Search - Elo :: No Answer (Exp)

Balance of EQ

Mark A. Frumento | Cherry Hill, NJ USA | 04/22/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I would imagine it's difficult for some one to decide about buying this CD based on some of the other reviews. I can sum up my opinion this way: if you are a sound expert (for real or just self-proclaimed) you may have some difficulty with No Answer or ELO II. Clearly, in eliminating tape hiss, some of the high end sound is gone. But I'm not a sound expert so that's where my EQ analysis ends.



The fact is that both ELO remasters sound better than the US originals. There's really no comparison even if it's just the fact that CD mastering techniques have improved with time. It's worth updating your collection with these excellent new versions.



If I have any complaint it's that Sony had chosen to market these CDs as US remasters. They aren't. They are just re-reissues of the UK remasters of a few years back. Sony couldn't even be bothered to use the US cover of ELO II and from the looks of things to come the same goes for the reissue of On the Third Day.



The other complaint I have is the touting of these reissues as "Jeff Lynne approved" as if that really means anything. The fact that JL is involved at all probably hurts the reissues more than it helps... just look at the lack of fully unreleased songs. So, yes, these reissue are "Jeff Lynne approved" but... so what.



The bottom line is that No Answer (as it was named in the US) is a wonderfully strange album and this remaster is very good. It's not perfect but given that most of the CD buying public could care less about ELO we're never going to get perfect reissues. This CD is definitely worth buying."

The Answer!

SoundDiscoveries | Michigan,USA | 04/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have waited years for ELO to remaster the older classic's like this one and am very pleased with what I hear. Compared to the originally released CD, this is a breath of fresh air. It has crisp brilliant sound and includes 4 bonus tracks which are alternate mixes of 4 of the songs on the album. I don't understand the negative reviews about the remastering on this CD. It must depend on what will please your ears.I for one am just happy to have a better sounding CD than the original and at an excellent price to boot! 5*'s in my opinion."

Move morphs into orchestral vision

Dr. Emil "Tom" Shuffhausen | Central Gulf Coast | 09/14/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"HERE IS THE NEWS



Thanks to Epic/Legacy, we now have the continuation of the long-awaited, much-needed re-mastering of The Electric Light Orchestra's historic, vital catalog. This, ELO's very first album, is presented in this release with a much richer and cleaner sound, improved graphics, and eye-opening alternate mixes included as bonus tracks.



Thus spake ELO founders Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne, and Bev Bevan in 1971: "We want to pick up where the Beatles left off on 'Strawberry Fields' and 'I Am the Walrus.'" Roy was the leader of the amazingly popular band, The Move, while Jeff was the leader of an up-and-coming group called Idle Race. When personnel problems created an opening in The Move, Roy invited Jeff to join he and drummer Bev Bevan. Jeff consented, provided that he and Roy could work on their side "orchestra rock" project...an experimental and daring melding of classic rock with classical orchestral instrumentation and arranging.



In 1971, the Electric Light Orchestra was birthed out of The Move with a lumbering single called "10538 Overture," which quickly ascended the charts in England. Little did they know then that this accompanying album, NO ANSWER, would be the herald of one of rock and roll's most enduring success stories.



THE SONGS



"10538" is essentially a Move single, and as such is wonderfully quirky, melodic, and mysterious...it's edgy, and punched along by the sound of sawing strings and rumbling guitars. At points, it sounds like a herd of elephants tromping through the jungle, and it even threatens to fall apart rhythmically, before grudgingly swinging back into a cohesive march. It definitely resembles the aforementioned Beatles tunes, and definitely takes them a step further.



"Look At Me Now" is a very nice-yet-urgent Roy Wood ballad, with an interesting arrangement and instrumental curios. Wood's voice can be high, keening, and plaintive, and conveys a tremendous amount of emotion. The accompanying strings and woodwinds are fairly spare and unadorned--this is like a more rustic version of "Eleanor Rigby."



Up next, "Nellie Takes Her Bow" sounds like Jeff Lynne gone vaudeville, and is very effective, though perhaps overly long. It's a fairly gentle track, suddenly interrupted by a jarring martial instrumental break, which actually might have fit better in the following cut...



..."The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)." This is primarily an instrumental, preceeded by a stirring battle speech. It's very cinematic, albeit rough and tumble...but it ain't what some would call "rock and roll." Do check out Bev Bevan's snazzy, tricky percussion work here--it's brilliant. Overall, this song earns ELO points for trying, but it is not, at the end of the day, extraordinarily listenable.



Wood's "1st Movement" on the other hand, is a wonderful pastiche of guitar and string quartet, not unlike "Classical Gas." It swings along very nicely for approximately three minutes with a memorable and cohesive melody, sparked by some very fine picking.



Jeff Lynne takes his turn next with the beautiful "Mr. Radio," a sad, nostalgic, evocative tune that highlights Jeff's great talent for pathos, even at an early age. It's perhaps the closest thing to the later ELO sound on this album, as piano and strings blend sweetly together, wrapping Jeff's soulful vocal in a warm cocoon of comfort.



ELO goes instrumental again with "Manhattan Rumble (49th St. Massacre)," a jaunty-yet-ominous Jeff Lynne piano workout that chugs along like some eerie 1930s mob film. I love the little whimsical break in the middle...one can picture Edward G. Robinson, cool hats, tommy guns, and dancing girls all hanging out at some swanky Chicago speakeasy.



Picking up with the Beatles sound again, the band gives us "Queen of the Hours," which would have sat comfortably on "The White Album," perhaps. The gentle melody is offset by a jumping, jarring string counterpoint during the choruses and instrumental breaks, which adds a lot of drama before cooling down again during the verses.



One of the best ELO ballads ever is the sweet and stirring "Whisper in the Night," featuring Roy, a guitar, a few strings, and a prayer. It's a nice benediction for this album. Again, Roy's voice is so simple and unadorned--when he launches into a pure falsetto, it's genuinely moving.



BONUS SONGS



The alternate tracks offered here are interesting from a historical viewpoint, although they are not essential to anyone but the hardcore collector. Still, they provide interesting insight as to how these songs evolved and were constructed.



Perhaps the most intriguing tracks for me are "Mr. Radio" and "Nellie Takes Her Bow," simply to see a slightly different vision from what the band ultimately released. With "10538 Overture," we are reminded once more of The Move and their own stirring legacy.



RECOMMENDATION



I would love to start a campaign for Roy, Jeff, and Bev to do more work together. Until then, I'll give this CD and all of my Move stuff some more spins. If you're expecting the polished power pop of A NEW WORLD RECORD or OUT OF THE BLUE, you'll be surprised and maybe disappointed. But, if you approach this CD with an open mind, and a little patience, you'll find it to be ultimately a richly rewarding experience."