ELO's Greatest Hits (1979)

Composer: Jeff Lynne.
Personnel: Jeff Lynne (vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer); Richard Tandy (vocals, keyboards, synthesizer); Bev Bevan (vocals, drums); Kelly Groucutt (vocals, percussion).
Recording information: 1973-1977.
Photographer: Fin Costello.
By ignoring the band's first two albums, the Roy Wood-dominated Electric Light Orchestra and the transitional ELO II, the 1979 singles compilation ELO's Greatest Hits presents a somewhat skewed vision of the band. Ironically, this revision has become the normative view of the band: slick, almost mechanical purveyors of undeniably catchy but somewhat soulless hit singles. "Evil Woman," "Showdown," "Turn to Stone," "Telephone Line," "Strange Magic" -- anyone who was anywhere near a radio in the latter half of the '70s knows them all by heart, whether they like them or not. But ELO's Greatest Hits does a far graver disservice to the Electric Light Orchestra's oeuvre. For some reason, the original vinyl LP sounded somewhat muffled and distant, as if the EQ was perceptibly off. The CD was apparently mastered from the same poor-quality tapes. The result is while this is otherwise a fine survey of Jeff Lynne's most successful -- if not necessarily his best -- songs, it just doesn't sound very good. The ELO catalog has since been carefully remastered, and sounds worlds better. The two-disc Strange Magic and three-disc Flashback compilations trump ELO's Greatest Hits in both sound quality and historical accuracy. ~ Stewart Mason
Most of ELO's biggest and best hits -- "Evil Woman," "Rockaria," "Telephone Line" -- are included on this solid but slightly skimpy collection. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Although ELO's mid-'70s string of albums--ON THE THIRD DAY, ELDORADO, FACE THE MUSIC, A NEW WORLD RECORD, and OUT OF THE BLUE--are substantial efforts, filled with exciting, inventive music, ELO was known at the time and forever after as a world-class singles band. ELO'S GREATEST HITS 1973-1977, originally released in 1979, showcases this era magnificently. All 11 of these tracks were released as singles, some of them slightly remixed and edited from their album versions, and most of them were both AM and FM radio hits. Beatlesque and catchy enough to appeal to teenyboppers, yet ambitious and sonically detailed enough for album-rock snobs, ELO was one of the most commercially successful rock bands of the decade, and for good reason. Although the set lacks anything from the band's more experimental first two albums (not even the magnificent "10538 Overture"), this collection is '70s-vintage ear candy at its finest. minimize