Hi, im knew here in the site but i would like to say that is a good album despite of the comments that it had recieved

Jeff Lynne had too many projects going to be able too give the band 100%

It was a valiant effort but sadly not good enough

According to the read-up on all over the world Jeff knew the band was all but dead

And wrote the songs accordingly.........

I don't think ELO has any bad songs(including Horace) I find myself humming or singing out load various ELO tunes at work often,much to the detriment of my fellow workers I can't quite match Jeffs vocal range.But I digress,Every song made by ELO is a well made masterpiece.I put every ELO song on a CD in Mpeg form and play it over and over.I also included songs from Zanadu and Electric dreams. If you listen to Tom petty or some George Harrisons music you might as well be listening to ELO.

This was a real letdown, and after I bought it, it stayed put, for the most part. Very mechanical, and sadly missing the point of what makes THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA great.
They lost the strings, took the name down to initials (ELO), and stripped the band down to "JEFF LYNNE, and his amazing keyboards".

Well to be fair even though they are my favorite band they released some stupid songs like the diary of horace wimp but apart from them stupid songs the rest were superb.I hope people will
still be listening to them in the future. Jeff lynne is a genius at writing songs and he darn well deserves the awards he got

Jeff lynne himself admited this was merely a contractual obligation, his heart had gone out of this project years before and it shows! The Orchestra is now dead , No real strings at all on this and although Bev Bevan is credited with Drums he actually did not play drums on too many tracks! Jeff Lynne and Richard Tandy run riot on this with electronic percussion and reducing one of rocks finest drummers to bashing the odd cymbal in time!

I found this album one of the more difficult ones to get into at first, purely because of the critic reviews and many people saying that it was one of the weaker albums; however when I listened to the songs, I found that they were wrong. There are many fantastic songs on the album, one highlight for me was the first track, Heaven Only Knows where at one section, the vocals rise which provides an uplifting feel and the song as a whole is quick. I liked the addition of the sax in Sorrow about to fall as it gave something new to ELO and was quite catchy.

This album, for me, reflects the mature, somber mood that Jeff had for the future of ELO. As he sings the lyrics he sounds deep in thought, as though truly mulling over what he is saying.

Unlike a lot of albums recorded and released at this time, the production isn't too overbearing or ridiculously eighties-sounding.

It seems the more I listen to these songs the more I love them. They seem to say something new each time I listen to them. The vocals and the music is awesome as usual. I love ELO. I grew up with the Beatles but after I heard Telephone Line for the first time I was hooked forever!
I hope 2008 brings us something new!

estamey

Agree with the above,not the best album but have to be honest and say I really like this album.Kind of sad when you listen to the lyrics of Out Of Control and So Serious,was this Jeffs way of saying that this was it.

Do enjoy this album though.

dEsTiNy2oo5

I'M SORRY I DON'T SPEAK AND DON'T WRITTE ENGLISH.

WOW!!! ESTE ALBUM ES GENIAL....NO COMPRENDO PORQUE SE LE HA LLEGADO A DAR POCA IMPORTACIA A ESTE MARAVILLOSO ALBUM, EN LO PERSONAL, ES DE LOS ALBUMES QUE MAS "ME LATEN".
NOTO EN ESTE TRABAJO, UNO COMPLETAMENTE POP, Y EL TOQUE EXACTO DE SINTETIZADORES Y ETC., ALGO QUE DESGRACIADAMENTE A MI PARECER EN "SECRET MESSAGES" NO.
LASTIMA QUE TERMINO POR SER EL ULTIMO DISCO DE ELO (BIEN HOY NO), COMO QUIZIERA HUBIERA HABIDO MAS DE ELO, QUE NO TERMINARA TODO TAN REPENTINAMENTE, PERO.......

It is not Jeff's best work. But the album does contain some good songs like "So Serious", "Getting to the Point", and "Calling America". But you really listen to this record this was the last band album.

Everyone knows Jeff was fed up at this point, but he still kept making great melodic pop songs. Almost every track is a foot-tapping sing-along fest, with the exception (for me) of 'Sorrow about to fall'. Whereas it's not terrible, it doesn't sit well among the other songs on the album.

I agree with you Danni.

Let's hope for the best.

In the expectation of hearing that heavenly music again and again.

Best wishes

Michelle St-Pierre elomichelle

I really cannot get enough of E.L.O. songs... but will we get some new ones from Jeff , someday ?
Or do we have to listen to our albums with melancolie from now on..
Hopefully not. I am still waiting...

--
Danni Wilbury