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DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED
Track listing: The Day Begins (5.50); Dawn Is A Feeling (3.48); Another Morning (3.56); Peak Hour (5.33); The Afternoon: a) Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?), b) (Evening) Time To Get Away (8.23); Evening: a) The Sun
Set, b) Twilight Time (6.40); Nights In White Satin (7.24).
Nineteen sixty seven - these were the days before ELP, King Crimson, Jethro Tull, Yes and Genesis even existed; this was the year that the Beatles issued 'Sgt Pepper', Pink Floyd released their debut album 'Piper at
the Gates of Dawn' and the Moody Blues came up with this classically influenced melodic rock album that has since become an absolute classic.
The Moodies has formed in '64 as an R'n'B outfit and had one hit single, 'Go Now'. A change in personnel led to Justin Hayward (guitar & vocals) and John Lodge (bass & vocals) joining Mike Pinder
(keyboards & vocals), Ray Thomas (flute & vocals) and Graeme Edge (drums) in the band.
This new lineup started experimenting with vocal harmonies and new styles of music, purchased a Mellotron to add to the sound and recorded several radio sessions.
This album came about when Decca asked the band to record a version of Dvorak's 'New World Symphony' with an orchestra in order to demonstrate the scope of their new wall to wall sound systems.
The Moodies requested, and got, a studio reserved for their own use 24 hours a day - in those days bands would only usually get a session of a few hours. Rather than recording what they had been asked to do, they set about taping their own stage show. As each track was finished they sent it on to Peter Knight who arranged and recorded the orchestration with the London Festival Orchestra.
The album runs through a whole day, so it aptly starts with 'The Day Begins'. An orchestral overture moving through the basic themes of the various songs opens the piece.
Towards the end of the track the music softens, slipping behind the spoken introduction.
Orchestration commences the first song, 'Dawn Is A Feeling' too. This is a slow paced balladic number with rich and warm vocals. Next comes 'Another Morning' which has an altogether bouncier feel.
Fast moving orchestration which is very much of its time begins 'Peak Hour'.
About one a half minutes into the song the mood changes completely and we're into a beat number with a strong rhythm and rock sound, with a slow multi vocal sector mid way through.
The next long track, 'The Afternoon', is split into two parts; the first, 'Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?)', moves between gentle instrumental sections and more upbeat music lying behind the vocals. An brief
orchestral passage separates the two parts to this tracks and leads into '(Evening) Time To Get Away' with its multi layered vocals.
Stirring orchestration opens 'Evening', another two parter. 'The Sun Set' has a slow hypnotic beat and an ethnic feel while 'Twilight Time' is a psychedelic piece with full and rich instrumentation behind the
lavish layered vocals.
The album closes with the ubiquitous 'Nights In White Satin'. The track is actually somewhat longer than the song that is so familiar. Afterward the orchestration builds up to a crescendo then gently
descends to support the final closing oration.
'Days of Future Passed' was cited with being "partially responsible for creating the wave of concept records to follow" by the NME in 1974. I don't know about that, but it was certainly one of the
first albums to feature the mellotron and to bring together rock and classical music ... an essential for students of prog rock history.
Marisa 29th July 2001
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ON THE THRESHOLD OF A DREAM
These days the Moody Blues, with their somewhat grandiose musical style, are sometimes discounted and looked upon as "dinosaurs playing music for oldies".
In the late sixties it was an entirely different matter - the Moodies were at the forefront of musical inspiration and technology. They were one of the first groups to make use of the Mellotron; which was featured on their 1967 album 'Days Of Future Passed' - their psychedelia meets classical music concept album that came out at the same time as Sgt. Pepper. The Moodies spent the next few years experimenting; incorporating various styles and a whole range of musical instruments, from around the world, into their own unique sound. Their albums were recorded in classical studios (rather than the more basic rock setups that most bands were using in those days), and they used classical engineers - their equipment being far superior to that used by other groups. So, the scene is set: we have a pioneering, experimental group who are out to produce music that has roots in the past, while expanding on those roots (mmm ... that sounds pretty progressive to me!) and aiming for the highest possible quality of sound production.
'On The Threshold Of A Dream' is a successful fusion of the Moodies trademark, multi-layered vocals together with a mix of electronic and acoustic sounds (this mix caused problems on trying to reproduce the sound
live).
This fusion of the old and the new is cleverly portrayed, by Phil Travers, on the cover painting of a robot holding a rose and a strange, humanised tree, whilst in the surrounding mists you can make out the dreamlike, whimsical and mystical apparitions.
The album starts, appropriately enough, with 'In The Beginning', a piece which utilises the spacey sounds more commonly associated with Hawkwind, together with a spoken mini play. This blends into the guitar,
keyboards and strong rhythms of 'Lovely To See You'.
This song features the vocal talent of Justin Hayward together with those fabulous harmonies that the Moodies have always been so good at. A very laid-back beat, along with the sweet trilling of a flute, introduces 'Dear Diary'; a totally relaxed number with a great bass line and some lovely breathy flute sections.
The pace increases considerably for the upbeat 'Send Me No Wine', a very straight forward, upfront, guitar based song with a engaging lilt to the chorus line that has an almost country feel to it. Even before
'Send Me No Wine' has completely concluded, the vocals of 'To Share Our Love' have started. A much heavier feel than any of the other tracks; musically, this leans towards a Doors-like feel with it's pulsating
bass and full, throbbing sound.
The tracks come thick and fast, each one hardly having finished before the next one starts, as if the band want to fill up every free second of space. The next song that blasts into being is the soulful 'So
Deep Within You'; a full rich tapestry of sound in which a variety of instruments each take turn to take prominence in this intense and voluptuous composition.
Subdued acoustic guitar and gentle vocals start 'Never Comes The Day', but the tempo increases towards the clap-along, sing-along chorus. 'Lazy Day' focuses' upon both interwoven and choral voices, changing pace and
form against a very simplistic background in this naive celebration of peaceful Sundays.
The gentle, sweet 'Are You Sitting Comfortably' is a beautiful and intricate piece with a brilliantly clear sound - you can hear every acoustic note, every shake of the tambourine - this is an utterly exquisite work.
The last four tracks merge into each other and form one longer piece of work. The spacey, other worldly sounds return, to support the spoken 'The Dream'. The vocals of 'Have You Heard, Part 1' are
underpinned by a very melodic arrangement, and some nice swirling keyboards lead us to a musical reference to the film 2001 at the beginning of 'The Voyage'.
This is an instrumental track which makes full use of a variety of Mellotron sounds and features a stormy piano piece. 'Have You Heard, Part 2' completes the album, phasing out with the dull hum of space.
So, the Moody Blues are not just the guys who did 'Nights In White Satin', good as that is.
Maybe they weren't on the extreme edge - they were never weird, crude or totally far-out. But, they didn't need to be. The Moody Blues always delivered classy music that is very accessible and they have definitely been a great influence on how the music scene has developed since. This is an album that has stood the test of time ... try it, it won't make you blue!
Marisa 07 September 1999
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STRANGE TIMES
It has been more than thirty years since the Moody Blues brought out their innovative 'Days Of Future Past' album, and the passing of time is the theme that runs through 'Strange Times' as we approach the next
millennium. There are fourteen tracks on this album; twelve of them written, either individually or together, by guitarist Justin Hayward and bassist John Lodge; while drummer Graeme Edge and flautist Ray
Thomas each take the credit for one song. Their sound is supplemented by the programming/keyboards/orchestration skills of Danilo Madonia.
The album opens with some bubbly spacey sounds, over which the guitars start, preceding the pulsating rhythm that takes us through 'English Sunset'. This pacy song is, on the surface, very simplistic; but the
more one listens to it the more special touches one notices. This is classic Moody Blues with soaring guitars, fabulous vocal harmonies, a little spoken word (which is gently humorous) - and all blended
together to produce a polished and pleasing wholeness.
Gentle chimes introduce the second track, 'Haunted', with it's soft swinging harmonies and flowing backing track.
'Sooner Or Later (Walking On Air)' has a bouncy upbeat tempo and a lovely clean guitar sound that is highlighted by trilling flute and sweeping strings.
The feel of 'Wherever You Are' is more subdued. The simple melody is lifted by the haunting orchestral backing. 'Foolish Love' has an artless feel.
It's an uncomplicated little love song; again, containing lots of subtle touches which enhance the whole sound. A similar feeling runs through the next track, 'Love Don't Come Easy', although this has a more structured feel to it.
A change of mood is evident in the lilting 'All That Is Real Is You'. This has been heavily influenced by country music with it's simplistic piano and guitars - but is lifted above the ordinary by the
sophisticated orchestration. I must admit that I hated this on first listening but, now having heard it three or four times, it's a definite grower and could well become my favourite track.
'Strange Times' is an up-beat rockier song which contrasts well with the flowing orchestration that introduces and runs through 'Words You Say', a ballad with some great guitar work between the verses.
The whimsical 'My Little Lovely' is the track written by Ray Thomas - and a twee little ditty it is too. 'Forever Now' is a gentle tune with some pretensions to grandeur in it's almost symphonic string sections.
There's no holding back on 'The One'. It blasts into being with massed voices and an up-tempo beat, the chorus featuring inter-linked vocal lines over a great racy backing. Whereas 'The Swallow' is an
unaffected, sweet song with some really nice guitar work towards the end. The album concludes with Graeme Edge's 'Nothing Changes'.
Starting with a low rumble, the orchestral sounds build up leading through to the spoken words. The orchestration and guitars blend together, ebbing and flowing through the track and providing a beautiful backdrop to the thought provoking words. A last, sung, chorus closes the CD on a high note.
The Moody Blues may have mellowed with the years but they still willingly embrace new technology and all it can do for them.
They have their own sound, but they continue to enhance and build on to it. Long may they continue...
Marisa 26th September 1999
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