Electric light orchestra album by album thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Meddle, Jul 25, 2015.

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  1. Jack Flash

    Jack Flash Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    The single from the first album is great. Cheap Trick even ripped it off.

    But, the rest of the album sounds chaotic to me.

    I prefer A New World's Record for ELO.
     
  2. O Don Piano

    O Don Piano Senior Member

    Well, I'd say it's a fantastic RE-post because it's entirely from Wikipedia.
    But I'm happy about this thread being created, although there already is a very complete and well-participated "Album-By-Album" ELO thread.
    Search for it.

    That said, the first album is interesting and crazy. I became a major ELO dork in 1976 with "A New World Record", and I immediately went out and bought all their 1971-1975 LPs. I really enjoyed ELO II, but "No Answer" just didn't click much with me, apart from "10538" and "Look At Me Now".
    I still couldn't tell you how the other songs go.....
    A great effort, and much more enjoyable when you know about The Move's circumstances at the time of recording this album.
     
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  3. Blue Cactus

    Blue Cactus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Illinois
    I believe Mr. Radio was the second single from the first album (No Answer.)

    The quad mix is more trippy (for lack of a better word) than the stereo mix on this track.
     
  4. formu_la

    formu_la I'm not a robot

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    I had listened it couple times and liked both the quad mix and the music. That album I would need to sit down and listen, it would not work for me in a car or as an ambient music. That is why probably I dismissed it earlier.
    Mr. Radio gives some hints of the future ELO signature sound.
    The DVD contains also the stereo original flat transfer (haven't heard it yet).
     
  5. Jrr

    Jrr Forum Resident

    I will jump in when you reach A New World Record. Aside from Can't Get it Out of My Head, I wasn't a big fan until the big hits started coming.
     
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  6. Meddle

    Meddle Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    waxahachie TX USA
    Sure we can do,that
     
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  7. Folknik

    Folknik Forum Resident

    I highly recommend that you get the first 4. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
     
  8. OneStepBeyond

    OneStepBeyond Senior Member

    Location:
    North Wales, UK
    Though I really like their debut (I only have part of it though - compiled onto this... http://www.discogs.com/ELO-First-Movement/release/874992 and it has the second album in full, plus more) I think 10538 Overture is a stunning debut single and possibly one of their very best. I must prefer their follow-up album and Face The Music is where they take off big time for me. But I know we will come to these things in good time and I can't wait! :D

    Been an ELO fan since I was about 8 years old - back in the 70s and Mr Blue Sky was on the radio and played in stores all the time. :love:

    Oh, I'm also massively into The Move (don't have everything by them though, I have to confess) and so am happy to see them get mentioned - it's only fair; just the same with The Idle Race.
     
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  9. MikaelaArsenault

    MikaelaArsenault Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Hampshire
    This is my favorite Electric Light Orchestra album.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. latedep31

    latedep31 Forum Resident

    After buying the first two albums, I walk into FYE at the mall and On The Third Day is staring at me. $5. So I just nailed the first three ELO albums in the span of two days. Start of a good week, I guess.
     
  11. Dino

    Dino Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kansas City - USA
    I was a big Move fan. So when I heard about No Answer, the LP was an automatic buy. I had heard Mr. Radio on Free-Form FM but had no idea who was performing it. That was a pleasant surprise.

    I played it quite a bit when it was new. Then played it from time to time. It is still in my top 3 favorite Electric Light Orchestra albums.
     
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  12. O Don Piano

    O Don Piano Senior Member

    OK everyone- it's great that we all have differing tastes and favorites.
    Can we stay on topic with the album(s) discussed?
     
  13. latedep31

    latedep31 Forum Resident

    Sorry about that.

    On topic though, I do like their first album. 10538 Overture kinda is like the perfect ELO song. The guitar line is just great. Though, I kinda prefer the acetate mix that's on the 2-disc First Light Series version.
     
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  14. O Don Piano

    O Don Piano Senior Member

    Ooo! I haven't heard that!
    Is it on YouTube?
     
  15. Spaghettiows

    Spaghettiows Forum Resident

    Location:
    Silver Creek, NY
    Face The Music featured the hits Evil Woman and Strange Magic. And the instrumental Fire On High that is pretty well known. The album is worth checking out if you liked ANWR, but not quite as strong.
     
  16. latedep31

    latedep31 Forum Resident

    I just looked, but didn't find it. I found one that said "Video is not available :mad:."
     
  17. Norbert Becker

    Norbert Becker Senior Member

    Location:
    Philadelphia PA
    Might this be an appropriate time to compare the voices of Jeff and Roy?
     
  18. Jrr

    Jrr Forum Resident

    I will pick up a copy on vinyl next time I am in my local store, which is pretty often. Thanks for the tip!
     
  19. Meddle

    Meddle Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    waxahachie TX USA
    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    "Electric Light Orchestra II" redirects here. For the continuation of the original ELO band, see Electric Light Orchestra Part II.
    ELO 2

    Studio album by Electric Light Orchestra
    Released
    January 1973
    (See release history)
    Recorded May – October 1972, Air Studios, London
    Genre Symphonic rock, progressive rock, art rock
    Length 41:48
    Label Harvest (UK)
    United Artists (US)
    Producer Jeff Lynne
    Electric Light Orchestra chronology
    The Electric Light Orchestra
    (1971) ELO 2
    (1973) On the Third Day
    (1973)
    Singles from ELO 2
    1. "Roll Over Beethoven"
      Released: January 1973

    ELO 2 is the second album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1973. In the US the album was released as Electric Light Orchestra II and is sometimes known as ELO II. It was also the last album to be released by the band under the Harvest label.



    Contents
    [hide]


    Background and recording[edit]
    Originally to be titled The Lost Planet, but that concept was quietly dropped (see below), it was during the initial recording sessions for this album that Roy Wood left the band and formed Wizzard in early 1972.[1] Although uncredited at the time Wood performed on two tracks, playing cello and bass on "In Old England Town" and "From the Sun to the World".[1] Classically trained cellistsColin Walker and Mike Edwards replaced Wood, and Wilfred Gibson played on violin. Richard Tandy made his ELO studio debut, playing keyboards on the album although he had earlier performed live with the original lineup playing bass. Bassist and VocalistMike de Albuquerque also made his ELO studio debut on the album. All five pieces are longer than standard rock songs, and feature multi-layered orchestral instruments that create a dense, complex sound.

    Release[edit]

    Along with its predecessor it is the least commercial sounding album the band released, although ironically it did reach the British Top 40 album chart, whereas its more concise follow-up, On the Third Day, did not; an edit of "Roll Over Beethoven" was a Top 10 hit in Britain and received radio airplay in America too. In 2006 the album was remastered and expanded in the US, with a slightly different running order to the UK 2003 EMI version,[1] with both versions sharing the same Hipgnosis album art for the first time.

    The British and American sleeves differed, as did the title; in the UK it was released in a gatefold sleeve titled ELO 2 with a painting of a light bulb travelling through space with the wording ELO2 on the base of the bulb, while in the US the cover featured a more ornate light bulb against a night sky and was titled Electric Light Orchestra II. For reasons unknown "Roll Over Beethoven" was slightly edited in length compared with its US counterpart. Track 2 "Momma" was Americanised to "Mama" for the US release. An instrumental version of "In Old England Town", the opening track, became the B-side to the single "Showdown". The album contains the band's longest running song, the anti-war song "Kuiama".

    Original track listing[edit]
    All songs written by Jeff Lynne, unless otherwise indicated.

    Side one
    1. "In Old England Town (Boogie No. 2)" – 6:56
    2. "Momma" – 7:03, "Mama" (US edition)
    3. "Roll Over Beethoven" (Chuck Berry)/(Ludwig van Beethoven) – 8:10, 7:03 (UK edition)
    Side two
    1. "From the Sun to the World (Boogie No. 1)" – 8:20
    2. "Kuiama" – 11:19
    US Bonus Tracks (2006 reissue)
    1. "In Old England Town (Instrumental)" – 2:43
    2. "Baby, I Apologise" – 3:43
    3. "In Old England Town (Take 1, Alternate mix)" – 6:56
    4. "Roll Over Beethoven (Take 1)" (Berry) – 8:15
    ELO 2 (First Light Series)[edit]
    ELO 2 (First Light Series)

    Studio album by Electric Light Orchestra
    Released
    2003
    Recorded 1972–73 at Air Studios
    Genre Progressive rock, rock
    Label Harvest, EMI
    Producer Jeff Lynne
    Electric Light Orchestra chronology
    The Electric Light Orchestra (First Light Series)
    (2001) ELO 2
    (First Light Series)

    (2003) The Essential Electric Light Orchestra
    (2003)
    CD 2 The Lost Planet


    ELO 2 (First light Series) is an expanded 30th Anniversary edition of Electric Light Orchestra's second album.

    The second in the EMI First Light Series released in 2003 to mark the album's 30th anniversary and features Glam rock superstarMarc Bolan on double lead guitar playing on tracks 10–12. The second disc utilises the original albums working title The Lost Planet and features out takes and rarities including songs recorded with original The Move lead vocalist Carl Wayne. On CD one the first five tracks include the original ELO 2 album.

    All songs written by Jeff Lynne except where noted.

    CD 1 – ELO 2
    1. "In Old England Town (Boogie No. 2)" – 6:56
    2. "Momma..." – 7:03
    3. "Roll Over Beethoven" (Berry) – 7:03
    4. "From the Sun to the World (Boogie No. 1)" – 8:20
    5. "Kuiama" – 11:19
    Bonus tracks:

    1. "Showdown" – 4:11
    2. "In Old England Town (Instrumental)" – 2:43
      • B-side of Showdown single
    3. "Baby I Apologise" – 3:42
      • Session outtake, 1 June 1973
    4. "Auntie" (Ma-Ma-Ma Belle Take 1)" – 1:19
    5. "Auntie" (Ma-Ma-Ma Belle Take 2)" – 4:03
    6. "Mambo" (Dreaming of 4000 Take 1)" – 5:02
    7. "Everyone's Born to Die" – 4:40
    8. "Roll Over Beethoven (Take 1)" (Berry) – 8:16
      • Tracks 9–13 previously unreleased.
    CD 2 – The Lost Planet
    1. "Brian Matthew Introduces ELO" – 0:22
    2. "From the Sun to the World (Boogie No. 1)" (BBC Session) – 7:25
    3. "Momma" (BBC Session) – 6:57
    4. "Roll Over Beethoven (Single Version)" (Berry) – 4:35
    5. "Showdown (Take 1)" – 4:18
    6. "Your World (Take 2)" – 4:55
    7. "Get a Hold of Myself (Take 2)" – 4:43
    8. "Mama (Take 1)" – 4:59
    9. "Wilf's Solo (Instrumental)" (Wilfred Gibson) – 3:39
    10. "Roll Over Beethoven" (BBC Session) (Berry) – 7:40
      • Lead vocals on tracks 6–8 by Carl Wayne.
      • BBC session material recorded at BBC Langham Studio 1, 1 November 1972.
    Personnel[edit]
    Additional personnel
    • Marc Bolan – Guitar on ELO 2 tracks 10–12
    • Roy Wood – bass, cello on ELO 2 tracks 1 and 4
    • Carl Wayne – lead vocals on The Lost Planet tracks 6–8
    Release history[edit]
    Region Date Version
    United Kingdom January 1973 Original vinyl
    United States March 1973 Original vinyl
    United Kingdom January 2003 30th Anniversary edition
    United States 28 March 2006 Expanded remaster
    Chart positions[edit]
     
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  20. Helmut

    Helmut Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Germany
    For me the "first" ELO-album isn't the real beginning. What became huge as "ELO" already started in the late Move - days. Catchy pop songs with string arrangements. The track "What" from "Looking on" is more like the music "ELO" became famous for than most of what is heard on "ELO1".
    The real breakthrough of "ELO" was around "New World record". Everything else was just important steps to that album, no matter if they called it "Move" or "ELO".
    Even "Message from the Country" is more "ELO" than "ELO1"
    Listening to that album nowadays it's a very mixed affair, especially the Roy Wood tracks are weak. Three of his songs are just rewritings of Eleanor Rigby, Classical Gas and "I will return" (Springwater), so for me he seemed like running out of ideas at that point. Lynne had lesser problems offering the best song of that album.
    "ELO2" - apart from the single - never worked for me, the long songs were very "constructed". He needed further time to hit his inner goldmine. And I think I remember some Interview where Jeff Lynne admitted his father telling him at some point, that his songs where lacking a real melody. Which made him think.
     
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  21. Meddle

    Meddle Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    waxahachie TX USA
    This is my least favorite ELO album
     
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  22. tmwlng

    tmwlng Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denmark
    I listen to ELO II far more often than I do the debut. To me it sounds like they have gathered their rusty, stringy sound into a more digestible stream, evidenced by the opening track. Momma is one of my favorite tracks by the group, a puzzling lyric and a beautiful string arrangement - very much in the same vein as You Only Live Twice, allegedly one of Roy Wood's favorite pieces - and quite rightly so. I don't know how much of a hand he had in the creation of the album.

    Roll Over Beethoven is a great, energetic single, but for me, together with Momma, the best song off the album is definitely Kuiama. Very heavy in terms of arrangement as well as lyrics. It does not feel 11 minutes long when you listen to it.

    As for the bonus tracks - I only have a rip of the "Early ELO" 2-CD from the early 90's which has apparently been through a no-noise filter - but I can take it (barely enough) - I had them when I had the box set Sony came out with a few years ago, which contains the 2006/07 re-masters in a clam shell box. Everyone's Born to Die is obviously a Dylan send-up - "how does it feel", "if you gotta go, go now" and the overall tone just signals Lynne having been on a Dylan trip of sorts. Usually that's not his obvious influence. I could be wrong though. I just view him more as a traditional rock and roll/Beatles kind of devotee.

    Dreaming of 4000 from the next album is tremendous, but I won't get into that here - the Mambo demo, I can't remember it. In all honesty I prefer listening to albums and set aside anything with the label "bonus track" on it. That said, I am a huge Move fan and so would love to hear some of the Carl Wayne tracks. Great voice.
     
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  23. Folknik

    Folknik Forum Resident

    Another strong album and the one with the most breathing room for the songs with many verses or long instrumental sections. The full 8-minute "Roll Over,Beethoven" is the definitive version of the song (even beating Chuck Berry's original and the Beatles' cover), although the 4-minute single edit is one of the worst hatchet jobs I've ever heard. The strings on this album have a dark and doomy mojo that suits the material well, especially the wistful "Mama" and the chilling "Kuiama." They would never stretch out this much again.
     
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  24. latedep31

    latedep31 Forum Resident

    I don't know why, but I like the US album cover better.
     
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  25. Roy was only around long enough to contribute bass guitar and some cello parts to the two "Boogies," which are so named because at this point Jeff used numbered boogies until he wrote final lyrics and came up with actual song titles. During one interview from around this period, it's claimed that Jeff actually wrote over a dozen boogies in preparation to record ELO's second proper album, so how come the end result features just two?

    As has already been covered, ELO 2 was originally going to be Jeff's first all-out concept piece. To have been entitled The Lost Planet, the album (to the best of my knowledge, at least) would have started with a short instrumental introduction that's available on a live BBC recording. After this, it's not entirely sure what followed. Based on live documentation, the short intro led into From The Sun To The World, yet on the other hand I've read that In Old England Town is where the actual story begins, describing how pollution has left our home planet inhabitable.

    Next, in addition to the air being destroyed, humans realise they have also made their impact on the land and even their own kind, explained through the epic anti-war protest song, Kuiama. My understanding is that Momma and Your World would have fit somewhere here before humans leave on their adventure into space looking for a new planet to colonise, this journey being the lengthy instrumental section of From The Sun To The World.

    Curiously, one of these songs didn't even make the final cut, instead being given to Carl Wayne along with Get A Hold Of Myself as a vehicle for him. Also, it's odd that the earliest take of Momma also included the former lead vocalist with The Move, so I'm guessing Jeff took this back for ELO when their planned collaboration failed to materialise. On the other hand, perhaps he realised that the new album was short of suitable material, which perhaps explains why the lengthy Roll Over Beethoven suddenly made its appearance?

    Either way, in its final guise, only the two boogies remain from Jeff's initial concept, though it should be noted that the original UK sleeve boasts the intended space design by Hipgnosis. If you open this out, the nebula spread across the spine resembles a certain body part that Jeff has proved to be a little obsessed with, as evidenced by many of his later working titles. By contrast, the light bulb of the US cover doesn't just continue the theme of No Answer, but also predicts the marketing campaign for Roll Over Beethoven.

    Speaking of this definitive treatment of a song previously associated with The Beatles (who I'm sure I don't need to tell you all Jeff adores!), even the full-length LP mix isn't quite complete. Listen very carefully after the very last repeat of the title and there is an obvious hard cut, removing Jeff's "c'mon, Ludwig" ad-lib, as heard on the unedited first take. Additionally, I don't believe that Kuiama or Boogie #1 were the last real flashes of progressive ELO... that honour belongs to Hello My Old Friend, recorded nearly a decade later.

    Finally for now, do the early versions of Ma-Ma-Ma Belle and Dreaming Of 4000 really date from the ELO 2 sessions? Considering that their '73 BBC performance also incorporated elements of Daybreaker and In The Hall Of The Mountain King, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Jeff had more than enough ideas in his mind so only the very best could be picked for this important follow-up. In my opinion, despite the tough circumstances of its creation, ELO 2 is the first truly great ELO album from start to finish, with Kuiama and the boogies my personal favourites.

    P.S. A little detail I forgot to mention earlier is that the name on the tape box for the instrumental b-side version of In Old England Town - which features new Moog overdubs from Richard Tandy - is King Henry VIII's B******s (think the sole Sex Pistols album for a clue).
     
    Last edited: Jul 28, 2015
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