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On disc: Jeff Lynne



Long Wave - Claudia Ehrhardt - 7 stars
Armchair Theatre - Claudia Ehrhardt - 8 stars


www.jefflynnesongs.com







Armchair Theatre

Armchair Theatre
(Frontiers Records - 2013)


With Armchair Theatre E.L.O. frontman Jeff Lynne presented his first solo album, that was in 1990. Now Frontiers Records is releasing the album on CD in a remastered version and with 2 bonus tracks. When he recorded the album more than 2 decades ago he got a helping hand by Traveling Wilburys mate George Harrison. And the opener Every Little Thing is a track which combines the sound of Traveling Wilburys with a dash of E.L.O and a bit of brass. Songs like Nobody Home are pure fun for fans of Jeff Lynne and everybody who loves the rocking singer/songwriter sound or Heartland rock spiced up with a dash E.L.O.

Now You're Gone is among my favorites, the emotional tune has a bombastic edge while Save Me Now is more an interlude with less then 2 minutes. The first bonus track is Borderline, they pick up speed a bit and the feel is totally different. Borderline was recorded in 1989 and was a single B-side. While Forecast was recorded the same year but never been released til now.

For fans of Jeff Lynne and the Traveling Wilburys or of pop infused Heartland rock, this is very interesting. Check it out, even if it's more than 20 years old it doesn't sound backdated!


8 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Long Wave

Long Wave
(Frontiers Records - 2012)


E.L.O. mastermind Jeff Lynne decided to do an album with cover versions of songs he grow up with, with songs which were played on radio in his childhood days and so it's a very personal album.

He kicks off with She, a song many will know from Notting Hill soundtrack, but which originally was recorded by French chansonnier Charles Aznavour, even if the version in the movie is sung by Elvis Costello. It's followed by If I Loved You from the musical Carousel, another song which was covered many times - and now Jeff Lynne adds his version to this long list which incl. Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand. Don Everly's So Sad is sticking to the singer/songwriter sound, but Mr. Lynne adds a bit of his own. At Running Scared the Roy Orbinson style is audible, but I like the version of Jeff Lynne - it sounds old-fashioned, but not back-dated. All songs have a symphonic edge, not the partly bombastic sound of E.L.O., but that wouldn't work with the songs - at least in my opinion. Smile many will know in an instrumental version from Modern Times, Charlie Chaplin wrote the music and the vocal version from Nat King Cole is a classic. A bit 'louder' is Love Is A Many Splendored Thing, less singer/songwriter and closer to E.L.O. - fun. To cover Chuck Berry and not to rock, is impossible! Let It Rock brings back the 50's! The song was covered by The Rolling Stones, Greateful Dead, Stray Cats and Motörhead - to name just a few. The closer is Beyond The See, written by Charles Trenét in French (La Mer), but Bobby Darin's version made it onto many motion picture soundtracks and was covered e.g. by Michael Bublé and Robbie Williams.

This is a cover album by Jeff Lynne, don't expect songs in the E.L.O. style! But if you still like the sound of the 50's and the sound of that time, but would like to get a different version of classics, then Jeff Lynne's Long Wave is what you are looking for.


7 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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