Jeff Lynne's ELO - Alone In The Universe (Album Review)
Thursday, 19 November 2015
Written by Huw Baines
Around halfway through ‘Alone in the Universe’, Jeff Lynne's voice rings out in multi-tracked harmony, asking: "Ain't it a drag?"
Surprisingly, that's exactly what this album is for sections of its ballad-heavy running time. Like ‘Zoom’, the album that preceded it by some 14 years, it rarely hits a consistent stride.
Of course, it still sounds gorgeous. 'Alone in the Universe' is warm and lived-in, with Lynne in sprightly vocal form to complement some rich guitar tones and the expected, if forever surprising and engaging, harmonies.
With Lynne having overseen every element of the album - as the Jeff Lynne's ELO tag suggests - it is a personal affair.
It offers glimmers of hope, wistful nostalgia, on When I Was A Boy, and the odd drop of bitterness. As Lynne sings on the aforementioned Ain't it a Drag: "How many times can you go through the pain?"
Its charms are best distilled on the jaunty One Step At A Time, which would have been a keeper back in ELO’s pomp, and roiling When The Night Comes, while I'm Leaving You spins a sarcastic kiss off over a sweeping melody.
Topped and tailed by songs that are sentimental enough to be considered mawkish, When I Was A Boy and the title track, though, there's no escaping the misses to accompany such hits. Love and Rain, in particular, feels like Lynne stuck in second gear, while Dirty To The Bone rests on lyrics that are crude at best.
Master songwriter that he is, expectations are high each time Lynne picks up a pen or guitar. 'Alone in the Universe' is a decent record, but not one to keep you from spinning the undoubted classics to emerge under the ELO banner in the past.
Jeff Lynne's ELO Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue April 05 2016 - LIVERPOOL Liverpool Echo Arena
Thu April 07 2016 - NOTTINGHAM Capital FM Arena Nottingham
Sat April 09 2016 - LEEDS first direct Arena
Sun April 10 2016 - MANCHESTER Arena
Tue April 12 2016 - GLASGOW SSE Hydro
Thu April 14 2016 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE Metro Radio Arena
Sat April 16 2016 - BIRMINGHAM Genting Arena
Sun April 17 2016 - BIRMINGHAM Genting Arena
Wed April 20 2016 - LONDON O2 Arena
Fri April 22 2016 - LONDON O2 Arena
Sat April 23 2016 - LONDON O2 Arena
Tue April 26 2016 - LONDON O2 Arena
Fri April 29 2016 - DUBLIN 3Arena
Click here to compare & buy Jeff Lynnes ELO Tickets at Stereoboard.com.
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
.jpg)
