The Electric Light Orchestra - ELO 2 mp3 album

Personally, I think this was the first true ELO album. The songs on No Answer were okay, but it didn't really feel like an ELO record. This album cover also marked the beginning of the band's foray into futuristic, space-age imagery, which Out Of The Blue went all-out on. (The UK cover specifically. The US one? Not so much.)Sure, I like 10538 Overture and Mr. Radio, but if you want to start ELO's collection, start it with this one.

ELOs second effort as far as sound quality goes slightly trumps their earlier album. With instruments more refined and distinct among the very orchestral re invisions. Of course with still distored vocals on select tracks for style. Decent dynamics but I believe that aspect is actually worse than their first album. I cant play this as loud at only about 1.8 for comfortable listening. A good range of low to high end is utilized however and the stereo imaging is quite good. Equipment Used:Rega RP1 with Nagaoka MP-110 CartridgeCyrus 2 Amplifier System Fidelity SF-3050 Tower SpeakersCustom made HQ Speaker Cables

A small step-up from their debut album, 'II' contains not only the great 'Roll Over Beethoven' but also the haunting 'Kuiama'.

The second effort by Electric Light Orchestra includes the original lineup, although Roy Wood is only on two Tracks (the two Boogies). The most common speculation is that Wood left because of creative differences with Jeff Lynne over the musical direction of the band. That's easy enough to believe, if one compares the direction ELO went under Jeff's leadership with the direction Woody's subsequent bands took.This album is pure prog-rock, so don't expect the orchestral strains of ELO's later work despite the presence of cellos. There is no vocoder and precious little fairy dust.One of the signatures of progressive rock is the Long Song. The songs on ELO 2 are long. Not "Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands" long, but longer than "Hey Jude." There are only five songs on the album.Speaking of song length, one really interesting fact is about the length of "From the Sun to the World." The song on vinyl is 8:20. How long does it take for light to travel from the Sun to the World? You guessed it!Mama is a sad and beautiful ballad that seems out of place on a album which contains songs that sing of the dark side of humanity. The fact that Mama is about to die suits the theme. "In Old England Town" compares a spaceship to a penis, thrusting up into the darkness with our nuclear waste on board to seed who knows what monstrosity. Horrors also abound in the brilliant Kuaima, whose narrator has killed the parents of the war orphan he has adopted.The rollicking Roll Over Beethoven, ELO's first US hit, gives us a break from the carnage in the other songs. ROB is still a concert favorite, closing out Jeff's every show.In summary, ELO 2 is for two audiences: the 70'S prog rock fan and the ELO Completist who must have everything they have done. It would be a challenge for the fan of Out of the Blue or Discovery.

thanks for this, i really appreciate when an album has a good review that tells me what to expect from the album and it's place in history! never really listened to ELO before, but i'm digging this, i like prog pretty well.

In this edition:A1 on Credits: "In Old England Town (Boogie No. 2)"A1 on Record: "10538 Overture" edit version