The most succinct thing you could say about this album is that it is exactly what you would expect from Jeff Lynne. For years now fans of symphonic pop music have been largely ignored by the music world. That is because the patron saint of that music genre has been helping others make music. Jeff Lynne has been working with the likes of Bryan Adams and Joe Walsh. Now he has finally got some new ELO adjacent stuff out for the first time since 2001. Though ELO is nowhere to be seen here other than in the title, Alone in the Universe is basically a solo record. Other than a little help from his daughter Laura with backing vocals, Lynne is a one man band here playing most instruments, singing, writing all the songs, and producing. For long-time fans of ELO there is plenty of stuff to grab hold of. Sounds a lot like ELO though with some modern twists. Just his voice alone will bring you back to the seventies and eighties. Strong musicianship, his vocals still sound like classic Jeff Lynne and introspective lyrics. The thirty-three minutes worth of music here will pass quickly…too quickly. A little bit more would have really sealed this as a winner.
Jeff Lynne’s ELO – Alone in the Universe
