A New World Record
Untitled | |
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Robert Christgau | B+[2] |
Rolling Stone | positive[3] |
A New World Record is the sixth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1976.
Overview
Their second album to be recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, the LP proved to be the band's long awaited breakthrough in the UK: after seeing their previous three studio recordings fail to chart in their home market, A New World Record became their first top ten album in the UK. It became a huge global success and would consolidate the band's position as one of the biggest selling rock bands in the world, reaching multi-platinum status in the US and UK, The album sold five million units worldwide within its first year of release. The cover art features the famous ELO logo, designed by Kosh, for the first time. This logo would be included on most of the group's subsequent releases.
The album included the hit singles "Telephone Line", which became the band's first gold US single, "Livin' Thing", and "Do Ya" (US); and "Rockaria!" (UK). "Do Ya" was an ELO updating of The Move's late 1972 final US single on United Artists Records. The focus is more on shorter pop songs, a trend which would continue throughout the rest of ELO's future albums. In 1977, many of the album's songs were featured on the "Joyride" soundtrack. In 2006, the album was remastered and released with bonus tracks on Sony's Epic/Legacy imprint. "Surrender" was also issued as a promotional single and an iTunes download single, which entered the top 100 download chart.
In July 2012 the all vinyl record company, Music on Vinyl, rereleased A New World Record on 180 gram vinyl with a special embossed cover.
The band's frontman Jeff Lynne regards his own songwriting at this point to have reached a new high.
"The songs started to flow and most of them came quickly to me. To have all those hits, it was just ...I mean amazing really. Going from doing okay for probably three or four years to suddenly being in the big time, it was a strange but great thing."
- – Jeff Lynne 2006; A New World Record remaster
Patti Quatro, Brie Brandt, both of Fanny, and Addie Lee sang uncredited backing vocals at various points on this entire album.[4]
Track listing
All songs written by Jeff Lynne.
- Side one
- "Tightrope" – 5:03
- "Telephone Line" – 4:38
- "Rockaria!" – 3:12
- "Mission (A World Record)" – 4:25
- Side two
- "So Fine" – 3:54
- "Livin' Thing" – 3:31
- "Above the Clouds" – 2:16
- "Do Ya" – 3:43
- "Shangri-La" – 5:32
The cassette tape version consisted of "Tightrope", "Rockaria!", "Mission" and "Shangri-La" on Side one, with Side two the same as LP Side two except for "Telephone Line" at the end in place of "Shangri-La".
- Bonus tracks (2006 remaster)
- "Telephone Line" (Different vocal) – 4:41
- "Surrender" – 2:37
- "Tightrope" (Instrumental early rough mix) – 4:55
- "Above the Clouds" (Instrumental rough mix) – 1:14
- "So Fine" (Instrumental early rough mix) – 4:16
- "Telephone Line" (Instrumental) – 4:51
Personnel
- Jeff Lynne – vocals, lead, rhythm and slide guitars, percussion, Wurlitzer electric piano, Minimoog, acoustic guitar, twelve-string acoustic guitar, producer
- Bev Bevan – drums, Minimoog drum, percussion, timpani, gong, backing vocals
- Richard Tandy – piano, Minimoog, Micromoog, electric guitars, clavinet, Concert Spectrum strings, Mellotron, Wurlitzer electric piano, percussion, vocals
- Kelly Groucutt – vocals, bass guitar, percussion, backing vocals
- Mik Kaminski – violin
- Hugh McDowell – cello
- Melvyn Gale – cello
- Additional personnel
- Mary Thomas – operatic vocals
- Patti Quatro – uncredited vocals
- Brie Brandt – uncredited vocals
- Addie Lee – uncredited vocals
- Mack – engineer
- Orchestra and choral arrangements – Jeff Lynne, Richard Tandy, Louis Clark
- Orchestra conducted by Louis Clark
- Duane Scott – Engineer for USA edit
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[5] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[6] | Gold | 25,000[6] |
Netherlands (NVPI)[7] | Gold | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[8] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[9] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Charts
Chart positions
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Year-end charts
|
References
- ^ Eder, Bruce. A New World Record at AllMusic. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "Consumer Guide: Electric Light Orchestra: A New World Record". Archived from the original on 7 September 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ^ "Electric Light Orchestra: A New World Record: Music Review". Archived from the original on 16 April 2008.
- ^ Unzipped, an autobiography by Suzi Quatro
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Music Canada.
- ^ a b "Electric Light Orchestra" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 28 August 2013.
- ^ "Dutch album certifications – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter A New World Record in the "Artiest of titel" box.
- ^ id MUST BE PROVIDED for UK CERTIFICATION.
- ^ "American album certifications – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ a b c Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 978-0-646-11917-5.
- ^ "austriancharts.at Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Hung Medien (in German). Archived from the original (ASP) on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ^ Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 February 2012
- ^ "dutchcharts.nl Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Archived from the original (ASP) on 24 April 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2011.
- ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 978-4-87131-077-2.
- ^ "charts.org.nz Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Archived from the original (ASP) on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ^ "norwegiancharts.com Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Hung Medien. VG-lista. Archived from the original (ASP) on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ^ "swedishcharts.com Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original (ASP) on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ^ "Chart Stats – Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record". UK Albums Chart. Archived from the original (PHP) on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ^ "allmusic ((( A New World Record > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". allmusic.com. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ^ "Album Search: Electric Light Orchestra – A New World Record" (ASP) (in German). Media Control. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1976". RPM. 8 January 1977. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ^ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1976" (in Dutch). Archived from the original (ASP) on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
- ^ "Austriancharts.st – Jahreshitparade 1978" (in German). Hung Medien. Archived from the original (ASP) on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
- ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1977". RPM. 31 December 1977. Archived from the original on 5 April 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ^ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1977" (in Dutch). Archived from the original (ASP) on 12 May 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
- ^ a b "Complete UK Year-End Album Charts". Archived from the original on 19 May 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
- ^ "Top Pop Albums of 1977". billboard.biz. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
External links
- A New World Record Remastered info at ftmusic