Anyone who knows me probably knows that I am an Electric Light Orchestra fan. I have been for years. Specifically because Jeff Lynne’s style and creativity have fascinated me from the get go. However, all this was based on their album “Ole ELO”, a compilation from their first four albums. Didn’t matter, I loved it.

Over the years I have collected every one of the album Jeff Lynne’s (performance wise, if I were to get his production credits too, well, it would be a very large collection indeed) been involved with. I got every ELO album as it came out, eventually re-buying them on CD, then the Traveling Wilburys Volume One and Three, and the rare “Armchair Theatre”, a Jeff Lynne solo album, possibly the best work he has ever done. But two albums always eluded me simply because they were imports. Those two were ELO’s first and second album, “No Answer” and “ELO2” (Not to be confused with ELO II, a breakaway album by the guys in ELO without Jeff Lynne. Needless to say that album is not worth the plastic it is recorded on.)

Well, over the years No Answer was released in the US but when I looked at the catalog I noticed there were tracks missing and the jacket said a lot of “Clean Up” work had been done on it. No where had it mentioned that Jeff Lynne was involved, I just assumed they had dumped the best tracks on CD and went to market with it. I was right.

Turns out the ELO’s early work is not legally in the Jet (Atlantic) catalog, but through some rangling Jet had managed to get second rate copies of the songs and put it back together. This is not what I wanted. I wanted the recording as done by ELO (and half of The Move) on Harvest (EMI). What luck, turns out Jeff Lynne did work on remasters of these CDs and low and behold the whole catalog list was there, AND BONUS TRACKS! I ordered the imports. I was rewarded.

ELO’s first album, No Answer is a tour de force of creativity. From the opening “10538 Overture” to one of my favorites “Mr. Radio”, the band takes you on a trip through the mind of Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood, exploring avenues of fusion rock/classical that blow your mind. From these tracks you can hear where ELO did end up, it is all there like messages long delayed, welcome when they finally did arrive.

For those not open minded, you may want to pass on this album, it challenges you to accept what Jeff and Roy are doing. The more incredible part about these albums is that all these songs are “One Takes”, only 8 tracks and minimal mixing at all. In the liner notes Jeff Lynne admits to not being a very good producer at the time, so the tracks were all recorded synced and then balanced as a master. Wow… incredible.

The idea for ELO is that a rock band can use a few more instruments than just a few guitars, drums and a keyboard. Roy Wood, a master of every instrument he touched would provide “Orchestra” in ELO, Jeff Lynne provided the inspiration.

The second album was more experimental than the first. And would keep getting more experimental as Roy Wood left the band after a could of tracks were laid down. Jeff Lynne faced with the lost of the other key member (who went to form Wizard) carried on as best he could, producing an admittedly experimental and challenging album.

In the final form, ELO 2 had all of five tracks, but one of them was “Roll Over Beethoven”, and aside from Chuck Berry’s version is my al time favorite cover of the song. Along with that is “In Old England Town (Boogie No. 2)” worth the listen and “Kuima” also challenging and offers hints of where ELO will go in the future. The import also comes with eight bonus tracks, all worth the time. You really get a feel for the creative process on this album.

Well, now I am happier, I finally got to hear things and experience ELO as it started out as. No wonder the critics were impressed, there was a lot to be impressed by.