ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA [AKA: NO ANSWER]

With its ridiculous title coming from a complete cross-Atlantic misunderstanding (the album got named after the "no answer" response to the US label wondering on the album title), ELO's first album is one of the hardest album to get into due to the poor sound and muddy production, but it is much worth the patience as the music is definitely prog with its heavy classical music instrumentation ala Eleanor Rigby (just listen to Look At Me Now to get a peak into the album's key), but unfortunately too often disregarded due to their later almost disco-like career of the late 70's.

Many of the band's harder edged sounds are coming from Roy Wood's mad musical ideas (Wood was the man behind The Move - one of the craziest psych groups around the late 60's) while Jeff Lynne (who came from Idle Race) was more Beatles- inspired. One of the most endearing musical characteristics of ELO's first two albums are the Renaissance influences, much the same way Gryphon was also greatly under the spell of. Just listen to Battle Of Marston Moor or their surprise hit 10538 Overture, just to get an idea. Marston is an astounding piece of music every proghead must listen, while First Movement is reminiscent of Focus's Sylvia or House Of The King. Mr Radio is the typically Beatles-influenced Lynne track but again with a much proggier twist. Manhattan Rumble starts off as a sombre war march and is another superb and instrumental track while Queen Of The Hours is yet another highlight with again Roy wood doing the bundle of the instrument playing (he handles almost all the classical instrument bar the odd horn and the violin. The album closes on a minor composition, but cannot stop the open-minded progheads to think that this might just be an essential album.

The songwriting is almost divided in half (Lynne 5 to Wood's 4) but clearly on the arrangement's side, Wood was the man behind the album and Lynne's poppier tracks are heavily infested by Wood's instrumentation.

Weirdly enough, Wood who had worked so hard and against all odds to form this group will leave the group after this debut album, to found his RW's Wizzard (a rockier Renaissance music group), leaving Lynne take care of the band and ELO will have a long and varied career with many highlights, but also some disgustingly commercial success. To all progheads dismissing ELO, they'd better listen to this album to swallow back their words in complete shame. Much worth its fourth star and even another half one.

WARNING: even remastered, this debut and its follow-up need an excellent stereo system!! Avoid the car stereo or the computer or even a ghetto blaster or a midi stereo. It needs the real stuff to unfold its brute beauty.