyl. If you're like me and don't care about "guilty pleasures" in pop music and just simply enjoy music for what it is... you'll love this album. Don't feel guilty. If it makes you happy, enjoy it!!!

While, as many here have pointed out, this isn't the best of Jeff Lynne's efforts, it nonetheless has 3 of my favorite ELO tunes, namely "Heaven Only Knows," "So Serious," and "Getting To The Point." While "Calling America" got a bit of airplay when the album originally was released, I still think the b-side "Destination Unknown" was a much better song.And while some bemoan the lack of strings on this opus, I have always thought that the liberal use of saxophones more than made up for the missing strings. Of the bonus tracks, "In For The Kill" is new as is "Caught In A Trap." But the alternate version of "Heaven Only Knows" is an interesting treatment of the song, complete with altered lyrics, lead-in, and orchestration.The sound quality of this remaster is FANTASTIC. If you've only had the LP or the original CD issue, get this CD while you can. I can't recommend that strongly enough!While I think, as a whole, the album rises above the "last album of ELO" stigma that it has carried for years, I still can only give it 4 stars in deference to better ELO works like "Eldorado," "A New World Record," and "Out of the Blue."

I first got to know of Jeff Lynne when he was a Wilbury and he'd more or less forgotten about ELO in favour of his new best friends. As a safe bet I bought ELO's "best of" to see how I liked it, and I did! Since then I've loosely been an ELO fan. When he appeared at the Radio 2 Hyde Park concert a few years ago my interest in ELO was rekindled. This album is very typical of his work, he does the vocals and most of the instruments himself, and I like every track on Balance of Power. I think my favourite ELO work is Time. If you haven't heard either of these albums I recommend them both, you won't be disappointed.

Missed this when I replaced all my other ELO vinyl. What a mistake to make!. It's excellent, and even though Jeff Lynne was redefining the direction he wanted to go and there is much less string backing, he has produced some brilliant tracks of a more conventional nature. Ranging from the lively "Calling America" and "So Serious" to the more melodic "Getting to the Point" and the stunningly gorgeous "Without Someone" (which really should have been a single), it's a pleasure to listen to all the way through.

Once you get past not having the usual ELO string arrangements and the 80's feel to the production this is a great album. Why some of the bonus tracks were left off the original album is beyond me ! Well worth a listen. Its a crime this wasn't more successful at the time it was originally released.

Surprisingly underrated, possibly due to Jeff Lynne's and the record label's flagging enthusiasm , this album stands up well now with strong tracks like Getting to the Point, Calling America Heaven Only Knows and the lovely ballad Without Someone . It was an exceptionally short album but this reissue significantly lengthens it which leaves you wondering why the three "new" tracks added weren't there in the first place as they are in no way fillers. An unexpected delight that plays well as an in-car driving music album.

Typical Jeff Lynne melodies but some stranger lyrics than usual I have not read any other reviews of this but had never heard it in all my years of following ELO. Overall enjoyable, like the later albums minimal orchestral stuff but unmistakeable and listenable with a couple of oddities.