Fans have praised a lesser-known Electric Light Orchestra as a hidden gem of Jeff Lynne‘s discography.
The hitmakers behind Evil Woman and Mr. Blue Sky have albums worth of material which goes unlistened to by many members of the public. Listeners took to the r/ELO subreddit and shared what they believe is one of the lesser-known songs in the band’s discography. High praise for the track soon followed, with many thanking the original poster for sharing a song they had been completely unaware of. A post to the subreddit saw a user share the song In For the Kill, a track featured on the band’s Balance of Power album. The fan asked: “What do we think about In For the Kill?” The Balance of Power bonus track is not “typical” of the group, but has received plenty of praise.
The original poster added: “Maybe it’s not the typical ELO song, but I kinda really like it! What do you guys think?” Members of the public have since praised the poster for sharing a deep cut from the band, saying they had no idea this song had been released in any capacity.
One fan wrote: “I can’t believe there are still songs I haven’t heard before. Thanks for sharing it!” Another added: “I like it. There are better ones, but it’s good.” A third shared: “Catchy chorus. Unfortunately, the lyrics are not so great.”
Other listeners believe the song is an alternative version of another Balance of Power song, Caught in a Trap. One user explained there was a clear difference between the two versions, though, and suggested In for the Kill was lifted from a previous album session for the band. The listener explained: “Caught in a Trap itself was intended for Balance of Power, but this and Destination Unknown fell foul of CBS, who objected to what they saw as Jeff perhaps being a little too direct in writing about his business situation at still being required to turn in one last contractually obliged album.
“So, those two songs were dropped. From what I can tell, In For the Kill actually dates back to the Secret Messages sessions, or at least it uses all of the same basic instrumentation as that album, carrying many of the hallmarks from when Bill Bottrell was still involved as lead engineer (and arguably an uncredited co-producer for how much he shaped the actual songs).
“The most obvious of these being its prominent, ringing guitars and the more subtle presence of the SLM Concert Spectrum, which the band didn’t even take with them to either Compass Point or Hartmann Digital. At the very least, some work was done on In For The Kill later, as the manipulated vocals during its outro make use of the Synclavier II, and they certainly didn’t get their hands on one of those until early ’85.”
Another user disagreed though, saying the song was “definitely” made after Secret Messages. They wrote: “In For the Kill definitely was made after Secret Messages though, and intended for Balance of Power. At least the lyrics were made after and the instrumentation was made during the Secret Messages sessions.”
Whether written before or after, the song has struck a chord with some fans. One wrote: “I’ve always liked this song. It’s classic late ELO with crystalline production, tight harmonies, and synth pop. Love it. Not sure why it wasn’t more popular and not included on the album. They should have released this as a single. Surprisingly, it has some of Lynne’s best lyrics from his later work.”
Another agreed, adding: “This has some nice city night feelings. I can imagine driving through the night with this song. What a cool banger! I hope there will be a complete B-side album on vinyl.”
