[.ca] Flashback (W/1 Live Track)

From Amazon.com:
Electric Light Orchestra are the quintessential fanboy (or fangirl) band; folks tend to either love or hate Jeff Lynne's far-reaching pop act, while critics tend to wrinkle their nose in disgust and dismiss their entire oeuvre save the obscure first album that Roy Wood plays on. Basically, E.L.O. are derided for writing all the Beatles songs that the Beatles never got around to writing in the first place, and then slapping sappy disco string arrangements on top. But at their best this ambitious ensemble--whose maxim is to try and cram as much sound and scope as possible into the conventional pop song--achieve a certain lumbering grace which is amazingly pleasurable. Sure, their songs are sappy and Lynne's lyrics campy, but Lynne is such a master that he transforms artifice into art; he's not the Beethoven of rock, he's its Jeff Koons. Moreover, Lynne is no mere retro futurist; he is fully capable of taking apart high-, low-, and middle-brow genres and recombining them in unexpected ways--in a manner that foreshadows pop music's direction in the 1990s. It's delightful to see this underrated group get a decent, career-spanning three-CD box set (digitally remastered, natch), with the requisite unreleased/alternate takes and elaborate color booklet with extensive liner notes. This music has aged remarkably well, like a fine can of soda pop. --Mike McGonigal

Flashback - the ELO album of 2000:
I could not disagree more with the customer who calls this box set an odd collection of ELO's songs. The first thing to realise is that Flashback is anything but a simple collection of ELO songs. With every aspect of this box set compiled under the personal supervision of Jeff Lynne (ELO's mastermind), Flashback was rather conceived as an album in its own right, made up of old tracks, alternate takes and some new songs. Each of the three CDs has a typical album feel to it. Take for example CD2 which starts off with Tightrope, a real opener if ever there was one. It sets the mood for the whole CD2. The ensuing tracks go very well together, and the CD just flows. Secondly, the artwork of the box set is really great. Jeff Lynne, it is true, is very much pushed to the fore. But then again, one has to realise that ELO has always been Jeff's project, with him singing,composing and producing nearly all the songs. The credits of an album like Secret Messages make it look as if ELO were recording as a four piece at that time. This is however untrue as most of the tracks only feature Lynne and Tandy. Even in the Seventies, Lynne almost dictated to the other band members the things they should play so that it is safe to say that ELO was never a real band in the strict sense. Now, coming to Flashback's track selection I have to say that I find it very suitable. Surely, some fantastic songs by ELO are not included - especially many of the great TIME/XANADU/FTM songs are missing - but this is simply due to the fact that there are too many of them. The "odd" tracks mentioned by the aforementioned reviewer are, as far as I am concerned, all of a very high quality - The Whale for example is an awesome instrumental, and Take Me On And On really transports the listener into space, as intended by Jeff Lynne. Great. As for the new songs, they are all very good, the "dull" Tears In Your Life being my absolute favourite. It's got to be one of the best ELO songs Jeff has ever written. It's so spacey, surreal, cool...And listen to this incredible backing track: endless layers and things whizzing past, an array of swirling keyboards. In a perfect world, this song would have been awarded best song of the last decade. Moreover, Love Changes All is anything but standard pop. Once again, I suggest a close listen to the painstakingly constructed backing track. Very sophisticated and groundbreaking. After all, Jeff mentions in the booklet that the song could not be finished in the arrangement it was in until now. With the help of PRO TOOLS and modern technology, he says, he was finally able to do the song justice. As for ELO's general sound I am sick of those Beatles comparisons. Surely, the Beatles were one of ELO's major influences, but there were many others. ELO, to me, sounds completely different from the Beatles. Their sound is not an imitation of the Beatles sound and it has generally more in common with bands like Pink Floyd, Queen, The Buggles or even ABBA than with the Beatles. Anyway, ELO do not need to fear comparison with the Beatles. Personally, I enjoy ELO's music more than the Beatles'and am of the opinion that ELO was, as far as the musical quality is concerned, the greatest vocal poprock band ever. Jeff Lynne is a real genius. It is about time that music critics acknowledge this. Finally, those rumours about ELO just faking at the OUT OF THE BLUE concerts are not true if Rob Caiger (ELO archivist)can be believed. I think we will soon be put into the picture concerning this matter. Peter Sutter, Germany.

ELO lovers, unite!:
I am sick of ELO being bashed as the poor man's Beatles, as sappy, as "disco-flavored violin trash," and as infantile muzak. All of these criticisms are from people who haven't bothered to listen to ELO from beginning to last and who are too obtuse to realize that Jeff Lynne is a musical genius (and no, I don't use that word lightly). Yes, his lyrics are banal, but with this type of music, who on earth cares? The lyrics to "Ob La Di, Ob La Da" are trite too, but with such catchy music, one can overlook the banality of the words. This set is the definitive set of the three issued ELO compilations. The liner notes are written by Lynne and they are interesting and contain some new information. He throws in some clunkers, such as the B-take of "Do Ya?" which Lynee erroneously claims is better than the released version. "Xanudu" is still a limping dog of a song, but there are some remastered gems here. ALl of the first 2 discs are pure magic, including ELO's most underrated (and, I think, best) song, "Nightrider." And how about "Four Little Diamonds" on disc three, where you can Lynne counting down the intro and sounding exactly like Ozzy Osbourne, in their mutual Birmingham accents. The sound quality is excellent and the track order is pleasing. There are no omissions and only a few questionable inclusions, and they all appear on disc three. I bought my first ELO single when I was 10 years old and I never looked back. If you've read this far, you're a fan like me and you will devour this set. Long live this sappy, trite, banal band... I still love 'em forever!

A Perfect Boxed Set:
I have listened to some ELO down through the years, but never appreciated them that much until I purchased this set. I love the remastering and you can hear the difference on "The Diary Of Horace Wimp", Jeff Lynne really put in a tremendous effort in the studio with this effort, and is to be commended for it. I think that ELO was disparaged because of the comparison with the Beatles, but that is unfair, because who can you mention in the same breath with the Beatles? Elvis, and Led Zeppelin that is it, pure, plain and simple. I do not think ELO was on the level of THE WHO either, but compare them to the Outkasts, JLO's, Brittney's, Wu Tu Clans of today, and they are brilliant. The English, really have a thing for creating excellent music with intelligent lyrics, and great use of musical instruments, and ELO was all about that, it is a crying shame, that there are no more ELO's, Pink Floyd's, WHO's, or Zeppelin's are coming out today (I think it is part of the dumbing down of our culture, but that is another issue). Anyone who wants to listen to brilliant music, needs to get this CD, because it is top of the line, there is no junk in it. Of all the boxed sets I own, only "Strait Out Of The Box" is better, on a scale of 1 to 10, it is a 10, a must have for any ELO, rock, or music lover.

• 10538 Overture
• Showdown
• Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
• Mr. Radio
• Roll Over Beethoven
• Mama \oNew Edit\c
• One Summer Dream
• Illusions in G Major
• Strange Magic
• Eldorado Overture
• Can't Get It Out of My Head
• Eldorado
• Eldorado Finale
• Do Ya \oUnedited Alternative Mix, Previously Unreleased\c
• Mister Kingdom
• Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor \o#\c
• Tightrope
• Evil Woman
• Livin' Thing
• Mr. Blue Sky
• Mission (A World Record) \oAlternative Mix, Previously Unreleased\c
• Turn to Stone
• Telephone Line
• Rockaria!
• Starlight
• It's Over
• Whale
• Sweet Talkin' Woman
• Big Wheels
• Shangri-La
• Nightrider
• Tears In Your Life \o#\c
• Don't Bring Me Down
• Diary of Horace Wimp
• Twilight
• Secret Messages
• Take Me On and On
• Shine a Little Love
• Rock & Roll Is King
• Last Train to London
• Confusion
• Getting to the Point
• Hold on Tight
• So Serious
• Calling America
• Four Little Diamonds
• Great Balls of Fire
• Xanadu \oNew Version, Previously Unreleased\c
• Indian Queen \oDemo, Previously Unreleased\c
• Love Changes All \oPreviosly Unreleased\c
• After All \oFirst Time on CD\c
• Helpless \o#\c
• Who's That \o#\c