Reaping what ELO has sown
It's | Seattle WA | 08/21/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"30+ years on and the Electric Light Orchestra sounds as highbrow and rockin' as ever. Super ELO fan Rob Caiger has worked to compile the band's first 2 LPs plus an overflowing cornucopia of rarities, including sessions tracks, alternate mixes and more, all in pristine remastered sound quality. At 3 CDs long, this is definitely for the hardcore ELO nut, and not for the casual convert. Yet, there is some startlingly cool stuff here, even besides the band's surprisingly good and (still) unique cover of Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven." My faves? From the first album (The Electric Light Orchestra) I'll pick "Nellie Takes Her Bow" and "Look At Me Now"; from the second LP (ELO 2), "Momma..." and "Roll Over Beethoven". The singles edits and alternate mixes are fun, too; as are the liner notes for us ELO geeks. Quotes from Jeff Lynne make it sound like he couldn't wait to stop The Move and get the Orchestra on the charts, and listening to this set, you can hear why."