Electric Light Orchestra: Eldorado

Eldorado takes its title from the mythical Seven Cities of Gold, and it didn’t take long for the 1974 release to be certified Gold, solidifying the band’s symphonic sound and its reputation as prog-rock titans. Under the direction of founding guitarist and composer Jeff Lynn, ELO—which previously had employed a multi-tracked string trio—enhanced its layered band sound with a 30-piece orchestra conducted and arranged by the late Louis Clark, a big Beatles fan. The result was a prog-rock masterpiece that pairs a storyline about a daydreaming misfit with fantastical and often exhilarating band, choral and orchestral arrangements that echo post-Revolver Fab Four and the Moody Blues. Eldorado spawned the hits “Boy Blue” and “Can’t Get It Out of My Head.” The jazz-inflected, noirish “Nobody’s Child” is a hidden gem that awaits the uninitiated. Mobile Fidelity has remastered Eldorado from the original tapes. The numbered reissue, created with MoFi’s Gain 2 patented mastering process and pressed at RTI, is available on the label’s proprietary 180-gram SuperVinyl and SACD. The vinyl is quiet, the sonics detailed and balanced, with tight bass, warm mids, and clear highs—I was especially struck by how good the LP sounds at low and moderate volumes.