A New World Record



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 breakthrough in the UK: after their previous three studio recordings failed to chart in their home market, A New World Record became their first top ten album in the UK. It became a global success and reached 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 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, four 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 an 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 Ericson, Brie Brandt (both of the band Fanny) and Addie Lee sang uncredited backing vocals at various points in the album, especially on "Livin' Thing" and the opening track "Tightrope".

Track listing
All songs written by Jeff Lynne. 1. "Tightrope" – 5:00
 * Side one

2. "Telephone Line" – 4:38

3. "Rockaria!" – 3:12

4. "Mission (A World Record)" – 4:24 1. "So Fine" – 3:55
 * Side two

2. "Livin' Thing" – 3:31

3. "Above the Clouds" – 2:16

4. "Do Ya" – 3:45

5. "Shangri-La" – 5:34 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".

1. "Telephone Line" (Different vocal) – 4:41
 * Bonus tracks (2006 remaster)

2. "Surrender" – 2:37 1. "Tightrope" (Instrumental early rough mix) – 4:55
 * Previously unreleased; also released as single

2. "Above the Clouds" (Instrumental rough mix) – 1:14

3. "So Fine" (Instrumental early rough mix) – 4:16

4. "Telephone Line" (Instrumental) – 4:51

Personnel

 * Jeff Lynne – Vocals, lead, rhythm and slide guitars, percussion, Wurlitzer EP200 electric piano
 * Bev Bevan – Drums, Minimoog drum, percussion, backing vocals
 * Richard Tandy – Wurlitzer EP200 electric piano, Minimoog synthesizer, Micromoog synthesizer, SLM Concert Spectrum, Electra x320 guitar, Hohner Clavinet, Yamaha C7 grand piano, Mellotron M400, Maestro Phase shifter, percussion, backing vocals, Systech flanger
 * Kelly Groucutt – Vocals, bass guitar, percussion, backing vocals
 * Mik Kaminski – Violin, Maestro Echoplex, Univox Univibe
 * Hugh McDowell – Cello, Systech Phaser, Mu-Tron III, Mu-Tron Phasor, Maestro Echoplex
 * Melvyn Gale – Cello, Maestro Echoplex


 * Additional personnel
 * Mary Thomas – operatic vocals
 * Patti Quatro – uncredited vocals
 * Brie Brandt – uncredited vocals
 * Addie Lee – uncredited vocals
 * Mack – engineer
 * Orchestra and choral arrangements – Louis Clark
 * Orchestra conducted by Louis Clark
 * Duane Scott – Engineer for USA edit

Certifications
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