Balance of Power (album)

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Balance of Power
Balance of Power cover
Studio album by Electric Light Orchestra
Released 1 March 1986
March 2007 reissue
Recorded 1985-1986 Compass Point,Nassau, Bahamas and Hartmann Digital Untertrubach
Genre Pop Rock Electronica
Length 34:18
55:33 Reissue
Label UK Epic Records
U.S. CBS Associated
Epic/Legacy (reissue)
Producer Jeff Lynne
Professional reviews
Electric Light Orchestra chronology
Secret Messages
(1983)		 Balance of Power
(1986)		 Live at Winterland '76
(1998)

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

Contents

[edit] Overview

Balance of Power was the last studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra for a period of over 15 years (until Zoom was released in 2001). 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 dabbling with electronic percussion and synthesisers. ELO played some live concerts in the UK and Europe (their last for fifteen years), and in one UK show George Harrison performed as guest guitarist.

The video for the single "Calling America" was shot in Paris, and contains shots of the band playing in front of Centre Georges Pompidou. A video was also made for the single "So Serious." The track "Endless Lies" was intended as an homage to Roy Orbison, and was originally recorded for the pared-down double LP Secret Messages; it reappeared on this album in a slightly reworked and more compact form. A number of "ELO firsts" can be attributed to this album: it was the first ELO album not to feature any strings whatsoever; the first to feature a saxophone solo; and the band's first compact disc issued. The album, in its original form, is also the shortest album in the ELO catalogue.

The singles' 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. The remastered version of the album was released on February 26th (UK) and March 20th (US), 2007 as part of the Sony/BMG Music Epic/Legacy series. It includes an extra 21 minutes of music, considerably lengthening what had been the shortest ELO album.

[edit] Chart Positions, Chart Runs

[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.

Side One

  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

Side Two

  1. "Sorrow About To Fall" – 3:59
  2. "Without Someone" – 3:48
  3. "Calling America" – 3:26
  4. "Endless Lies" – 2:55
  5. "Send It" – 3:04

[edit] 2007 Bonus Tracks

  1. "Opening" - 0:24
  2. "Heaven Only Knows (Alternate Version)" - 2:32
  3. "In For The Kill" - 3:13
  4. "Secret Lives (Alternate Mix)" - 3:24
  5. "Sorrow About To Fall (Alternate Mix)" - 3:48
  6. "Caught In A Trap (UK B-side) - 3:44
  7. "Destination Unknown (UK B-side) - 4:10

[edit] Personnel

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

[edit] Tour line-up

[edit] External links


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Electric Light Orchestra
Jeff Lynne · Roy Wood · Bev Bevan
Other members in Electric Light Orchestra
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Live albums
Compilation albums
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