Album: Jeff Lynne, Long Wave (Big Trilby)

In this, Jeff Lynne's musical memoir of youthful influences, old songs are recast in new lights: "She" features Beatle-esque harmonies, "Smile" has a lollopy cowboy charm, "Let It Rock" becomes a lazily galloping boogie, and "Beyond the Sea" replaces Bobby Darin's glide with a languid swagger that works well.

Covers of Roy Orbison's "Running Scared" and The Everly Brothers' "So Sad" employ impressive vocal arrangements. Best of all is a version of Don Covay's "Mercy, Mercy" on which Lynne simulates the Midlands beat-boom attack of a misspent youth when he was in The Idle Race.

Download: Mercy, Mercy; Beyond The Sea; At Last