Electric Light Orchestra

 Zoom was pretty good 2001 release.

There are three different types of ELO songs. The first are the songs where the orchestra tends to be joined by 1950's/60's era rock musical instruments. Try "Roll Over Beethoven". Then there is the pop style songs they do where the format is certainly top 40 radio. The difference is that these songs are also piled on with Jeff Lynn's re-mastering and editing. The result is technically flawless music. Songs like "Mr. Bluesky" or "Bluebird is Dead" represent this type. Think of these songs as a what-if version of what would have happened had the Beatles never broken up, kept making studio concept albums, and left it all to Sir George Martin to splice together. A lot of these ELO songs could have fit in very well on SPLHCB or Yellow Submarine. You know it is  ELO but if you were just a bit less musically educated, you could swear ELO is the Beatles.

Some argue that that was intentional on Jeff Lynn's part. The fact that he worked with Ringo and George a lot, and Sir Martin kinda backs that up.


The best songs by ELO are the ones that tend to be long, and a cross between a honky-tonk band and a drunk classical orchestra. "Ma Ma Ma Bell" and "Four Little Diamonds" are good examples. The songs seem unforced like the other two types of ELO songs. Catchy, good playing, and more importantly that they just sound inventive.

ELO vastly better than most admit.

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