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Post by Timeblue on Aug 1, 2020 22:06:16 GMT
Rarely gets an outing here I’m afraid. A lot of that is down to the very brickwalled mix/mastering which robs the songs of any dynamics and makes it very harsh to listen to. It does have a handful of very nice songs, like Moment in Paradise, but it’s very much a Jeff solo album for me. I’ve been listening a lot to Armchair Theatre lately and I think that album has aged incredibly well. “ Every Little Thing” is such a classic. I'll have to re visit that album soon.
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Post by nobodyschild on Aug 2, 2020 2:50:56 GMT
Maybe I’m a bit biased, but Zoom is one of my favorite albums. Granted, it doesn’t exactly sound like the orchestrated ELO of the 70s, but I have listened to it many times trying to decide which song is my favorite, and I simply can’t do it. I can’t pick between them—each have something that makes me really like it. The guitar solo in Moment in Paradise is just fantastic, (and don’t even get me started on that falsetto), and Stranger on a Quiet Street has a really nice bridge/chorus/song structure in general. I love the vocals and harmonies and guitars on it. The whole album just sets a vibe I really like. And even though it’s straying from what I’d consider to be ELO’s style, I really dig the more bluesy feel of In My Own Time.
What I think Zoom’s fault is, is simply the timing of its release. It’s somewhat of a case of being right but at the wrong time. Had it been released this year, I think it would have sold a lot better. Just speculating but maybe Jeff avoids playing it live because of the flopped tour? Or the relatively poor reception it got? Another speculation but I also think the tour flopped simply because of the timing. In 2001, rock just simply wasn’t cool. The golden age of it from the 60s/70s/80s was over, and it was too soon for the rock revival we saw back around 2014 or so, when it became “cool” again. I think that might play a lot into people’s judgement of it, especially if they remember ELO in the 70s and remember when the album was released. It was only released the year I was born and I didn’t discover ELO until much later anyway, so I got to judge it all at the same time, not even knowing Zoom was a relatively modern release.
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Zoom
Aug 3, 2020 16:29:44 GMT
Post by onthethirdday on Aug 3, 2020 16:29:44 GMT
I would sure like to hear the German promo version.
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Zoom
Aug 3, 2020 17:54:38 GMT
BSJ likes this
Post by fireonhigh on Aug 3, 2020 17:54:38 GMT
I've always liked the album. I think it knocks spots of the recent two offerings (though AITU is now growing on me). For me it was a great blend of traditional ELO and Jeff's new style ELO (whatever that is!!) and it doesn't sound as 'muddled' as the newer ones. Each song sound clear and crisp. The only thing in my opinion that lets the album down is it's name. Zoom is a truly awful and uninspiring title!
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Zoom
Aug 3, 2020 18:43:27 GMT
Post by BSJ on Aug 3, 2020 18:43:27 GMT
I agree, Zoom is a pretty bad title.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 3, 2020 19:57:03 GMT
Aw, I love the title. The spaceship....well....it zooms, doesn't it? It zoomed all the way to 2001.
(This gives me an idea for a new thread.....)
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Post by eloandy on Aug 4, 2020 18:37:02 GMT
I've always liked the album. I think it knocks spots of the recent two offerings (though AITU is now growing on me). For me it was a great blend of traditional ELO and Jeff's new style ELO (whatever that is!!) and it doesn't sound as 'muddled' as the newer ones. Each song sound clear and crisp. The only thing in my opinion that lets the album down is it's name. Zoom is a truly awful and uninspiring title! Completely agree. I think it's full of strong, catchy songs and for once, Jeff lets rip with some sparkling guitar work. I've never understood the criticism Zoom gets with regard to the mix/mastering. Personally i don't see it. That's not to say that it isn't a valid observation, it's just i don't hear what they hear. From minute one, i loved the album, thought Jeffs songs were brilliant and despite its poor sales was and remains one of my favourites. Also agree with nobodyschild that it was the right album but at the wrong time. It's true that it deviates as far from the classic ELO sound as much as any album. Similarly OOTB deviated from the sound created on ELO, ELO2 and OOTD. Agree that it "knocks spots off" the two most recent offerings. I got the feeling that Jeff had a clear vision of the sound he wanted on 'ZOOM'.
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Zoom
Aug 4, 2020 21:00:23 GMT
Post by Timeblue on Aug 4, 2020 21:00:23 GMT
Aw, I love the title. The spaceship....well....it zooms, doesn't it? It zoomed all the way to 2001.
(This gives me an idea for a new thread.....) It zoomed all the way up to 34 in the UK charts...
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Zoom
Aug 6, 2020 18:39:54 GMT
BSJ likes this
Post by queenofthehours on Aug 6, 2020 18:39:54 GMT
Now that Zoom isn't ELO's newest album I enjoy it more. I think there's pressure on the listener to make too much comparison with a band's latest record. Once an album is worn in and no longer new you feel differently, more sympathetic and less quick to judge. I mean Zoom is about 20 years old, were people still doubting Time after it had been out 20 years? Rarely gets an outing here I’m afraid. A lot of that is down to the very brickwalled mix/mastering which robs the songs of any dynamics and makes it very harsh to listen to. It does have a handful of very nice songs, like Moment in Paradise, but it’s very much a Jeff solo album for me. I’ve been listening a lot to Armchair Theatre lately and I think that album has aged incredibly well. “Every Little Thing” is such a classic. I think I prefer Armchair Theatre to the latest three ELO albums. I definitely listen to it more often.
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Zoom
Aug 22, 2020 1:44:03 GMT
Post by onthethirdday on Aug 22, 2020 1:44:03 GMT
I would sure like to hear the German promo version. Looking at threads on the Steve Hoffman Forums I see where some folks were tending to blur the German promo version in with the KronStudioLab 'remaster' (which I also like and have). No luck in getting anyone on there to rip it for me yet, though one US member has it at 192 bitrate. Surprised it didn't spur me to seek it out back when it was first mentioned, but I like that KSL remaster.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2021 23:33:50 GMT
Zoom turns 20 this week.
I'm just sayin'.
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Zoom
Jun 7, 2021 0:24:03 GMT
Post by tightrope on Jun 7, 2021 0:24:03 GMT
I loved Zoom but I think what hurt it was releasing the weakest song as the lead single. That and Jeff putting his then girlfriend up front along side him turned many off.
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Zoom
Jun 7, 2021 0:28:10 GMT
Post by tightrope on Jun 7, 2021 0:28:10 GMT
From Out of Nowhere was great but also released the weakest song first IMO. It was a much better song than Alright though.
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Zoom
Jun 7, 2021 8:44:39 GMT
Post by Timeblue on Jun 7, 2021 8:44:39 GMT
I remember buying the Zoom dvd and being disappointed when I saw the band. I kinda knew that it wasn't going to be 'ELO' as we knew it but apart from Richard I was thinking "don't know you" to everyone else....
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Post by ShardEnder on Jun 7, 2021 13:04:07 GMT
Speaking of Zoom, I recently found a higher resolution copy of that contest-winning fan cover, including the back, which I'd never seen before now:
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