A New World Record
	Produced by Jeff Lynne
	Released on October 1976
	UK CHART POSITION #6 . . . US CHART POSITION #5 . . . PLATINUM RECORD (12/6/76)
	Find it at GEMM
UA-LA-679-G cover [high resolution photo]

A nd what a wonderful world it was: a glimpse into what The Beatles would have sounded like if they’d survived into the disco era (i.e., Wings). Except that Wings never made an album this good. To date, ELO albums had been occasionally brilliant but uneven; beginning with A New World Record, the band started producing remarkably consistent product. Everything just seems to gel here, one great song effortlessly following the next. The record opens with the obligatory classical overture, leading into the hook-laden “Tightrope.” What follows is inspired pop music mixed with some of disco’s better ideas (the high harmonies and punchy production): “Livin’ Thing,” “Telephone Line” and the old Move track, “Do Ya.” The remaining cuts are equally solid if less well known, from the playful “Rockaria!” to the languid “Mission (A New World Record).” True, it sounds a lot like The Bee Gees, but those guys were never this cool, tossing off a gem like “Above The Clouds” in a matter-of-fact fashion like XTC. If earlier Beatles comparisons had seemed wishful thinking, here ELO assumes the mantle of pop’s premiere act. Together with their next two albums, A New World Record is one of the three best pop records to come from the UK since the Fab Four split. (Hope you’re enjoying it, Jim and Dara.)

UA-LA-679-G back cover

TRACK LISTING

1. TIGHTROPE    5:00
2. TELEPHONE LINE    4:38
3. ROCKARIA!    3:12
4. MISSION (A NEW WORLD RECORD)    4:24
5. SO FINE    3:55
6. LIVIN' THING    3:31
7. ABOVE THE CLOUDS    2:16
8. DO YA    3:45
9. SHANGRI-LA    5:34
   
   All music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne. Orchestra & choral arrangements: Jeff Lynne, Richard Tandy & Louis Clark.

CREDITS

BEV BEVAN --
MELVYN GALE --
KELLY GROUCUTT --
MIK KAMINSKI --
JEFF LYNNE --
HUGH McDOWELL --
RICHARD TANDY --
Louis Clark --

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