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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tasty hooks, cunning songwriting, November 14, 2006
This album is brilliant.
It's rare that I'll be that straightforward about it, but sometimes it's just best to cut to the chase. Which is what L.E.O. did, in this excellent, elegant tribute to the many production styles, beeps, whirrs, and full choirs of Jeff Lynne. Somehow Bleu has managed to write a concise group of songs that all (save for Ol' College Try) sound like cuts from ELO's best.
Of all the songs, the only true blatant rip of an ELO grove is 'Ya Had Me Goin'", which is directly Evil Woman in places, but it feels more like a lost second verse than theft. Bleu's vocal range fits perfectly with Jeff's, and hearing recognizable voices in the background choirs is always appreciated (specifically Jason Scheff from Chicago!)
This album is clearly new material, but it's the tiny, split second hooks or riffs that just sound exactly like ELO at their best, one little 'Oh, oh' here, one 'Clap clap' there, and it all fits together brilliantly to be an album that's enjoyable to the first listener, and to the longtime ELO fan - it's rare that tribute material can have such broad appeal. Every era of ELO is represented here: 'Goodbye Innocence' feels like chart-topping ELO (a la Out Of The Blue), 'Ya Had Me Goin'' and 'Distracted' belong in early ELO (Face The Music, Eldorado), with 'Private Line' and 'Sukaz' hailing from electronic-ELO (Secret Messages, Time) and even 'Nothin' Will Ever Change' providing a cameo from Jeff's solo-material era (Armchair Theatre)
Well, if you know your rock history, you know ELO was a side project of '60s band The Move. Who knows? Bleu may continue to release LEO records - and by the strength and taste of this music, I wouldn't be disappointed.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Andy Sturmer Lives, October 30, 2006
Hearing former Jellyfish frontman, Andy Sturmer, sing oh so briefly on Goodbye Innocence is glorious -- well worth the price of this record. If you're a Jellyfish fan you MUST own this record.
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8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Tribute To A Musical Genius, October 18, 2006
Bleu Mcaulay has recently stated in an interview that this album pays homage to the amazing talents that is Jeff Lynne.
It's obvious from start to finish that he has tried to recreat the sounds that Jeff Lynne has become well known for over several decades.
Rick Rubin also lent a helping hand speaking directly to Jeff and then advising Bleu and his mates on all those wonderful rich sound tapestry's that Jeff conjures up and how he does it.
But what a wonderful album it is.
Goodbye Innocence with the George Harrison slide guitar, could've easily fitted onto the Cloud Nine album.
Distracted very ELO-ish a wonderful melody with great harmonies.
Old College Try sounds very Mccartney to me combined with a little Lynne.
Nothing Will Ever Change is pure Jeff Lynne, with falsetto in the chorus and wonderful chord changes this could've easily been on Jeff's recent Zoom album.
Don't Let It Go again is pure Jeff Lynne. Super catchy melody, great harmonies and soundalike Jeff Lynne production.
This is actually a great album, every song is a pop gem though I wish Jeff Lynne himself had really produced it, Bleu MCaulay and his mates have made one hell of a record and appropriately a fitting tribute to one of the greatest musicians in pop history.
Buy it now!!!
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