"Alone in the Universe"

-by Jeff Lynne's ELO
2015
Why don't i love this album?
Is it just timing? My hopes and expectations in a bad marriage with the product, which in itself isn't inferior at all? Or is it truly subpar ELO?
Truly, i'm not sure.
I think jeff succeeded in his ambition - to make an album of finely-crafted pop songs, in the hopes that one or more might become part of our cultural heritage, to be hummed in absent-minded moments by people anywhere for years to come.
Not a bad ambition, that.
The album just feels insubstantial to me. Lyrically and musically, i wanted more. The lyrics are neither socially grand nor intensely personal, so they occupy some middle ground and end up being...nothing, really. And okay, that one's on me - these are no more nor less deep than ELO lyrics have ever been. I guess after the richness of jeff's life, i was hoping he would dig deeper.
And the music...well, it's curious that he should choose this album to return to the ELO name, as there's absolutely nothing orchestral here. The musicianship and production are top notch, but there's zero symphonic ambition. Did he just resurrect the ELO brand because his solo albums didn't light up the charts? Jeff plays and sings pretty much everything, bless him - not even a token appearance by mr. tandy this time. And there's plenty to love, particularly some beautiful slide guitar, by which one can't wonder whether jeff is tipping his hat to fellow Wilbury georgie.
So am i just making excuses to cover the fact that there's not even one song that jumps out and says "Hey! I MUST be on any ELO anthology to come! Wheeee!" Or ten years from now, will i realize what a treasure it is that this album exists at all, and only a grumpy fusspot could have poo-pooed? "Love and Rain" and "The Sun will Shine on You" are very listenable. "All My Life" is a sweet love song, presumably to his new amour. I was prepared to puke at a dinosaur rocker blowing smoke up his new (and very much younger) squeeze's ass by kicking his ex-loves, but shame on my presumption - it turns out jeff's new lady is his contemporary age-wise. In appreciation, perhaps we should institute a pop song law - no artist under the age of sixty shall ever again be allowed to use the words "forever" or "only one" in a song; but coming from jeff at this stage of his life, such sentiments are almost sweet. The title track should have been a sweeping statement on existential isolation, instead of another "she left me" song...but musically, it's too great to deny.
Maybe some feel that way about the whole album.
Maybe they're right.