First, I want to start off by saying that this is probably one of the greatest albums that has ever been released in all of music history. Every last song is fantastic. Second, I have to also mention that if you like the Beach Boys and Pink Floyd, then you will absolutely love this album. It is practically a combination of the two. Particularly is this evident on their smash hit "Livin' Thing"--which interestly compares surfing to falling in love. A wonderful mixture of Beach Boys lyrics and Pink Floyd spaciness. What I particularly enjoy about this album is that every song with its "air-filled" sound makes you feel like your at Venice Beach on a bright, sunny day. This will take you back to the days when music was REALLY music, and it didn't have degrading lyrics like "pimp", "booty", or "hoe". So, I encourage anyone who has never heard ELO before, definately give this album a try. Even though it is a product of the 70's, you will still enjoy it.

This is a great Electric Light Orchestra album and hardly needs another 5-star review but there is one thing I want to say, especially to Amazon.

The name of the band is not E.L.O. It's Electric Light Orchestra. Amazon has deleted all their Electric Light Orchestra band listings and replaced them with E.L.O. which, while it is a common one, is just an abbreviation for the band's name.

It makes sense for a search for E.L.O. to be redirected to Electric Light Orchestra. It does not make sense for searches for Electric Light Orchestra to be redirected to E.L.O.

This album came out when I was 16, and I absolutely thought it was the best music in the entire world. Even though Telephone Line was way overplayed on the radio, I still was able to enjoy it. Livin' Thing was my absolute favorite song, and still ranks in the top 10 on my all time list. Every song on the album is enjoyable, there are no dogs. From the slow and melodic Telephone Line to the out and out rockin' Rockaria and Do Ya! to the almost ethereal Mission and graceful Livin' Thing, this album is ELO at it's best. It IS Rock and Roll at it's best.

What a great album - and they've already done remasters for Time, Discovery and Secret Messages.... but what about some of the earlier full albums? Fingers crossed

All the songs flow together and as you listen to the album, you will find every song has that quality about it. Way ahead of its time! This is one album I would like to have on a desserted island!

From the Electric Light Orchestra's inception from the ashes of the Move in 1970, bandleader Jeff Lynne's aim was to continue on the trail the Beatles had blazed, crafting pristine melodic pop against a backdrop of classical grandiloquence. Lofty ambitions, even for a talent of Mr. Lynne's magnitude. But on 1976's A New World Record ELO got as close as anybody ever has to picking up where the Fab Four left off - and that's the highest praise you can give them.

On this, their sixth LP, ELO refined the increasingly commercial sound of Eldorado (1974) and Face the Music (1975) into a polished, super-accessible hit machine. Their recipe for success went something like this: A) Create an exciting, instantly memorable melody that would do the likes of Paul McCartney himself proud. B) Put lyrics to it and perform with bassist Kelly Groucutt's and drummer Bev Bevan's solid foundation, keyboardist Richard Tandy's spacey synthesizers, and Jeff Lynne's fluid guitar work and spine-tingling falsetto. C) Frost it with coat upon lustrous coat of fluttery vocal harmonies, overdubbed guitars and synths, and bombastic orchestral flourishes. D) Bake for 1 hour at 400 F, let cool for 10 minutes, and enjoy.

This ingenious formula forms the groundwork upon which A New World Record is constructed. Not surprisingly, it produced three huge singles - the adrenaline-charged Do Ya, dynamic Livin' Thing, and crushingly bittersweet Telephone Line - but every last cut here could've been a hit. Don't be fooled into believing this stuff is formulaic or uninspired, however. Jeff Lynne, who wrote and arranged it all, is as imaginative as he is ambitious. His most impressive achievement is the fact that, despite its prominence, he doesn't allow the orchestra to overwhelm the songs. Rather, true to his aspirations, he turns it into an absolutely integral part of the whole. In doing so he makes Rockaria's overwrought blues-meets-opera sound almost effortless, lends the quasi-symphonic pretensions of Tightrope a sense of authenticity, and elevates the stunning closer Shangri-La to positively epic proportions, not to mention the rest. Quite an accomplishment, made all the more astonishing by the fact it could've gone so wrong.

Granted, A New World Record was a product of its time - feathery falsettos; quasi-prog showboating; string-laden (what some might call) overproduction; and an irresistable, state-of-the-70s commercial aesthetic. But if it's to be taken as any indication, them's was the best of times...

Finding the perfect ELO album is like trying to outrace two trends moving against each other in time. ELO's earliest records (which I personally very much like) are afflicted with a heavy dose of art-rock-pretension, which took several albums to fully wear away. Their later records, however, veer into flippant, silly pop, chirping backing vocals, and stereotypically disco-y string and bass lines.

Functioning consistently through all of this are the exceptional compositional talents of front man Jeff Lynne. Lynne's talent remains greatly underrated because it often surpassed his taste: sometimes you want to grab the man by his lapels and shake him: What is up with this pompous choir droning in the background? Do you really need those falsetto exclamations throughout the chorus? On ELO records, there's a lot that can embarrass the fan.

But if there is a perfect ELO record, this would be my nominee. This is the one in the sweet spot: the sweet spot that marries well-trained pop sensibilities with enough virtuouso classical allusions to carry much more of interest than in other pop music.

Actually, I think this record's immediate predecessor, Face the Music, might be more in the "sweet spot" than this one, in a certain sense. Eldorado was definitely on the art-rock-pretension side of the line, and this one, in my view, veers ever so slightly into the too-pop side. Face the Music is just at the right place. The "problem" is that A New World Record (and Eldorado, in my opinion) just has better songs than Face the Music. I think it's the best record that they ever put out.

I still have vivid memories of the first time I spun this record. I was in a puppy-love relationship in 8th grade, and my love interest was a fan of the song "Livin' Thing," then receiving airplay. I listened to it a few times on the radio, thought, "that's interesting enough," and bought the record.

Till then I had been mainly a Beatles fan; very little else in pop music had inspired an interest in owning. But when I put this record on, my jaw dropped: It starts with one of ELO's trademark spaceship keyboard effects, which glisses down into a stern and very classical-sounding melody on the lower strings. Then the mood shifts again, to a jaunty, jostling pop rhythm. I remember thinking; What the hell is this? I had never heard so many musical styles played seamlessly and well in such a brief auditory space.

The thing that makes this record better than all the rest is that Lynne is really at the peak of his powers here as a composer and producer. He writes very accessible melodies, but it's not the trite pop that they would record from Out of the Blue onward. The melodies are always surrounded by facile manipulation of other musical elements entirely. You have a leader here who is showing off his musical chops, but much less visibly than on On the Third Day or even Eldorado.

I find myself, as I listen to this record, marveling at Lynne's evocative compositional skill. For example, you have moments at the beginning and end of "Above the Clouds" that are straight out of some 1930s film soundtrack, it seems. It sends me to the piano trying to determine how exactly those chords were assembled.

Similarly, there's a middle section in "So Fine" (a very strong up-tempo number) that seems to combine African drums, with the strings joining pseudo-woodwinds in a unison melody. So different from everything that previously occurs in the song, but it somehow meshes perfectly.

It's not always done with sufficient restraint and taste. The album end, for example, is unforgivably over the top. Yet. . . somehow you do forgive it, because the broken chords that lead into it a truly gorgeous, almost like a new and improved Bach.

The album's big hits -- Telephone Line, Livin' Thing, and Do Ya, all sound much better here than on context-less radio. But every single song on the record is excellent. So Fine and Above the Clouds are particular favorites of mine (the latter is a jewel), but Shangri-La has an exceptionally lovely melody.

Just a fantastic record. Jeff Lynne deserves far greater recognition for the genius that he was.

What more could one want in a pop/rock album... except perhaps more songs? Many (including ELO's guiding light himself, Jeff Lynne) count OUT OF THE BLUE as ELO's brightest moment. And while there's no arguing the brilliance of that long-play release, may I make a case for A NEW WORLD RECORD? "Tightrope" is sheer brilliance; a seemless melding of orchestral grandeur with driving rock and roll. "Rockaria!" is a thrill a second, over-the-top romp. "Mission (A World Record)" is sad, chilling, and profound, and oh so lovely. Perhaps you've heard of "Telephone Line," one of ELO's biggest singles, which wraps bitter loneliness in a sweet candy coating. "So Fine" is a quirky, bright, danceable confection. The classic "Livin' Thing," another huge hit, is the textbook definition of pure pop, and "Do Ya" is one of the great rockers of the 1970s. "Above the Clouds" is simply sublime, a heavenly slice of balladry that wafts in and out all too quickly. Then, there is the gorgeous and majestic closer, "Shangri La," which is absolutely heartbreaking and haunting. Overall, A NEW WORLD RECORD is the perfect art pop/rock album that sits quite high indeed in the realm of stellar 70s releases. You don't want to miss it.

In 1976 Jeff Lynne and ELO rose to the lofty heights of rock superstars experiencing lifestyle few musicians ever dare to dream of. The future had been most definitely prepared with the previous two albums the majestic Eldorado and the more commercial Face The Music. and therefore it was with little surprise that A New World Record was a massive worldwide success. What did come as a surprise was just how big a success it proved. Upon it's release, it went straight up the charts on both sides of the Atlantic and everywhere else and quickly became one of the biggest selling albums of the year and of all time. What further added to the surprise was the complexity and depth of the songs on the album, each and every one a mini masterpiece in some way or other. Whether it was the feverish beat of Tightrope the majestic Shangr-la the energy of Do Ya or the depth of emotion within Telephone Line the album explored concepts and musical height only a few other popular albums or bands had done before them.
There was something almost frightening about the competency and mastery of Lynne's songs and production, something which left his peers within the music world looking woefully inexperienced.
The whole musical experience had well and truly gelled and Jeff Lynne and ELO entered their most popular and financially rewarding phase of their existence.
A truly magical album.

I won't repeat what others have said already, except to add that this album means as much to me at 41 as it did when I was 16 - possibly even more. Not only is it ELO's finest album, it is one of the most pleasurable recordings ever made in any genre - and I say that as someone whose listening tastes are dominated by classical music and jazz. One suggestion: could Sony do a new digital remastering of this (and "Out of the Blue")? The current release, albeit at a budget price, feels a little spartan, and this album merits so much more!

Ok, if you're like me, you had this growing up and either have the 8-track (omg) or perhaps the cassette tape. Now it's time to step up and get the CD. This particular album is probably the single best to own if you are not a devout ELO follower. They have gone through 3 or 4 really big sound changes throughout the years and if you want to get an accurate depiction of the various modes this album has most of them. Their earlier albums had a very chamber-esque sound to them whereas their peak late 70's albums had a very electric, rythmic sound to them. As time went on they became a bit more mainstream and vocal but managed to still give it that ELO flair we all admire. I agree with a reviewer that said "Tightrope" has to be the best track on the album. One thing I have noticed throughout my ELO enjoyment is that their songs and albums are tied to more great memories of my life than any other artist I can think of. That is what makes this album paramount in any audiophile's collection. It has such range from track to track that it's sure to please any fan regardless of which period they admire most. This is a solid buy and should come with a money-back guarantee because you would never have to cash in on it!!

The Electric Light Orchestra continue to make world-class symphonic pop-rock with their 1976 release, "A New World Record." Jeff Lynne & company deliver another great disc that's rich in melodies & musicianship, with excellent orchestral flourishes throughout. Several ELO classics come from this record, such as "Telephone Line," "Rockaria," "Livin' Thing," and "Do Ya," as well as the very inventive "Mission (A World Record)," and the beautiful album-closer, "Shangri-La." ELO were totally at their creative peak during the mid-to-late 70's, and "A New World Record" is another fine standout for this classic rock group.

This album probably deserves something around 11 stars. On a scale from 1 to 5. It's that good. It is ELO's best, in my opinion, by a hair over Face the Music and Out of the Blue. The album is just hit after hit after hit, each song a masterpiece on their own. It's amazing how 9 of the best songs by Jeff Lynne could be placed on 1 album.

This was the first album I discovered by ELO. The first time I listened to Tightrope, it blew me away. It's worth for the money for that one song, but you also get the other 8, and your money is well spent on any single song on this album.

1) Tightrope: Enough said already. Starts with great string work, then moves into one of the best beats ever.

2) Telephone Line: Listen 1- Ok good song, Listen 2- Pretty good!, Listen 3- Oh my, this song is remarkable. Listen 4- Arguably one of the best songs ever.

3) Rockaria!: A mixture of rock and, well, an aria. Great mixture of rock and opera on this song. Who knew that opera singing could be used on an album like this?

4) Mission (A World Record): Outstanding. Can't say any more.

5) So Fine: I'm running out of things to say about there songs. I can't stress how much every song is AMAZING.

6) Livin' Thing: Right about now on the album, you'll wonder how much better it can get. This song does not disappoint. Livin' Thing is one of the best on the album.

7) Above the Clouds: Probably the most overlooked song here. Only 2:16, but still great by itself, which I realized on my third listen to it.

8) Do Ya: It is the best song ever in some respects. Every song here is.

9) Shangri-La: The album goes out with a bang. A most remarkable song. That's all I can say.

Buy this album. You need to.

This classic album yielded four American hits of which three (Living thing, Rockaria, Telephone line) were also UK top ten hits. The fourth, Do ya, did not chart in the UK and may or may not have been released as a UK single. Tightrope and So fine sound like they could have been singles but weren't.

ELO originally evolved from the British rock group, The Move, famous for such classic songs as Flowers in the rain and Blackberry way, but several line-up changes and a different musical direction gave them a completely different sound. At the time ELO recorded this album, the members were Jeff Lynne, Bev Bevan, Hugh McDowell, Mik Kaminski, Melvin Gale, Richard Tandy and Kelly Groucutt.

This album, with its complex orchestral arrangements and any number of other instruments as well, is far removed from the fairly simple sixties music that The Move built their reputation on. Sometimes the album sounds as if it owes almost as much to classical music as it does to rock - this impression is reinforced by Rockaria, in which a couple spend an evening at the opera house and end up being entertained by an opera singer doing rock'n'roll music. Perhaps ELO were trying to do their bit to break down the barriers between different musical genres.

This is the first ELO album I ever bought and remains my favorite.

This great album is chock full of great ELO tunes!!! Livin' Thing,Telephone Line, Do Ya?,So Fine,Tightrope, and Rockaria! are all here on this classic album!!! Awesome!!! Two thumbs up!!! Five stars!!! A+

This was the album that introduced me to ELO, first heard in a high school art class. Despite it's obvious influences, I'd never heard anything like it before, and it wasn't long before I was spreading the word. I've owned it on 8-track, cassette, album and cd, but I think that will have to do it for me. Jeff Lynne's retirement account doesn't need any more of my money. Although several of the songs, Telephone Line in particular, are getting somewhat long in the tooth, it's still a great listen start to finish.

Walking in the spectacular footsteps of "Face the Music," this record faced huge expectations and surely met them all. Here ELO found the perfect balance of high production pop with a good measure of rock. 'Do Ya' has to be their best written and best sounding rocker and the lyricism of 'Telephone Line','Mission' and 'Shangri-la' falls only a little short of 'Strange Magic' from their previous record.
In modern pop music, there's a very short list of singer-songwriters with the quantity and quality of work, the eclectism and the mass appeal to be mentioned alongside Lennon and/or McCartney. Dylan, Paul Simon and Brian Wilson have all gotten their mass media props. The equally deserving Jeff Lynne has not.

I was about three years old when I first heard ELO. Among the first songs I knew were Telephone Line and Livin Thing. Needless to say I was hooked on ELO forever! This album is outstanding from start to finish, and the songs fit together perfectly. Each song on this album is sensational and a crucial part of the album, making every moment truly memorable. Not even the Beatles best work is a patch on A New World Record. A must for all ELO fans.

This album is one the best Rock albums of all time easily and features Jeff Lynne's songwriting at it's greatest. TIGHTROPE, probably an overlooked classic, kicks off a New World Record incredibly, great song, good lyrics, nice rythem guitar, brilliant strings, and nice touches with hand clapping and backround lyrics. Followed by the hit TELEPHONE LINE which is a great love song, with great singing and strings. ROCKARIA! is a pleasure to listen to with nice guitar, drums and a very risky opera singer move by Lynne, brilliant. MISSION just got me lost in my mind with headphones on, it's got a nice little instrumental in the chorus. SO FINE is another overlooked classic. It's got a catchy tune with exellent strings. The bass by Kelly in this song is awesome. LIVIN THING is one of ELO's biggest hits with some nice acoustic guitar, drums, and strings in it. ABOVE THE CLOUDS is short but sweet to listen to. DO YA just has great everything, although the guitar is very basic, it's great in the song and it's rock'n'roll. Finishing it off with flowing SHANGRI-LA which is somewhat of a tribute to the beatles? But I like it. Not one weak track on this album, which is very rare sometimes, great work and classic.

Why do record execs insist on shelving the true masters of music in favor of so called music and musicians.This is the kind of album that will still be played for decades and this is the kind of music that VH1 should be showcasing.Everything about this record is so classic, much like Beethoven and Bach of the classical music world.This one definitely needs the remastering with lyrics,liner notes,photos and bonus material.It's always cool to get a little insight about the songs from Jeff.I'd say this is their most classic album based on the material and an excellent place to start.

Outstanding, outstanding, outstanding.
This is ELO's masterpiece. Jeff Lynne is a genius behind the production chair. There is not one bad song on the record. Any time that I play it, I play the entire record. This record set a standard for the synthesizer and how to apply various unorthodox sounds in a cohesive manner. I never get tired of listening to this.

ELDORADO is probably the best ELO record, but A NEW WORLD RECORD still stands as the DEFINITIVE ELO record. It was released just as the band approached super-stardom and became a multi-platinum smash. The production is superb. It is also chock-full of pop gems.

There are, of course, the hit singles. "Livin' Thing" and "Telephone Line" would both hog the airways well into 1977 while "Do Ya" and "Rockaria" reminded fans that Jeff Lynne still liked guitar-heavy mixes, at least sometimes. But even once we get past the hits, the quality is still high. Let's face it, "Tightrope" is probably the best track on the album, and "So Fine" would have probably surfaced as a hit single if it had been released on any other ELO record. "Above the Clouds" has almost a PET SOUNDS type vibe, while "Shangri-la" is another great moody closing track (with a big choral ending - you gotta love that!). "Mission" is another great progressive pop piece despite the preachy lyrics.

If you were going to buy 1 ELO record (not including a best-of collection) this is the one to buy.

Elo's album A new world record Shows what went right with progressive rock in the 70's.True cornerstone rock.

This has to be the best ELO CD I've heard. I've loved this album ever since I was little (about 5 or 6), and still love it.

Like other reviewers have noted, there is not a weak track on the whole album! I only wish it were longer (although maybe the risk of a few filler tracks would increase - take a look at Out of the Blue).

Elo classics include: Telephone Line, Livin' Thing, Do Ya, and Rockaria. And there are great album tracks as well: Tightrope, So Fine, Mission (A New World Record) Above The Clouds reminds me of a "Pet Sounds" era song the Beach Boys would have done.

One of my favorite albums of the '70s

Get it ---- A++ All the Way!!!

One of the best 3 discs ELO ever released! This is an excellent package with non-stop enjoyable music from begining to end. There are two hit singles here, also. They are "Do Ya" and "Livin' Thing". The first, a pop rocker and the latter, soft-rock with great string arrangements. Other songs that I particularly liked over the others on the disc were "Tightrope", "Telephone line", "So Fine", and "Rockeria". This is all ELO, but it features pop, soft rock, and great blends, always. I say buy it; it will be hard to get a better price on such timeless material.

Despite their success, I still think that ELO are one of the underrated and under-appreciated bands in pop. Jeff Lynne is a pop genius when it comes to production arrangement and songwriting. The tunes he wrote for ELO were catchy, clever and memorable and the bands vocal harmonizing is dead on (does anybody know who sings the really high falsetto? bandmember or session singer?). A NEW WORLD RECORD is one of my favorite albums. It's the kind you can listen to over and over again and still find fresh and funny. TELEPHONE LINE and DO YA are just great songs--period.

If you have never heard this CD--buy it--its one of the best albums of all time--from beginning to end---Tightrope is a masterpiece of music that is absolutely incredible---the cd continues on and on with one great song after another---if you only put one cd of elo's in your library-make it this one---its FABULOUS !

I bought this album back in high school and just about wore it out. In my opinion, it is there best album, second only to "Face the Music". While I have always liked the way Jeff Lynn melds strings and electric derived music for that beautiful and sometimes haunting sound, "New World Record" hits the sweet spot of pop melody and pure rock, a little more so than other ELO masterpieces like "Eldorado" and "On the Third Day". It's got everything from FM radio pop classics like "Telephone Line" and "Livin' Thing" to funky "So Fine" to the rockin' "Do Ya" and "Rockeria". "Mission" and "Shangri-La" add that special haunting magic that sets ELO apart. Just when you think they are getting too sappy, they hit you hard. They are the THE band that makes classical, synthesizer and occasionally hard edge guitar really work. Queen comes close, but from a completely different place.

Overall, this CD has a very good collection of songs. For me, the one stand-out has to be "Shangri La". The first time I listened to this was some years ago during a light snowfall late one winter afternoon while gazing out at the scene through a large picture window at my sister's house out in the country, a smoldering fireplace keeping me warm. The combination of the wistful song (especially the conclusion) and quiet, natural setting brought tears to my eyes. I must have replayed it five times in a row. No other song has ever had quite the same effect. Thank you Jeff.

I was a mere 5 years old when I first heard this album and had no idea why I enjoyed it so much. I must have driven my mother mad asking her to keep playing it all the time. By the time I was 10 I knew the words and the whole feel of the album from memory. When I grew as a musician, and a person, I finally realised why I loved this album so much- because it is so musically perfect in every way. From first to last this album is a true classic. From the opening track of "Tightrope" you are transported into Jeff Lynne's unique vision of us as a people. I often find myself thinking what a true visionary Lynne was with the song "Mission (A New World Record)" with lyrics that mean even more today than they did 25 years ago. Along the way we meet despair ("Telephone Line" and "My Shangri-La") and joy ("Rockaria", "Living Thing" and "Do Ya") and it is as if we encumber the whole range of human emotions in a short space of time. This surely must rank as one of the defining moments of pop/rock, certainly one of ELO's most defining moments. I love "Time" and "Discovery" but to me this album pips them all and I eagerly await the day the album is given the proper remastering treatment as has happened with other bands like Deep Purple and Kiss. The recent "Flashback" set shows that it can be done! Until then I'll wait for somebody to throw me down a line!

No question, this is the strongest of ELO's albums. I also think it is one f the most overlooked albums of the rock-era. You'll never see this one on any top 100 lists, even though it deserves to be at least in the top 40. This album is the perfect combination of Lynne's melodies, mixed in with some good old rock and roll with a solid orchestral backing. Lynne uses the orchestra to create these songs and carry many of the melodies, whereas other artists use the orchestra simply to complement or back up a song. Anyone with an interest and vintage 70's rock, or just great music in general ought to give this masterpiece a shot. How could a man like Jeff Lynne who was such a monster creative force be forgotten so quickly like he has? It's really an injustice.

"A New World Record" is the best and most consistent of the band's original studio albums because it contains the greatest number of good songs combined with the fewest number of clunkers. The best are "Tightrope," "Livin' Thing," "Telephone Line," and "Do Ya," though the album contains no truly bad songs. This is one of the better 70s "art rock" albums.

In 1976 ELO finally achieved global superstardom with the huge-selling "A New World Record" album. It is this record (along with the very good '75 effort, "Face The Music") that marks Jeff Lynne's creative apex. Lots of ELO fans will argue until they are red in the face that Lynne's '77 "Out Of The Blue" double album was the band's finest moment, but I think that this CD beats its overlong and sometimes self-indulgent successor hands down. It is a relatively short album (a touch over 36 mins) but it is packed with quality : the first three songs are the best opening tracks on any ELO album, two of them becoming hit singles ("Telephone Line" and the supremely silly, if highly enjoyable, "Rockaria!"). "So Fine" and "Living Thing" also became AM radio staples in the mid-70's, and a rockin' version of "Do Ya" makes yer speakers shake later on in the album. "A New World Record" for me is the perfect example of Lynne's vision : combining rock and classical instruments to grand effect. And here he succeeds splendidly. Ironically, despite huge sales and massive popularity, ELO continued to be reviled and ridiculed by the critics in the music press and indeed the whole punk movement would hove into view a year later determined to destroy the "pretentious dinosaurs of rock" forever... but 25 years later are people still listening to the snotty screaming of the likes of Sham 69? I think not. Just ask anyone in Milwaukee (see above). Well done Jeff : we salute you.

For some inexplicable reason, ELO has been almost forgotten. This is a shame because Jeff Lynne is a masterful song writer and ELO was innovative and musically light years ahead of their time. Everything about ELO was classy: their album covers were a delight, their liner notes clever, witty and interesting and their music was incredible.

This album is packed with marvelous songs, there's not a dog in the bunch. "Tight Rope" is fantastic, "Livin' Thing" is one of the best pop songs of the last 25 years and "Do Ya" still rocks with the best of them. Lyrically, Lynne was innovative and wove together some nice concepts.

This is ELO's best one-disc album and it's held up marvelously over the years. A little known and under-appreciated classic!

1 year after another masterpiece,(FACE THE MUSIC)Jeff Lynne and co. returned with their best record.TELEPHONE LINE and LIVIN'THING are 2 of ELO's greatest songs.DO YA and ROCKARIA are some of the hottest rockers they ever recorded.SHANGRI-LA,MISSION,TIGHTROPE,and SO FINE are all excellent songs that should have been hits.Jeff Lynne is the most underrated songwriter in rock music.With the exceptions of TIME and SECRET MESSAGES,every ELO album is terrific;and A NEW WORLD RECORD is at the top of the list.