Before I dig into this album. let me remind you that I am an ELO fan and any comments that I make are intended to be as honest as I can be about the music, the history and the band.

Here I go...

This ELO album (ELO II) is by far the most pretentious album I have ever heard. I love it! Although the musicianship of Roy Wood appears on this album (uncredited), Jeff Lynne's rendering of his version of the band needed some serious work. There are some points on this album that the music just drags and drags and drags. I still love it. Not because it is ELO, but because ELO dares to be different. It is not ELO, it is a band trying to be an orchestra.

On this album ELO's effective membership swells to eight musicians from the original three. Jeff Lynne alone writes the material, sings it, and produces it. I emphasize the word "ALONE".

There are just two legitimate songs on the album, the sappy Momma and the peppy Roll Over Beethoven.

If there were an ELO album I would suggest anyone buy last, this one is it. If there were a diehard ELO fan, I would have them buy this album next. ELO II is such a hard album to peg that it is hard to put into verbal critique.

Track listing:

In Old England Town (Boogie No. 2)
Momma
Roll Over Beethoven
From The Sun To The World (Boogie No. 1)
Kuiama
BONUS TRACKS ON 'Early ELO'
-In Old England Town (instrumental)
-Baby I Apologize (most likely from the sessions from ELO II)

More to come....