Search - Elo :: Balance of Power (Mlps)

Sorry I avoided this for SO LONG!

David a HUTH | North Hollywood, CA USA | 06/30/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"ELO's Out of the Blue was THE album that got me thru high school! But the times were changing, and so were my musical tastes, and I abandoned much of my favorite bands for the punk scene. Now that I'm older, I've stepped back to rediscover a lot of my favorite music from my younger days. ELO had lost me initially with Discovery, and then Xanadu. But now, I've fallen in love again with them, enjoying all the post Discovery albums I'd ignored. But even still, Balance of Power eluded me. Eighties pop, drum machines, - it all just seemed so dated. But I finally relented and gave Balance of Power a listen. THERE'S SOME GREAT STUFF ON HERE! The alternate mixes of Secret Lives and Heaven Only Knows give us a glimpse of what might have been a classic ELO album. Sure, the band had been stripped to a trio, utilizing a drum machine and synthesized strings, but it still sounds like classic ELO! (I've been enjoying the alternate mixes in favor of the album mixes, but it's wonderful to have both to choose from!) Sounds cliched, but this album makes me feel young again! It's as if the ELO of my youth has just released a new album, for me anyway!! Take a chance, buy it. You'll be pleasantly surprised!"

Wonderful remaster???

J. P. Van Dijk | The Netherlands | 09/27/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Everybody's reviewing how glad they are with this remaster including the bonus-tracks. Only one writes that it is a wonderful remaster but I don't agree at all! This is a remaster in the worst case. I couldn't believe my ears when the sound comes to a climax (the loudest parts) it's all distortion for example with the Heaven only knows track. I thought I had a bad example. I played it on several CD-players with several and high-end equipments too but I can't deny Joseph M. Palmaccio (who-ever that may be) has some problems with his ears during the mastering or there weren't better tapes in store! By the way in the booklets that come with all of the remasters is written that the tracks are mastered and not that they are remastered. It's a pity!"

It Is Alright

Dark Star-The Other One | The Bus To Never Ever Land | 04/23/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released without much notice here in the States back in March of 1986. Balance Of Power is a bit of an oddity in the ELO catolog with no strings and only Jeff, Richard and Bev on it. Coming full circle, the band's last during the original run finds the group as a trio. The songs themselves sound very '86 with heavy mid 80's synth, sequencers and even the sleeve insert found the three sporting Miami Vice clothing. As for the songs themselves, most are good and there are even a few standouts in this collection (Heaven Only Knows, Getting To The Point, Secret Lives and a couple of others) this might be ELO's weakest album. It doesn't mean that this album isn't worth owning but I wouldn't start off with this."