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This album was the second produced by the Moody Blues for the Decca Record label but strictly speaking it is the group's first solo album.
This disc was on the edge of flower power and the acid culture. The songs are a pastiche of the eastern, psychedelic and mystical. The words are used as auditory colours - and often the meaning may be somewhat obscure. All members of the band achieve this but the greatest exponent is Justin Hayward who can shade words and music to paint any mood. The line up is Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas and Graeme Edge. The range of instruments played by the band is prodigious: guitars (electric, acoustic, 12 string, bass), sitar, tables, piano, Mellotrons, harpsichord, cello, auto-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. The voices are also used as extra instruments in the non vocal sections - another hallmark of the Moody Blues sound.
3. Dr Livingstone I Presume. ***
This is a light upbeat song by Ray Thomas. It is lyrical but has fairly non-consequential words. There are good harmonies between the guitars and Mellotrons.
4. House of Four Doors *****
This mystical almost ghostly song starts with synthesisers and drums telling the story of an enchanted house in the midst of a forgotten land (?Lost in a Lost World). The choruses are sung falsetto with a regular verse counterpoint. There is a musical continuum between the verses that varies from an Elizabethan to a Rachmaninov feel. Listen to the stereo sound effects - especially the creaking doors. After the last door opens, the song blends into …
5. Legend Of A Mind. *****
This is a much more serious Ray Thomas opus and is a tribute to Professor Timothy Leary (the father of LSD). He has taken to using this as his 'solo spot' in the Moody Blues concert tours - usually achieving a standing ovation for it.
The pace is upbeat and it is a pronounced acid sound ('He'll fly his astral plane, take you trips around the bay, bring you back the same day … '). There is a change of tempo for each of the verses where plucked guitars, tympani and flutes accompany the voices. As the track nears a climax there is further evidence of the sound engineering of the album with ethereal sounds of swaying Mellotrons changing channels. This builds up to an intense wall of sound before the verse is repeated once more and the song blends back into …
6. House Of Four Doors (Part 2) *****
The same themes predominate accompanied by muted percussion, vocals in unison in the verse and in descant in the chorus. These three tracks occupied the second half of Side 1 of the album.
7. Voices In The Sky *****
This is a lyrical Justin Hayward composition with fine optimistic words and flute and string accompaniment. There is a more upbeat middle section.
8. The Best Way To Travel *****
Another psychedelic sound. This track has incredible stereo channel engineering. Listen if you can with the volume up high through headphones. There is a rhythmic guitar part with drum counterpoint. The Mellotron is a dynamic addition to the instrumental section.
9. Visions of Paradise ****
This is a much slower paced song. Again the lyrics are mystical in nature 'Visions of Paradise, cloudless skies I see, Rainbows on the hill, Blue onyx on the sea… ' The combination of sitar and flute is melodically pleasing.
10. The Actor. ****
A slow ballad from Justin Hayward using many instruments in a variety of combinations in the accompaniment. The words are much more lyrical and languid in feel. The instrumental section builds to a typical Moodys wall of sound.
11. The Word ***
Graeme Edge delivers the seminal verse of the album 'Between the eyes and ears there lie the sounds of colours and the light of a sigh … And to name this chord is important to some. So they give it a word and the word is "OM"'
12. OM *****
A track of eastern sounds, subtle mysticism and acid sound ('The rain is on the roof, hurry high butterfly'.) Much of the verses are chanted with flute, sitar and table accompaniment. The choruses are in unison. There is a sitar solo. The track builds up to a 'wall of sound' climax before fading to its conclusion.
The CD insert is a reproduction of the old album cover. There is a bizarre painting by Philip Travers (who painted many of their early covers) featuring a skull and foetus either side of the parting of the waves made up of the letters of the title. Above this there is the sun (or is it God), ahnds outstretched in greeting or blessing, with hair made up of the Moody Blues. The words of the songs are not given. Inside there is a tantric diagram. On the back are photographs of the members of the band.
Overall this is a more substantial and deeper album than 'Days'. Perhaps it should feel dated given its age and influences but in many ways it does not. It deserves an audience and will repay you with an understanding of the roots of the group.
IN SEARCH OF THE LOST CHORD - The Moody Blues (1968) DERAM 820168-2 £7.99
Chart statistics from "The Great Rock Discography" 6th edition. Strong M.C
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