Time After Time is okay but really isn't a standout for me much like Letter From Spain and Train Of Gold. Bluebird is the band in classic ELO mode. Loser Gone Wild has a very surrealist sound to it. The album starts with the fun and upbeat title song. Unfortunately, this mental instability also lead to things like record burnings and ELO was one of the groups targeted. The band decides to have some fun with all of those groups who were going around claiming that there were "secret hidden backward messages" on certain rock albums. I never could understand why it wasn't more popular. This is one of those albums I've liked ever since it was first released on vinyl back in '83. So how about restoring those missing 4 stars?!? How could Jeff Lynne leave out this part of the cd?" I don't know what to say about Ernie's CD, but that spooky 33 second outro is DEFINITELY on the remastered CD that I bought. Rick Rubin and Jeff Lynne have done as much for the sound of what we hear today as anyone, and this CD is a good source for understanding why."Īlso on this Amazon review thread, Ernie Clark misguidedly rates only 1 star with the explanation that "I would be giving this remastered version of ELO's classic 'Secret Messages' cd five stars if it weren't for the fact that it's missing the final 33 second outro that was on the original cd and vinyl album. I am still not sure how he got that overly processed-yet-dry sound that is the Jeff Lynne trademark, but it really seems to have begun with 'Secret Messages.'. The Willburys sound was born in this album. Johnson that only appear on the Amazon review of the unremastered CD: "Jeff Lynne solely became ELO at this point and he also found the sweet spot as a producer and singer. Here are some thought-provoking excerpted "secret" comments from Paul F.
Electric light orchestra secret messages Patch#
So you can patch together something close to the original unreleased album using iTunes, which is well worth the trouble. Here's the track list of the original unreleased double album:Īll these songs are on the remastered version except for "Buildings Have Eyes", "Mandalay", "Hello My Old Friend" (these three on "Afterglow"), and the almost impossible-to-find tribute "Beatles Forever" (whose lyrics can be found at ). The first four songs in particular are mindblowing - what a way to start a new world record! Its predescessor album "Time" was clever as heck but somewhat self-conscious as a concept album to my ears, so "Secret Messages" felt like an incredible return to classic ELO form. I don't normally fall in love with albums upon first listen, needing a little time to get into and used to them - but "Secret Messages" blew me away with each highly diverse and multi-layered and multi-faceted cut the very first time heard back in 1983. This album is simply outstanding, one of ELO's 3 very best (along with "A New World Record" and "Out of the Blue"). This album along with 1981's TIME is better than most people realize. Now properly reissued with 3 bonus tracks, perhaps these new ELO reissues will invite more people to re-evaluate them. too much of a cheesy, tongue-in-cheek nod to rockabilly 50's! In my opinion, the outstanding cuts are "Secret Messages" (mesmerizing harmonies), "Bluebird" (bittersweet pop), "Four Little Diamonds" (the real rocker on the album), "Take Me On and On" and "Stranger" (one beautiful, wistful song). In fact, I never really liked "Rock 'N' Roll Is King". SECRET MESSAGES is loaded with harmonic ear candy despite a couple clunkers like "Train of Gold" and "Time After Time" (which was not included on the original US vinyl release that I grew up with). To be honest, I don't miss them here besides, strings would have sounded too quaint in an age of new wave and synthpop.
The early 80's had the band pared down to the core foursome of Jeff Lynne, Richard Tandy, Bev Bevan and Kelly Groucutt, and it seemed - reasonably - that synthesizers could replace their trademark string arrangements. When this album was released in 1983, it was already clear that the Electric Light Orchestra had long since peaked (back around 1977) and so it was easy to dismiss their 80's efforts.
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