Reason #212: Time
Time, my favorite ELO album and rated a sickly 2-stars by Allmusic. This 1981 effort was recently cited as a major influence on Grandaddy, one of my favorite bands of the last 20 years. If you’ve never heard of them you best go find yourself a copy of The Sophtware Slump right now, daddy-o! When asked about specifics, head Grandaddy Jason Lytle said he ‘borrowed’ the whole dystopian vibe of Time era ELO, in addition to using the same vintage synthesizers and electronics as Jeff Lynne during that period.
The sound is unique in the ELO discography, that’s for sure, but the songs here are some of the catchiest Lynne would ever pen. I can’t find one bad thing to say about this album; listening again as I type this I am gob-struck by his genius. Forget about the “concept” and just lilsten to the songs, in sequence, for the full effect. Twilight, Hold On Tight, From The End Of The World, The Lights Go Down…they’re all excellent. Allmusic, the bastards, state that “. Time proves to be competent ELO but not great ELO.” They are wrong, of course. Time has been kind to Time, and this album is due for a reappraisal.
I’ve always enjoyed this album and I agree that it’s way better than Allmusic’s 2-star rating, but I’m surprised to find out this is your favorite ELO album in a discography packed with classics. Were you already a fan and this one struck a nerve more than any others? Also, I hadn’t made the ELO-Grandaddy connection but it definitely makes sense now that you mentioned it.
Hi Rich, gosh yes, been an ELO fan since I was 10. Time just came out at the right time for me, I was just getting into the whole post punk/new wave thing and thie album just made sense to me. I love all of them pretty much equally from El Dorado on up to this one (with New World Record being at the top). But this one was the first ELO album I bought off the shelf with my own money, so I’m sure my opinion has been tainted by rose colored memories a bit.
Thanks for stopping by, Rich! Always good hearing from you!
I was at the library today and they had this album! My first impression – it sounds like the Buggles (that’s a good thing). And there are no long noodly keyboard pieces – every song is direst and to the point. I admit I only know ELO’s Greatest Hits and Xanadu.
Hey ML, I think you would like a lot of their stuff. Yes, each album has it’s spotty moments but there are moments also of pure genius songcraft.