Customer Reviews

Moody Blues - Gold

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The real question that needs to be asked is "Does the record-buying public really need another Moody Blues anthology?" An ever-increasing number of bands from the sixties through the eighties now have more compilations in their catalog than they have studio albums. In the last decade the Moodies have released two studio albums, but no fewer than six anthologies--plus the 4-disc box set TIME TRAVELLER.

If you're a casual fan and don't already own their 1994 box set or 1998's well chosen ANTHOLOGY, you certainly can't go wrong with this 34-track collection. The collection begins with "Tuesday Afternoon" from the classic lineup's 1968 debut DAYS OF FUTURE PAST and continues through "December Snow" from their 2003 holiday album DECEMBER. [As the previous reviewers have noted, "Go Now" is not included, but that 1965 hit came from a lineup that did not include the Moodies' principal songwriters, Justin Hayward and John Lodge.] What you do get is all of their top 40 hits, key album tracks, and a handful of side projects like the Blue Jays' "Remember Me My Friend" and "Blue Guitar," and Justin Hayward's "Forever Autumn" from Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of "War of the Worlds." All told this is a very satisfying collection if you're looking for a solid introduction to the Moody Blues. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

While I doubt I'll EVER get used to the edited (single?) version of 'Nights In White Satin' presented here, I have to agree that the song selection in general is excellent for a compilation of this seminal band. That said, The Moody Blues (or more likely, their record label) haven't exactly been shy about releasing such anthologies and hits collections on CD, either. While 'Gold' represents an affordable means of buying some of the best known and loved music from The Moody Blues, it also is for me one of the most trying listening experiences as well.

If I had to guess, I'd say much of the music contained on 'Gold' comes from different masters than the songs currently found on other collections, and on the band's original CD albums. There are definite issues with the sonic quality of these songs as presented on this disc. For instance, the music track of 'Nights' is horrendously compressed in comparison to earlier CD versions of this song; perhaps the record label was working with an unremastered single release master of the song (my guess), but the audible discrepancies between this version and earlier examples (albeit, in the full album form including The Late Lament and the full orchestral intro) are hard for this listener to stomach. I can point to any of the earlier music included here and say pretty much the same thing. Whatever the reason, the original source material used for this CD could've seriously benefitted from earnest remastering work. While I suspect that would've raised the asking price of 'Gold', I also would contend that great music DESERVES such caring treatment.

As it is, too much of 'Gold' as issued is indeed quite tarnished, which in the real world given the metal that goes by periodic symbol of Au would've been impossible to do. But evidently in realm of the corporate music world, when selling music on the cheap and banging out sloppily compiled CDs it's very easy to take the most precious and thoroughly muck it up.

Some of you may feel submerged by all these golden, anthologia and best of CDs. In superb quality and contrast, The Moody Blues Gold from Polydor, I feel, is a must have. The package contains 2 full CDs with some of their better known songs (34 of them) and some very elegant surprises such as Bless the Wings, Driftwood, Lost in a Lost World, Forever Autumn, Strange Times, December and many more. For me, Mr Justin Hayward is one of the best songwriter and a master craftsman with words and chords in rock music. One of the most inspired and touching song from him is New Horizons; a prime example of unique classy music representing one of the greatest rock songs of all time. All of this is at an excellent price with great recording quality (in contrast to some others). Also, I was genuinely surprised by the 19 page booklet containing good photographs and a very nice writing style. All in all, I would recommend this to any young or old beginner with The Moody Blues and all those fans. Superbly done for a very good price and adequate representation and recording. Oh! and if you have a chance to see them live (they still tour extensively in the USA and in Canada by the way) they play most of these songs down to the last note. One of the best professional acts in rock music that deserves to be seen.

Can't go wrong with this double set of some of the best of

the Moody Blues and misc individual contributions over the

years. Great value for the $$, sure they've covered many of

these tunes in one package or another but as the years go

buy the sound quality has been improved, more punch to the songs

so I choose to buy these songs again. This is a group that will

keep a following well into their older years and gain new ones

just on the quality and mystical sounds they gave us. I always

loved the Justin Hayward "Forever Autumn" single as well as

Blue jays cuts I hadn't had a chance to collect, all here on

this excellent double disc. If you look all around you the 60's

and 70's have made another impact on this culture, it doesn't

suprise me that the Moody Blues music rides along and younger

kids rediscover this all again. Great music.

The songs in this collection are well chosen, but the first hint of trouble comes when you pop disc 1 in the player and your display says Nights In White Satin is 4 1/2 minutes long. Yes, they cut the entire "Breathe deep the gathering gloom..." part. Come on guys, you have 2 entire CDs to fill, don't edit the band's debatably greatest song.

But the big problem is the sound quality. It's ok if not wonderful on disc 2, but all of disc 1, which is where most of the primo material resides, sounds compressed and hashy. The original Deram CDs made in the 1980s sound much cleaner, and they were made with relatively primitive equipment.

This collection is ok to throw into a car stereo, but it wasn't made for people who love this music.

...but no cigar just yet. There's still Blue Jays/Justin Hayward solo stuff here, robbing this otherwise great anthology of disc space which could be used for, say, interesting album tracks from "Prelude". On the plus side, "Go Now" is gone (that's really a song from a different group, according to Graeme), and there are songs from "Strange Times" and "December", bringing the Moody Blues "Anthology" up to date. Also included is the the timeless "Had To Fall In Love" from "Octave", the most underrated of Justin's love songs.

In conclusion, although not ideal this is the first Moodies collection that I'd take to a desert island if so exiled.

For me, "Gold" is a wonderful double CD, just like "This is The Moody Blues" and "Anthology." This compilation is like a condensed version of "Time Traveller" with a few additions.

This set includes the shorter, non-orchestral versions of "Tuesday Afternoon" and "Nights in White Satin," previously featured on the 1996 compilation, "The Best Of The Moody Blues" (Contrary to the full versions featured on "Time Traveller" and "Anthology").

The "Best of" mix of "Ride My See-Saw" is on here, so there is no cross-fade from the "Departure" track, on "In Search of the Lost Chord" ... This mix begins with the count in. There is just one Ray Thomas track on this release, which is "Legend of a Mind," one of my favorite Ray Thomas compositions (and awesome to listen to through headphones). Then, we get "Voices in the Sky," which should have appeared on the 1985 best of compilation featuring that song title as the name of the album!

Two more Justin Hayward tunes follow from "On The Threshold of a Dream," including, "Lovely to See You" and "Never Comes The Day" ... This version of "Lovely To See You" (unlike the mix on "Anthology") is unique, and starts off like the mix heard on the "Out Of This World" LP, so we don't hear the choir and mellotrons that end out, "In The Beginning," from "O.T.T.O.A.D."

Up next are three of my favorites, from "To Our Children's Children's Children," the 'mellotron-driven' "Gypsy," "Candle of Life," and "Watching and Waiting," and from "A Question of Balance," the original LP mix of "Question" appears, along with "Melancholy Man," which are two of the album's highlights.

It was also a treat to hear the single mix of "The Story in Your Eyes," originally from the "Legend of a Band" CD, which is a few seconds longer than the mix heard on "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour."

From "Seventh Sojourn," the two John Lodge classics, "Isn't Life Strange" and "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" end out the first disc. The original version of "Isn't Life Strange" appears here (not the remake on "Legend of a Band"), and "I'm Just a Singer" starts off with the loud, crashing drums, not the cross-fade from "When You're a Free Man," from the original LP. Mike Pinder's "Lost in a Lost World" returns, since "Anthology," but on this occasion, it is followed up with Justin's "New Horizons," much like the sequence originally from "Seventh Sojourn" ... "Gold" substituted "Go Now" and the "Days Of Future Passed" orchestral excerpts, from Disc One on "Anthology," with this fine tune.

Opening up the second disc is Justin Hayward and John Lodge's "Remember Me, My Friend," from "Blue Jays" ... On this occasion, the song is edited down to make room for additional tracks on the disc.

"Blue Guitar," also makes another appearance on a "Best of" compilation, and it's a nice bridge between the "Blue Jays" track and the material from "Octave."

"Stepping in a Slide Zone," "Had To Fall In Love," and "Driftwood" appear from "Octave," but because of the length of the CD, "Driftwood" is edited down a bit, fading out about a half minute earlier than the full version on "Octave."

Justin Hayward's "Forever Autumn" follows, creating a nice bridge between the timeline of "Octave," and "Long Distance Voyager." However, the song fades out a few seconds earlier than the mixes on previous compilations ("Time Traveller"/"Anthology").

From "Long Distance Voyager," the full length hits, "The Voice" and "Gemini Dream" are heard on this collection (Not the single edits from the "Voices in the Sky" compilation), but there is an edited version of John Lodge's "Talking out of Turn," which I first heard on the earlier CD version of "Voices in the Sky."

Excerpts from "The Present" include, "Blue World" and "Sitting at the Wheel." Once again, as heard on "Time Traveller" and "Anthology," the end of "Blue World" is cross-faded with the intro to "Sitting at the Wheel."

The trio of "Your Wildest Dreams," from "The Other Side of Life," "I Know You're Out There Somewhere," from "Sur La Mer," and "Say it With Love," from "Keys of the Kingdom," made for a lovely combo, as they are all played in the same chord.

The four-minute orchestral mix of "Bless the Wings That Bring You Back" (Previously featured on "Anthology") makes a reappearance here.

"Strange Times," from the album of the same name, finally makes its first appearance on a Moody Blues compilation (Previously, "Haunted," "Foolish Love," and "Love Don't Come Easy" were the first entries from "Strange Times" to appear on a Moody Blues compilation, before this release, and that collection was "Say It With Love"), as does the beautiful and relaxing "December Snow," from "December," which closes out this collection.

There was just one criticism I had on this release ... This was in regard to the edited down versions of songs like "Driftwood" and "Talking out of Turn," which are better suited for the 2 CD set titled "The Singles+" (I'm not big on edited down songs, and those were two fine songs that should be left at their regular length). Since the full length mixes of the songs wouldn't fit the length of the overall CD, I would rather see them replaced by shorter songs like "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" and "This is The Moment." It's a shame that there was only one Ray Thomas composition that appeared on this collection ... At least two of his songs could have been featured, so I think "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" would have been a nice choice, too.

On the whole, this is an excellent double CD compilation for The Moody Blues, with a great selection of songs and outstanding sound quality ... Same goes for "Anthology," as well. Both collections have their positive points! Thanks for reading! God Bless... :)

This is a well balanced collection of Moody Blues "hits" since the band was joined by Justin Hayward and John Lodge. Also included are two tracks from the excellent 70's duo album "Blue Jays" by Hayward and Lodge.

The music is well mixed and mastered with none of the sound problems that plagued many 90's versions of their CD's. Like all compilations, there are favourites missing -- "The Actor" -- but all in all, this is great music at a great value.

I like this CD, even though I own a bunch more pretty much like it. The one thing that gets me with The Moody Blues is how many "Best of..." CDs they have out there. All right already. But, this is the latest and includes the song December Snow. Love that song. So, if you don't have many "Best of..." CDs, this is a good one to get. If you are a die hard fan, this is a must have.

This double CD set includes select tracks from all of The Moodies

albums from "Days of Future Passed" in 1967 to their 2003 Christmas release "December". An excellent collection for the new Moody Blues listener, or for the avid fan. I especially enjoyed the "single" version "Bless The Wings (That Bring you Back)", which originally appeared on The Moodies 1991 album "Keys of the Kingdom", but this version, with its full orchestration is much more emotionally intense and moving. Other added tracks included are from Justin Hayward and John Lodge's incredible 1975 album "Blue Jays", and Justin's wonderful single from the "War of the Worlds" album "Forever Autumn". Buy it for yourself, or for a friend you love....you won't be disappointed!