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 The Apex of Jeff Lynne's Creativity Mar 25, 2009
Those who were active listeners to popular music in the 1970s will likely never be able to get ELO out of their heads. Unfortunately, most ELO fans I have met came on board with the kind of bubble-gum prog that typified the band from the third album forward. But it was ELO II that really put the band on the commercial map with an outstanding cover of Roll Over, Beethoven and made bandleader Jeff Lynne a rising star and a critical success.
Looking back on ELO's output over the years, it is my opinion that ELO II marked the apex of Lynne's creativity. Not only did it produce a monster commercial hit, in doing so it brought the eclectic and extraordinary English prog of the rest of the album to the ears of people who may never have heard any. Every song on the original album is excellent, particularly the magnificent From the Sun to the World and Kuiama. Lynne's writing never again came close to matching the quality of those two.
This remaster also features an instrumental version of In Old England Town, and an alternate mix of the album version, both of which are enjoyable. Only the rather lame bonus cut Baby I Apologise and the intro to the alternate mix of Roll Over, Beethoven detract though not enough to deduct a star from the rating.
The CD is accompanied by an attractive booklet featuring pictures, lyrics, notes by Jeff Lynne, an interesting look at ELO by archivist Rob Caiger, and all pertinent album information. If I was asked to pick an ELO album which shows the band at its most creative and which stands the test of time, ELO II would be my choice. If you enjoy ELO and haven't yet heard this one, you don't know what you are missing!
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
A lost masterpiece..... Jul 28, 2008
This is one of my favorite Electric Light Orchestra albums. It is also the first album with Jeff Lynne solely at the helm. Roy Wood had left the band in a power struggle with Lynne, and Lynne took over the band as songwriter and leader (a position he has held ever since). Most longtime ELO fans know they started as a prog rock outfit before going pop in their later albums (which isn't a bad thing, necessarily). This is the most epic, prog rock album they ever did, with a mere five tracks, all with extremely long running times. The best song here is Kuiama, which runs just over 11 minutes. Lynne's vocal is quite moving, and the lyrics, while occasionally preachy (it's an anti-war song), are very good. Despite the length of the song, it's never boring. It has an excellent violin solo in the middle of the song that's got a touch of free jazz to it. I wished that ELO had one more prog rock album before going to shorter, tighter song structures. Mama is excellent, but I really like the long version of Roll Over Beethoven. Now, reportedly the version on the reissue of this album is 30 seconds shorter than the version released on the original LP. Supposedly, this was according to Jeff Lynne's wishes. I have the original LP with the long version on it, and if there are people interested in hunting down the original version of the song on CD, try finding ELO's first box set, Afterglow. It has that song (and three other songs from this album alone). One has to express the wishes of the artist, but not necessarily agree with them. He should have included both versions.
This album is a must for any ELO fan, and it should be required listening for prog rock fans, as there is much to enjoy here. ELO was just as ambitious as any prog rock outfit during their time. Their later albums are great (and there are some masterpieces), but this is a fascinating time capsule, and it's really good music as well. It's probably the least known of ELO's albums, which is a shame, as it's very, very good.
What a bummer about "Roll Over Beethoven" Jun 14, 2008
I know there are versions of ELO's "Roll Over Beethoven" that are about 4 and a half minutes (45 RPM), but there are two longer versions that are out there too. The original "full version" is 8:09. But this CD of "ELO II" gives us the shorter long version that clocks in at 7:04. This is very disappointing to me because I've always had the longer version on vinyl. Since, the age of the CD, the eight minute version is harder to find. Especially since they don't list the time lengths on the outside of the CD jewel box. I have gotten the eight minute version of the double CD of "Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra" and in my Rhino box set of "Supernatural Fairytales: The Progressive Rock Era".
However, the rest of this album is very cool. ELO was going through some transitions early on before they really hit it big on pop radio. Their first album was lead by Roy Wood who left the band right after their first album "No Answer". You wouldn't know that you were listening to ELO when you play this album but I still love it. It's a dark, progressive album and very unique from beginning to end. Jeff Lynne became lead on this album of "ELO II" which was an FM rock favorite for the more adventurous rock stations back in the early seventies. By the time ELO made their fourth album "Eldorado", this is where they enjoyed some charted pop success with "Can't Get it Out of My Head". Their fifth album "Face the Music" is probably their more important album. This is the one album that got me hooked on FM Rock radio. Because, no longer was I just listening to and buying pop 45's. I was now hearing, not only longer hit songs, but even non-hit tracks from albums that made me look at the work of the artists more than just some "one hit wonder" that use to be all that radio was (although I do miss those innocent K-Tell Hell novelty pop years now).
I've collected all of the Electric Light Orchestra's albums from 1971 to 1984. With the exception of one. Oddly enough, ELO's highest charted album is one that I just can't stand. I hated and I still can't stand ELO's 1979 album "Discovery". This was the wimpiest, crappiest music ELO has ever done. With the exception of "Don't Bring Me Down", the rest of the album just totally sucks. I've got "Don't Bring Me Down" on a "Best of" collection, so "Discovery" is totally dissed by me.
And yet, strangely enough, their next two albums afterwards* ELO's "Time" and "Secret Messages" from the early eighties were totally awesome! It's very hard to mix up all of ELO's work because they really have had some extreme changes in their sound over the years of their career together. But, ELO is great. I never get tired of their albums.
On this album of "ELO II", there is a bonus track called "Baby I Apologize". It's a fabulous lost gem.
*Olivia Newton John and ELO's 1980 album "Xanadu" really isn't worth mentioning as an ELO album. I give that album to Olivia.
Justice is done for ELO II Feb 27, 2008
At last, justice is done for ELO II CD. Many years hearing band sound but good music in this masterpiece and now we got great sound too, and finally can enjoy this CD in all ways.
2 of 4 found the following review helpful:
The *Experimentation* Light Orchestra! Jan 13, 2008
A few opening words: I come not to speak of the sound on this remastered version--after all, I have only heard the orignal CD release, for which Amazon apparently has no listing now--, neither to do I come to indulge myself in the controversy over the differing versions of Roll Over Beethoven-- again, I have not heard it--, no, I come simply to talk about... THE MUSIC.
As is the implication, this is the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO)'s second released album, from early 1973. Consisting of only 5 tracks, it might not seem like much of an "album" when one first picks it up and looks it over. With the understanding that these tracks are extremely lengthy-- not one of 'em under six minutes, and the longest over 11--, and that we are, of course, dealing with a work originally released on the LP record format, where the work could barely exceed 45 minutes, things tend to snap into perspective, to clarify: this is NOT a normal album of music; of course, no ELO record is (and perhaps this is the reason for the love-it-or-hate-it aura carried by the band?), but this one in particular is odd. It's very different from anything else this group has ever done, it has "experiment" written all over it in massive, scrawling, and bold letters. How the listner responds this may depend on a number of issues: the preconceived notion that ELO is inferior material must be dismissed and, at optimum, the listner should have an open mind and a rampant and unfettered sense of adventure, exploration, and experimentation. Of course, as with any album, some tracks will be stronger--that is more appealing to the individual in question-- than others; personally, I don't think, even having yet to hear all of this group's work (it won't be long, I can assure you!), this anywhere near their best work; certainly it is nothing on the warhorses of the mid-70s: Eldorado, Face the Music, New World Record, and the climactic, Out of the Blue. Yet, I feel it has its own appeal, and I can instantly pick out certain tracks the I just LOVE...
1: In Old London Town (Boogie #2). In an interesting sequencing decision, this track, subtitled "Boogie #2, is appears as the first track on the album, while the one labled as "Boogie #1" (of which I will speak later on) is placed as track four; but no matter the logical inconsistancies of its placement on the album, it's a WONDERFUL way to start off; it grabbed my attention from the word GO, and lyrically, musically, and in terms of arrangement and production (6:54, and not a second wasted!), it is outstanding, not just on this album, but in ELO's catalogue to date. Lynne's vocals are fantastic, the subject matter holds appeal for me (and hey, REALLY NICE lyrics, which is not something one says a lot about ELO, in honesty), the melody and blending of instruments is as good as it gets , and, personally, I just don't buy the assesment of those who say it is too depressing for repeat listening; aside from the great subject matter, lyrics, and performance, it just grips me musically in a way few tracks do (the Eldorado Overture would be another example, as would the Beatles', 'Rain'); an all-around great way to start of the album. It sucks you in and does not let you go for almost seven minutes, through its entire marvelous arrangment).
2: Roll Over Beethoven. NO, it's not the 2nd track on the album's running order, but it is another favorite of mine, so I'm talking about up front (keep this in mind as I jump from track to track). Written and originally recorded by Chuck Berry (another favored artist of yours truly) in 1956, it is, if one thinks about it, the ultimate rock 'n' roll song for the Electric Light Orchestra to cover: it has classical music-related subject matter, and is a GREAT rock 'n' roll song; both of these qualites define the VERY best of ELO, and this blend of two very different musical genres is the backbone of ELO, at least the earlier stuff, and was certainly the genesis of the group. As expected, this cover version, running at over 8 minutes, at least on the orginal American CD release, is BRILLIANT. The vocals, the instrumentation, the performance, the production, the pure, RAW energy; Richard Tandy's keboard passes, the soaring violins of Wilf Gibson, backed by the cellos of Mike Edwards and Colin Walker, the rock solid (and more!) drums of Bev Bevan, and Jeff Lynne's astonishing guitar work (at least coming from him, don't get all over me about, you Clapton and Hendricks buffs!) come together to make an incredible track (as far as I can gather, the end of side one on the original LP release). Perhaps the best cut off the album... perhaps!
3. From the Sun to the World (Boogie #1). It's really something of a toss-up as to whether I prefer this or Kuiama more. While the latter has epic brillance to a fine art (and does it ever rock 'n roll? great lyrics too!), the former, aside from ELO's trademark odd but throughly fun and enjoyable lyrics (they kind of leave you wondering too, when will the sun really burn out? Not in any of our lifetimes, still, we can't help but wonder...), has this amazing groove to it, and probably (apart from Roll Over Beethoven), the best arrangement of any song on the album. It is sheer early ELO brilliance! Just thinking of it gets me going... possibly even more than actually listening to it.
The epic, Kuiama, makes its mark as a great and complicated finnale for the album (in fact, I might venture to say the arrangment is slightly too long, but I'll let it slide) and as a killer rock 'n' roll love song/tasteful tragedy of sorts. It moves, gives a heck of a fun ride, and leaves you wanting more ELO all at the same time. 11:19 seconds? Honestly, I can believe it... but it's still a great song, if eclipsed a bit by certain others (see above).
This leaves, Mama/Momma, depending where in the world you are. I am tempted to say it's the weakest cut off the album, but it really does improve for me with repeat listens (before writing this, I listened to it all-the-way through about 3 times, replayed the last three tracks for good measure, and studied the lyrics online for a bit, as they can be hard to make out amidst the strings, and the echo applied by Jeff Lynne at times). It (Mama) is certainly a fine tune, with a nice lyric, melody, arrangment, and the instruments are mixed and blended well as usual. Still ,it does lack some appeal for me that's hard to place for sure. I also sort of feel that way towards, Kuiama, but not nearly to such an extreme; that is still surely a GREAT number.
Anyhow, no it isn't really for newcomers (Eldorado, Out of The Blue, New World Record, and Face the Music will do fine for them for the time being), it's not really their best in my opinion, but it is what is: very good, thoroughly enjoyable, and sporting five rather lengthy, at least very good tracks easily valid for listening and re-listening by fans of the Electric Light Orchestra. 4/5
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