Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) were a band primarily popular in the ’70s due to their unique combination of elaborate, classical instrument arrangements over combinations of light pop rock and progressive mini-suites. There’s no band quite like Electric Light Orchestra in the perpetual boiling pot of ’70s music, a band both conservative and kitsch. They were of their time, yet their subtle hipness was never duly appreciated in an era that was anything but subtle.

One of those people who apparently didn’t give ELO their due appreciation is band leader Jeff Lynne himself. Sometime around 1980, Lynne decided to drop all of the things that defined and made ELO worthwhile. While he had one success with a more common palette, Time, as it still retained eccentricity, Lynne never made anything interesting again. Of course, this is all my opinion.

For those hoping that former ambition has made a comeback after all this time: it hasn’t. Alone in the Universe is pseudo-soft rock: limp, soft pop with no personality in any hook. Jeff Lynne can—and should—record whatever music he desires and makes him happy, but if the end result is something I consider inessential, then I’m calling it as I see it. But Electric Light Orchestra were good enough once upon a time for me to give anything bearing their name a chance. But I wonder why I do when the name doesn’t mean anything anymore.