Calling all ELO fans!

Check out L.E.O. This side project of the fine power pop band Bleu has just posted four tracks to its myspace page. I'll let them speak for themselves:

L.E.O. is a power-pop-collective..a recording project that began as a tribute to the idiosyncratic genius of Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra it has become a Traveling Wilburys-esque creative outlet for a gang of like-minded musician/producers...it was originally conceived by Bleu and includes the diverse talents of Andy Sturmer (Jellyfish), Mike Viola (The Candy Butchers), Jason Scheff (Chicago), Steve Gorman (The Black Crowes), Matt Mahaffey (Self), John Fields (big-time pop-producer), Tony Goddess (pApAs fritAs), Hanson, Eric Barao (The Cautions), Scott Simon (The Argument), and Paula Kelley, among others.

here's some information about each track:

1- Goodbye Innocence
written by bleu and andy sturmer
(intro by maclaine diemer)
vocals - bleu and andy sturmer

2- Distracted
written by bleu and mike viola
lyrics by bleu and alex scutro
vocals - bleu and mike viola
background vocals - hanson

3- Make Me
written by bleu and mike viola
vocals - mike viola
background vocals - jason scheff, ducky carlisle and bleu

4- Nothin' Will Ever Change
written by bleu
vocals - bleu

All of these songs are from the forthcoming "Alpacas Orgling" release due in the near distant future in 2006.

After listening to the tracks, it's less a slavish imitation of classic ELO than an homage to late period ELO/solo Lynne (although "Make Me" is clearly influenced by "Do Ya"). This is a definitely a project with some potential.

(Hat tip to Anna Borg of Tallboy Records [Eugene Edwards' label] for bringing this to light on the Audities list.)