I’ve always valued a
good melody too much to look down on Jeff Lynne. Idle Race, The Move, ELO, goddamned
Traveling Wilburys. And even now. He might not have another “Do Ya” or “Nobody’s
Child” in him, but Alone In The Universe
does the job well.
He plays to his strengths. You
smile unintentionally when you hear the opening “When I Was A Boy” as it sounds
like a million Beatles-inspired songs. But there’s also great sincerity about
it. Jeff Lynne has always been honest about his talent, and suddenly, in the
year 2015, it has paid off. Not a classic by any means, but a great reminder
that a good song is – primarily – a good song.
