Being alone in the universe is a drag, Jeff, but was a full-blown album necessary? Feeding hungry fans who waited over a decade for an Electric Light Orchestra album is very nice of Jeff Lynne to offer. But the second you bend to the whims of fans who believe they know what they want (in this case, more music), that’s when they win. Seeing ELO back together, albeit with a cruel and sudden end after the cancellation of their BST Hyde Park show, was a treat. Their live shows looked like incredible experiences. No wonder their UK shows sold out before they were canned. Lynne is a humble performer and should be proud still of his work from On the Third Day right through to Secret Messages. An incredible body of work, which was tarnished every time he tried to continue it. Ain’t It a Drag, from Alone in the Universe, is another struggle from the veteran performer. An unconvincing, shallow piece.
Lynne has often managed to engage with a heartfelt and simple through line to make his soft rock a silly time with a strong message. He presents this in his very best works. Out of the Blue has a sense of adventure backing its lighter charms, while the follow-up album, Discovery, had a darker twist of a still warm knife. Alone in the Universe is the geriatric reflection you expect of artists with no new experiences to share. Instead, it’s a reflection on regret and the impression of wisdom imparted onto an audience. No such luck with Ain’t It a Drag. Readers will be capable of the linguistic skills required to pull a joke about the song from its title. For us professionals, it’s a low-hanging fruit. But so too are memories as a cushion for the fall, and it’s what Lynne did throughout Alone in the Universe.
Even with those problems of weak writing and muddy mixing, there is a charm to Ain’t It a Drag. A sub-three-minute rocker is unheard of now, though Lynne shows he can knock a few out in an afternoon and still sound stronger than the majority of those whittling away at songs. Even with the spirited instrumentals and the lighter thrills which Lynne so often affords listeners, it gets lost in the mix here. It sounds weak and yet noisy, too. ELO has made a song which may sound decent if lost in the muddle of noise which comes from driving on the motorway, half-heartedly listening to the radio. They did specialise in middle-of-the-road music, after all. But this seems a bit too on the nose, and it gives Ain’t It a Drag and its poor mix too much credit.
All the problems of Alone in the Universe are, sadly, a problem for Ain’t It a Drag, too. That much is inevitable, and those listeners who are clutching at Lynne’s studio return are understandably incensed. When your favourite makes work below par, we seek out excuses. There is no excuse for this. It’s Lynne trying and failing to do what Paul McCartney played around with on Run Devil Run. Songs and genres which influenced Lynne’s youth are at play throughout Alone in the Universe, but he never makes it sound as refreshed as the Wings frontman did. There’s plenty of heart put into this, but the tone Lynne brings, the harmonies with himself, never quite stand out. A heartbreaking moment, and one of many which feature in the latter days of ELO. Where fans will wish these songs and their creator nothing but the best, it’s hard to see Ain’t It a Drag as anything more than a massive letdown with limited charms.
Loving it!