From Out of Nowhere
by Jeff Lynne's ELO
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: Nov 1, 2019
User Score
8.3

Universal acclaim- based on 14 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
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  1. trevortjes
    Nov 4, 2019
    5
    The biggest mistake you can make is trying to compare this album to any ELO album (excluding Zoom). Jeff Lynne has had so many producing jobs after Balance of Power came out, his sound and technique and producing skill have changed tremendously. What survived throughout the years though is Jeff's love for interesting chord changes and accompanying melodies.

    From out of Nowhere really    The biggest mistake you can make is trying to compare this album to any ELO album (excluding Zoom). Jeff Lynne has had so many producing jobs after Balance of Power came out, his sound and technique and producing skill have changed tremendously. What survived throughout the years though is Jeff's love for interesting chord changes and accompanying melodies.

    From out of Nowhere really from time to time gives you the feeling that you've heard this one before as the sound is very comparable to all other solo efforts from the past. Despite of that, Jeff managed to add some new sounds we've not really heard him doing before. For example All My Love and Sci-Fi Woman.

    The production on this album is near perfect and not necessarily in a good way. It sounds like some songs are heavily copy and pasted together and notes sound dead on on the beat. Maybe it's the curse of the digital age where all of this is possible, and a trap to all veteran producers who learned how to overdub with tape machines. Besides that, all songs are loud, even the "sweet closer" Songbird has loud drums that are audible throughout the whole album. There is really a wall of sound going on and some songs sound claustrophobic, no instrument is getting space to breath. In turn strummed guitars, piano and jeff's "signature" bag of sand snare tone makes the record sound muffled.

    This record proves again that Jeff Lynne alone is not capable of writing the hits from the mid 70s or more "prog" endeavors of the early 70s. Jeff (the control freak he is) could really use the help of other musicians to brighten up the songs and make them more dynamic.    … Expand
  2. StevenX
    Nov 7, 2019
    6
    Jeff Lynne tries to reboot the ELO magic for the second time, and like the first time he tried it, it's okay. But was okay ever enough for the original ELO? Their music was inventive, original, fairly manic a lot of the time, and quirky. Here the edges are sanded off, the tempos are mostly mid-to-slow, and the songs are relatively slight and sterile, missing quirks and the spark that madeJeff Lynne tries to reboot the ELO magic for the second time, and like the first time he tried it, it's okay. But was okay ever enough for the original ELO? Their music was inventive, original, fairly manic a lot of the time, and quirky. Here the edges are sanded off, the tempos are mostly mid-to-slow, and the songs are relatively slight and sterile, missing quirks and the spark that made ELO a vibrant entity in the past despite its cartoonish tendencies (hell, that was a big part of its appeal). Maybe the ELO name should have stayed retired since Lynne basically makes George Harrison albums now. And try as he might, and though he may come close once in awhile, this album once again verifies Lynne is no George Harrison, which isn't a surprise. The worse surprise is that he obviousy isn't ELO anymore either.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Q Magazine
    Nov 19, 2019
    60
    It's warmly unreal how in thrall he remains to The Beatles, from melodic progressions down to the thwack of drums, but these heartache-powered ballads retain a simple elation at the power of rock'n'roll. [Jan 2020, p.110]
  2. American Songwriter
    Nov 13, 2019
    70
    There is certainly craftsmanship behind the songwriting here, but it lacks the sweep that the strings would bring to the classic hits.
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  3. Consequence
    Nov 5, 2019
    58
    From Out of Nowhere isn’t going to be turning heads in 2019 with its lackluster production and, at times, generic lyricism. But it does remind us that Jeff Lynne is one of pop music’s greatest hook writers, and that skill isn’t easily forgotten.
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