Classic Rock Album of the Day- The Moody Blues- Days of Future Passed - (1967) **** 1/2
There have been great discussions about the early days of Prog, and including trying to dissect when and where it was born. About a half dozen examples could be thrown out there. This is my actual pick. The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed was released in November 1967- less than 6 months after Sgt. Peppers. I might get into blaspheme territory, but in several ways The Moody Blues were better than the Beatles. Especially in musicianship. They in true prog fashion had compostions that were more lush, more complex, and intricate too. But of course, the Moody's did not have that cultural entrenchment and absolute ability of ultra-masterful songwriting. And for that the Beatles were the iconic, among the iconic.
I know I had previously reviewed 7th Sojourn. From a standard album oriented rock perspective, it has a better form for listening, and traditonal structure. OTOH, Days of Future Passed is a better listen for me. But it isn't everyone's kind of album. Those of us with symphonic background might have a bit more appreciation of the work. Those who don't like that kind of sound, are probably going to be turned off by 30% of this record's content. But make no mistake, this band was among the most innovative in the 1960's. Want to know the guy who first used synthesizers? , via a modified Mellortron? That'd be Michael Pinder of this band. And voice... You'd be hard pressed to find anyone better than Justin Hayward and his full lush and expansive voice on this one, and subsequent works.
What also makes this such a compelling listen, is how this band meshes so many '60's styles and orchestrations into a beautiful mosaic that also makes it not only one of the first prog albums, but also one of the first concept albums. They out played the Beatles, They out psychedelic-ed the Beatles, and in a few cuts even out rocked the Stones. How and why this band was so sadly forgotten and overlooked for their contributions, is a crime. Don't believe me? Give this one a listen, and don't lose site that this is 1967. And the fact that IMO their greatest works... This one and 7th Sojourn function as creative bookends of who are among the greatest pioneers of prog.
Fun Fact: This was among the last standard rock albums available in Mono, and I understand those are to collectors, quite valuable.
Side 1-
---------
The Day Begins- (The Day Begins)- Excellent orchestral performance by the London Festival Orchestra, with a poetic closing by Pinder, and his great speaking voice. If you bought this album in 1967, you'd thought you'd first be thinking you secured a classical album. I like it. 8
Dawn: Dawn is a Feeling- By now, you are even wondering if this is even a rock album. Dawn is a pleasant and talented effort by the band to lull the listener to think they've gone from classical to contempary. Don't worry, its getting to ready to get fun....... 9
The Morning: Another Morning- The Song has a soft light feel early in, with a signature '60's style and feel. But with the harmonies infused, and so emcompasive interludes between the light sets of stanzas ? You know these guys are toying with their styles to immerse the listener into their world of innovation. 7
Lunch Break: Peak Hour- Really bizarre and beauftiful. The band and its accompanyiing start a contempary almost Gerschwin sounding work, and then half way through the tune..... BANG..... Rock and Roll. Like a sledgehammer. In Rolling Stones '60's fashion ---- PEAK HOUR!!!! Melletron behind the scene steals the show. Great Hayward-Lodge soloing at the end too. 5
Side 2-
--------------------
The Afternoon: Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?) / Time To Get Away- Mainstay on the Moody's play list. Beautiful Hayward singing, and concert hall filling instrumentals make this a classic. Songs like this one and others, make this a great relaxation album if in the mood. No one rocks out 100% of the time. 6
The second movement of this work, Time to Get Away- Tuesday afternoon morphs into this masterpiece of songwriitng prowess. Pinder's mellotron work on this is ground breaking. What fascinates me, at least from my perspective is how the listener was lulled into the album by orchestratizations, and hypnotized into a gradually building prog masterpiece. Did I mention Pinder's mellotron work? I know I did, but hearing this in its essence in 1967, continues to amaze me. There are things I heard this round, that I hadn't noticed in the past. Great works will do that. 3
Evening: The Sunset:Twilight Time- More nice orchestrations, and Ray Thomas flute work highlight. Mysterious tempo , and percussion, just throw the listeners into showing how that band has that level of versatility rarely seen in rock. Especially in damned 1967. 2
Twilight Time, the second movement of this track, is my favorite moment on the album. This is the few moments of the album, that allows the band to let all hell break loose. Please listen to how the band phases and intertwines their harmonies into a tsunami of sound. In many ways this is one of the Moody's finest moments, and for some reason they didn't replicate what has that hard sinister, but lush beautiful sound- 1
The Night: Nights in White Satin- The hit on the LP. And deserves those accolades. If you have any background in listenng to rock music, you will easily recognize it. It put them on the map, and the song that introduced the world to the mellotron. Spooky...., especially with the poetic ending and punctuatated by Pinder. Sadly the listening audience weren't provided that treat, and it accenuated the true prog and concept aspects of "A Day" 4
There have been great discussions about the early days of Prog, and including trying to dissect when and where it was born. About a half dozen examples could be thrown out there. This is my actual pick. The Moody Blues Days of Future Passed was released in November 1967- less than 6 months after Sgt. Peppers. I might get into blaspheme territory, but in several ways The Moody Blues were better than the Beatles. Especially in musicianship. They in true prog fashion had compostions that were more lush, more complex, and intricate too. But of course, the Moody's did not have that cultural entrenchment and absolute ability of ultra-masterful songwriting. And for that the Beatles were the iconic, among the iconic.
I know I had previously reviewed 7th Sojourn. From a standard album oriented rock perspective, it has a better form for listening, and traditonal structure. OTOH, Days of Future Passed is a better listen for me. But it isn't everyone's kind of album. Those of us with symphonic background might have a bit more appreciation of the work. Those who don't like that kind of sound, are probably going to be turned off by 30% of this record's content. But make no mistake, this band was among the most innovative in the 1960's. Want to know the guy who first used synthesizers? , via a modified Mellortron? That'd be Michael Pinder of this band. And voice... You'd be hard pressed to find anyone better than Justin Hayward and his full lush and expansive voice on this one, and subsequent works.
What also makes this such a compelling listen, is how this band meshes so many '60's styles and orchestrations into a beautiful mosaic that also makes it not only one of the first prog albums, but also one of the first concept albums. They out played the Beatles, They out psychedelic-ed the Beatles, and in a few cuts even out rocked the Stones. How and why this band was so sadly forgotten and overlooked for their contributions, is a crime. Don't believe me? Give this one a listen, and don't lose site that this is 1967. And the fact that IMO their greatest works... This one and 7th Sojourn function as creative bookends of who are among the greatest pioneers of prog.
Fun Fact: This was among the last standard rock albums available in Mono, and I understand those are to collectors, quite valuable.
Side 1-
---------
The Day Begins- (The Day Begins)- Excellent orchestral performance by the London Festival Orchestra, with a poetic closing by Pinder, and his great speaking voice. If you bought this album in 1967, you'd thought you'd first be thinking you secured a classical album. I like it. 8
Dawn: Dawn is a Feeling- By now, you are even wondering if this is even a rock album. Dawn is a pleasant and talented effort by the band to lull the listener to think they've gone from classical to contempary. Don't worry, its getting to ready to get fun....... 9
The Morning: Another Morning- The Song has a soft light feel early in, with a signature '60's style and feel. But with the harmonies infused, and so emcompasive interludes between the light sets of stanzas ? You know these guys are toying with their styles to immerse the listener into their world of innovation. 7
Lunch Break: Peak Hour- Really bizarre and beauftiful. The band and its accompanyiing start a contempary almost Gerschwin sounding work, and then half way through the tune..... BANG..... Rock and Roll. Like a sledgehammer. In Rolling Stones '60's fashion ---- PEAK HOUR!!!! Melletron behind the scene steals the show. Great Hayward-Lodge soloing at the end too. 5
Side 2-
--------------------
The Afternoon: Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?) / Time To Get Away- Mainstay on the Moody's play list. Beautiful Hayward singing, and concert hall filling instrumentals make this a classic. Songs like this one and others, make this a great relaxation album if in the mood. No one rocks out 100% of the time. 6
The second movement of this work, Time to Get Away- Tuesday afternoon morphs into this masterpiece of songwriitng prowess. Pinder's mellotron work on this is ground breaking. What fascinates me, at least from my perspective is how the listener was lulled into the album by orchestratizations, and hypnotized into a gradually building prog masterpiece. Did I mention Pinder's mellotron work? I know I did, but hearing this in its essence in 1967, continues to amaze me. There are things I heard this round, that I hadn't noticed in the past. Great works will do that. 3
Evening: The Sunset:Twilight Time- More nice orchestrations, and Ray Thomas flute work highlight. Mysterious tempo , and percussion, just throw the listeners into showing how that band has that level of versatility rarely seen in rock. Especially in damned 1967. 2
Twilight Time, the second movement of this track, is my favorite moment on the album. This is the few moments of the album, that allows the band to let all hell break loose. Please listen to how the band phases and intertwines their harmonies into a tsunami of sound. In many ways this is one of the Moody's finest moments, and for some reason they didn't replicate what has that hard sinister, but lush beautiful sound- 1
The Night: Nights in White Satin- The hit on the LP. And deserves those accolades. If you have any background in listenng to rock music, you will easily recognize it. It put them on the map, and the song that introduced the world to the mellotron. Spooky...., especially with the poetic ending and punctuatated by Pinder. Sadly the listening audience weren't provided that treat, and it accenuated the true prog and concept aspects of "A Day" 4
