Eldorado (Electric Light Orchestra album)

Infobox Album
Name = Eldorado, A Symphony
Type = studio
Artist = Electric Light Orchestra


Released = July 1974
Recorded = De Lane Lea Studios, London, United Kindgom
Genre = Symphonic rock, art rock
Length = 38:42
Label = Warner Bros. Records, United Artists Records, Jet Records, Columbia Records
Producer = Jeff Lynne
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=Ar1ua6j7h71t0 link]
*George Starostin (10/10) [http://starling.rinet.ru/music/elo.htm#Eldorado link]
*"Rolling Stone" (favourable) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/electriclightorchestra/albums/album/122346/review/5944334/eldorado link]
Last album = "The Night the Light Went On (In Long Beach)"
(1974)
This album = "Eldorado, A Symphony by The Electric Light Orchestra"
(1974)
Next album = "Face the Music" (1975)

"Eldorado, A Symphony", also known as simply "Eldorado", is the fourth studio album and a concept album by the Electric Light Orchestra released in 1974.

Concept

"Eldorado" is the first complete ELO concept album, and Jeff Lynne conceived of the entire story before he wrote any music. The story follows a Walter Mitty-like character who mentally journeys into fantasy worlds via dreams, to escape a mundane reality he can't tolerate.

Recording

On this album Jeff Lynne stopped overdubbing strings, as he had on the first three ELO albums, and instead hired an orchestra.Wild, David. "The Story of a Rock and Roll Band and the Pop Genius Who Dared to Go Baroque." Flashback.] Louis Clark co-arranged and conducted the strings, and would become a full member.

Mike de Albuquerque departed before recording, leaving Lynne to play bass and provide all vocals for the album, though de Albuquerque was credited. Kelly Groucutt replaced de Albuquerque for the subsequent tour, when cellist Melvyn Gale also joined.

"Eldorado Finale" is heavily orchestrated much like "Eldorado Overture". Jeff Lynne said of the song, "I like the heavy chords and the slightly daft ending, where you hear the double bass players packing up their basses, because they wouldn't play another millisecond past the allotted moment."

Reception

"Can't Get It Out of My Head" was released as a single (with "Illusions in G Major") and was a success in the US, however the second single, an edited version of "Boy Blue" failed to make any impact. The album was soon certified Gold there. However, the album and singles failed to find a wide audience in the band's native United Kingdom.

Cover artwork

The front cover, designed by Sharon Arden, comprises a still from the popular 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz".

Track listing

All songs written by Jeff Lynne.

ide one

tracklist
title1 = Eldorado Overture
length1 = 2:12

title2 = Can't Get It Out of My Head
length2 = 4:21

title3 = Boy Blue
length3 = 5:18

title4 = Laredo Tornado
length4 = 5:29

title5 = Poor Boy (The Greenwood)
length5 = 2:57

ide two

tracklist
title1 = Mister Kingdom
length1 = 5:29

title2 = Nobody's Child
length2 = 3:56

title3 = Illusions in G Major
length3 = 2:37

title4 = Eldorado
length4 = 5:17

title5 = Eldorado Finale
length5 = 1:34

Reissue

The album was remastered and reissued in 2001 with two bonus tracks, "Eldorado Instrumental Medley", a suite of the album's orchestral parts, plus "Dark City", an early draft of the track "Laredo Tornado".
#

"Eldorado Instrumental Medley" – 7:56
#"Dark City" – 0:46

Use as Soundtrack

In 1978, the avant-garde filmmaker Kenneth Anger recreated his classic 1954 film Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome, using this album as the soundtrack.

Chart Positions, Chart Runs

* US: #16 Billboard 200, 32 weeks
* UK: did not chart
* AUS: #40 ARIA Albums Chart, 14 weeks
* CAN: #7 RPM Albums Chart, 28 weeks

Personnel

*Jeff Lynne – vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, keyboards, orchestra and choral arrangements
*Bev Bevan – drums, percussion
*Richard Tandy – piano, moog synthesiser, guitar, backing vocals, orchestra and choral arrangements
*Mike de Albuquerque – bass (credited, but did not play on the record)
*Mik Kaminski – violin
*Hugh McDowell – cello
*Mike Edwards – cello
*Louis Clark - orchestra and choral arrangements and conducting
*Peter Forbes-Robertson – spoken word

References