Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, has just released a wondrous 7" vinyl box-set that will make every single ELO fan as happy as they have ever been!

Released on September 21st, 2018, Electric Light Orchestra - The UK Singles Volume One: 1972-1978 is a delightfully incredible collection that presents ELO's early output of hits and b-sides as originally experienced by the band's fans in their native UK.

This collector's box-set features 15 groundbreaking 45 RPM 7" singles plus 1978's "The ELO EP," each fully recreated from their original releases more than four decades ago.

All of the music on The UK Singles Volume One: 1972-1978 was remastered from the analog source tapes while each of the 16 7" vinyl discs in the collection features detailed reproductions of the original sleeves and labels from the 1970s.

Nine of these singles - including "Roll Over Beethoven," "Evil Woman," "Livin' Thing," "Telephone Line" and "Mr. Blue Sky" - reached the Top 10 of the British charts and remain among the world's most enduring classic rock songs.

On rock radio and beyond, ELO's hits continue to permeate pop culture. In 2017, "Livin' Thing" was featured in a widely-seen advertisement for Volkswagen while "Mr. Blue Sky" underscored a pivotal scene in the Marvel Studios blockbuster 'Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2'.

Formed in Birmingham, England in 1970, ELO was designed to create progressive modern pop music combining classical and rock elements wrapped in futurist iconography. Jeff Lynne is ELO's guiding light and driving force, writing virtually all of the group's original material while arranging and producing their albums.

From 1972 through 1986, ELO racked up more combined UK and US Top 40 hits than any other band on the planet while selling more than 50 million records worldwide. During the same period, ELO scored twenty Top 20s on the UK Singles Chart and fifteen Top 20s on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Single 1: "10538 Overture" b/w "First Movement (Jumping Biz)"* (1972 – U.K. No. 9)
Single 2: "Roll Over Beethoven"** b/w "Queen Of The Hours" (1973 – U.K. No. 6)
Single 3: "Showdown" b/w "In Old England Town (Instrumental)" (1973 – U.K. No. 12)
Single 4: "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" b/w "Oh No Not Susan" (1974 – U.K. No. 22)
Single 5: "Can't Get It Out Of My Head" b/w "Illusions In G Major" (1974)
Single 6: "Evil Woman" b/w "10538 Overture (live)" (1974 – U.K. No. 10)
Single 7: "Nightrider" b/w "Daybreaker (live)"(1976)
Single 8: "Strange Magic" b/w "Showdown (live)" (1976 – U.K. No. 38)
Single 9: "Livin' Thing" b/w "Fire On High" (1976 – U.K. No. 4)
Single 10: "Rockaria!" b/w "Poker" (1976 – U.K. No. 9)
Single 11: "Telephone Line" b/w "Poor Boy (The Greenwood)" / "King Of The Universe" (1977 – U.K. No. 8)
Single 12: "Turn To Stone" b/w "Mister Kingdom" (1977 – U.K. No. 18)
Single 13: "Mr. Blue Sky" b/w "One Summer Dream" (1978 – U.K. No. 6)
Single 14: "Wild West Hero" b/w "Eldorado" (1978 – U.K. No. 6)
Single 15: "Sweet Talkin' Woman" b/w "Bluebird Is Dead" (1978 – U.K. No. 6)
Single 16: "The ELO EP: Can't Get It Out Of My Head / Strange Magic b/w Ma-Ma-Ma Belle / Evil Woman" (1978 – U.K. No. 34)

All songs written by Jeff Lynne except:
*"First Movement (Jumping Biz)" written by Roy Wood
**"Roll Over Beethoven" written by Chuck Berry

Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on April 7th, 2017, ELO have always had a spot in my musical heart due to my late father's love for the album Discovery. Since that day of, well, ELO discovery, my life has always evolved around their glorious, crisp, fun, bouncy, tuneful music and lyrics.

Ergo, this INCREDIBLE first volume box-set (of which I've already calculated the second volume's worth of single titles - and wow, is it a doozy!), is well worth the money you will spend on it, trust me.

Sure you've got all the vinyl 7" singles already from having purchased them back in the day, but here the cover art has been lovingly restored back to those golden days. That means your dog-eared versions now have a place in your collection behind these brand new ones!

The box-set itself is VERY heavy, and therefore truly worth its weight in musical gold. Once the factory-seal has been removed, the box "splits" open at its halfway point to allow the singles themselves to sit there, lovingly one after another, ready for you to pluck out and play.

Every single single (!) is on pristine black vinyl (would I have preferred some color ones, or splatters, sure, but that's not ELO's style), and their sound is remarkably clean and crisp. The songs don't differ, sure, but after years of playing my older copies, well, this is rather delightful to hear today on brand new vinyl.

I do love this box, the way it is simplistic and wants to do nothing more than just to house the 16 musical delights inside. There's not fancy-dancy box trickery here where it folds out and reveals a giant spaceship and such, but at least you always know what you are/were in for with an ELO release ie: timeless music stored in a colorful cover art sleeve.

I also managed to catch Jeff Lynne's ELO on tour here in North American last month in Detroit and wow, what a mind blowing occasion that was. Sounding as great today live as he/they ever did on record, it was a near two hour love fest for my ears.

Which only means, and as fully expected, this wondrous box-set was also a mighty fine blessing to have arrive for review from Legacy Recordings. It will obviously be for you also, whether you are a true, blue fan of Jeff Lynne / ELO or a casual passerby to their music, of that you have my word.

Official Purchase Link

'The UK Singles Volume One: 1972-1978' Promo

www.JeffLynnesELO.com