Long Wave

Inspired by the days of his youth, when he learned about music listening to longwave radio, the appropriately titled Long Wave reflects the music Jeff Lynne experienced before The Beatles turned England into beat-group heaven. Whether prompted by the works of Rodgers & Hammerstein ("If I Loved You") or The Everly Brothers ("So Sad"), Lynne creates a layered sound that's as smooth as anything he achieved with ELO, The Traveling Wilburys, or the remaining Fab Four. The harmonies of "So Sad" are so sweet and note-perfect that it's evident just how sharp Lynne's ears remain. Don Covay's "Mercy, Mercy" and Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock" manage that odd Lynne trick of being perfectly manicured and yet still oozing substantial grit. His friend and bandmate Roy Orbison is remembered with the two-minute epic "Running Scared." Rodgers & Hart's "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" gains a retro-pop edge, with the guitars shimmering like a piece of the '50s reflected into the new century.