EMI Records releases the Electric Light Orchestra 2-disc set Early ELO: 1971-1973, gathering the band’s early material as well as alternate mixes and an unreleased song. 
This British double disc is quite a nifty item, despite the fact that it duplicated the entire contents of ELO’s first two albums (though that too is understandable, as those albums had been out of print in the U.K., never having seen a CD pressing). Why did I splurge on this? Because, like Afterglow, it has some neato extra stuff, including very interesting quadrophonic mixes of some songs from the first album (which, in stereo, simply reveal different aspects of the existing performances that are inaudible in the original stereo album mixes), some On The Third Day out-takes, and a never-before-heard song – rather a silly sounding one, actually – called “Baby I Apologise”, supposedly from the Third Day sessions. The informative booklet also adds to the package. I recommend this to serious ELO scholars, and those who really liked the group’s early sound.
Disc one
- 10538 Overture
- Look At Me Now
- Nellie Takes Her Bow
- The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)
- First Movement (Jumpin’ Biz)
- Mr Radio
- Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre)
- Queen of the Hours
- Whisper in the Night
- First Movement / quad mix
- Mr Radio / quad mix
- Nellie Takes Her Bow / quad mix
- Whisper in the Night / quad mix
- Roll Over Beethoven / radio edit
Disc two
- In Old England Town (Boogie No. 2)
- Mama
- Roll Over Beethoven
- From the Sun to the World (Boogie No. 1)
- Kuiama
- In Old England Town / instrumental
- Showdown / single version
- Baby I Apologise
- Auntie
- My Woman
- All Over the World
- Bev’s Trousers
Released by: EMI
Release date: 1991
Disc one total running time: 65:20
Disc two total running time: 67:22
1994 music review by Earl Green