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Balance of Power (Electric Light Orchestra album)

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Balance of Power
Image:ELO Balance Of Power.jpg
Studio album by Electric Light Orchestra
Released 1 March 1986
Recorded 1985-1986 Compass Point,Nassau, Bahamas and Hartmann Digital Untertrubach
Genre Rock
Length 34:18
Label Epic Records
Producer(s) Jeff Lynne
Professional reviews
Electric Light Orchestra chronology
Secret Messages
(1983) 		Balance of Power
(1986) 		Afterglow
(1990)


Balance of Power is an album by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) released in 1986 (see 1986 in music).

Contents

[edit] Overview

Balance of Power was the last LP by the Electric Light Orchestra for a period of over 15 years. By this time Kelly Groucutt had departed and the group was pared down to a trio, with Jeff Lynne handling bass in addition to his usual guitar work and more recent dabbling with electronic percussion and synths. This was the only ELO album not to feature any strings. Although the songs on the album appear upbeat and bright, the lyrics denote a sadness throughout (perhaps indicating Jeff Lynne's mood at the time regarding the break-up of the band). ELO played some live concerts in the UK and Europe (their last for fifteen years), and in one UK show George Harrison guested on guitar. The album is due to be remastered on February 12-13th, 2007 as part of the Sony/BMG Music Epic/Legacy series.

The video for "Calling America" was shot in Paris and contains shots of Centre Georges Pompidou, the band plays in front of Pompidou. A video was also made for "So Serious".

The B-sides "Caught in a Trap", "A Matter of Fact" (alternative lyrics) and "ELO Megamix" are among the band's more collectible single tracks; "Destination Unknown" and the standard version of "A Matter of Fact" were released on the 1990 compilation Afterglow.

[edit] Miscellaneous

  • Balance of Power was the first ELO album to feature a saxophone.
  • The album was the first ELO Compact disc.
  • "Endless Lies" a homage to Roy Orbison was originally recorded for the aborted double LP Secret Messages.

[edit] Chart Positions

[edit] Singles

  • released in January 1986 in the UK.
  • charted February 1, 1986 for 15 weeks in the U.S. and reached #18.
  • charted 17 March, 1986 for 11 weeks in Australia and reached #47.

[edit] Track listing

All words and music by Jeff Lynne.

  1. "Heaven Only Knows" – 2:52
  2. "So Serious" – 2:38
  3. "Getting To The Point" – 4:28
  4. "Secret Lives" – 3:26
  5. "Is It Alright" – 3:25
  6. "Sorrow About To Fall" – 3:59
  7. "Without Someone" – 2:48
  8. "Calling America" – 3:26
  9. "Endless Lies" – 2:55
  10. "Send It" – 3:04

[edit] Credits

  • Jeff Lynne - Vocals, Electric and Acoustic guitars, Bass guitar, Keyboards, Percussion
  • Bev Bevan - Drums, Percussion
  • Richard Tandy - Keyboards, Sequence Programming
  • Christian Shnieder - Saxophone

[edit] External links


Electric Light Orchestra
Founding members: Jeff Lynne | Roy Wood | Bev Bevan
Other members in Electric Light Orchestra
Discography
Studio albums: Electric Light Orchestra (No Answer in US) | Electric Light Orchestra II | On the Third Day | Eldorado | Face the Music | A New World Record | Out of the Blue | Discovery | Xanadu | Time | Secret Messages | Balance of Power | Zoom
Live albums: The Night The Light Went On (In Long Beach) | Live at Winterland '76 | Live at Wembley '78
Compilation albums: Showdown | Olé ELO | The Light Shines On | The Light Shines On Vol 2 | ELO's Greatest Hits | A Box of their Best | Afterglow | ELO's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 | Strange Magic | Flashback | The Essential Electric Light Orchestra | All Over the World
UK Top 20 Singles: "10538 Overture" | "Roll Over Beethoven" | "Showdown" | "Evil Woman" | "Livin' Thing" | "Rockaria!" | "Telephone Line" | "Turn to Stone" | "Mr. Blue Sky" | "Wild West Hero" | "Sweet Talkin' Woman" | "Shine a Little Love" | "The Diary of Horace Wimp" | "Don't Bring Me Down" | "Last Train to London"/"Confusion" | "I'm Alive" | "Xanadu" | "All Over the World" | "Hold On Tight" | "Rock'n'Roll Is King"
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