DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED

I got this album shortly after getting into Pink Floyd (starting with Dark Side and The Wall). After hearing PF's excellent work with the concept album genre, I was quite shocked to discover that Days of Future Passed dated all the way back to 1967, when PF was releasing its very first album Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

Although I do not have the same familiarity with the Moody Blues that I do with Pink Floyd, I must say this is a very good concept album indeed. Judging from what some reviewers have said, it seems that the two favourite tracks are probably "Nights in White Satin" and "Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?)".

While these are beautiful tracks, and probably the ones that best survived the test of time, I am most moved by the absolutely surreal--and achingly short--"Twilight Time". This song absolutely soars...the layered vocals are haunting and hypnotic, and one wants to take flight into the world of dreams and joyous anticipation of the next day's promise. For seven years, the moment when this song is swallowed up by the orchestra has always been one of the most "painful" moments of the album...I never want this song to end, and yet it does far too soon. Often I wish that this underrated tune could be extended to run forever.

One rather annoying thing about the CD that I own is that there's no track break right before "Twilight Time", so the only way to reach the song is to fast forward from the beginning of the Evening suite or back from its end (same problem with "Time to Get Away"). The other drawback of this album, in my mind, is that a few of the songs do become a bit dated. Although I enjoy it, "Peak Hour" is the one that seems the most tied to the 60's pop sound and least able to transfer to the modern day.

I do enjoy the blending between the orchestra and the band, and the quality of the recording itself is shockingly good for its time. As for the poetry that seems to annoy some people--I enjoy it. I give this album four stars...although a few songs seem dated in retrospect, its quality is extremely high for its time, and it is an excellent forerunner to concept albums such as those later produced by Pink Floyd and its individual members Roger Waters and Rick Wright.