The Electric Light Orchestra (album)

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The Electric Light Orchestra
ElectricLightOrchestranoanswer.jpg
Studio album by
The Electric Light Orchestra
Released3 December 1971 (U.K.)
2 March 1972 (U.S.)
RecordedJuly 1970 – June 1971
StudioPhilips Studios, London
Genre Progressive rock
Length41:30
Label
Producer
The Electric Light Orchestra chronology
The Electric Light Orchestra
(1971)		 ELO 2
(1973)
Singles from The Electric Light Orchestra
  1. "10538 Overture"
    Released: 23 June 1972

The Electric Light Orchestra is the debut studio album by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in December 1971 in the United Kingdom by Harvest Records. In the United States, the album was released in March 1972 as No Answer, after a misunderstood telephone message made by a United Artists Records executive asking about the album name; [1] the caller, having failed to reach the ELO contact, wrote down "no answer" in his notes, and this was misconstrued to be the name of the album.

Contents

Recording

The album is focused on the core trio of Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan, who were the remaining members of rock group the Move. The Move were still releasing singles in the UK at the same time as this project was undertaken, but interest was soon to be abandoned in Wood's former band. In fact, the Move's final album, Message from the Country, was recorded simultaneously with The Electric Light Orchestra.

The sound on The Electric Light Orchestra is unique on this recording in comparison to the more slickly produced ELO albums of the subsequent Lynne years, incorporating many wind instruments and replacing guitar parts with heavy, "sawing" cello riffs, giving this recording an experimental "baroque-and-roll" feel. Because Wood, Lynne, and Bevan were the only members, the album utilized many overdubs (with some tracks having well over 10) and doubling on instruments. Lynne and Wood did the strings (with Wood doing the woodwinds) while Bevan stuck with percussion and drums. On the track "The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd, 1664)," Wood also had to provide the percussion as well because Bev Bevan, normally the group's percussionist and drummer, refused to play on the track due to his low opinion of it.

The album cover fittingly depicts a disconnected lightbulb in the middle of a large empty baroque-style dance hall with modern electric lights livening up the room. The back cover depicts Wood, Lynne, and Bevan adorned in era appropriate clothing and playing classical instruments (a cello, a violin, and a piccolo, respectively). The image is depicted in wall-eye style, as if they are reflected within the lightbulb's dome. [2] The gatefold cover opens up to reveal several black and white images relating to the songs (such as a radio for "Mr. Radio") as well as another picture of the band next to the credits and personnel. [2]

Release

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Christgau's Record Guide B− [4]
Creem C+ [5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [8]

"Queen of the Hours", which later became the B-side to "Roll Over Beethoven" from the band's second album ELO 2 , was the first ever published ELO song, released by Harvest Records in November 1971 in a compilation called The Harvest Bag which featured various Harvest records artists. [9]

The original LP was mixed in Quadraphonic sound but was only released in this format in South America. Many of these "quad" tracks appeared with the SQ encoding intact on the "First Light" series edition of the album and on a later double-CD release entitled Early ELO, 1971–1974 (available only as an import in the US). The entire "quad" version with SQ encoding intact has since been released on disc 3 of the Harvest Years compilation.

The original album art was designed by Hipgnosis; the photographs of the band on the back of the album cover, dressed in 17th-century period costume, were taken at the Banqueting House in Whitehall, adding to the Baroque flavour and emphasis on Stuart Britain found on the record.

"Mr. Radio" was intended to be the second single from the album, but was subsequently withdrawn. The edited single version made its first appearance on the 2005 compilation album Harvest Showdown instead.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."10538 Overture" Jeff Lynne Jeff Lynne5:32
2."Look at Me Now" Roy Wood Roy Wood3:17
3."Nellie Takes Her Bow"LynneLynne5:59
4."The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)"WoodWood6:03
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
5."First Movement (Jumping Biz)"Woodinstrumental3:00
6."Mr. Radio"LynneLynne5:04
7."Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre)"Lynneinstrumental4:22
8."Queen of the Hours"LynneLynne3:22
9."Whisper in the Night"WoodWood4:50
Total length:41:30
Bonus tracks (US 2006 Remaster)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Battle of Marston Moor" (Take 1 alternate mix)Wood1:00
11."Nellie Takes Her Bow" (Alternate mix)Lynne6:02
12."Mr. Radio" (Take 9)Lynne5:19
13."10538 Overture" (Alternate mix)Lynne5:46
Bonus tracks (40th Anniversary Edition)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."10538 Overture" (Acetate version)Lynne5:23
11."Mr. Radio" (Take 9, recorded 18 November 1970)Lynne5:18
12."Nellie Takes Her Bow" (Alternate mix)Lynne6:02
13."Whisper in the Night" (Take 1/Take 2 edit)Wood4:59
14."Mr. Radio" (Single edit)Lynne3:56
15."10538 Overture" (for Top of the Pops )Lynne4:42

The Electric Light Orchestra (First Light Series)

The Electric Light Orchestra
(First Light Series)
The Electric Light Orchestra First light.jpg
Studio album by
Electric Light Orchestra
Released2001
RecordedJuly 1970 – June 1972
Label Harvest, EMI
Producer Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra chronology
Zoom
(2001)		The Electric Light Orchestra
(First Light Series)
(2001)		 ELO 2 (First Light Series)
(2003)
CD 2 First Light
ELO First Light.jpg
First Light cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Artistdirect.comStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [10]

The Electric Light Orchestra (First Light Series) is a two-disc expanded special 30th anniversary edition of their debut album.

Released in 2001 in the UK, disc one contains the original ELO album plus bonus tracks and an interactive CD-ROM feature, while disc two features the oldest surviving live ELO material with co/founder Roy Wood and cellist Andy Craig.

Disc one

The Electric Light Orchestra
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."10538 Overture"Lynne5:32
2."Look at Me Now"Wood3:17
3."Nellie Takes Her Bow"Lynne5:59
4."The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)"Wood6:03
5."First Movement (Jumping Biz)"Wood3:00
6."Mr. Radio"Lynne5:04
7."Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre)"Lynne4:22
8."Queen of the Hours"Lynne3:22
9."Whisper in the Night"Wood4:50
Bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
10."Battle of Marston Moor" (take 1)Wood1:00
11."10538 Overture" (take 1)The Move/ELO5:46

Enhanced multimedia section with interactive menu leading to EMI Promotional Film: 10538 Overture (May 1972)

Disc two

First Light
No.TitleLength
1."Brian Matthew Introduces ELO"0:37
2."10538 Overture" (acetate version)5:24
3."Look at Me Now" (quad mix)3:19
4."Nellie Takes Her Bow" (quad mix)5:59
5."Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd, 1644)" (quad mix)5:55
6."Jeff's Boogie No. 2" (live) (early version of "In Old England Town")6:58
7."Whisper in the Night" (live)5:45
8."Great Balls of Fire" (live)5:40
9."Queen of the Hours" (quad mix)3:18
10."Mr. Radio" (take 9)5:18
11."10538 Overture" (BBC session)4:38
12."Whisper in the Night" (hidden track) (take 1)5:00

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1972)Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [11] 54
UK Albums (OCC) [12] 32
US Billboard 200 [13] 196

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric Light Orchestra</span> English rock band

The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood with drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and classical arrangements with futuristic iconography. After Wood's departure in 1972, Lynne became the band's sole leader, arranging and producing every album while writing nearly all of their original material. From this point until their first break-up in 1986, Lynne and Bevan were the group's only consistent members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Move</span> British rock band

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<i>On the Third Day</i> 1973 Electric Light Orchestra album

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<i>ELO 2</i> 1973 studio album by Electric Light Orchestra

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<i>ELOs Greatest Hits</i> 1979 greatest hits album by Electric Light Orchestra

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<i>Flashback</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 2000 box set by Electric Light Orchestra

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<i>Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra</i> 1995 greatest hits album by Electric Light Orchestra

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<i>Message from the Country</i> 1971 studio album by the Move

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">10538 Overture</span> 1972 single by the Electric Light Orchestra

"10538 Overture" is the debut single by the English band the Electric Light Orchestra. It was released on 23 June 1972 as the lead single from their self-titled debut studio album (1971). It is a hard rock song influenced by psychedelic music, with cello instrumentation and lyrics about an escaped prisoner. Originally written by co-founder Jeff Lynne for him and Roy Wood's previous band, the Move, it became the first recording by the Electric Light Orchestra after Wood added orchestral instruments to the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Showdown (Electric Light Orchestra song)</span> 1973 single by Electric Light Orchestra

"Showdown" is a 1973 song written by Jeff Lynne and recorded by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was the band's last contemporary recording to be released on the Harvest label. The song was released as a single and reached No 12 in the UK Singles Chart, in the week beginning 28 October, and No 9 on the Norwegian chart VG-lista.

<i>Showdown</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1974 compilation album by Electric Light Orchestra

Showdown is an Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) compilation album, covering their Harvest Records years. It is the first in a very long line of Electric Light Orchestra compilation albums. It comprises four tracks from their debut album and three from ELO 2 as well as the hit single "Showdown", the first time it had featured on an album in the UK.

<i>The Light Shines On</i> 1977 greatest hits album by Electric Light Orchestra

The Light Shines On is a compilation album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). This is the second Harvest compilation of their early years with the label, followed in 1979 by volume 2. It features 5 tracks from ELO's debut album, 3 tracks from their second album and the non album single Showdown, although both 10538 Overture and Roll Over Beethoven are the single edits. The full length versions are featured on volume 2.

<i>The Light Shines On Vol 2</i> 1979 greatest hits album by Electric Light Orchestra

The Light Shines On Vol 2 is a compilation album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). Released in 1979 by Harvest Records as a follow-up to 1977's The Light Shines On, it is a compilation of their early years with the label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ELO Part II</span> English rock/pop band

The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) Part II was a British-American rock band formed by Electric Light Orchestra drummer and co-founder Bev Bevan. The band also included former ELO bassist and vocalist Kelly Groucutt, and violinist Mik Kaminski for most of its career, along with conductor Louis Clark, who toured as a guest with ELO in its later years; ELO cellist Hugh McDowell likewise briefly performed with the group in 1991. Alongside these ELO personnel, Part II rotated through several ELO-unaffiliated frontmen during its lifetime, with singer-songwriter and keyboardist Eric Troyer the only one to retain constant membership.

"Mr. Radio" is a song recorded by the Electric Light Orchestra.

<i>Ticket to the Moon: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra Volume 2</i> 2007 greatest hits album by Electric Light Orchestra

Ticket to the Moon: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra Volume 2 is a 2007 compilation album by Electric Light Orchestra, and is a companion to 2005's All Over the World.

<i>Definitive Collection</i> (Electric Light Orchestra album) 1995 greatest hits album by Electric Light Orchestra

Definitive Collection is a compilation album recorded by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and produced by Jeff Lynne. It was released in 1995 with two discs. Some of the songs include their album versions like "Strange Magic" and "Shine a Little Love", and some tracks include edits seen below.

<i>Light Years, The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra</i> 1997 greatest hits album by Electric Light Orchestra

Light Years, The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra is a two CD compilation album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1997.

References

  1. ↑ No Answer, Snopes.com, 19 December 2012
  2. 1 2 "The Electric Light Orchestra/No Answer - album 1971". Hipgnosis Covers. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  3. ↑ Mason, Stewart. "The Electric Light Orchestra – Electric Light Orchestra : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic.
  4. ↑ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: E". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved 24 February 2019– via robertchristgau.com.
  5. ↑ Christgau, Robert (August 1972). "The Christgau Consumer Guide". Creem . Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  6. ↑ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th edn). London: Omnibus Press. p. 915. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
  7. ↑ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p.  383. ISBN   1-57859-061-2.
  8. ↑ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th edn). New York, NY: Fireside/Simon & Schuster. p.  274. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  9. ↑ Porter, Robert (September 2010). "Electric Light Orchestra – Roll Over Beethoven; An In-Depth Song Analysis" . Retrieved 8 September 2010.
  10. ↑ "Electric Light Orchestra Limited Edition by Electric Light Orchestra". Artistdirect.com.
  11. ↑ "Australian Album Chart Positions". Electric Light Orchestra. Retrieved 20 February 2024..
  12. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Electric Light Orchestra Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
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