A$# 014 Jeff Lynne | Armchair Theatre

Jeff Lynne has released only one solo album to date – 1990’s Armchair Theatre.

It didn’t do as well as many of the other projects Jeff was involved with around that time, such as the Traveling Wilburs albums and stuff he produced for fellow Wilburys. But make no mistake, this is a great album.

Jeff largely eschews the archetypal ELO sound on this album, going for a much more stripped down sound (though of course he still makes great use of studio gear to affect the overall sound).

Jeff does three covers: Don’t Let Go, September Song and Stormy Weather – a tribute to his mom who had died while he was making the album. The album spawned two singles – Every Little Thing and Lift Me Up. There’s an Eastern-tinged number, Now You’re Gone, and a folkie acoustic track, Save Me Now.

Jeff plays a wide array of instruments and also gets some help from friends such as George Harrison, Tom Petty, Richard Tandy and Del Shannon. The slide guitar work by George on Lift Me Up propels that song into the stratosphere.

Sadly, Armchair Theatre is out of print, though copies are not too hard to find. There is supposed to be a remaster coming out on Jeff Lynne’s own record label. But that was supposed to happen a couple of years ago. So who knows? I keep hoping.

Track listing:
1. Every Little Thing
2. Don't Let Go
3. Life Me Up
4. Nobody Home
5. September Song
6. Now You're Gone
7. Don't Say Goodbye
8. What Would It Take
9. Stormy Weather
10. Blown Away
11. Save Me Now