How do we like ZOOM?

[AlternativA!]

Hey,

there's one thing I would like to know. The latest ELO-album Zoom is critisized by many people. I personally think it's a beautifull ELO album, I like Out Of The Blue better, but Zoom also deserves credit.

I would like to see some opinions here,

greetings AlternativA

[Admin]

I think Zoom shows Jeff can still write a good tune, but I kind of miss Jeff's overproduction. The "less is more" mentality that George Harrison and Tom Petty instilled in Jeff, shows on this release. Still a great album though.

I'm curious as to whether most people prefer the "new" songs from Flashback over the new songs on Zoom...

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I really like ''Helpless'' and ''Love changes all''.  It sounds very ''xanadu'', I think he wrote them in that period. But to speak about zoom, moment in paradise, state of mind, just for love, ordinary dream I like the most, these are very good songs I think. But you are right about the overproduction, I prefer that too

[Admin]

One other thing about "Zoom", I was thinking that it could quite possibly be Jeff's final album. Not that Jeff has stopped recording, but with JeffLynne.com coming up one day, it's a good avenue for Jeff to release music on a song by song basis via the website. And this could even lead to an increase in Jeff's output, with the instant gratification of making a song and immediately releasing it. Could be interesting...stayed tuned to JeffLynne.com.

[Anonymous]

That would be fantasic if it's true what you say. I'm really dying for new stuff from Jeff, in a way I like all his songs and that's strange magic to me

[Anonymous]

I was surprised to see a DVD on the Zoom tour while browsing at a local Fred Meyers last week.  Has anyone here seen this DVD and would like to comment on its quality?

[Anonymous]

the quality is superb! the picture is very clear, the sound is fantastic(Dolby Digital 5.1 en DTS 5.1 surround!). You will miss a great show by not buying a copy of this masterpiece-DVD, so get yourself to that store and buy ZOOM>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>!

greetings Willem
www.alternativa.nl/english

[Anders]

Yeah, I really like ''Helpless'' and ''Love changes all''.  It sounds very ''xanadu'', I think he wrote them in that period. But to speak about zoom, moment in paradise, state of mind, just for love, ordinary dream I like the most, these are very good songs I think. But you are right about the overproduction, I prefer that too

I really liked these two songs from "Flashback" as well. Thought they sounded a bit more like "the old ELO" than "Zoom". Don't get me wrong, I love "Zoom" as well. It's just not one of my favorite ELO albums. As someone else pointed out here; it has more of a Petty/Harrison/Wilbury feel than perhaps my favorite album:"Out of the Blue".

[Utter]

Helpless is a true masterpiece WHY unreleased???

I love ZOOM, it really has a smooth elo sound, please keep up the good work jeff!

[Admin]

Yeah, I really like ''Helpless'' and ''Love changes all''.  It sounds very ''xanadu'', I think he wrote them in that period. But to speak about zoom, moment in paradise, state of mind, just for love, ordinary dream I like the most, these are very good songs I think. But you are right about the overproduction, I prefer that too

I really liked these two songs from "Flashback" as well. Thought they sounded a bit more like "the old ELO" than "Zoom". Don't get me wrong, I love "Zoom" as well. It's just not one of my favorite ELO albums. As someone else pointed out here; it has more of a Petty/Harrison/Wilbury feel than perhaps my favorite album:"Out of the Blue".

I'm curious how much of those songs were done in the early eighties and how much got finished for Flashback. I consider those songs some of Jeff's best work.

[Anders]

Yeah, I really like ''Helpless'' and ''Love changes all''.  It sounds very ''xanadu'', I think he wrote them in that period. But to speak about zoom, moment in paradise, state of mind, just for love, ordinary dream I like the most, these are very good songs I think. But you are right about the overproduction, I prefer that too

I really liked these two songs from "Flashback" as well. Thought they sounded a bit more like "the old ELO" than "Zoom". Don't get me wrong, I love "Zoom" as well. It's just not one of my favorite ELO albums. As someone else pointed out here; it has more of a Petty/Harrison/Wilbury feel than perhaps my favorite album:"Out of the Blue".

I'm curious how much of those songs were done in the early eighties and how much got finished for Flashback. I consider those songs some of Jeff's best work.

Yes, the Flashbook booklet is not very informative in that department. What I do know is that Richard Tandy were heavily involved in those re-workings.  I wonder if they used Bev's original drums for instance. Lots of question marks surrounding these songs!

I agree, great songs. I wish that Zoom would have sounded a bit like those two songs!

[PELO]

What about Tears In Your Life? The greatest melodrama ever, amazing backing track.

[Anonymous]

Hey, yeah absolutely, Tears In Your Live is certainly a great track, very mysterious, the way I like it. Also one of my bigtime favorites from the Flashback album is After All. It's got that mysterious sound that I like Jeff so much to do, are there more people here who like After All?
greetz Willem

[PELO]

Yes, I do. Once again, it's one of those tracks that you realise is really complex only when listening to it with headphones. Jeff Lynne commented that he used every gadget known to mankind back then on this track.

[Timothywalker]

"Zoom" is an unqualified masterpiece and fits in nicely with the ELO catalog. "Armchair Theatre" is slightly better only by it's signifigance as the greatest rock album of the 1990's (screw Nirvana!!). I also have to give a shout-out to TW Vol. 3-it is a delirious pop explosion and if you've ever heard "Borderline" and "I'm Gone" than you must agree that Jeff Lynne is the real King of rock and roll!!!