At what point does a band stop producing compilation efforts? For Electric Light Orchestra, it seems the answer would be “enough to fill several landfills.” A label must profit from the dead or delayed, and during a time of inactivity for the Jeff Lynne-fronted group, compilations like All Over the World were frequent. Another compilation of the same name, released shortly before the band was brought back after two decades of silence, was so popular that even Tesco stocked it. All Over the World is not a comment on the contemporary popularity of the band but a glimpse into what record collectors and passive listeners want. Easy access to the hits, without the headache of learning from the artist or the story they were trying to tell on first release. All Over the World is no more or less shameless than other compilation efforts, though the lack of a selling point is the kicker.
The very best compilations will both challenge a listener’s perception of what the popular songs were, and offer a thin slice of new material, irrespective of its quality. Bob Dylan did this best of all with Greatest Hits Vol. 3, a compilation which featured at-the-time unreleased material which is now a staple of his live set. When I Paint My Masterpiece still finds itself on the Rough and Rowdy Ways tour. The same, too, for Pulp, whose Hits compilation featured an unreleased song, Last Day of the Miner’s Strike, and added a much-needed contemporary context to a compilation which was released to satisfy a record deal, than any real desire to share their hits. They left off Mis-Shapes, after all. ELO has more compilation releases than most, such is their broad appeal, not just to radio-friendly listening but to glam rock and soft rock fans across the globe.
Rock and roll is king, after all. The band suggested as much on their song, Rock and Roll is King, a feature for the end of this compilation which feels like a dud note when it replaces more fitting tracks like The Way Life’s Meant to Be. A classic Time track is absent, and represented by Hold On Tight instead. An admirable work, but too similar to Turn to Stone, which features just a few tracks later. Omissions are inevitable for compilations limited to two sides of vinyl, although there are some peculiar inclusions. Last Train to London is absent, and in its place are nods to the past which, if we are honest, are not as appealing as the soft-rock focus which later stormed through the band. Roll Over Beethoven and I’m Alive are awkward choices and feel like obligatory filler to stop excitement from growing too much.
A lack of Secret Messages is, for lack of a better word, cowardly. One of the very best albums from ELO and featured only with Rock and Roll is King. Another song which sounds like a rip of Hold on Tight, which in turn is just playing around with the tempo of Turn to Stone. ELO is very much a band of sole trickery. At least what it does well is what it does often, and that informs the state of this compilation. All Over the World is no way to listen to the output of one of the most historied bands around. Not one of the best, mind, that suggestion borders on mania. All Over the World fails to present anything of interest despite adapting a very interesting discography. ELO fans should demand more from these compilation efforts. There are no doubt archival tracks yet to be pilfered.
