Along For The Ride [SACD] - John Mayall

Advantages: Original, psychedelic, distinctive Moodys sound, an extra hour of music
Disadvantages: The album without the extras is rather short

...-harp, drums, snare drum, timpani, tambourine, flute, saxophone. Uncharacteristic of later albums, 'Lost Chord' features only two songs written by Justin Hayward (and one further collaboration with John Lodge) 'Lost Chord' is quite a short album by modern standards (42 minutes). This is play list and my own personal assessment of each song (marked out of five) 1. Departure. *** The album opens with a synthetic sound that climbs in pitch and grows in volume - a throw back to the start of 'Days'. In similar vein there is a short spoken verse which collapses into a bout of maniacal laughter. 2. Ride My See-Saw **** This is a rock standard that has become one of the fixtures of the Moodys stage shows. They start their 2003 concert season in March and you bet this will be on the play list. It has a driving beat with voices in unison in the verses... Read review

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Advantages: The first Moody Blues concept album. Is this what started prog rock?
Disadvantages: Perhaps a little dated - but it is 40 years old!

...Isn't life strange? So wrote John Lodge on a later album. This, though, was the one that started the ball rolling, creating a distinctive and unique sound that would become loved and followed for 40 years and three generations of fans. It is appropriate to look back at this album as a new remastering has been issued and the band are starting yet another UK tour in the autumn. In 2003 Universal Music embarked on a project to re-master the first five of the Moody Blues albums from the original tapes using modern production techniques. They also decided to issue additional tracks, alternative takes and other versions which were not included on the final album. This is the 2006 deluxe SACD edition. INTRODUCING THE BAND The Moody Blues were perhaps predestined for their eventual place in the realms of rock - after all the themes... Read review

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Advantages: One of the defining Moody Blues albums - as good as it ever was
Disadvantages: None really

...on the sleeve (again by Phil Travers who designed many of the early Moody's album covers) encapsulates the then and now, ancient and modern, past linked with the future by the present in the juxtaposition of an ancient and a modern hand painting cave sketches complete with rifles and skis. On the back are photographs of the members of the band as well as the track listing of both discs. The accompanying 20 page booklet contains a history of the band and the album along with more photographs from the time. It does contain a very primitive songbook on the inside back cover listing the words of the songs. There is also a single page listing giving an indication of the source of the tracks on the bonus disc. AVAILABILITY TO OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN'S CHILDREN - The Moody Blues (1969) THRESHOLD 983 215-6 DELUXE SACD HYBRID EDITION (2006) Amazon... Read review

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