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Posts tagged Justin Hayward
Moody Blues – December (2003) (@256)
15 Apr 2010
(Review from allmusic)
With Ray Thomas deciding to retire after the latest tour, the band is trimmed to a trio with additional musicians.
“December” is an album about the spirit of Christmas but with its lack of carols, it sounds more like another chapter in the Moody Blues’ legend.
Like many Moody Blues records since the 1980s, the original songs are nostalgic, pointing listeners back to memories of an idyllic past when things were simpler, and toward the hope that social and spiritual renewal are just around the corner.
The set features a number of Hayward and Lodge originals, obscure and traditional Anglo folk songs, a transposed piece by Bach, and a cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” — alas, if only that were true.
There is no new age drivel here; its topics and themes are indeed Christian, but weigh on the side of those that are universally held: brotherhood, compassion, hope, goodwill, and generosity.
It’s beautifully orchestrated and produced. Its sound is pristine, and Hayward and Lodge with their trademark elegance sound as if they mean every word they write and sing. It most certainly is sentimental and lush, and has nothing whatsoever to do with rock & roll.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / vocals, guitar
- John Lodge / vocals, bass
- Graeme Edge / drums
with
- Danilo Madonia / keyboards, sequencing
- Norda Mullen / flute
Track List:
01. Don’t Need A Reindeer – 3:59
02. December Snow – 5:11
03. In The Quiet Of Christmas Morning – 2:51
04. On This Christmas Day – 3:40
05. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – 2:37
06. A Winter’s Tale – 4:28
07. The Spirit Of Christmas – 4:52
08. Yes I Believe – 4:21
09. When A Child Is Born – 3:34
10. White Christmas – 3:08
11. In The Bleak Midwinter – 3:21
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Moody Blues – Strange Times (1999) (@256)
14 Apr 2010
(Review from wikipedia)
After a lengthy (8 year) break, Moody Blues release a very airy and generally more minimal-sounding album, with a slower pace. The sound features acoustic guitar, slightly processed electric guitar, light organ, flute, and string arrangements.
The exception may be the opening track “English Sunset,” which is arguably one of the fastest, most emotionally-charged, and synthesiser-laden Moody Blues’ songs ever recorded.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, harmonicas, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums
with
- Danilo Madonia / programming, keyboards, orchestrations
Track List:
01. English Sunset – 5:05
02. Haunted – 4:31
03. Sooner Or Later (Walkin’ On Air) – 3:50
04. Wherever You Are – 3:35
05. Foolish Love – 3:56
06. Love Don’t Come Easy – 4:33
07. All That Is Real Is You – 3:33
08. Strange Times – 4:29
09. Words You Say – 5:31
10. My Little Lovely – 1:45
11. Forever Now – 4:37
12. The One – 3:39
13. The Swallow – 4:58
14. Nothing Changes – 3:32
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Justin Hayward – Live In San Juan Capistrano (1998) (@256)
13 Apr 2010
(Review from cd.ciao.co.uk)
One night in April 1998, Justin Hayward and his band performed a concert before a packed house at The CoachHouse Theatre in San Juan Capistrano, California.
The concert opens with an announcer greeting Hayward onto the stage. He is on his own for the first seven of his songs, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and stands illuminated by a single spotlight. He looks ‘good for his age’ and appeared very relaxed, wearing a shirt with a mandarin collar.
He is joined by members of his own band as the concert proceeds, firstly by Mickey Feat on bass guitar for “Troubadour” and then Paul Bliss on keyboards and Gordon Marshal on drums for the remainder of the songs. Feat and Bliss had backed him on his latest solo album. Indeed seven of the twenty two songs presented in this concert come from this album.
Naturally a solo voice and a lone guitar cannot match the sound from the various studio albums. However, Justin is in fine voice and is able to show his expressive vocal range. He never forces his voice and the overall sound is not overpowering. His diction as usual is excellent and the words of the songs are easily understood. With his backing players he gains a much fuller sound and this does then give an excellent approximation of the Moodies in full swing. They do not attempt to cover up any deficiencies merely by turning up the volume on the amplifiers.
He quickly develops an easy rapport with his rapt audience. The songs are interspersed with light banter and anecdotes of his career.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / Guitar, Vocals
with
- Mickey Feat / Bass, Vocals
- Paul Bliss / Keyboards
- Gordon Marshall / Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Flute
Track List:
01. Your Wildest Dreams – 4:07
02. Lost And Found – 2:58
03. Land Of Make Believe – 2:24
04. Blue Guitar – 2:28
05. Children Of Paradise – 3:14
06. Troubadour – 4:03
07. The Way Of The World – 4:55
08. Forever Autumn – 4:19
09. The Actor – 4:58
10. Watching And Waiting – 4:29
11. Something To Believe In – 4:10
12. Broken Dream – 6:29
13. The Story In Your Eyes – 5:25
14. Billy – 6:08
15. It’s Not Too Late – 4:53
16. Tuesday Afternoon – 4:23
17. Nights In White Satin – 5:23
18. Raised On Love – 4:19
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Justin Hayward – View From The Hill (1996) (@256)
12 Apr 2010
(Review from amazon)
Justin Hayward carries on the legend of the Moody Blues with his latest solo effort. As in most Moody Blues recordings the beginning starts with an eerie spiritual instrumental before launching into the upbeat “I Heard It”. All the songs are also mixed and faded into each other, another common element.
Stand-out cuts include, “Broken Dream” a melancholy look at days gone by and a coming of age; “The Promised Land” focuses on immigrants with a strong beat, clever, fast paced piano and uplifting lyrics and “Troubador”, an upbeat rock/folk number speaks about love and hopeful futures.
Two songs seem more stringently like storytelling. “Something To Believe In” speaks in a positive way about a family on the edge and “Billy” is one of the saddest, lonliest songs ever written by Hayward. Even with it’s bleak outcome, the song never reaches the depths of depression, but one of hope – a common theme in most of his songs.
Track List:
01. I Heard It – 5:37
02. Broken Dream – 5:51
03. The Promised Land – 7:25
04. It’s Not Too Late – 5:02
05. Something To Believe In – 4:21
06. The Way Of The World – 5:07
07. Sometimes Less Is More – 4:07
08. Troubadour – 6:34
09. Shame – 4:35
10. Billy – 6:59
11. Children Of Paradise – 3:15
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Justin Hayward – Classic Blue (1994) (@256)
11 Apr 2010
(Review from amazon)
This is a beautiful collection and selection of songs by the voice of the Moody Blues who delivers interpretations in his own signature style with the London Philarmonic Orchestra. His plaintive vocals are crystal clear and immaculate throughout, with many a number sending a shiver up the spine as only an emotional Justin Hayward vocal can.
The album includes renditions of many hit songs, such as The Beatles’ “Blackbird”, and Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” It also includes a re-recorded version of “Forever Autumn,” a song from Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War of the Worlds, in which Hayward originally sang lead vocals.
Other notable covers include Simon & Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair”, Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale”, Fleetwood Mac’s (Peter Green era) “Man of the World” and the infamous “MacArthur Park”.
Track List:
01. Tracks of My Tears – 3:23
02. MacArthur Park – 7:16
03. Blackbird – 2:31
04. Vincent – 4:53
05. God Only Knows – 3:34
06. Bright Eyes – 3:53
07. Whiter Shade of Pale – 4:28
08. Scarborough Fair – 4:18
09. Railway Hotel – 3:23
10. Man of the World – 3:29
11. Forever Autumn – 5:15
12. As Long as the Moon Can Shine – 4:20
13. Stairway to Heaven – 7:42
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Moody Blues – A Night At Red Rocks (Live 1993) (@256)
10 Apr 2010
(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)
Performing on tour with a series of regional orchestras, they brought the majesty of their old studio sound onto the stage for the first time and audiences responded by turning them into one of the top concert draws of the decade.
Red Rocks is a natural amphitheatre near Denver in the USA, into which an outdoor concert arena has been built. A number of artists have released live albums recorded there, presumably due to the favourable acoustics. Moody Blues was there with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.
The songs included in the concert are largely predictable, their live repertoire showing relatively minor variations over the years. There is no criticism in this, the tracks selected are among their best, and cover a good cross section of their albums.
The performance here is very good, and the songs are recreated pretty faithfully throughout. The addition of an orchestra does enhance the overall sound, but they are kept firmly in check in terms of the mix, with the band very much to the fore. There are some notable exceptions, such as the wonderful orchestral break on “Isn’t life strange”, which helps to give this majestic song an impressive new dimension.
Line-up:
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, vocals
with
- Spencer Allen / keyboards
- Paul Bliss / keyboards
- Bias Boschell / keyboards
- June Boyce / backing vocals
- Matt McShane / guitar
- Sue Shattock / backing vocals
- Allan Terry / drums
Track List:
01. Overture – 2:58
02. Late Lament – 1:35
03. Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon) – 4:42
04. For My Lady – 4:11
05. Lean On Me (Tonight) – 4:39
06. Lovely To See You – 4:04
07. I Know You’re Out There Somewhere – 5:22
08. The Voice – 5:28
09. Your Wildest Dreams – 4:57
10. Isn’t Life Strange – 6:44
11. The Other Side Of Life – 7:05
12. I’m Just A Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band) – 6:55
13. Nights In White Satin – 6:33
14. Question – 6:22
15. Ride My See-Saw – 5:26
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Moody Blues – Keys of the Kingdom (1991) (@256)
09 Apr 2010
(Review from wikipedia, progarchives.com, blogcritics.org)
Keyboardist Patrick Moraz left the band after completing only a few tracks for this album. Drummer Graeme Edge does not play on any tracks, the live drums being supplied by Andy Duncan. Flautist Ray Thomas is back and he plays more of a substantial role on this record, with his first ambient flute piece in eight years. Although drum machines are still used heavily, this album sees the band beginning to return to a more airy rock oriented sound (similar to The Present).
“Bless the Wings That Bring You Back” is a powerful mid-paced track, which affords Patrick Moraz slightly more than the usual exposure he enjoys with the band. The keyboards have a very modern, almost synthetic sound, more akin to a melodic rock band.
“Celtic Sonnet”, which Ray Thomas composed and takes lead vocals on, is a traditional sounding air, with a simple but infectious chorus. His clear baritone rising above the harmonies and his flute weaving its intricate sounds in and out of the other instruments was a look back to the classic days of the group.
“Never Blame the Rainbows for the Rain” is a Ray Thomas/Justin Hayward song strikes a chord, both in terms of the quality of the song, and its performance, it is quite beautiful. It is a poetic and melodic look at aging and is one of the album’s stronger compositions.
Since the album didn’t prodce any major hit singles (where its two predecessors did), it would mark the beginning of the Moodies’ decline in popularity with mainstream audiences.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / vocals, guitar
- John Lodge / vocals, bass guitar
- Ray Thomas / vocals, flute
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards
with
- Andy Duncan / drums
Track List:
01. Say It With Love – 3:57
02. Bless the Wings (That Bring You Back) – 5:10
03. Is This Heaven – 4:04
04. Say What You Mean (Parts I & II) – 5:38
05. Lean on Me (Tonight) – 4:58
06. Hope and Pray – 5:03
07. Shadows on the Wall – 5:07
08. Once is Enough – 4:03
09. Celtic Sonant – 5:02
10. Magic – 5:11
11. Never Blame the Rainbows for the Rain – 4:57
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Moody Blues – Sur La Mer (1988) (@256)
08 Apr 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
“Sur la Mer” is the first album not to feature member Ray Thomas at all, in that while he did make some backing-vocal contributions to the album’s sessions, these vocal tracks were never mixed in. On previous albums his vocal harmonies, lead vocal on at least one track and occasional flute gave them a completeness which is perhaps missing here.
This is very much a Hayward and Lodge album. Patrick Moraz is still present, but his contribution is to the overall sound, with virtually nothing up front at all from him. The album bears more rock and acoustic influences than its predecessor.
The lead track, “I know You’re Out There Somewhere” mirrors the gently rocking opening tracks to most of their albums, and stands as a classic Moody Blues song. “No More Lies” is probably the highlight, being a slower song in the style of “Melancholy Man”.
Among other notable tracks, “Vintage Wine” is a catchy, if slight, look back at the ’60s. “Deep” is as overtly sexual as any piece in the Moody Blues songbook. “Breaking Point” is much darker than most material in the group’s catalog, as it looks at someone who is seemingly at the brink of losing sanity.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, keyboards, vocals, drum sequencing
- John Lodge / bass, keyboards, vocals, drum sequencing
- Graeme Edge / acoustic drums
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards
Track List:
01. I Know You’re Out There Somewhere – 6:37
02. Want To Be With You – 4:48
03. River Of Endless Love – 4:45
04. No More Lies – 5:15
05. Here Comes The Weekend – 4:16
06. Vintage Wine – 3:38
07. Breaking Point – 4:55
08. Miracle – 4:57
09. Love Is On The Run – 5:02
10. Deep – 6:50
Link in comments.
Moody Blues – Other Side of Life (1986) (@256)
07 Apr 2010
(Review from amazon, wikipedia, progarchives.com)
“The Other Side Of Life” is easily the most polished, radio-friendly offering in the band’s whole catalog. The music on this album marked the beginning of dominant synthesizer, sequencer, and drum machine use by the band, to the point that it could be classified as a “synthpop” record; a surprising stylistic change for a band that had pioneered symphonic rock.
Patrick Moraz is slightly more noticeable at times than on other albums, he even co-wrote the pop rock track “The spirit” with Graeme Edge. Ray Thomas on the other hand appears to have spent the writing sessions in a different room..
“Your Wildest Dreams” is a typical opener, an up tempo number with classy harmonies and an infectious melody. A direct descendant of “The Voice” from “Long Distance Voyager”, the single became a major hit in the US.
The title track is a blues inspired and deliberately slow paced, almost plodding, yet strangely swinging, number in which repetition of motifs only serves to enhance the effect. Hayward sings with dignity and plays a short but blazing lead solo. The most impressive aspect is that it really doesn’t sound like anything they have done before.
The album, thanks to the video and the single, was good enough to tour off of, and help pull in the group’s most enthusiastic audiences in a half-decade.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, harmonicas, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards
with
- Barry Radman / additional programming & sampling
Track List:
01. Your Wildest Dreams – 4:51
02. Talkin’ Talkin’ – 3:55
03. Rock ‘n’ Roll Over You – 4:50
04. I Just Don’t Care – 3:28
05. Running Out of Love – 4:24
06. The Other Side of Life – 6:52
07. The Spirit – 4:19
08. Slings and Arrows – 4:29
09. It May Be a Fire – 4:54
Link in comments.
Justin Hayward – Moving Mountains (1985) (@256)
06 Apr 2010
(Review from amazon)
Originally released in 1985, just before Moody Blues’ “The Other Side Of Life” and then again in 1989, this one of Hayward’s better albums. “Moving Mountains” seems to be a collection of Hayward’s favorite songs from the side.
There are a few gems in this collection. Most notably, “Lost And Found” is without doubt the highlight on the set. It is simply a romantically magic and perfectly written song. “One Again” seems like it was written for the “The Other Side Of Life” sessions. The title song, “Moving Mountains” contains a clever, infectious mood and original lyrics, forming yet, another strong point in this collection.
The entire album is pulled together by a strong emphasis on strings and melancholy keyboards. It almost seems like a flashback to “Blue Jays”.
Track List:
01. Take Your Chances – 3:51
02. Is It Just A Game – 4:45
03. One Again – 4:44
04. Moving Mountains – 4:47
05. Silverbird – 7:40
06. Lost And Found – 4:19
07. Goodbye – 3:51
08. Who Knows – 3:43
09. The Best Is Yet To Come – 3:57
10. The Lights Are Low – 4:40
Link in comments.
Moody Blues – Present (1983) (@256)
05 Apr 2010
(Review from progarchives.com)
This 1983 offering has many of the qualities and hallmarks we have come to expect from the band over the years.
“Blue world” is a typical Moody Blues opener, with a strong rhythm and a catchy melody. It is slightly slower and softer than tracks such as “I know you’re out there somewhere” and “The voice” but very much in that mould. Unusually, we actually have three successive tracks of this type to start the album, “Meet me half way” and “Sitting at the wheel” being a simple case of more of the same. John Lodge sings lead vocal on the latter, which is even more upbeat.
It is only when we get to Graham Edge’s “Going nowhere” that things relax slightly. The criminally underused Ray Thomas provides lead vocal on the verses here, his strong quivering voice setting the song apart. There is no question that Justin Hayward is a superb singer, but it would have been wonderful to hear Thomas singing on the band’s albums a lot more than he was allowed to.
The second side of the album opens with a brief instrumental “Hole in the world” which builds through a marching drum beat, spacey guitar and synth sounds to provide an extended introduction to “Under my feet”, another rather prosaic John Lodge led song. Justin Hayward returns to centre stage for a brace of his typical romantic ballads, “It’s cold outside of your heart” and “Running water”. The latter is a particularly melodic song which is pretty much a solo rendition.
In another unusual twist, the album closes with a couple of Ray Thomas songs. The brief “I am” harks back to the band’s earliest days, while “Sorry” would have fitted in well on either of Thomas’s excellent solo albums. The track builds from a gentle start to an upbeat rock song, Moraz keyboards and Thomas’s flute adding fine colours to the song. Throughout the album, Patrick Moraz contributions are very much designed to create a big overall sound, any solos being simplistic and brief. The production is clean and uncluttered.
The ordering of the tracks on the album is rather odd, with songs of a similar type being put sequentially together. With the song writers by and large retaining full control of their own songs this tends to give the album a rather piecemeal flavour.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, harmonicas, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards
Track List:
01. Blue World – 5:20
02. Meet Me Halfway – 4:08
03. Sitting At The Wheel – 5:40
04. Going Nowhere – 5:33
05. Hole In The World – 1:54
06. Under My Feet – 4:51
07. It’s Cold Outside Of Your Heart – 4:27
08. Running Water – 3:23
09. I Am – 1:40
10. Sorry – 5:02
Link in comments.
Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager (1981) (@256)
04 Apr 2010
(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)
By 1980 the band was ready to record again. Patrick Moraz was retained as the band’s permanent keyboardist, though Mike Pinder had originally understood that he would continue to record even if not touring with the band. Pinder attempted legal measures to prevent the new Moody Blues album from reaching the public without his contributions, but he was not successful, and ultimately, he never returned to the fold.
With Moraz ensconced on keyboards, the Moody Blues came up with a really strong, diverse offering. There’s more power to many of the tracks here than on previous (and subsequent) albums, and this combined with some first class song writing makes for a most enjoyable collection. Even slower tracks such as the excellent “Talking out of turn” have much more substance to them, mainly as a result of the combination Moraz keyboards plus orchestra providing the backing. As is the norm with Moraz appearances on Moody Blues albums, he never really takes the limelight, preferring to provide layers on which the rest can build.
The album opens with a typical up tempo number, “The voice” but the album has a better mix than usual of faster numbers and melodic ballads. Tracks such as “Gemini Dream” “Meanwhile” and “Veteran Cosmic Rocker” all find the Moodies pushing the pace along, while “In my world” is another fine example of the there ability to produce harmonious and melodic softer numbers.
A really fine album for those who enjoy this lighter style of music.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, harmonicas, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards
with
- The New World Philharmonic
- Pip Williams / string arrangements
Track List:
01. The Voice – 5:18
02. Talking Out Of Turn – 7:19
03. Gemini Dream – 4:09
04. In My World – 7:19
05. Meanwhile – 4:09
06. 22,000 Days – 5:26
07. Nervous – 5:46
08. Painted Smile – 3:18
09. Reflective Smile0:37
10. Veteran Cosmic Rocker – 3:12
Link in comments.
Justin Hayward – Night Flight (1980) (@256)
03 Apr 2010
(Review from amazon)
In 1978, Jeff Wayne recruited Justin Hayward to sing and perform on the highly acclaimed “War Of The Worlds” album. Wayne went on to produce the album, including Hayward’s single “Forever Autumn”, which became a worldwide hit. As a way of saying “thank you” for Hayward’s contribution, two years later Wayne returns the favor by producing Hayward’s 1980 album “Night Flight”.
The title track and “I’m Sorry” (the latter featuring some unusually jagged guitar) are also the hardest-rocking records on which Hayward had appeared since “Question” by the Moody Blues, a decade earlier.
Wayne’s production gives Hayward’s music a leaner sound than had been evident on his prior recordings, with more use of pulsing synth pop-type accompaniments of the era (“Crazy Lovers,” etc.) and a thinner guitar sound (“Penumbra Moon”), while other songs, such as “Nearer to You”, were much more dance-oriented than anything Hayward had previous released, and all of the songs are more romantic than his previous solo work.
Only “Suitcase” and “It’s Not On” really sounded like his earlier work, and even they had more of a stripped-down band sound at their core.
The album had everything going for it except timing, appearing as it did after the Moody Blues’ reunion, while also sounding too different from the Moodies’ work to appeal to more than a relatively small fraction of their fans.
Track List:
01. Night Flight – 5:23
02. Maybe It’s Just Love – 4:48
03. Crazy Lovers – 5:31
04. Penumbra Moon – 4:12
05. Nearer To You – 3:42
06. A Face In The Crowd – 4:01
07. Suitcase – 3:36
08. I’m Sorry – 3:10
09. It’s Not On – 4:10
10. Bedtime Stories – 5:45
Link in comments.
Moody Blues – Octave (1978) (@256)
02 Apr 2010
(Review from blogcritics.org, amazon, progarchives.com)
Moody Blues returned after a five year hiatus with a very different sounding album. The punk and disco era were now in full flower and such groups as Styx, Journey, and REO Speedwagon were dominating the rock charts. Octave would abandon the cosmic and symphonic sound of the group’s past, and move toward one more in tune with the era.
This album is strongly influenced by the member’s solo projects without a unifying concept or theme. Each song matches the individual personality of its composer. The band’s trademark multi-voice harmonising begins to take a back seat: there is less of it, and subtle changes in the mix push principal singers to the fore on most songs, a trend that would continue in future years. The mellotron is missing from much of the album, mostly replaced by more modern synths, with real strings on a couple of tracks.
The John Lodge composition, “Steppin’ In A Slide Zone”, is typical of the new sound. It is an energetic Lodge rocker but the musical center is the keyboard-guitar interplay which was in vogue at the time. It is catchy and was a commercially successful single.
Justin Hayward is in ballad mode for this release, his music is still very listenable because of the innate beauty of the songs. “Had To Fall In Love” and “Top Rank Suite” are both very mellow. “Driftwood” is the best of the bunch, as it is a gentle love ballad which was a Hayward trademark by this time. His closer “The Day We Meet Again” point toward the future as a new keyboardist was on the way and the grand classical sounds were being left behind.
Ray Thomas shines with “Under Moonshine”, a strong lead vocal by him plus some classic harmonies by the other members of the group.
“One Step Into The Light” is a final spiritual statement by Mike Pinder and his only composition on the album. The music is more progressive rock than the grandiose sound of his past as he would bring his Moody Blues career to a conclusion.
“Octave” is different, more modern, and ultimately a transitional work.
During this period, Yes had asked their keyboard player, Patrick Moraz, to leave. Moraz’s management had some contacts with the Moodies, and after a successful audition with the band, he was hired as keyboard player for the “Octave World Tour”.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / vocals, guitar, keyboards
- John Lodge / vocals, bass, keyboards
- Ray Thomas / vocals, flute, harmonica, tambourine
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion, vocals
- Mike Pinder / vocals, organ, synthesizer
Track List:
01. Steppin’ In A Slide Zone – 5:34
02. Under Moonshine – 4:59
03. Had To Fall In Love – 3:40
04. I’ll Be Level With You – 3:49
05. Driftwood – 5:01
06. Top Rank Suite – 3:43
07. I’m Your Man – 4:20
08. Survival – 4:09
09. One Step Into The Light – 4:28
10. The Day We Meet Again – 6:24
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Justin Hayward – Songwriter (1977) (@256)
27 Mar 2010
(Review from allmusic)
Hayward has always been at his best as a mystical/romantic, and Songwriter is the solo album that best displays these qualities around a relatively lean sound.
From the gentle, lullaby-like “Raised on Love” to the ethereal mystical “Nostradamus,” the album is a beguiling collection of material, more personal than his work with the Moody Blues.
The material is richly scored, yet lean enough to seem like chamber music next to the Moody Blues’ rock symphonies.
Track List:
01. Tightrope – 4:51
02. Songwriter [Part 1] – 3:32
03. Songwriter [Part 2] – 2:33
04. Country Girl – 4:02
05. One Lonely Room – 5:17
06. Lay It On Me – 2:55
07. Stage Door – 5:11
08. Raised On Love – 3:12
09. Doin’ Time – 4:22
10. Nostradamus – 6:33
11. Marie – 3:45
12. Learning The Game – 2:15
Link in comments.
Justin Hayward & John Lodge – Blue Jays (1975) (@256)
26 Mar 2010
(Review from amazon, rollingstone.com)
At least in terms of sound, Justin Hayward and John Lodge, guitarist and bass player, respectively, with the currently inactive Moody Blues, have created in Blue Jays the ultimate Moody Blues album. It is the same sound that established the Moodies’ mass popularity in 1968 with “Days of Future Passed”: basic rock instrumentation heavily overlaid with Mellotron or string orchestra, and vocals treated as instruments in the Wagnerian manner.
On the other hand since the talents of Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas and Graeme Edge are missing, it’s still not quite the same.
The duo’s voices alone could have carried any of these songs. The songs are well performed, giving musical credence even to the weakest of lyrics on this album. Conversely, when the lyrics match well with the music and either or both of their voices, the songs are unstoppable.
As a bonus, this edition of the album includes Justin Hayward’s solo song “Blue Guitar”. The tone of this song fits well with the rest of the album.
Track List:
01. This Morning – 6:01
02. Remember Me, My Friend – 5:32
03. My Brother – 3:32
04. You – 4:39
05. Night Winter Years – 3:41
06. Saved By The Music – 6:13
07. I Dreamed Last Night – 4:32
08. Who Are You Now – 2:33
09. Maybe – 5:41
10. When You Wake Up – 5:28
11. Blue Guitar (Bonus) – 3:37
Link in comments.
Moody Blues – Caught Live +5 (1969) (@256)
25 Mar 2010
(Review from allmusic, wikipedia)
Caught Live + 5 is a 1977 Moody Blues double album consisting of a December 12, 1969 live show at the Royal Albert Hall and five previously unreleased studio recordings from the same time period.
The unofficial word among fans is that several of the group members were under the influence of controlled substances during the show and were, thus, less sharp than they might otherwise have been, though you’d never know it from the results here.
The 1969 Royal Albert Hall show sounds a lot better on this CD edition than it did on the LP, with a closeness that was never evident before — Justin Hayward’s guitar and Mike Pinder’s various Mellotrons, in particular, sound really crisp, and all of the singing comes out with more detail as well.
Their repertory at this time came primarily from “Days of Future Passed”, “In Search of the Lost Chord” and “On the Threshold of a Dream”, plus “Gypsy”, the one number from “To Our Children’s Children’s Children” — their then new album — that they actually performed live; the latter is also the opening number, and Hayward’s guitar work is most impressive, whether he’s playing the melody in the opening, or crunching out chords on the break.
“The Sunset” from Days of Future Passed, is a showcase for Pinder’s Mellotrons, the keyboard player slowly weaving lush Arabesques and misteriosos while Hayward strums out muted chords, Graeme Edge’s drums impersonate the sound of a tabla and Ray Thomas’ flute hovers above it all with its lilting phrases. “Dr. Livingston, I Presume” lightens the tone with a more witty, whimsical side of psychedelia that still allows Pinder a chance to show off the Mellotron’s range and Hayward a surprisingly hard-rocking solo — one audience member, in particular, seems taken with it all, punctuating the crescendos with shrieks of appreciation that don’t detract a bit from the listening.
Edge’s nimble playing is most impressive on “Peak Hour,” a frenetically paced number off of Days of Future Passed, and the other highlights of the set include the hits “Tuesday Afternoon” and “Nights in White Satin,” and the closing suite from On the Threshold of a Dream, which works well despite Pinder’s being limited to just two keyboards — one scarcely misses the grand piano, and the opening sequence, “Are You Sitting Comfortably,” gives Thomas’ flute its best showcase.
The group is tight throughout, both in their playing and singing, and the show ends on a hard-rocking note with “Legend of a Mind” and “Ride My See-Saw” — and the former is a great vehicle for John Lodge’s bass work.
As for the studio cuts, they’re salvaged from failed album sessions in 1967 and 1968, and they’re not bad songs — “Gimme a Little Something” has a great opening verse, guitar part, and chorus, even if it doesn’t quite hold together perfectly as a song, and “King and Queen” and “What Am I Doing Here” both have hauntingly beautiful melodies. But they’re also not quite up to the standard of what the group released during that period, and work best in a historical, archival context, which is how they were issued.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass guitar, vocals
- Michael Pinder / keyboards, vocals
- Ray Thomas / harmonica, flute, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion
Track List:
01. Gypsy – 4:03
02. The Sunset – 4:33
03. Dr. Livingstone, I Presume – 3:23
04. Never Comes The Day – 5:39
05. Peak Hour – 5:13
06. Tuesday Afternoon – 4:51
07. Are You Sitting Comfortably – 4:21
08. The Dream – 0:58
09. Have You Heard Part 1 – 1:22
10. The Voyage – 3:37
11. Have You Heard Part 2 – 2:33
12. Nights In White Satin – 5:55
13. Legend Of A Mind – 7:05
14. Ride My See-Saw – 4:30
15. Gimme A Little Somethin’ (Bonus Studio) – 3:13
16. Please Think About It (Bonus Studio) – 3:44
17. Long Summer Days (Bonus Studio) – 3:12
18. King And Queen (Bonus Studio) – 3:55
19. What Am I Doing Here (Bonus Studio) – 3:33
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Moody Blues – Live At The Isle Of Wight Festival 1970 (@256)
24 Mar 2010
(Review from amazon, about.com)
British art-rock pioneers the Moody Blues are captured in concert at their peak here, in a performance from the momentous Isle of Wight festival.
The Moodies were a hugely talented live band, no small feat considering the circumstances: the complexity of both their vocal harmonies and their instrumentation, and the fact that the electronic gadgetry they pioneered was still in its infancy, and demanded first-take perfection when performing live.
In spite of the challenges of pulling off complicated music in front of 600,000 people, the band seems relaxed and comfortable in this performance. Even when the vocals get a little out of sync at one point, they shake it off with a laugh and a quick one-liner and keep moving.
Proving that there was a powerful live unit beneath those big orchestral arrangements, the album displays several sides of the band’s musical personality. From the psychedelic pop of “Legend of a Mind” to the proto-prog epic “Nights in White Satin” and the concise rocker “Question”, this is a multifaceted sound in full flight, buoyed by keysman Mike Pinder’s distinctive Mellotron work.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / vocals, guitar
- Ray Thomas / vocals, flute
- Mike Pinder / mellotron
- John Lodge / bass
- Graeme Edge / drums
Track List:
01. Gypsy – 3:16
02. The Sunset – 3:59
03. Tuesday Afternoon – 4:18
04. Minstrel’s Song – 4:25
05. Never Comes The Day – 4:45
06. Tortoise And The Hare – 3:29
07. Question – 5:44
08. Melancholy Man – 5:32
09. Are You Sitting Comfortably – 3:45
10. The Dream – 1:41
11. Have You Heard (Parts 1 And 2) – 7:56
12. Nights In White Satin – 5:00
13. Legend Of A Mind – 6:37
14. Ride My See Saw – 3:36
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Moody Blues – Seventh Sojourn (1972) (@256)
17 Jul 2009
(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)
In Seventh Sojourn, The Moody Blues replaced the Mellotron with a keyboard called the Chamberlin, a device similar to the Mellotron created by the original inventor of the device, Harry Chamberlin. It could simulate orchestral sounds more realistically and easily than the Mellotron.
“Isn’t life strange” was a huge hit single from the album, which consolidated the success the band enjoyed with their previous single “Question”. It is a beautiful 3 verse 3 chorus ballad with lush orchestration. It may seem like sacrilege to say so, but there a Bee Gees feel to the song in terms of structure and sound. It
“I’m just a singer (in a rock and roll band”) was the other hit single taken from the album, and finds the band in full heads down Status Quo mood. The song starts like an old steam train, with Graham Edge on drums winding up the pace gradually from a standing start to a frantic runaway train. Edge then maintains that driving pace over a wall of sound, with brief all encompassing stops only serving to emphasise the sheer power and volume of the piece. If your toes don’t tap along with this one, check if your legs have fallen off!
Ray Thomas contribution “For my lady” is a lovely sea shanty influenced song, while “New Horizons” is a softer “Watching and waiting” type song with more traditional Moodies sound.
These then are the highlights, but the album as a whole is coherent, and melodic from start to finish. This apparently belies the rather difficult atmosphere within the band during the recordings.
In the spring of 1974, after completing a tour of Asia, the group took an extended break — originally announced as a permanent break-up — Justin Hayward being the only one eager to go on. By this point the other band members were feeling exhausted and overshadowed.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass guitar, vocals
- Michael Pinder / keyboards, vocals
- Ray Thomas / harmonica, flute, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion
Track List:
01. Lost In A Lost World – 4:41
02. New Horizons – 5:10
03. For My Lady – 3:57
04. Isn’t Life Strange – 6:10
05. You And Me – 4:19
06. The Land Of Make-Believe – 4:50
07. When You’re A Free Man – 6:05
08. I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band) – 4:17
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Moody Blues – Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971) (@256)
16 Jul 2009
(Review from progarchives.com)
From the lovely cover art to the opening creation myth, accompanied by gorgeous instrumentation (including a nice little Brian May-type doubletracked lead fanfare), we are led to believe that the Moody Blues have finally produced the concept album they’d always seemed to be promising. It certainly keeps going well, seguing into the driving and memorable “Story in Your Eyes”, but as the album continues, there’s no doubt that this is simply another collection of good songs loosely bound together.
Not that that’s a bad thing; this is just as much as a concept album as, say, “Sgt. Pepper”. “Our Guessing Game” is requisite Ray Thomas simple sweetness, saturated with melody and harmony, and “Emily’s Song” continues the lush loveliness with remarkable orchestration. “After You Came” hits fairly hard, in a Who-inspired vein, and features some nice guitar work. “One More Time to Live” is tender and lush and pretentious as a Moody Blues song should be, hearkening back to the questing drama of “Procession” to keep the concept going.
“Nice to be Here” (is there any doubt this is a Ray Thomas song?) is a cross between “Wind in the Willows” nursery rhyme psychedelia and Fogerty’s “Looking Out My Back Door”- perhaps a little too childish for some, but fun nevertheless. “You Can Never Go Home”, however, is a surging guitar-led anthem in the Justin Hayward style, mixing melancholy reflection with yearning romanticism. The final track, “My Song”, is the toughest song on the album to digest; the lyrics of the first and last verse may make you cringe, but the vocals work well; the music jumps around from passage to passage, teasing you with sonic textures, but gradually builds to a wrenching climax.
Is it anything they haven’t shown us before? Not really- the latter five of the “classic seven” Moody Blues albums are more or less interchangeable, but this one has the most lushly layered sonic signature- even compared to the orchestra on “Days of Future Passed”. Is it overblown and pretentious? Sure, but there’s still that endearing naivete and optimism to balance the grandeur. Is it “easy listening”? Well, it definitely belongs to the softer side of progressive rock, making even the Alan Parsons Project seem edgy by comparison- but if you’re in the mood to let your defenses down a bit and let the music wash over you, there’s few albums that will be as comfortable and yet as evocative as “Every Good Boy Deserves Favor”.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass guitar, vocals
- Michael Pinder / keyboards, vocals
- Ray Thomas / harmonica, flute, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion
Track List:
01. Procession – 4:40
02. The Story In Your Eyes – 2:56
03. Our Guessing Game – 3:34
04. Emily’s Song – 3:42
05. After You Came – 4:39
06. One More Time To Live – 5:41
07. Nice To Be Here – 4:23
08. You Can Never Go Home – 4:14
09. My Song – 6:19
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Moody Blues – Live at the BBC (1967-1970) (@256)
14 Jul 2009
(Review from amazon)
While this assemblage of the BBC tracks is called “Live At The BBC 67-70″ there is more. The second disc is audio from TV tapings.
If you are a Moody Blues fan, this album gives you another side of the band. The track listings couldn’t be a better representation of the collective genius from the group. Not only are the hits and radio tracks available for your enjoyment but some of the more esoteric and underrated tunes (“Best Way To Travel”, “Visions Of Paradise, and “The Actor”). “Best Way To Travel” has never received the acclaim it deserves. The cover of the Animals hit “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” was greatly constructed.
The back-to-back combination of “Tuesday Afternoon” and “Ride My See-Saw” offers enough exquisite beauty to enthrall the harshest critic but “Lovely To See You (With the acoustic guitar sounding as if it is in your living room) could accelerate the pulse of the most docile individual.
As you sample the choice cuts don’t forget to digest the short version of “Nights In White Satin” clocking in a shade over three minutes.”
Could you ever get enough versions of “Gypsy”? Its inclusion here only solidifies it’s golden splendor.
Forty-one tracks for your pleasure. Are you sitting comfortably?
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars
- John Lodge / bass
- Mike Pinder / keyboards
- Ray Thomas / flutes & sax
- Graeme Edge / drums
Track List:
CD1
01. Fly Me High – 3:00
02. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – 2:23
03. Love and Beauty – 2:12
04. Leave This Man Alone – 2:52
05. Peak Hour – 3:21
06. Nights in White Satin – 4:22
07. Fly Me High – 2:45
08. Twilight Time (Evening) – 2:08
09. Dr. Livingston, I Presume – 2:58
10. Voices in the Sky – 2:50
11. Ride My See-Saw – 3:49
12. Best Way to Travel – 3:38
13. Voices in the Sky – 3:53
14. Dr. Livingston, I Presume – 2:58
15. Peak Hour – 3:29
16. Tuesday Afternoon – 3:24
17. Ride My See-Saw – 2:28
18. Lovely to See You – 2:25
19. Never Comes the Day – 4:33
20. To Share Our Love – 2:21
21. Send Me No Wine – 2:40
22. So Deep Within You – 3:06
23. Lovely to See You – 2:15
CD2
01. Nights in White Satin – 4:40
02. Morning: Another Morning – 2:58
03. Ride My See-Saw – 3:46
04. Dr. Livingston, I Presume – 3:01
05. House of Four Doors – 5:56
06. Voices in the Sky – 3:23
07. Best Way to Travel – 3:22
08. Visions of Paradise – 1:14
09. Actor – 1:50
10. Gypsy – 3:07
11. Sun Set – 3:47
12. Never Comes the Day – 4:21
13. Are You Sitting Comfortably – 3:00
14. Poem: The Dream – 0:52
15. Have You Heard – 5:42
16. Nights in White Satin – 3:03
17. Legend of a Mind – 4:34
18. Question – 4:54
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Moody Blues – To Our Children's Children's Children (1969) (@256)
13 Jul 2009
(Review from progarchives.com)
Moody Blues revert to a generally mellower style for this album, in fact at times they seem so laid back their heads must be touching the ground!
“Higher and higher” which opens the album briefly belies this, with its (strangely enough) ascending, upbeat melody, but the following “Eyes of a child”, establishes the dominant pace for the album.
There is though, much to enjoy here. “Candle of life” has a Bee Gees feel to it, with swirling orchestration, and a lovely piano backing (it made an excellent B side for “Question” when released as a single). “Watching and Waiting”, which the band had apparently expected to be a huge hit single, is a wonderfully melodic number, which washes over the listener in gentle waves of breathing keyboards.
That pretty much goes for the rest of the album. It’s hardly challenging and not really very progressive, but it is highly melodic and hugely relaxing, one for low lights and good company.
Line-up:
- Michael Pinder / keyboards, vocals
- Ray Thomas / harmonica, flute, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass guitar, vocals
Track List:
01. Higher And Higher – 4:06
02. Eyes Of A Child I – 3:23
03. Floating – 3:01
04. Eyes Of A Child II – 1:21
05. I Never Thought I’d Live To Be A Hundred – 1:05
06. Beyond – 2:58
07. Out And In – 3:48
08. Gypsy – 3:33
09. Eternity Road – 4:18
10. Candle Of Life – 4:17
11. Sun Is Still Shining – 3:37
12. I Never Thought I’d Live To Be A Million – 0:33
13. Watching And Waiting – 4:15
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Moody Blues – On The Threshold Of A Dream (1969) (@256)
12 Jul 2007
(Review from progarchives.com, vintageprog.com)
If you haven’t heard this album yet, you’re in for a treat.
Alluding to the listener’s likely state of mind, “On The Threshold of a Dream” features a brilliant succession of songs, instrumental segues and spoken poems. I haven’t heard a more cogent case for Moody Blues’ unusual approach to songwriting — allowing each of the five members to follow their own muse within the context of a group effort — than on this album.
What ties “Threshold” together is its swift pacing, using seamless segues to connect the band’s individual contributions into a cohesive whole. This technique prevents a musical morass from forming, a problem that plagued subsequent albums.
“Threshold” is symphonic and beautiful with great atmosphere, and the mellotron sounds heavenly. It proves that you don’t necessarily need 1200 time-changes in each song to make good music.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass guitar, vocals
- Michael Pinder / keyboards, vocals
- Ray Thomas / harmonica, flute, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion
Track List:
01. In the beginning (2:07)
02. Lovely to see you (2:34)
03. Dear diary (3:56)
04. Send me no wine (2:21)
05. To share our love (2:53)
06. So deep within you (3:07)
07. Never comes the day (4:43)
08. Lazy day (2:43)
09. Are you sitting comfortably? (3:30)
10. The dream (0:57)
11. Have you heard? pt. 1 (1:28)
12. The voyage (4:10)
13. Have you heard? pt. 2 (2:26)
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Moody Blues – A Question of Balance (1970) (@256)
16 Apr 2007
(Review from vintageprog.com)
The Moodies entered the ’70s with another strong album. Actually, all the albums they released in their classic period (1967-1972) are good. The album opens with the symphonic energy of “Question”, one of the very best tracks Hayward ever wrote. Ray Thomas also contributed with one of his best tracks ever: “The Tide Rushes In”. John Lodge seemed like always to be in a happier mood than the rest of the band and wrote the energetic “Tortoise and the Hare” and the cheerful and slightly folk-influenced “Minstrel’s Song” for the album. Pinder’s “Melancholic Man” gets a little bit too repetitive. Fortunately, his other contribution “How Is It? (We are Here)” is much better. Another great Moody Blues album. It’s not so much more to say.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass guitar, vocals
- Michael Pinder / keyboards, vocals
- Ray Thomas / harmonica, flute, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion
Track List:
01. Question (5:43)
02. How Is It (We Are Here) (2:44)
03. And The Tide Rushes In (2:57)
04. Don’t You Feel Small (2:37)
05. Tortoise and the Hare (3:19)
06. It’s Up to You (3:11)
07. Minstrel’s Song (4:27)
08. Dawning is the Day (4:21)
09. Melancholy Man (5:45)
10. The Balance (3:28)
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Moody Blues – Days of Future Passed (1967) (@256)
14 Feb 2007
Moody Blues – Days of Future Passed (1967) (@256)
(Review from progarchives.com)
“Days of Future Passed” really has stood up well to the test of time, due in no small part to the imaginative orchestration. This may not have been the first album to use the orchestra in this way (that is a well worn debate for the forum), but it arguably the most significant.
While “Days of Future Passed” was not the first Moody Blues release (many think it was), the band had effectively reinvented themselves since the pop orientated early work of the “Go now” era, the most significant change being the arrival of Justin Hayward. Hayward’s unique voice and guitar dexterity immediately gave the band the sound which we now associate so closely with them.
“Days of future passed” came about as a result of the Moody Blues record label Decca wishing to promote their new serious music subsidiary Deram. The idea was to demonstrate how far the recording process had come, with the introduction of such facilities as stereo and hi-fi. The band were afforded a generous amount of latitude to do their own thing, the use of the orchestra constituting a major investment and leap of faith on the part of the record company. It’s hard to see such a willingness by a record company, to take a risk of this nature, happening in today’s corporate environment.
It’s hard now to appreciate just how original this album was at the time of its release. The success of “Nights in white satin” as a single helped to boost sales significantly. Heard within the context of the album though, it makes for a superb finale. The track also contains a wonderful flute solo by the criminally under-recognised Ray Thomas, complemented by some superb bass work by John Lodge. Graham Edge adds one of his captivating soliloquies just before the final orchestral burst. As an aside, the “Cold hearted orb which rules the night” referred to by Edge is a television, the reference to it “removing the colours from our sight” reflecting the fact that the album predates the introduction of colour TV for the masses!
Justin Hayward’s vocals are excellent throughout, but especially on the atmospheric “Tuesday Afternoon”. The album is best listened to as a complete piece although tracks such as the two mentioned do sound great in isolation.
There’s little indication here of the direction the band would follow on later releases. Their instrumental prowess is largely stifled by the orchestra, but this is a superb album by any standards.
Line-up:
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
- Michael Pinder / keyboards, vocals, mellotron
- Ray Thomas / flute, vocals
- The London Festival Orchestra: conducted by Peter Knight
Track List:
01. The Day Begins (5:49)
02. Dawn: Dawn is a Feeling (3:49)
03. Morning: Another Morning (3:40)
04. Lunch break: Peak Hour (5:16)
05. Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon) (8:48)
06. Evening: The Sun Set: Twilight Time (6:14)
07. Night: Nights in White Satin (7:38)
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Jeff Wayne – War of the Worlds (1977) (@256)
02 Feb 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
Jeff Wayne is not so much the performer as such; his role here is to bring together many highly talented musicians to perform his masterpiece. To be fair, he does contribute keyboards and backing vocals. While Wayne is indeed the main composer and producer, credit is due Garry Osbourne who writes virtually all the lyrics. ‘The War of the worlds’ could perhaps be seen as a follow up to Lou Reizner’s excellent symphonic version of ‘Tommy’, with which it has more than passing similarities (although admittedly Reizner was not involved in the composition in that case).
The album is of course based on the HG Wells novel of the same name, with narration by the late Richard Burton. Burton’s distinguished voice is ideal for the music. While his interjections playing the part of a journalist tell the story perfectly, there is never any danger of this becoming a talking book. The music at times has an almost dance like beat as on the opening track (’The eve of the war’), but it is diverse with strong orchestration, and some first class instrumental work (especially from Chris Spedding on guitar). There are also moody, ambient phases (’Dead London’), and Rice/Lloyd-Webber like stage show pieces (’The spirit of man’).
The most familiar tracks will be the two that feature Justin Hayward (Moody Blues). While ‘Eve of the war’ is largely an instrumental, it opens with a brief introductory narration from Burton, before the now so familiar orchestral theme crashes in. It is almost like the theme to a documentary or newsreel, where you just know what?s coming is not going to be good news. Hayward is the first singer to appear on the album as he reminds us, ‘The chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one, but still they come’.
The tracks on the album are all lengthy, each side of the double LP only holding two or three songs. Side one is completed by ‘Horsell Common and the Heat Ray’. The sound effects can be a bit too literal in this section, with what appears to be a tin can being slowly unscrewed, then the lid dropping to the ground, to simulate the Martian heat ray being unveiled. It’s all a bit too BBC sound effects department!
The track distinctions and names are largely irrelevant, as the album flows as a continuous and complete piece. There are many excellent performances throughout the album. Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy) as the manic and delusional preacher, Julie Covington as his devoted wife, and David Essex as the naive young artillery man who is going to build a whole new world from scratch, underground. The distinctive voiced Chris Thompson (Manfred Mann’s Earth Band) tells the tale of the ‘Thunder child’ warship, on which all hope for the future is resting, with his customary excellence.
Above all these however comes Justin Hayward’s performance on ‘Forever autumn’. If you have only ever heard the single version of this song, the full-length version included here will be a pleasant surprise. The lush orchestration, instrumental breaks, and narration interludes by Burton all go towards making this an absolute epic of a track. Lyrically (other than the narration), it doesn’t really add anything to the story, apart from painting a picture of the emotional devastation felt by the “journalist” with both his personal, and indeed the world’s predicament. Musically however, it is the highlight of the album, and one of the best pieces of music Hayward has contributed to (and he has been involved in many fine pieces).
Of course, there is the happy ending to the story to conclude, with a final sting in the tail added by Wayne(!).
‘War of the worlds’ is a quite stunning album, full of strong melodies, inspired song-writing, and excellent performances.
Line-up:
- Jeff Wayne / synthesizer, keyboards, voices, director, conductor, executive producer, performer, orchestration
- David Essex / vocals, performer
- Justin Hayward / vocals, performer
- Chris Spedding / guitar
- Julie Covington / vocals, performer
- Herbie Flowers / guitar (bass)
- Billy Lawrie / vocals (background)
- Phil Lynott / vocals, performer
- Chris Thompson / vocals, performer
- Richard Burton / vocals, performer
- Ray Cooper / percussion
- George Fenton / zither, taragat, santur
- Ken Freeman / synthesizer, keyboards
- Barry Morgan / drums
- Gary Osborne / vocals (background)
- Jo Partridge / guitar, vocals, performer
- Paul Vigrass / vocals (background)
- Roy Jones / percussion
- Barry Da Souza / percussion
Track List:
CD1:
01. The Eve of the War (9:06)
02. Horsell Common and the Heat Ray (11:36)
03. The Artilleryman and the Fighting Machine (10:36)
04. Forever Autumn (7:43)
05. Thunder Child (6:10)
CD2:
01. The Red Weed (5:55)
02. The Spirit of Man (11:41)
03. The Red Weed (part 2) (6:51)
04. Brave New World (12:13)
05. Dead London (8:37)
06. Epilogue (Part 1) (2:42)
07. Epilogue (Part 2) (NASA) (2:02)
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Moody Blues – In Search of the Lost Chord (1968) (@320)
07 Jan 2007
(Review from progarchives.com)
The first album by the band as a rock group, as opposed to the virtually unrelated pop outfit of the 60’s (“Go now”), and their subsequent (excellent) one off orchestral project, “Days of Future passed”.
Inevitably much of the music now sounds somewhat dated. For example, the poppy “Ride my see-saw”, displays all the innocence of the flower power era, but in prog terms when seen in isolation is simplistic. There are however strong indications of high quality music which was to come.
“The actor” is a more structured piece with two distinct time signatures, which allows Justin Hayward to display his admirable vocal talents, backed by those now famous perfect harmonies.
Ray Thomas’ usually contributes one or two compositions to each album, on which he takes lead vocals. Had it not been for the fact that Justin Hayward has such a wonderful and distinctive voice, we would perhaps have enjoyed the privilege of hearing Thomas’ captivating vocals on a greater proposition of the band’s output. Here, Thomas’ contribution “Legend of a mind” is his tribute to 60’s guru Timothy Leary. This trippy, flute driven piece is actually quite progressive, but once again now sounds rather dated.
In all, the hippy, flower power influences are strong here, but that does not detract from quality of the music, which remains thoroughly enjoyable.
Line-up:
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
- Michael Pinder / keyboards, vocals, mellotron
- Ray Thomas / flute, vocals
Track List:
01. Departure (0:44)
02. Ride my see-saw (3:38)
03. Dr. Livingstone, I presume? (2:58)
04. House of four doors (4:12)
05. Legend of a mind (6:36)
06. House of four doors, pt.2 (1:47)
07. Voices in the sky (3:25)
08. The best way to travel (3:14)
09. Visions of paradise (4:15)
10. The actor (4:39)
11. The word (0:48)
12. Om (5:44)
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