But the tone is new: Lynne recognizes that to sell these personal reflections, he has to share some humanity, and he sings with weary, rumpled imperfection. In terms of craft, "When I Was A Boy" is a classic Jeff Lynne construction: It's got a refrain that sounds both immediately grabby and eternal, and it's built on a majestic chord sequence that tips its hat to The Beatles, long the guiding star in Lynne's galaxy. Like much of Alone In The Universe, this song is the rousing, strong, surefooted work of a master who somehow remains in command of the kinetic pop hook - and everything that surrounds it. Predictable in its nostalgia, the tune looks back at Lynne's modest beginnings in Birmingham, England, and uses earnest language to celebrate music as a redemptive, life-changing force.īut here's the plot twist: It's not your typical muttering about long-gone glory days.
True to aging-rocker form, he begins the first new ELO album (this reboot is actually credited to "Jeff Lynne's ELO") in nearly 15 years with a stately processional called "When I Was A Boy," in which he confesses that "Radio waves kept me company" and recalls that growing up, the only thing he wanted to do was make music. He's been away for a while, working as a producer and doing small solo projects since ELO initially disbanded in 1986. Jeff Lynne, the 67-year-old singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer known for the lush production pop of Electric Light Orchestra, is next in line. So it's reasonable to be cynical when a figure from rock's back pages announces a return to active duty. They complain, in interviews, about the myriad ways the music business has changed. They churn out blustery memoirs in which they seem to settle old scores but wind up saying little. They collaborate with current hitmakers to put themselves in front of new generations of listeners. They write melancholy songs that express longing for the simpler days when they were ignored and unknown.
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA 2015 SERIES
We've all watched once-beloved icons fall prey to a familiar (and eerily similar) series of judgment lapses: They spend their time repackaging the old hits - or, more distressingly, re-recording them. Retrieved 15 February 2021.Someday, someone's going to make a mint dispensing practical advice to rock stars heading into retirement age. "Louis Clark, ELO Arranger and Conductor, Reportedly Dies at 73". ^ Ultimate Classic Rock Staff (14 February 2021).Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. ^ Haines, Marc Guttenbacher, Patrik von Petersdorff, Alexander (26 February 2000).Wilf passed away after a short illness in October 2014 Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. ^ "ELO cellist Mike Edwards hay bale death: Farmers cleared".In August, when they played the Reading Festival, the newly expanded line-up comprised Lynne, Bevan, Richard Tandy on keyboards, Michael de Albuquerque on bass and Wilfred Gibson on violin, as well as Colin Walker and Edwards on cello. Mike Edwards recorded with them from April 1972 until January 1975. ^ a b "Mike Edwards: Cellist with the original line-up of the Electric Light Orchestra".Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. ^ Nielsen, Ken Stavensoe (20 November 2017)."Jeff Lynne's ELO Open 2018 North American Tour".
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