04-10-2014, 07:54
Okay â since they have been repeatedly snubbed by that other bunch in Cleveland, and since there seems to be a lot of appreciation for the Moody Blues on this forum, shall we vote them into the MD Hall of Fame? (I love that they released a live album titled Hall of Fame!)
Allmusic sums them up succinctly as âPop mystics of the 1960s and '70s, whose impeccably produced albums exuded pseudo-classical glory, driven by lush Mellotron orchestrations.â
Thereâs nothing much left to say that hasnât already been covered somewhere along the way, so for fun, hereâs a list of their studio albums, each accompanied by a brief and hopefully relevant bite of info:
There are way too many songs for one favourite so hereâs a clip I like and which says quintessential Moody Blues to me. As you will see, made in the days when smoking (cigarettes) was perfectly normal!
Some âyesâ votes would be so cool ⦠please ...
[video=youtube;bPLWBhNW3FM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPLWBhNW3FM[/video]
Allmusic sums them up succinctly as âPop mystics of the 1960s and '70s, whose impeccably produced albums exuded pseudo-classical glory, driven by lush Mellotron orchestrations.â
Thereâs nothing much left to say that hasnât already been covered somewhere along the way, so for fun, hereâs a list of their studio albums, each accompanied by a brief and hopefully relevant bite of info:
- The Magnificent Moodies (1965) â later named Go Now. Originally an R&B outfit, Denny Laineâs vocals helped propel the single âGo Nowâ to its number one spot which was what led to the albumâs release in the first place.
- Days of Future Passed (1967) â first rock/classical album also recorded in âDeramic Stereoâ by Decca. I have a beautiful copy â quality stuff!
- In Search of the Lost Chord (1968) â largely inspired by LSD and its proponent, Timothy Leary. The mellotron shows up here, played by Mike Pinder whoâd worked in a mellotron factory and knew how to make âem work the way he wanted.
- On the Threshold of a Dream (1969) â Graeme Edgeâs poetry continues to feature on this one along with a couple of Pinder penned tracks that are sublime. My favourite.
- To Our Children's Children's Children (1969) â a concept album inspired by the moon landing â or what was purportedly the moon landing! Lush, whimsical, and again, heavily laden with the mellotron.
- A Question of Balance (1970) â songs composed deliberately so that they could be played and recorded live, something theyâd not achieved very well before, due to complex arrangements
- Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971) â by the time this album came into being the band members had settled into their individual roles â âPinder the impassioned mystic, Lodge the rocker, Edge the poet, Thomas the playful mystic, and Hayward the romanticâ¦â â courtesy of Allmusic.
- Seventh Sojourn (1972) â at this time of this release there was a resurgence of interest in Days of Future Passed due to the USA charting of âNights in White Satinâ, and the Moodies found themselves in competition with themselves!
- Octave (1978) â the last album with Mike Pinder in the line-up, recorded after a six year hiatus.
- Long Distance Voyager (1981) â the first album featuring Patrick Moraz, who had previously worked with Refugee and Yes. A return to previous form (as stated by CRAZY-HORSE).
- The Present (1983) â three minor hits on this one and one of the first CDâs to be manufactured worldwide (apparently!).
- The Other Side of Life (1986) â contains the hit âYour Wildest Dreamsâ and is a departure from symphonic, to a synth pop style.
- Sur la Mer (1988) â home to another big hit âI Know Youâre Out There Somewhereâ the release of which boosted concert attendance quite substantially.
- Keys of the Kingdom (1991) â saw the departure of Patrick Moraz and a return to a more rock oriented sound and instrumentation
- Strange Times (1999) â a pre-millenium studio album which seems quite reflective of that milestone, and the last with Ray Thomas, longstanding flautist and vocalist.
- December (2003) â the first album since their debut with songs not written by the Moodies, a Christmas affair.
There are way too many songs for one favourite so hereâs a clip I like and which says quintessential Moody Blues to me. As you will see, made in the days when smoking (cigarettes) was perfectly normal!
Some âyesâ votes would be so cool ⦠please ...
[video=youtube;bPLWBhNW3FM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPLWBhNW3FM[/video]
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