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Rating: Among many rock and industrial-electronic titles that I favor and review, there is also room for an excellent album from the late '70s that can be defined as "pop" in every sense, yet with such qualitative characteristics that make it worthy of more attention than any truly pop work.
Indeed, in "Discovery", on the reminiscences of the prevailing mood of the time, that is, the disco vibe, it already implanted the precursors of the themes dear to the '80s, alternating a melodic vein with a synthpop vein, seasoned with solid rock'n'roll structures and with a splash of electronics that already seemed astonishing then.
Jeff Lynn's band lined up a series of nine immediately catchy tracks that, with the dancing blessing of the opening "Shine a little love", full of falsetto choruses and chirping violins, continued with a handful of great hit-singles interspersed with American-flavored serenades, but no less enjoyable for that. "Confusion", "Last train to London", "Midnight Blue": these are some of the titles that today make us say "if only there were more...!" Not to mention the orchestral "The diary of Horace Wimp", with psychedelic hints and Beatles-like scents, and the final riff of "Don't bring me down", another hit single that in its apparent straightforwardness revisits the clichés of rock'n'roll with an incredibly catchy beat.
E.L.O. certainly reached its commercial and popular peak with this album which remains a cornerstone of its genre without belonging to any specific genre and especially without a true geographical cultural identity, as it seems to have an American sound approach to totally European lyrics and inspirations. This is somewhat what happened to Supertramp in those years: a solidly British band that everyone believed was made in the USA. "Discovery", with its fairy-tale cover, is not part of the trends that identify the period. It has no shadows of new wave nor of punk. If anything, it inherits a lively taste of the now-mature disco trend and does not bother to please fashions, thus automatically becoming a fashionable album broadcast on the radio every hour of the day (I remember that "Confusion" and "Don't bring me down" were playing in a loop) and in the end, never aged.
To some today it may sound like simplistic and predictable music. But I wonder how it is that I know a lot of experts in innovative rock who have this record at home and won't part with it.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Shine a Little Love (04:44)
Although the things you've done I wouldn't criticize,
I guess you had your way.
You see I've gotta make you understand.
I know it sounds a foolish thing to say,
But it don't matter baby, 'cos today's another day
CHORUS
You shine a little love on my life.
You shine a little love on my life.
You shine a little love on my life and let me see...
Remember, tonight we're gonna run till dawn
Remember, tonight we're gonna say it.
We'll never stop, we got a good thing goin' on.
I know you've heard it all before,
But I realy need you, darlin', every day I need you more...
CHORUS
Can you understand (Yes I understand)
Can you feel it's right (I know it is)
Will you be the same (I'll do it all again)
It's been a year now and it's getting so much better,
You came home without a word.
Though everybody said you'll soon forget her,
They couldn't see it and they just didn't understand,
And lookin' in the mirror, there were fools at either hand,
CHORUS
Can you understand (Yes I understand)
Can you feel it's right (I know it is)
Will you be the same (I'll do it all again)
How many days had I been waiting there to tell you,
I really can't believe,
We're walkin' out into the world tonight,
We'll do it all again until the break of night,
And the feelin' in your heart will soon be shinin' in your eyes.
CHORUS
02 Confusion (03:43)
Everywhere the sun is shining
All around the world, it's shining
But cold winds blow across your mind
Confusion -- it's such a terrible shame
Confusion -- you don't know what you're saying
You've lost your love and you just can't carry on
You feel there's no one there for you to lean on.
Every night you're out there, darling
You're always out there running
And I see that lost look in your eyes
Confusion -- I don't know what I should do
Confusion -- I leave it all up to you
You've lost your love and you just can't carry on
You feel there's no one there for you to lean on.
Dark is the road you wander
And as you stand there under
The starry sky, you feel sad inside
Confusion -- you know it's driving me wild
Confusion -- it comes as no big surprise
You've lost your love and you just can't carry on
You feel there's no one there for you to lean on.
Confusion, confusion
Confusion, confusion
04 The Diary of Horace Wimp (04:21)
Monday (Monday)
Late again today,
He'd be in trouble though he'd say he was sorry.
He'd have to hurry out - to the bus.
Tuesday (Tuesday).
Horace was so sad,
He'd never had a girl that he could care for.
And if he was late once more,
He'd be out
Chorus
Don't be afraid, just knock on the door,
Well, he just stood there - mumblin' a-fumblin'
Then a voice from above, said,
Horace Wimp, this is your life,
Go out and find, yourself a wife
(Come on Horace)
Make a stand, and be a man,
and you will have a great life planned.
(You can do it, come on Horace)
Wednesday.
Horace met the girl.
She was small and she was very pretty.
He thought he was in love,
he was afraid - uh oh.
Thursday.
Asked her for a date,
the cafe down the street, tomorrow evening.
His head was reeling, when she said yes, ok.
Chorus
Friday,
Horace this is it!
He asks the girl if maybe, they could marry.
When she gladly, Horace cries - boo hoo.
Sunday
Everybody's at the church,
When Horace rushes in,
and says "now here comes my wife,
for the rest of my life"
and she did.
Chorus
Don't be afraid, just knock on the door,
Well, he just stood there - mumblin' a-fumblin'
Then a voice from above, said,
Horace Wimp, this is your life,
Go out and find, yourself a wife
(You can do it)
Make a stand, and be a man,
and you will have a great life planned
(Horace Wimp)
Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace,
Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace, Horace,
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday
repeat to fade....
07 On the Run (03:57)
Whatever I do, wherever I go,
The same afterglow is keepin' me low,
Don't wanna lose it, but don't wanna stay here too long
They see you go by, I tell you no lie,
You're up in the sky, make everyone cry,
Don't wanna lose it, but don't wanna stay around here
I'm on the run again, I'm on the run again,
But it's like what they say when it happens this way
You gotta do it again and again
I hear them talkin' and they go on and on,
They think that nothing is wrong, and so they just carry on about you,
Don't wanna lose it, but I gotta move out of here
I see them waiting there for most of the day,
I know you asked them to stay, but they just won't go away
Don't wanna lose it, but I gotta do it again
I'm on the run again, I'm on the run again,
But it's like what they say when it happens this way
You gotta do it again and again
I know it ain't real, but when you are near,
You're saying the things that I wanna hear.
Don't wanna lose it, but I gotta do it again
I'm on the run again, I'm on the run again,
But it's like what they say when it happens this way
You gotta do it again and again
09 Don't Bring Me Down (04:05)
You got me running, going out of my mind
You got me thinking that I'm wasting my time
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
You wanna stay out with your fancy friends
I'm telling you it's got to be the end
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
CHORUS
Don't bring me down, Grooss
Don't bring me down, Grooss
Don't bring me down, Grooss
Don't bring me down.
What happened to the girl I used to know?
You let your mind out somewhere down the road
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
You're always talking 'bout your crazy nights
One of these days you're gonna get it right
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
REPEAT CHORUS
You're looking good, just like a snake in the grass
One of these days you're gonna break your glass
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
You got me shaking, got me running away
You got me crawling up to you everyday
Don't bring me down, no, no, no, no, no
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down, down, down, down, down, down
I'll tell you once more before I get off the floor:
Don't bring me down.
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Other reviews
By piergiorgio
Their music is an unpretentious orchestral pop made with class and enthusiasm.
A masterpiece in its genre, which I keep at home and in the car as you would a box of aspirin for a potential headache.
By Valeriorivoli
When I hear these songs again, I get emotional like a fool, a big crocodile with a little tear.
Those golden nights of sleepy love, glimpses of transcendence in profane loves, the promise that the gods are giving you everything.
By RRDN
When they ask you how symphonic rock and disco can blend, just let them listen to this more than memorable album.
This album deserves more than what it has received.
