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.
Apart from one small blip, this is still a great ELO album, and showcases Jeff's talent for creating great melody. When compared to other albums from his catalogue, it's easy to see why this one doesn't sit up on top of the list. But when compared to any other artists albums, it should. It's not often you get a record with ten tracks that are as listenable as these.
I'm not going to mention the bonus tracks, as I'm writing this review based on my memory of the album from 20 years ago, when I listened to it non-stop for months. Whereas it's nice to hear anything that Jeff has produced, I would rather have a new album over some afterthoughts any day of the week.
Summary? A solid album (again, for me) from a solid musical genius