ELO was a pretty consistent pop band in the 70's. Sure, you either liked their style of including orchestration sounds into their music or you didn't. They surely are more than just the "second wave of the Beatles" or whatever some people might say about them. Or, maybe they did want to be like the Beatles with all their catchy pop songs. Either way, what matters is what us, the listeners, think when we hear their music. Know what I think? They were very good at the pop rock formula. They had a real talent for writing catchy vocal melodies, and an ability to throw in some emotion.

"Fire on High" is a loud, intense, and SUPER melodic instrumental. I love the way the feelings shift around from upbeat and intense, to downright sad and lonely. All these things happen in the music alone, with no vocals, and to me that's a really special feeling. "Poker" is another amazing highlight with the super melodic vocals. The two hit songs are worth hearing yet again, but NOT the best songs on the album.

"Waterfall" is another splendid surprise. A classic album really. Yeah, it's commercial sound probably rubs some people the wrong way, but to me it's alright. What matters is that the album's filled with songs that catch my attention and keep my interest, and that's all I ask for out of a pop band.

This album was a commercial breakthrough for ELO with the worldwide success of "Evil Woman"; and it was this success that led eventually to ELO recording bland albums like "Out Of The Blue" and "Discovery"; but there was still great creativity at work here. The instrumental/sound effect prize "Fire On High" remains one of my favorite instrumental tracks ever; and the remainder of the album is very diverse, from the rocking "Poker", to the hillbilly stylings of "Down Home Town"; and from the powerful "Nightrider" to the terrific (and unappreciated) second single, "Strange Magic". ELO is a band that had a wild progression, from barely accessible progressive rock, to solid adult-oriented rock, to bland pop by the late 1970's. This album was the middle of their AOR phase, sandwiched between the concept album "Eldorado" and "A New World Record".

Great classic ELO music. Includes great songs that don't make it to the ELO collections.

I agree with another reviewer's comment about the opener "Fire On High" and why it wasn't considered for compilation albums. Maybe because we got beaten to death with it as a sportscast theme. Rock fans have always used "commercialized" as a generic negative when they want to ridicule something when they don't really know what to ridicule about it. It's the whole punk cliche, I guess, when all punk music is just a bunch of dweebs who don't know how to sing or play but still want recognition. But there are still the classics like "Evil Woman" and the Bee Gee-esque "Strange Magic" which did make the hits sets. Really, there are only two clunkers on this set. "Poker", which is nothing but an exercise on how a synthesizer can be played the way Eddie Van Halen can play guitar--pretentious in its 1980s looky how fast I can play, dude crapola. And the alleged "country" of "Down Home Town", with its ripped-off riffs from Copland and its uban/ suburban snob bias against those of us who come from towns too small for high-rises and drive-by shootings. And this from an Englishman who only knows firsthand the America of arena venues and Hyatt hotels! I guess Lynne felt Sir Elton's anti-rural "Texan Love Song" wasn't enough. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! Back home in Blighty, as among us Yank yokels, that's where the food you eat is grown. This album was obviously written during a dry spell and suffers from not enough valid material.

this is an awsome album i really dont no much about elo but i think they are awsome i really like all the songs on this album except two (down home town and one summer dream) but they're not bad just different+ i think joker is one of elo s best songs