Track Listing

1. Alright
2. Movement In Paradise
3. State Of Mind
4. Just For Love
5. Stranger On A Quiet Street
6. In My Own Time
7. Easy Money
8. Really Doesn't Matter Anymore
9. Ordinary Dream
10. A Long Time Gone
11. Melting In The Sun
12. All She Wanted
13. Lonesome Lullaby

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #51757 in Music
• Released on: 2001-06-11
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Although Zoom marks ELO's first proper album for 15 years, it'd be unjust to accuse Jeff Lynne of resting on his laurels. After all, the ELO main man has been busier than most in that time, becoming a much sought-after producer for the likes of Tom Petty (Full Moon Fever and Into The Great Wide Open), George Harrison (Cloud Nine), Paul McCartney (Flaming Pie) and the Beatles themselves (he produced the reunion single "Free As A Bird" from their first Anthology). On Zoom, Lynne again demonstrates his unique knack for combining simple tunes and lyrics with grandiose, symphonic music, a formula that made ELO one of the biggest bands of the 1970s. Zoom lacks the thematic coherence that marked some of the band's best work (notably Out of the Blue, A New World Record, Eldorado and Time) and got ELO unfairly lumped in with the prog-rock crowd; instead, Lynne showcases his strengths as a composer of pop songs--after all, this is the man who wrote those 70s-rock staples "Living Thing", "Evil Woman" and "Don't Bring Me Down". On Zoom, his songs are a bit more introspective and personal, as well as slightly scaled down--the namesake "Orchestra" has become more of a string quartet. But with songs like the Beatles-esque "Ordinary Dream", the rocking "Easy Money" (with Ringo Starr on drums), the mellow "A Long Time Gone" (with George Harrison on slide guitar) and first single "Alright", it's a change that works. Let's just hope it doesn't take so long for the next ELO album to arrive. --Robert Burrow

CD Description
First album in 15 years for Jeff Lynne, aka the Electric Light Orchestra. Written, produced and performed by Lynne withguest appearances from his former Traveling Wilburys bandmate George Harrison and Ringo Starr, it features more of ELO's trademark epic, string-driven pop-rock.

Customer Reviews

It builds...
This is an album which builds.

It opens with one of the more enigmatic lines in rock and follows up with a useful reminder that no-one writes middle-eights quite like Jeff Lynne. Then onto a more modern number with haunting lyrics and back to cracking sing-along-a-rock for the third track. But where is the meat of the album?

Track 4 changes the mood, and all of a sudden the listener is hooked. Can I hear 'Nowhere Man' somewhere in here? By track 5 you're deep in the Zone, and by Side 2 (yes, this CD really does feel like it has two sides) you want to see it through to the end... but I won't spoil the story. Put it on in your car, and make sure the journey is long enough to fit in the whole thing.

This is a virtuoso album, almost a homage to the entire history of rock.

And it gets inside your head. I think I know what Jeff is singing about... and I think you might too.

Vintage ELO
It has been a long time coming, but is well worth the wait. I hesitated in buying the album, but now I have it I can't stop playing it. It is really a Jeff Lynne solo album, but the sound spans the ELO years and sees Jeff in reflective mood. Wonderful stuff.

Mr Lynne......you are a top bloke !!!!!!
Who cares whether this is an ELO or a Jeff Lynne solo? All I know is this album is quite frankly GREAT!!!. From the moment this disc started spinning in my player I've had a huge cheesy grin and been wandering around humming snatches of the catchiest music this side of....well, another ELO album really. 'Alright' is foot-tappingly catchy, as is 'State of Mind' and 'Melting in the Sun'. 'Moment in Paradise', 'In My Own Time', 'It Really Doesn't Matter' and 'A Long Time Gone' are scarily good and the less said about 'Stranger on a Quiet Street' the better....utter class. Jeff Lynne is possibly the finest songwriter and producer this country has dished up in the last 30 years yet so many people have no idea who he is....something wrong somewhere I'd say. If you like Jeff Lynne, buy this album. If you like ELO, buy this album. And if you enjoy great music instead of the homogenised garbage that is rammed down our throats these days, then definitely buy this album. It's the most enjoyable 43 minutes I've had in ages with my clothes on!!!