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Electric Light Orchestra II
Electric Light Orchestra
Jet / Epic Records, 1973
REVIEW BY: Eric E5S16
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 05/01/1998
Electric Light Orchestra, led by Jeff Lynne, is most popular for
their pop-sounding records, like "Turn To Stone", "Evil Woman", and
"Can't Get It Out Of My Head". But if you observe their album
tracks, you will notice that they have experimented with orchestral
and classical music. Their second album,
Electric Light Orchestra II, has that experience, more ways
than one.
On that topic, one thing I have always emjoyed about ELO, is how
they used instrumentation in various songs. One song in particular,
is "Fire On High", from their 1975 release,
Face The Music. This song was heavily used for introductions
to various radio and television programs. Like this song, the
opening track from
ELO II, "In Old England Town (Boogie #2)", is anything BUT a
boogie. The beginning of this song is heavily instrumental, and
could be easily used for a mystery/horror flick. This piece has you
sitting back and visualizing something from such a movie.
"Mama" also has instrumentation of an orchestra-type fashion,
which has been heard in the band's most popular songs. Using
cellos, violins and strings, this song is a typical ELO song, a
slow-paced tune in the standard pop vein.
Probably considered the only well-remembered song from this
album is their cover version of Chuck Berry's "Roll Over
Beethoven". What makes this version so great, is that ELO mixes
rock and roll with classical music. Since Beethoven was a popular
classical music composer, the beginning of this song sounds like
basic classical music, as ELO begins playing Beethoven's 5th
Symphony. Then, they rip into the familiar opening guitar riff
Chuck Berry used in his song. Throughout the song, it's rock and
roll, as they use the familiar riffs from Beethoven's 5th Symphony.
This is a great way of experimenting with two different sources of
music.
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