Customer Reviews

Days of Future Passed (Reis)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, I was never crazy about the 1997 remasters of the "core 7" period of the Moody Blues music. I listened to the original cd releases next to the '97 remasters, and really found little difference. Now, with the 2008 new remastered classics, the difference is clear! The sound is truly crisp and has a sonic clarity like never before (at least on cd.) I've read all the arguments about the "quad" versions picked for remaster here, but overall, I cannot complain about this new sound. I wish the "Peak Hour" track didn't have the analog crackling after the lyrics are over (at its end.) But, DOFP is a recording that is over 40 years old. Actually, it holds up rather well, all things considered! I love the Moody Blues, and I am so happy that I found a cd version of DOFP that I thoroughly enjoy. Lastly, the bonus tracks are amazing! There are five here from the "Prelude" compilation, a cd of non-album tracks. I'm so glad to have these songs on cd, since "Prelude" has been out of print for some time. I like the other bonus tracks as well. "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" allows us to hear what the Moody Blues sounded like in 1967 in the studio off the cuff.

This is an amazing masterpiece of progressive (or symphonic) rock - whatever you choose. Well balanced, accomplished and ahead of time. Perhaps the best album of the genre - when the Beatles were shyly flirting with an orchestra (and their vocals still remain unconvincing), when John Lord desperately tried to bring together his group (Deep PurpleConcerto For Group & Orchestra) and the orchestra - and still they didn't sound as one thing - and Procol Harum was getting ready to play with Edmonton OrchestraLive in Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra - the Moody Blues did it - together with the London Festival Orchestra conducted by Peter Knight. And the year of the recording was 1967, although the album was released in 1968 on their new label "Deram" and became their first GOLD DISC (followed almost immediately by another two golds -On the Threshold of a DreamIn Search of the Lost Chord- all 3 are must have. And still it remains the best example of symphonic rock, composed by rock-musicians. Superb, fantastic performance, mesmerizing vocal harmonies, incredible interplay of the band with an orchestra - a real feast. The first performance of "Nights In White Satin" is mind-blowing. One should keep in mind that the orchestrated passages were recorded separately and "stuck" to the band tracks, so in fact the band is not accompanied by the orchestra. But this is irrelevant - the final result counts. It is one of the top 100 albums of the century. Highly, highly recommended - buy it at least to know the highest standard
P.S. I would strongly recommend to listen to "The Aggregation" Mind Odyssey - although released later (in 1969), this album by Los Angeles act was created under the influence of Moody Blues, but remains an absolutely genuine and powerful effort. Also try "David" - Another Day, Another Lifetime- to my humble opinion, few tracks were the first decent respond to early "Moody Blues"

No question, for clarity of sound the 2008 remaster is the best CD issue of this album ever, but....

Those of us who have been listening to this album (on vinyl) since it's release in 1967 were no doubt perplexed when we first heard it on CD. Why? Because the LP and the CD(s) contain different mixes. The story, as I've heard it, was that the album was remixed in 1978 because the original master tapes had deteriorated and all subsequent issues of DOFP have been made from this remix which lacks several key overdubs found in the original.

To some, perhaps most, the mix differences are inconsequential and hardly noticeable. For them I heartily recommend this CD. The clarity here is stunning and aside from a few instances where the musical background overpowers the vocals its about as good of a remaster as you're ever going to hear. The bonus material is interesting as well.

What is disappointing to me is that no CD has been released of the superior original mix. I have heard that there were plans to release one in 1997 (from a submaster?) but that never came about.

Until that happens I will jealously guard my early pressing of the vinyl LP as my preferred listening source for this classic album.

I own the 1990 CD release of this album and recently purchased both the 2008 release and the 2006 deluxe edition (SACD). There are subtle, yet noticeable differences between all of them and this one (Oct 2008 release) has become my favorite for casual listening. It offers increased clarity over the older CD release. The SACD version is cool in its own right for bringing an amount of surround sound experience to an album recorded before its existence. However, the SACD suffers from a lack of a center channel. The lead vocals are usually heard on the front channels and backing/background vocals are heard typically on the rear channels. My only complaint about the SACD version is the vocals. I wouldn't say that the mixing of the vocals is better or worse than the original CD release, just very different. Which takes some getting used to.

With that said, this is an absolute masterpiece and deserves the attention from all fans of progressive rock and contemporary orchestral movements. There are thematic elements that flow throughout the entire piece and tie it together nicely. It is really meant to be heard from start to finish and not one piece at a time.

This is subjective but my experience with this album is that the sounds communicate very well their intended purpose within the piece. The album is based on the day in the life of being human with lyrics that span from dawn to dusk following activities and thoughts that apply to many people. In addition, I believe it speaks to growing old as there are many passages that spark thoughts of nostalgia, growing old, and experiencing life. The orchestral segments really dial in the time of day if you are one who likes to link sounds with objects, environments, and actions.

This is my favorite album, and has been for more years than I care to admit. I had it on 8-Track, vinyl, and now have it on 3 different CD iterations. One CD was not remastered at all, the second was the '97 remaster, and now the 2008 remaster.

Overall impression? Of course, the material itself is excellent, as always. The bonus materials gives an insight into the band at that single point in time, and that alone makes it worth the purchase. The sonics? Well, the orchestral work has better clarity and feels more vibrant, but the dynamic range feels limited and has a compressed feel at times, though it doesn't get in the way of the experience. I actually enjoy the orchestra parts more on this release than on any other.

The band portions are a different story. They often feel pushed too hard, the volume driving almost to the point of distortion. There's a real sense of compression that should have been avoided. Still, there is better clarity and the stereo mixes have a more effective feel.

With all that said, I still prefer CD this to all the other DOFP releases I've owned over the years... and it is the best one for the car!

I won't bother trying to review the album itself; it's reputation precedes it, and it deserves every ounce of praise and acclaim it has garnered since its release in 1967. But I just wanted to give a quick description of the remastering for those who, like me, already owned the previous remastered versions of the Moodies' "core 7" and were questioning as to whether the upgrade was worth it.

I'm no audiophile, and I have no expertise or knowledge in that field whatsoever. I also didn't bother to do a side-by side comparison of any of the tracks. But using only my untrained ear(s) and my love/familiarity with the music itself (I can't count how many times I've listened to this album), I didn't notice THAT much of a difference. The only thing I can really say about it is that the orchestra sounds more full/lush and richer sometimes. That's overall a wonderful thing, but there were a few times when the volume was pushed up too much in sections that were previously quieter, and were perfect the way they were. But off the top of my head, I can only think of two or three cases of this, and it's honestly not a big deal.

So overall, especially considering the low price, I recommend this remastered version of "Days of Future Passed." For an album that is so dependent on the strength of its orchestral music, the improvements, though nothing mind-blowing, overall behew the album.

I first heard the Moody Blues when I was a young teenager, probably about 1971. During my mis-spent youth I was at some friends house doing Psilocybin Mushrooms. They were playing music, the soundtrack to Easy Rider, Jimi Hendrix, and they played an 8-track called "On the Threshold of a Dream" by the Moody Blues. I never heard of the Moody Blues before, and I was totally blown away by there style of music, the speaking of poetry, the great harmonies, and fantastic lyrics. I asked these people, who is that group? They replied, Oh, that's the Moody Blues. I said man they're cool, I've never heard anything like that before. They said, "Yeah they're pretty cool".

After I got back home I knew I had to find me some Moody Blues. There was an Eckerds drug store close to where I lived that sold records and 8-track tapes, so I went in search of a Moody Blues Album, but the only one they had was "Days of Future Passed", which had great album art, so I figured this is going to be good. I got home and rushed to put it on the record player. Well I was a little thrown off by the sound of orchestra music at the start, something I never really listened to, or knew nothing about, but it had what I was looking for, that great poetry that I heard before, and a mystical quality that I never heard to such an extent in anything else I've listened to. I played the album over and over again, and started to like it more and more.

I was the only big Moody Blues fan I knew. Most people I knew liked Pink Floyd(overrated), Led Zeppelin(one of my favorites), or Johnny Cash(one of my favorites). I ended up eventually getting all 7 of the Moody Blues earlier albums, and at that time "In Search of the Lost Chord" was my favorite, very Psychedelic.

Now that I'm an old fart, I'm still a Big Moody Blues fan, and I own all seven of there great earlier albums, but now there on digitally remastered CD's. My favorite now is "Days of Future Passed", which I also have on an old LP. I'm an a.j. squared away citizen now, so no more drugs, but I do still like to drink some beers, and listen to the old Moody Blues from time to time.

Incredible, phenomenal, fantastic, wonderful! I always liked these old Moody Blues albums but the sound was never very good. Well, listen to them again for the first time! The remastering on these is way beyond good, it's tremendous....I can't believe how much better this sounds. There were some "Remasters" in the early nineties that were mildly better. These are exponentially better.....don't hesitate, if you are a fan...buy these remastered Moody Blues CD's. I bought them all and like "In Search of the lost Chord," "Threshold" and "Every Good Boy" the best, but they are all good. Extra tracks are fun too

The definitive acid-rock album of it's era. The supurb song lyrics, instrumental perfection and vocal harmonization have never been equalled . I recommend this album to anyone creating a classic rock library. A treasure to be enjoyed forever.

This is a classic album, the music doesn't feel dated and is a plesure to hear from time to time.
The quality of the recording is very godd, so I think this CD is a good buy.