In old England town (Electric Light Orchestra) (LP 2464 -2471)

Electric Light Orchestra  E.L.O. 2 (CD, Harvest Records, 1973) ***  

Electric Light Orchestra  The Night The Light Went On In Long Beach (CD, Harvest Records, 1974) ****  

Electric Light Orchestra  Out Of The Blue (CD, Sony Music, 1977) *** 

Electric Light Orchestra  Discovery (CD, Sony Music, 1979) ***

Electric Light Orchestra  Zoom (CD, Epic Records, 2001) ***

Electric Light Orchestra  Electric Light Orchestra Live (CD, Frontiers Records, 2013) ***  

Jeff Lynne's ELO  Alone In The Universe (CD, Columbia Records, 2015) *** 

Jeff Lynne's ELO  From Out Of Nowhere (CD, Columbia Records, 2019) ***

Genre: Prog rock, pop

Places I remember: Marbecks Records; Real Groovy; JB Hi Fi; Fives

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Sweet Talkin' Woman (Out Of The Blue)

Gear costume: Roll Over Beethoven (ELO 2); Mr Blue Sky (Out Of The Blue)

Active compensatory factors: My Electric Light Orchestra collection is a bit spotty as I'm a bit of a late comer to the joys of Jeff Lynne and team. I actually started with a Greatest Hits collection and then Out Of The Blue before back tracking a bit.

The early seventies version of the band are represented by ELO 2 and El Dorado (which I've previously included).

The Beatles' influence/homage/rip-off was obvious from the off with ELO. The brazen I Want You (She's So Heavy) lift in In Old England Town (Boogie #2) is so obvious I think Lennon/McCartney deserve a credit.

Their brilliant version of Roll Over Beethoven hooked me on ELO initially (I bought the single on release), but it's a little incongruous on ELO 2 after the soft rock of Momma.

The early ELO is best represented, in my view, by the stupendous, under-rated live album - The Night The Light Went On In Long Beach. From the daft American introduction to the rollicking rocked up classical pieces to the extended version of Roll Over Beethoven, this is prime ELO - overblown ridiculously exciting entertainment.

Out Of The Blue was huge in 1977. There were massive hits (Turn To Stone, Sweet Talking Woman, Mr Blue Sky) and deep cuts aplenty throughout this sprawling double album. Being sprawling and as Jeff Lynne writes and sings everything, it's a big ask to sustain quality over four sides. So, it's no surprise that quality varies.

Two years later, Discovery was back to a single album. Again, there are giant hits (Don't Bring me Down), some quirky songs (Horace Wimp) and lesser known tracks. 

Zoom is really a Jeff Lynne solo album with guests. Ringo appears on two songs, George on two others and only once does Richard Tandy appear. 

Aside from the absence of string sections, it doesn't sound too different to Discovery really. Jeff writes everything, produces, sings and on Zoom pretty much plays everything brilliantly.

The live album has all the later ELO hits (there are plenty to choose from) and they sound exactly the same as the hits as well. Richard Tandy joins in the fun (nice solo on Evil Woman) so it's more legit to call this an ELO album.

Unlike The Light Went On... there is no band introduction and little in the way of stage announcements from Jeff, so it's just a parade of great songs but without the atmosphere. Not sure what the point is.

Highlights include Confusion - it stands out! It's very Travelin' Wilburys-ish.

Then it's on to the last few years and the band is now billed as Jeff Lynne's ELO as a marketing ploy (and to distinguish him from other ELO entities like Bev Bevan's ELO I guess).

Alone In The Universe and From Out Of Nowhere are Jeff solo albums, as on Zoom. He is still writing crazily catchy pop hooks and channeling his heroes - The Beatles (early Beatles on Ain't It A Drag), Roy Orbison (Fault Line), and even solo Paul McCartney (When I Was A Boy).

From Out Of Nowhere does have Richard Tandy on one track and is generally a return to the classic ELO mid period albums.

The sticker on the front of the CD advises that 'all songs written and performed by JEFF LYNNE'. Really? You do surprise me. I mean whoever buys this without knowing that fact is truly alone in the universe (see what I did there?).

Where do they all belong? There are plenty of gaps here but I'm not an ELO completist. I will always head to a Greatest Hits collection as a go to (I have three to choose from) because they were a mighty singles band.