SEVENTH SOJOURN

Getting over the first of many life threatening illnesses, falling in love with a stranger the first time, and crying till the well ran dry over "Isn't Life Strange" off this album, though I was 19 at the time and I am 30 now I remember it with remarkable clarity. The afformentioned song is the only thing of relevance here, but what a song it is! And all of Side One is some of the best music, vocals, and lyrics The Moodies would come up with. I love The Moody Blues, but here and on the 3 or so albums preceding it the group were at their best. That pertains mainly to Side One although Side Two is also brilliant, just less memorable. Perhaps this would merit 5 stars had they saved "Isn't Life Strange" for the closing track so I could more have soaked in the songs that instead come after it and seem to not be quite up to that masterpiece level. Another very moving song from this album is Mike Pinder's "Lost In A Lost World" which sadly pertains just as much or more to the world of today than when the song was written in 1972. Even Ray Thomas is less lighthearted here on "For My Lady:" "My boat sails stormy seas/Battles oceans filled with tears." Music that makes you cry can either be moving beautiful and sad or sick depressing and miserable, thankfully "Isn't Life Strange" is in the former category. The mellotron as always dominates the music, but Justin Hayward gets some juicy licks in on here- just listen to him wail in the background on "Isn't Life Strange." Hayward comes up with another gem this time it's "New Horizons." Like all Moody Blues albums though, I wish there was a bit more rock in here. I know that is not what they are known for or what their music is all about, but could a little more power do them damage? OK, I'll admit it that I love this kind of music as much as any heavy over the top album out there, but The Moody Blues could rock, they had depth to their sound, and we just didn't seem to get much energy spread over album after album of ballads. There were diversions of course, and also of course these were their masterpieces. In case you didn't know, The Moodies reformed after this album and though the start was sluggish it yielded a new period of creative brilliance on The Present, Other Side Of Life, Sur La Mer, and some of Long Distance Voyager. So technically it wasn't over for them on this album, but their most striking and rewarding period met its peak in the early 70s and manifested itself majestically on this record. Truth be told, even if I don't give it the full 5 stars any album by the Moodies from In Search Of The Lost Chord through this one is at least a NEAR MASTERPIECE. Definitely one to pick up, and an album with special meaning for me.