Jeff Lynne, Is That You?

Lay Down the Law (Interscope Records)

Switches

By Kory Wilcoxson

Electric Light Orchestra has a new album out and it's better than ever as they...What? This isn't Electric Light Orchestra? OK, it must be a remix of "Don't Bring Me Down," their 1979 smash hit. It's not? Wow, could have fooled me. Both "Drama Queen" and the creepy "Stepkids in Love" borrow heavily from the ELO smash hit, which makes you wonder if Switches should be paying royalties to ELO frontman Jeff Lynne.

If you can get past the ELO homage, you'll find that British band Switches has made a decent glam-rock album that has some interesting moments of ingenuity to go along with the aping of similar acts (along with ELO, there's a strong Queen presence here and "Message from Yuz" is a complete copy of the Hives).

Switches rocks when they're doing their own thing, like on the terrific "Snakes and Ladders" and "Killer Karma." Both are catchy, guitar-driven and full of musical moxie. If Switches can continue to hone their own sound, people will stop comparing them to other bands and start comparing other bands to them.

Get more at www.switchesmusic.net; the band will also play in Cincinnati June 9 and in Indianapolis June 10.