THE MOODY BLUES

"Time is the only real foe you have got" . . . Ray Thomas sings in "22,000 Days" (60.3 years). Andy Rooney once famously asked, "Why is life like a roll of toilet paper? Because the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes . . . ." As readers of and contributors to ProgArchives.com, we should need no reminders of the inexorable and merciless character of time . . . . Basically, the lion's share of the subject matter of our site is anywhere from 50 to 59 years old. Of course, to have the gift of years is nothing we should take for granted.

Thus, 1981 feels closer to me than it actually is. I welcomed the release of "Long Distance Voyager." Compared to the Beatles, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Genesis, I was a relative newcomer to the Moody Blues in 1978. However, I "made up" for lost time courtesy of the "This is the Moody Blues" collection. In 1978, after a lengthy hiatus following "Seventh Sojourn," the band released "Octave." I was and, to a certain degree, remain puzzled. The emergence of "Long Distance Voyager" was a solid return to form by the Moodies. And, it marked a certain measure of satisfaction for Patrick Moraz.

"What do Tony Kaye and Patrick Moraz share in common?" They both received "pink slips" from Yes to make room for Rick Wakeman . . . . In 1973, with the release of "One Live Badger" and equipped with synthesizers, mellotron, piano, and his beloved Hammond Organ, Tony Kaye received some "satisfaction" following his July of 1971 dismissal from Yes. In "Long Distance Voyager" Patrick Moraz, likewise, obtained a measure of satisfaction . . . .

Or, "what does one get, when he or she combines 'Relayer' and "Seventh Sojourn?" The abrupt departure of Mike Pindar following the 1978 release of "Octave" provided the occasion for the Moody Blues' acquisition of the "free agent," Patrick Moraz. In November of 1978, I was to see the Moody Blues for the first time at the old Chicago Stadium with the Swiss keyboardist. In May of 1981, following my junior year at the University of Notre Dame, while on the Mississippi River during a brief summer job, I first heard "Long Distance Voyager." The marriage of the Moody Blues and Patrick Moraz was felicitous . . . .

To a certain degree, Moraz's opening keyboards to "The Voice" are anthemic, signaling his emergence in the band. This album opener, "In My World," and "Meanwhile" are Hayward's contributions; "Talking Out of Turn" and "Nervous" with their lush orchestrations, Lodge's; Hayward and Lodge collaborate on "Gemini Dream" with another solid keyboard performance by Moraz; "22,000 Days," "Painted Smile," "Reflective Smile," and "Veteran Cosmic Rockers" belong to Ray Thomas. Throughout, the lyrics and music reflect the perspective of the album cover's "space probe" taking in the events of the cover's participants.

Since 1967's "Days of Future Passed," The Moody Blues have taken the "cosmological" perspective of humanity, whether from the macrocosmic or microcosmic angle. The titles "In Search of the Lost Chord," "To Our Children's Children's Children and "A Question of Balance" exemplify this orientation. With "Long Distance Voyager," Patrick Moraz joined The Moody Blues in this "cosmological" journey at a time, like always, when world events were somewhat cataclysmic.

The Justin Hayward composition 'Nights in White Satin' is without a doubt the most famous song by the Moodies, still regularly heard on radio. When first released as a single in 1967, it reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart and number 103 in the United States in 1968. It was the Moodies' first significant chart entry since the r&b cover hit 'Go Now' (1964) and the band's recent lineup change, in which Denny Laine and Clint Warwick had resigned and both Hayward and John Lodge had joined.

The fact that everybody knows this song makes it rather trivial to try and describe it musically. Have to say I've heard it too many times in my life, but judged "objectively" (and subjectively, of course), without that heavy legacy, it's a marvelous song. I cannot even think of giving it less than five stars. As the album Days of Future Passed (1967) with the symphony orchestra backing and all was such a milestone in rock (and proto-prog), I prefer to take this song as part of the thematic album whole. So, for me it's a very, very different thing to haphazardly hear the song from the radio while riding a car, and to reach there in one of my favourite music DVD's in which The Moody Blues performs the whole album in its entirety.

The B side's non-album song 'Cities' (also by Hayward) has later been included on the MB compilations such as Prelude (1987). I actually thought it was one of the "plus 5" studio songs on the live double album Caught Live + 5 but it wasn't. The nice, if a bit depressive and worn-out little song paints a gloomy picture of a polluted and noisy city. Not necessarily a classic in itself, but a decent B-sider to this classic single.

That said, some adaptation is already in evidence here. An issue both A Question of Balance and Every Good Boy Deserves Favour had is that they both felt a little dated - even as much of the rest of the prog/art rock scene were pushing forwards, the Moodies were still entranced with the sound of the 1960s. Here, on the other hand, they feel like they've moved into the 1970s fully - New Horizons sounds a little like a proto-Alan Parsons Project piece. (It would later, in fact, be quoted by Pendragon on The Last Man On Earth on The Window of Life, and now I know that connection I can sort of see the influence there.)

A little syrupy and saccharine? Perhaps, but that's the Moodies for you, and as far as drawing a line under an era of the band goes, this does a decent job.

We kick off with Procession, a tour of all of time and the entire world in under five minutes, before we get right into that particular Moody blend of prog-pop with the charming The Story In Your Eyes. From here on out you get the usual blend of psychedelic-influenced pop and the accessible end of symphonic prog which the Moodies made their stock in trade.

They might have been far away from the cutting edge of prog - this came out the same year as Nursery Cryme, Tarkus, and The Yes Album, and it feels like Every Good Boy Deserves Favour is looking back to the 1960s more than any of those albums do. Nonetheless, if you loved the run of albums from In Search of the Lost Chord or To Our Children's Children's Children - when they had hit on their classic sound and genuinely were at the forefront of the progressive movement - then this provides more of that.

All starts with the tense, wild, even hysterical monologue by the now recently passed Graeme Edge, "Departure", which is immediately replaced by the upbeat, Psych-Pop-Rock "Ride My See-Saw", I feel topically just so of the time (the Pink Floyd song "Bike" came to mind). Awesome melody and harmonies, all over a driving beat and sort of Townsend-esque guitar riffing. I said to my GF last night that I shouldn't take for granted just how good the guitar is in The Moody Blues. As exemplary a songwriter as Justin Hayward is, he is a force to be reckoned with on the guitar, too. This is followed immediately by the upbeat sort of fanfare, "Dr. Livingstone, I Presume". Awesome bass-playing from John Lodge here.

"House of Four Doors - Part 1" is melodically not super strong and even gives sway to a bit of hokeyness, but the harmonies are pretty wowing and the Ringo-draggin' rhythm section is something else. This is our first really progressive track. Very spacy stuff here. This is followed by "Legend of a Mind", this incredible, mind-expanding Psych-Prog epic about the hypothetical, I assume, mind-death of Timothy Leary, as "he flies the astral plane" and is brought "back the same day". I love this so much, seriously. Then it's the much shorter second part to "House of Four Doors". More conclusive than a sort of interlude, though... it's very nearly that too.

We enter the bucolic on "Voices in the Sky", a really really beautiful Hayward number to start off the second side. I'm glad I'm relistening to this one specifically, because I like it even better. I just don't get tired of his songwriting. Now, will this appeal to the average fan of early Prog Rock? Not so sure. I'm putting that into consideration. Then it's onto a very Mike Pinder track, the psychedelic classic "The Best Way to Travel" . Surprise, boys and girls! The best way to travel is "thinking"! How about that haha. I mean, as childlike- wonderful as this is, it's a nice, timeless sentiment and really the song is untarnished by any such element of hoke or simplicity. A Psychedelic must-hear in my opinion.

From here, they waste no time to get into the lovely "Visions of Paradise", a reeds-ready number co- penned by Hayward and reedsmaster Ray Thomas. Very psychedelic, this features, in addition to flute, a sitar (or probably an electric sitar) to great effect. Then it's a very memorable number, "The Actor". This has more layered reeds and some more tasty bass-playing. I would say, in terms of this album, this is Hayward's best song. There's something very timeless about this. Much to be mimicked, I'd think. We get our final track, another Raga-Psych number "Om" introduced by another Edge monologue, "The Word". "Om" is more beautiful and expansive and epic in sonics than it is some great, wild composition. Excellent closer to a Psych-Prog classic!

A conundrum that often haunts my mind when I hear the name "The Moody Blues" is; which is better: Days of Future Passed, or this album? Whether it is more or less progressive, Days of Future Passed, honestly, seems to me to be the best album by this band and one of the best of the 60's.

In Search of the Lost Chord, The Moody Blues' third album, released in 1968, is a very important album within what we could call "pioneers" in prog. In Search of the Lost. It reached number 5 on the UK album chart and number 23 on the Billboard 200.

In Search of the Lost Chord is a concept album that deals with several very significant themes in people's lives, themes such as; music and philosophy throughout history, imagination and the power it has, lost loves, the spiritual development of each one of us, among so many others.

In my opinion, a very underrated album by many people. Yes, I know it can't be the most progressive thing we can listen to, and I know it's not something as great as Foxtrot or Animals... But who cares, it's a beauty! I don't want you to take my opinion as wrong, everyone has their own tastes, and as we know, nothing is absolute and everything is relative. It's an album that accompanied me during many moments of my life, and maybe that's the reason for the significant affection I have for this album, and everyone should give a chance to its melodies so emblematic of the band and lyrics so beautiful and powerful.

All in all, a rather cosy and entertaining album to experience psychedelic atmospheres accompanied by soft and travelling melodies.

Departure/Ride My See-Saw: 4.5/5

Dr. Livingstone, I Presume?: 4/5

House of Four Doors: 4/5

Legend of a Mind: 5/5

House of Four Doors Pt. 2: 5/5

Voices in the Sky: 5/5

The Best Way to Travel: 4/5

Visions of Paradise: 5/5

The Actor: 4/5

The Word/Om: 4.5/5

8,5/10, 4 stars for this genuine adventure of reflections, love, rhythm and a mental place of peace.

Octave (1978) was the first Moodies album in six years. The members had released several solo albums, and Justin Hayward & John Lodge also their collaborative work Blue Jays in 1975. In 1978 times were different, even the persons themselves had changed (most considerably Mike Pinder who had moved to California -- sadly this was the last time he was involved with the group), and it was obvious the band couldn't sound the same as on their halcyon days of 'the classic seven' albums. Let's be straight, Octave IS a weak and lame album with lots of uninteresting songs. I'd say this all-mellow single is slightly on the higher level than the whole album.

'Driftwood' is Justin Hayward's lush, light and romantic ballad in a slow tempo. Not bad at all in that particular song style. Funnily, according to Wikipedia "shortly after release, a promotional video was recorded for Driftwood. The video features Patrick Moraz on the keyboards, although Mike Pinder is playing the keyboards in the actual recording. The song also includes an alto saxophone which is played by session musician R.A. Martin, although Ray Thomas is depicted playing the alto saxophone in the video."

On the B-side is a Ray Thomas song 'I'm Your Man' which is almost equally peaceful and romantic. In one of the Octave reviews it's harshly referred to as "an orchestrated turkey". Well, I actually like it. It's very much in the same vein as Thomas' two solo albums had been. The arrangement works fairly well, and Ray's warm voice sounds as lovely as ever. Admittedly the lyrics are syrupy.

The single spent seven weeks on the U.S. Billboard charts and peaked at No. 59.

I've really enjoyed spinning this all last week, feel good music and while compilations aren't usually my thing, this one is. I also think it's cool that this was released in 1974 a mere two years after that seventh classic album.

So sad to look back at the past and see what it all became of the best rock band ever (in my humble opinion) in music history. After firing Patrick Moraz, the (once) quintet will get reduced to a duo, with two swansongs by Ray Thomas, here and then in 8 years time, with the album 'Strange Times'. The Moraz issue being one big enough to lead to a litigation which turned to a TV highlight in the USA in 1992. So the album was recorded during tumultuous times, which shows in how disjointed and full of ups and downs the very album is.

Not that this is a bad album. No Moody Blues album is. But it's probably their weakest ever, perhaps along with 'December'. As some other reviewer appointed, there is no more room for innovation or risk here anymore. It is what I'd call "family rock". Songs charged with charm and sweetness, stepping carefully into the safe realm, and, if only, endulging themselves sparsely into weird realms like funk or synth pop, going even further than in the dreadful 'The Other Side of Life'.

Bless the Wings (That Take You Back) shines here like snow under sunlight when compared to the rest of the songs. This ballad is easily amongst the five best tracks of their last five albums, which isn't saying a lot, but I find the intro and the sublime feel of the whole song a very good reason for giving one more star to this album. Justin's voice sounds even more angelic than ever, and the synths and guitars sound clear and trendy in a song of devoted love and respect. An absolute masterpiece of a song.

Say It With Love is not a bad song or a bad intro to the album but, speaking about album openers it is definetely the blandest and less blissful since 1981, keeping in mind every album openers were all fantastic up 'till then. It has the trademark positive Moodies feeling but lacks something. Probably true excitement.

After Is This Heaven , a song that portrays a sense of charm and tenderness you can only find in a Moody Blues album, we get into the loophole which takes us down into the lowest minutes in the Moody Blues collection, along with a few tracks in 'The Other Side of Life'. Say What You Mean l & ll repeats senselessly the same phrase over and over along with a collection of tacky synth brass sounds that never worked in a single Moodies song - apart from Under My Feet from 'The Present'. Definetely if I would have been their producer in this album I would have locked access to those sounds and suggest them a greater use of acoustic guitars. That would have made a change. Anyway, the song is catchy and dynamic, specially on its first half.

Lean on Me (Tonight) is a beautiful, sentimental ballad by John Lodge, with a nice almost-reggae rythm to it, and salvages the quality ratio of first side of the album as a decent one.

After the turn of the L.P. (I bought it in 1991, thrilled in the shop but dissapointed at home when I gave it a few listens) appears the song which should legit be the opener of the album. Hope and Pray is a wonderful, eighties sounding, but mature and intelligent, fast song with all the heart I was missing on Say It With Love . Should it have had a bit of a developed intro and a bit more production, it would have been a serious competitor amongst the extraordinary openers of the otherwise low notched former albums. The song has "the voice", the wonderful guitar solo and other values that put it up in the album podium after Bless the Wings (That Take You Back) .

The low begins from now on. Shadows on the Wall sounds unconvincing and starts signalling the weakness of John Lodge's input on the subsequent Moodies album (four dull ballads on 'Strange Times') with a sense of apathy which comes in consonance with the lyrics. When John sings "if only I didn't lose you, if only we could be" I hear "I began to lose control, I began to lose control" from John Lennon's Jealous Guy . Not that it's bad. That sense of dramaticism in the singing is probably the best value in the song, not very remarkable otherwise. Once is Enough is one of those songs, three or four located in 'The Other Side of Life' whose title my mind refuses to even remember. Not much to say about a song that for me represents an utter void of inspiration and sense of direction.

And then appears the "missing boy", Ray Thomas, who, as he did in 'Long Distance Voyager' and 'The Present' makes us feel he deserves much more room for his compositions in this album. The lost direction after the last track finds the right position of the steering wheel again with the beautiful and sky-wide ballad Celtic Sonant . Bringing long gone echoes from past harbour canticles like For My Lady or Lazy Day , here he restraints the pace and brings us a gorgeous, spiritual chant that leaves the songs around it in the mud. What a shame in the last two decades of studio work from the Moodies his appearances are so intermittent and scarce. He would have brought a lot of light to a lot of void. Celtic music was treding at that time, but the very slow pace and profoundity of lyrics and melody leaves that as less than an anecdote. The third in the album podium.

Magic continues with a promising acoustic guitar intro, but then disappoints from the dismal opening drum fill (sounds like played by a fiddling unexperienced child) to the anticlimatic, predictable verse, the forced chorus and a bridge which is an unthinkable mashup of bebop, American brass blues band kind of thing and on the top of it a sax solo which says definite goodbye to any expectations of tasting any of those good old Moodies' atmospheric, heartfelt and tuneful wonderful suites which used to close the albums in such an epic way.

Never Blame the Rainbows For the Rain is a lovely ballad with a nostalgic and sad feeling that mends a lot for the end of the album, and almost seems to acknowledge the long gone days are behind, but in a nice and honest way. Not being a great song, the understated singing and beautiful lyrics make up a nice closing seal for this work.

A work which maybe would have benefitted from three (impossible) things:

1 more presence of Ray Thomas,

2 being fair to Patrick Moraz (who signed with the Moodies in the condition of being a member of the band, fact later denied by the other members in a very dodgy way) and letting him paint the songs with his wonderful keyboards in the fashion he did on 'Voyager' and 'Present'

3 and giving it a more folky, less synth-pop focus. This last move somehow they tried on their 1999 'Strange Times' with relative success, but sadly since the 80s reunion on, the spark of the band drained gradually, maybe caused by loss of inspiration, band politics and commercial demands never met.

But never blame the rainbows for the rain. Although in this case, it's the other way around. Sadly.

The songs on this single are closer in style to the beat / r&b era of the former line-up. 'Fly Me High' was one of the first songs Justin Hayward wrote and sung in The Moody Blues. It's a simple, straight forward, fast tempo rocker that I would rather place in the early/mid sixties instead of the watershed year 1967 when the whole rock genre started developing and maturing at full speed. Also Hayward's songwriting was to improve enormously in a short time, but this song is no more than a humble start.

The keyboard player Mike Pinder composed the B side song '(Really Haven't) Got the Time'. He plays piano very fast, almost like Jerry Lee Lewis, and sings the main vocals. The most of his serious-toned and deeply thoughtful songs during the classic Moody Blues era up to Seventh Sojourn (1972) are among my dearest favourites. Some of his songs on the Moodies albums are admittedly less impressive, but this fast and hilariously rollicking tune is completely different from anything Pinder was to compose and sing in the following years. The sound quality is also rather poor. In fact this song seems to date from the earlier line-up.

Since I'm not fond of either song here, I have to rate this single low. However, if you're a Moodies fan, the mentioned Prelude compilation gives an interesting selection of non-album songs and definitely broadens your picture of the classic line-up's stylistic development.