Natural Avenue

John Lodge | Format: Vinyl

Product Details

• Vinyl
• Label: The London Record Group
• ASIN: B000UH6UN4
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #723,314 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dream Come True, June 30, 2002

By 

"justinsmuse" (Nashvile, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Natural Avenue (Audio CD)

I love, love, LOVE John Lodge's "Natural Avenue"! His talent as a songwriter really shines here especially on the title tune, "Summer Breeze", "Rainbow" and "Children Of "Rock 'N' Roll". The additions of "Street Cafe" and "Threw It All Away" are a real thrill.
Mind you, there are those who feel John's voice is not strong enough to carry a solo album. And some feel it is as though he didn't care how the songs turned out. To those people, I say, "Shame on you!" John not only carries this album, he does so quite admirably. "Threw It All Away" definitely shows the range of his vocal ability. As for not caring how the album came out, he cared & still does. The songs are so full of emotion & always touch the heart.
With or without the Moody Blues or Justin Hayward, whom I also greatly admire, John Lodge is a talent who deserves his work to be heard. He is a true natural & a wonderful man. Much success, John. I look forward to your next solo release.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For a Moodies fan it is a disc worth having., August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Natural Avenue (Audio CD)

There is not a single bad vibe in this record. Originally recorded in 1977, it is the first solo effort by the bass player of the Moody Blues. He wrote all the 11 songs in the album, the CD includes a bonus track, "Street Cafe", recorded in 1980. John did what he knows best, writing songs with deep meanings and optimistic real life lyrics content, along with the symphonic rock that is typical and impossible to separate from any Moody Blues member opus. I bougth the vinyl in 1978 and the CD in 1993 at the bargain rack, ironically is one of the best albums I own, to me it sounds as new and interesting as in 1978.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars His only solo effort is just this side of classic, September 6, 2000

By 

Steven E. Blake (Saint Peters, Missouri USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Natural Avenue (Audio CD)

As a member of the Moody Blues, John's songs are integral parts of the classic albums, where all band mates shone. However, when the Blues broke up (don't be mislead about the group being on hiatus - there was no such talk of regrouping at the time), their solo efforts, on the whole, fizzled, as if some of their creativity was stripped away or diluted.

John fared second best (musically) of the group during their time apart with this above average album. But, even though I do enjoy each song, I'm left to wonder what these tracks might have been if they'd been produced with the talents of five instead of one. My rating of 4 means I like the album, still listen to it and recommend a purchase.

Oh, you ask who fared best? Ray Thomas, hands down. Why his two solo albums are not available on CD is a horrendous crime.