Customer Reviews

Zoom

5 star:		(108)
4 star:		(74)
3 star:		(32)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Zoom, ELO's first studio album since Balance of Power some 15 years ago, is a fun and rock and rollicking return. The new version of the ELO spaceship contains elements of both old school ELO and some modern dashes, such as they are with the musical style of Lynne, a huge fan of retro, 50's based rock and roll. Throw in some dashes of Beatles influence (helped by former Fabs George Harrison and Ringo Starr) on songs like "Just For Love" (try to avoid the John Lennon, "Across the Universe" influence), and of course some Traveling Wilburys touches, especially on "Easy Money," a hard-up rocker kind of like "Four Little Diamonds," off of ELO's "Secret Messages," and the album comes across as a nice listen. In fact, Lynne's preferred musical style better fits his lyrics, which were never really all that complicated; they're a way to help guide you to the melodies, which were always (and no exception here) very strong. But that's not to say that the album is predictable, either. There are little wrinkles throughout that make a close listen rewarded: the use of strings seem more tied to establishing melody instead of just supporting it, the little hints of past ELO songs ("Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" in "All She Wanted," the afore mentioned "Four Little Diamonds" in "Easy Money," and tap dancing, straight out of "Jungle", for "In My Own Time,"), and the last song, called "Lonesome Melody," which is a rocker despite the song title. One last thing: for those who hated ELO in their earlier days, 1) the sound of this album feels much more accessible than ELO's style perhaps 20 years ago, and 2) Lynne has largely changed the use of the strings, using them to create melody and using guitars to establish support, which makes for a much more solid sounding set of songs. Highly recommended, with strong songs throughout, plus some nice surprises as well!

To get right to the point, don't expect an album overflowing with classic, string-filled ELO songs. This has more of a "Traveling Wilburys" feel to it for the most part, but there are still some luscious strings on a few songs to balance things out more with some ELO textures, which is more than can be said for the last couple of ELO releases before Lynne went into ELO exile. Had this boasted more of the classic ELO players like Bev Bevan, Kelly Groucutt, Richard Tandy, Mik Kaminski, Hugh McDowell and Melvyn Gale this would've gotten 5 stars in my book.

But hold on, because this is still a very good effort by Lynne, the first ELO studio effort in 15 years. Tandy is the only ELO alum aside from Lynne on the album, and he only appears on electric piano on the leadoff, "Alright." Lynne plays the bulk of the instruments himself and handles the backing vocals as well. Ringo Starr lends some tasty drum licks on "Moment In Paradise" and "Easy Money." George Harrison turns in some of his trademark slide guitar sounds on "A Long Time Gone" and "All She Wanted." Lynne also is supported by Suzie Katayama on cello, Rosie Vela on vocals and tap dancing, Marc Mann on engineering and rhythm guitar and string arrangement, and a score of other folks, but this is largely Lynne front and center. He worked his hiney off on this one.

The songs are genuine Jeff Lynne, which is good. "Alright" is a great start. "Moment In Paradise" is pretty mellow, Lynne does a good job on vocals. "State of Mind": Very catchy rocker, hooks aplenty. "Just For Love": After you settle in for another mellow one, it rocks a bit and blends right into "Stranger On A Quiet Street," where Lynne stands out more with vocals and keyboards and Katayama contributes brief but effective cello work. Looking for more of a patented ELO sound? It comes out in the bluesy "In My Own Time" with some luscious strings. You'll rock out with Ringo and Jeff on "Easy Money," too cool! "It Really Doesn't Matter" is solid with good guitar work. Looking for more patented ELO sound? Listen to "Ordinary Dream," maybe "A Long Time Gone" as well but without the strings on the latter. "Melting In the Sun" brings a bit of the ELO feel as well. "All She Wanted" is a winner, especially with Harrison on guitar and Katayama bringing out a "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" type of sound on the cello. "Lonesome Lullaby" closes it out very well, in a haunting way, and it has some good cello playing from Roger Lebow.

There's not a song I've heard yet on here that I can say I dislike. I still miss that bigger ELO sound with Kaminski on violin, and McDowell and Gale playing a much more prominent part on cellos, but this is a big step in a quite positive direction. This is a very worthwhile purchase.

Welcome back, Jeff! It's been too long!

After fifteen years Jeff Lynne has resurrected one of pop/rock music's most innovative groups. To those familar with the "Lynne-Sound" you hear an album that reflects all of what makes Lynne the musically genius that he is. To those new to the band, one finds what has been missing from the world of contemporary music, a smart, balanced, enjoyable pop album for people over thirty. In the wake of the Beatles "One" album young fans who found the Beatles for the first time will find "Zoom" very much to their liking.

The subject header of this review is as far as I care to go into the fan debate over whether an album by Jeff Lynne, alone in a studio or with a handful of guest collaborators, constitutes an ELO album. I'd daresay yes. Sure, ELO Part II had more of the original band members, and often sported a full string section. This newfangled ELO more often than not features *no* strings, but what it does have that the other fellows didn't - as admirable and enjoyable as their efforts were - is Jeff Lynne's unmistakable ability to craft a pop song. "State Of Mind" and "Moment In Paradise" alone would be worth the price of the album (and it's suicidal not to be using either of the above as the launch single). Other highlights include "Alright," "Doesn't Really Matter At All," "Melting In The Sun" and especially "Long Time Gone," whose harmonies evoke memories of Queen at the pinnacle of their abilities. And yes, there are strings on some songs as well. Overall, an outstanding return of the original ELO sound that I fell in love with back in 1977. It's the songs themselves, not the size of the orchestra, where the true soul of ELO lies.

After the breakup of ELO in 1986, many people thought that would never be another album from them, especially since Jeff Lynne had seemingly lost interest in the project, and since a few of the other members the band in the past had reformed as "ELO Part II" (with original drummer and co-owner of the ELO name Mr. Bev Bevan at the helm), lawsuits and settlements included.
But, surprisingly, a few facts ocurred -such as Bevan losing interest in ELO Part II after 10 years of work (touring, recording 2 mediocre studio albums, and 2 live albums of -mostly- Lynne penned hits, including a zillion of repackagings of their live in Australia concert), Lynne being interested in getting ELO back to life, and Bevan selling his rights to Lynne-, to get ELO back on the road again.
The results? Lynne reunited with original keyboardist Richard Tandy, new guitarist/keyboardist Marc Mann, and girlfriend Rosie Vela, and, after working together on the bonus tracks of the multi-disc box "Flashback", decided to go with this album: "Zoom", featuring special guests as Suzie Katayama (cello), George Harrison (guitar) and Ringo Starr (drums), among others.
Is this a band effort? Most certainly not; it's a Jeff Lynne solo album in everything but a name (like every other ELO album since "ELO2" in 1973). Does it hurt? Not at all. The music is as well crafted as ever, the powerful ballads are typically ELO (being "Ordinary Dream" and "Moment In Paradise" the best off the album), and the heavy-rockers are mindblowing (such as the lead-off single "Alright" and the set-closer "Lonesome Lullaby"). Old strings? There are some. Big Orchestra? Not anymore, but it doesn't matter
If you like old ELO you should buy this. If you prefer the "Wall Of Sound" production that made ELO famous, look elsewhere ("Out Of The Blue", "Eldorado" and "Time" being the ones you should look after). But if you like powerful, good music, this one is the next one you should get: It's ELO at their best, even though it's Jeff Lynne alone (as always since Roy Wood departed in '72).
This album is one you should get, just for the quality of the music, "no strings attached"

Listening to this album is like jumping in a time machine and "zooming" back quite a few years. That's not to say that this album is dated - au contraire! ELO's music, I think, is timeless. This album shows that Jeff Lynne has always been the driving force behind ELO's success and that he can continue to do the same many years later. The tunes are all new, but "the sound" is pure ELO. Lyrics, music, and message are all there and its really refreshing to hear a group that knows how to make music and not just noise. Go ahead and treat yourself and buy this. You might even be able to get your kids to listen to this and tell them its a new group.

The history of rock couldn't be complete without the mentioning of The Electric Light Orchestra. Which is what makes it exciting considering that ELO isn't finished with what they started nineteen years ago, releasing a new album this year titled "Zoom." Off course, with any comeback attempts comes controversy and debates. Arguably, the ressurrection of the name "ELO" for Jeff Lynne seems to be the fuse for flames today. However, in 1981 with the release of "Time" no one bickered and complained about Jeff Lynne dismissing his string section; fans praised the following ELO albums thereafter, never-the-less. "Zoom" is in the same situation and happens to be just as beautiful as the others. Jeff Lynne delivers a mastery production covering thirteen new songs that continue to bring that ELO sound- a sound that only Lynne himself can bring to the studio. From charming guitar riffs to reserved cello sessions, the album shines with warmth, fun, love and heart. Outnumbered with great tracks like the enlighting "Moment in Paradise," the project is very classic. The rockin' "Alright" starts it off, while "Stranger In A Quiet Street" keeps the pace driving on curiousity. Lynne's trademark shades couldn't be more noticeable than his trademark voice as there are many moments of catchy ups and downs with lyrics. Still missing that 30 piece section can be damaging at times considering the wide sound it created with "Out of the Blue" ect. Not to mention the spaced-out vocador synthesizer that touched up the ELO era. But there are just too many positive notes that out weigh the bad ones, thus making this album a plus. I think I speak for the rest of the fans worldwide when I say "thank you Jeff for delivering to us another album."

For those who want to argue over whether or not this should be a Jeff Lynne solo album, newsflash; Jeff Lynne is ELO. Has been since Roy Wood's departure in the early 70's. Why should I care that Richard Tandy had only a small part in this album? Or that Bev Bevan was not even mentioned on the "thanks to" list. If Jeff had used the same line up of musicians that he had on Out of the Blue, the album would have sounded the same. Why? Because Jeff Lynne has always called all the shots. Just look at ELO PT. II. They have more "original members" yet they sounded more like Peter Cetera on the "Karate Kid" soundtrack album. All of the original ELO members without the direction of Jeff Lynne is like a brand new car with a full tank of gas, and no driver.

Having said that, listen to the music on this disc. Man, this is almost too good to be true. No, they do not sound like the Traveling Wilburys. No, they do not sound like Armchair Theatre. Zoom sounds more like the album that Balance Of Power should have been. It is ELO all day long, and very good ELO. It is hard to pick out favorites, but Moment In Paradise is Jeff's best in a long time. Other stand-outs include Alright, Ordinary Dream, Easy Money (boy, would I love to know who he wrote that one about) and In My Own Time.

This album is the right direction for ELO. I just hope that Jeff doesn't get bored with this too quickly. But if he does, I would ... for another Wilbury's album.

Part Jeff Lynne solo, part ELO in its latter days, and part Traveling Wilburys, this album amalgamates the various styles in which Lynne has dabbled over his long career. There's just enough raunchy rock, mixed with groovy beats, smooth, ethereal backing vocals, and melancholic melodies that turn down at the edges while still managing to result as upbeat. Cellos are used sparingly this time around, and though the bombastic use of orchestra in ELO's earlier work was a hell of a lot of fun, the strings blend into these songs much better. There isn't a dud track on the album, though songs like "Alright," "State of Mind" and "It Really Doesn't Matter" stand far above the rest. The album is worth the price just for the surprisingly rockin' "Lonesome Lullabye," which sounds like Jeff Lynne in his Idle Race days. There's a lot of "Armchair Theatre" here, too, in songs like "Melting in the Sun," which makes me wonder again why that album is out of print. The only odd thing about "Zoom" is that it really is a solo album, not an ELO album. I'm perfectly happy about this, though. Instead of "odd," call it strange. Strange magic, that is.

First, a little math lesson. ELO = Jeff Lynne. Ergo, it is perfectly legitimate for this CD performed by Jeff Lynne and a stellar cast of side musicians to be called an Electric Light Orchestra project. Jeff didn't actually play every instrument on this CD...swooping strings, sawing cellos, guitar (from George Harrison), drums (from Ringo Starr), and keyboards (from Richard Tandy) all add highlights to Jeff's solid musical foundation and stellar production work. Whether or not one agrees with the moniker, it must be noted that the music contained herein is absolutely stellar from stem to stern. Jeff Lynne, the melodic maestro and uberproducer hasn't lost his touch as ZOOM so eloquently proves. My track-by-track commentary:

"Alright" - a strong guitar shuffle with nice flourishes, cool lyrics, Jeff's trademark optimism, and a chorus that sticks in your mind

"Moment in Paradise" - a beautiful, spine-tingling, heart-tugging ballad that ranks up there with the best of the classic ELO love songs

"State of Mind" - a galloping, incredibly catchy pop rocker that should have been released as a single and could have been a massive hit

"Just for Love" - a nice, lovely, slow raft ride down a river with fantastic slide guitar

"Stranger on a Quiet Street" - strong mid-tempo story song with killer vocal arrangements

"In My Own Time" - a bluesy tour de force with a continental flair

"Easy Money" - a withering critique set in a delightfully rocking and witty context...when Lynne yells, "Take it Jeff" before he tears into a guitar solo, the moment is priceless

"It Really Doesn't Matter" - An almost effortless mid-tempo tune that re-captures that vintage mid-70s ELO classic sound

"Ordinary Dream" - Perhaps my favorite track, an achingly gorgeous Beatlesque ballad that highlights Jeff's vocal versatility and unerring production instincts

"A Long Time Gone" - Poppy, bluesy, sad...like the ticking of a clock on a wall in an empty room

"Melting in the Sun" - Very strong gem with tricky and intricate arrangements...another song that should have been released to radio as a single

"All She Wanted" - Hot slide guitar work propels this blues-based rocker that wouldn't sound out of place on a Bonnie Raitt album

"Lonesome Lullaby" - Love those cellos! A fantastic closing track that builds in intensity and emotion

(The Japanese import of ZOOM also includes a bonus track, the propulsive "Long Black Road.)

As an ELO fan for more than 30 years, I will argue with anyone that says ZOOM doesn't sound like classic ELO. But, it is a natural evolution of the band's sound with new flourishes and techniques that reflect the growth and maturity of Jeff Lynne as an artist. I will admit, I would have liked to have heard more cellos and violins and I would have liked more involvement from former ELO members...it would have been great to feature Richard Tandy more, as well. That said, the actual content of this CD is superb and quite pleasing and stands up great under repeated listens...in fact, it gets better the more you play it.

Why ELO is not already in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a mystery, but Jeff Lynne is now receiving much more acclaim and recognition, which is fitting and way overdue.