Face the Music (Electric Light Orchestra album)
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| Face the Music | |||||
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| Studio album by Electric Light Orchestra | |||||
| Released | October 2, 1975 September 11, 2006 (reissue) |
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| Recorded | Musicland Studios, Munich, Germany | ||||
| Genre | Rock, Art rock | ||||
| Length | 36:20 | ||||
| Label | United Artists Records, Jet Records & Columbia Records Epic/Legacy (Latest Re-issue) |
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| Producer | Jeff Lynne | ||||
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| Electric Light Orchestra chronology | |||||
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| Back cover | |||||
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Face the Music is the fifth album by Electric Light Orchestra.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
ELO's fifth studio LP was released in 1975 (see 1975 in music) and the first to be recorded in Musicland Studios Munich. The band featured yet another new line-up with Bassist Kelly Groucutt and Cellist Melvyn Gale replacing Mike de Albuquerque and Mike Edwards respectively.
The back cover of the record sleeve shows the members of the band with their faces pressed against a glass panel, supposedly watching the "electrocution" depicted on the front cover. The band member who is looking away is Richard Tandy, who is opposed to the death penalty and therefore didn't want to participate in the "joke."[citation needed]
The singles "Evil Woman" and "Strange Magic" were the most commercial songs they had recorded at that point. "Evil Woman" itself was a big hit in the UK and the US, embracing disco rhythms while still embodying ELO's classic sound. New member Kelly Groucutt sang lead vocals on "Poker" as well as one of the verses in "Nightrider." Usually, Jeff Lynne sang all lead vocals for ELO. Despite the success of the singles, the LP failed to chart in the UK. However the album was the bands first to reach Platinum sales and laid the groundwork for future world success. The album was remastered and released in September 2006 complete with bonus tracks.
[edit] Backmasking
"Fire On High"contains a backwards message in the beginning. When the song is played backwards, the message voiced by drummer Bev Bevan can be heard stating, "The music is reversible but time is not. Turn back. Turn back. Turn back. Turn back." "Down Home Town" also starts with some back masking. The refrain from "Waterfall," ("Pass the mighty waterfall, pass the mighty waterfall") and a portion of the string crescendo from "Nightrider" was used backwards on their worldwide hit "Evil Woman"
[edit] Chart Positions, Chart Runs
- US: #8 Billboard 200, 48 weeks
- UK: did not chart
- AUS: #30 ARIA Albums Chart, 14 weeks
- CAN: #31 RPM Albums Chart, 19 weeks
[edit] Track listing
All songs written by Jeff Lynne.
[edit] Side one
| # | Title | Length |
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| 1. | "Fire On High" | 5:30 |
| 2. | "Waterfall" | 4:27 |
| 3. | "Evil Woman" | 4:19 |
| 4. | "Nightrider" | 4:23 |
[edit] Side two
| # | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Poker" | 3:31 |
| 2. | "Strange Magic" | 4:29 |
| 3. | "Down Home Town" | 3:54 |
| 4. | "One Summer Dream" | 5:47 |
Bonus Tracks (2006 remaster)
- "Fire On High Intro" (Early Alt. mix) – 3:23
- "Evil Woman" (Stripped Down mix) – 5:00
- "Strange Magic" (US Single edit) – 3:27
- "Waterfall" (Instrumental mix) – 4:15
- Orchestra and choral arrangements – Jeff Lynne, Richard Tandy and Louis Clark.
- Orchestra conducted by Louis Clark.
[edit] Personnel
- Jeff Lynne - vocals, guitar, keyboards
- Bev Bevan - drums, percussion, spoken intro (backwards), vocals
- Richard Tandy - keyboards
- Kelly Groucutt - bass, vocals
- Mik Kaminski - violin
- Hugh McDowell - cello
- Melvyn Gale - cello
- Ellie Greenwich - uncredited vocals
- Susan Collins - uncredited vocals
- Nancy O'Neill - uncredited vocals
- Margaret Raymond - uncredited vocals
[edit] Links
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