 |
From the Vault...
01/02/2005
#923 |
|
info
Moody Blues
"To Our Children's Children's Children"
© Threshold/PolyGram Records
Year of Release: 1969
Rating:
|
track listing
Higher And Higher
Eyes Of A Child I
Floating
Eyes Of A Child II
I Never Thought I'd
Live To Be
A Hundred
Beyond
Out And In
Gypsy
Eternity Road
Candle Of Life
Sun Is Still Shining
I Never Thought I'd
Live To Be
A Million
Watching And Waiting
|
WSVNRadio Archives
Moody Blues related sites:
|
|
|
Moody Blues
"To Our Children's Children's Children"
The Moody Blues have been underrated to some, but their music has inspired
rock fans to lean towards another important genre of music that has been around
long before rock and roll was born -- that being Classical Music. The Moody
Blues incorporated the legendary Classical tastes on the classic Days of
Future Passed in 1966, and with their mix of rock and psychedelia, their
albums of the late 1960s have blended rock with classical, perking the rock
fan's interest to give the Moodies more credit than they deserved, by mixing
rock with classical. From that, many other artists and groups have shown
their interest in blending the two sources together, or better yet, put their
rock and roll music aside, and dedicated album(s) solely dedicated to Classical.
(Rick Wakeman, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, to name a few.)
The Moody Blues' 1969 release, To Our Children's Children's Children
has the blend of both rock and classical, yet more on the rock and pop side.
This album has some very laid-back compositions, where the common rock at the
time may or may not have been appreciative by the die-hard rock fans. Yet
decades later, with the "turning of stomachs" regarding today's musical sounds
and trends, the Moody Blues' albums gives a new refreshing look at how music
can be created in a different light, blending great instrumentation, using the
classical touches with rock.
Since 1966, the Moody Blues had recorded 2 albums having their "traditional"
sound -- 1968's classic In Search of the Lost Chord and 1969's On The
Threshold Of A Dream. If you're familiar with the Lost Chord album,
the leadoff track on Children's continues where Lost Chord left
off, especially the track from it, "Ride My See Saw" - "Higher And
Higher" is a very heavy psychedelic sounding composition. And with the 3
albums in mind by the Moodies (Days, Lost Chord, and Threshold),
it's easy to recognize "Eyes Of A Child I" -- as the Moody Blues, as it
compares to the Days release, and is very pleasant to listen to.
"Floating" is very poppish, as it fits with the Lost Chord release,
and another album that would be released later by the Moodies, 1970's A
Question of Balance. "Eyes Of A Child II" has a harder rock touch,
as heard on another future release, 1972's Seventh Sojourn.
"I Never Thought I'd Live To Be A Hundred" is very accoustic,
pleasant, as in The Beatles' "Blackbird." "Beyond" also has a
harder touch as heard on on Seventh Sojourn's "I'm Just a Singer (In
a Rock n Roll Band)"; during this song, it blends into a mysterious,
psychedelic atmosphere, then back to the harder rock heard at the beginning of
the song.
"Out And In" has the typical Moody Blues late 1960s sound, and a
sense of mystery aura. "Gypsy" fits the Lost Chord album, having
great instrumentation, and powerful in sound. "Eternity Road" also has
great instrumentation, a classical, yet pop touch, easily recognized as a
Moody Blues song. The blending of these two songs, likewise on "Candle Of
Life" shows how blending the instrumentation of classical and rock works
extremely well. "Sun Is Shining" is a very relaxed pop song, commonly
heard by the Moody Blues music in later years and decades.
"I Never Thought I'd Live To Be A Million" is another short,
accoustic piece as previously in "I Never Thought I'd Live To Be A Hundred."
"Watching And Waiting" has the classic Moody Blues sound -- compared to
Days of Future Passed songs "Nights In White Satin" and/or
"Tuesday Afternoon." They all have the great instrumentation, of mixing
Classical music with Rock.
Going back and discovering or re-discovering the Moody Blues albums have
always been a treat. Blending Classical and Rock may have been a tremendous
challenge back in the late '60s, yet its outcome has made the Moody Blues one
of the best bands from England, likewise from the late Sixties and Seventies
(where they had extreme popularity). Their popularity also increased in the
1980s, and they continue to be a dominant concert attraction. Their blending
of classical and rock have also gained interest to other artists and/or bands
that are more catagorized as Rock musicians. It's those two musical styles
gives music a new touch, and how they both can communicate equally and powerful.
© WSVNRadio.net. All rights reserved.
Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Threshold/PolyGram Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
|
|
