Olé ELO
	Previously released material
	Released on June 1976
	US CHART POSITION #32 . . . GOLD RECORD (6/18/76)
	Find it at GEMM
JZ 35528 cover [high resolution photo]

O h, come to daddy, that’s a terrible album cover. Kind of like Country Life gone horribly wrong. (While I’m thinking of it, doesn’t “Roll Over Beethoven” remind you of Roxy? And doesn’t “Downed” remind you of “10538 Overture?”) Ole ELO draws the best bits from the band’s first five studio albums, which as it turned out was a case of premature encapsulation. It’s actually a rare occurrence: the greatest hits harvest come home early. Steve Miller Band’s Anthology comes to mind, an example where the label pulled the trigger a little too quick. By the end of the ‘70s, ELO had re-written their own history and written over songs like “10538 Overture,” “Kuiama” and “Boy Blue” (which is actually my favorite track on here). Though it charted well, Ole ELO went out of print, replaced by ELO’s Greatest Hits. It’s something of a collectible today, but not much of one. The main attraction for collectors is a slightly edited version of “Kuiama” and the single version of “Roll Over Beethoven.” Oddly, the label mistakenly lists the original album track times for these while the back cover has the correct, edited times. Master of Time that I am with my stopwatch, I can confirm that the back cover times are correct. And where would you be without me? Skipping in the sunlight instead of sitting in front of your computer, you say? Then stop reading this review and go out in the sun! And don’t you dare turn on the television on your way out the door. Electric light, my rosy bottom, when there’s a whole hydrogen star dying to get your attention.

JZ 35528 back cover

TRACK LISTING

1. 10538 OVERTURE    5:25
2. KUIAMA    9:08
3. ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN    (Chuck Berry)    4:31
4. SHOWDOWN    4:12
5. MA-MA-MA BELLE    3:35
6. CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD    4:26
7. BOY BLUE    4:12
8. EVIL WOMAN    4:15
9. STRANGE MAGIC    4:05
   
   All songs written by Jeff Lynne unless noted

CREDITS

Greg Lewerke -- album concept
Ria Lewerke -- art direction & album design
Moshe Brakha -- photography

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