THE PRESENT

After the commercial success of "Long Distance Voyager", the Moody Blues only waited 2 years to present a sequel. Interestingly, other than "Sitting at the Wheel", it does not appear to have interest in capitalizing on that commercial success, or perhaps it was a case of mismanagement.

The opening couple of tracks are quite good, but in a laid back sort of way. Nothing screams out hit single. I especially enjoy "Meet me Halfway". In spite of the 1980s production and synthesizers, these songs are very understated for the group, thanks to the earnest and tasteful singing by Justin Hayward. The group has now clearly established a post 1972 sound for themselves and it only took a decade! I actually enjoy "Sitting at the Wheel" a good deal more than "Gemini Dream" off the previous album. Two gentle and restrained yet emotional ballads also enhance the offering: "Running Water" and "It's Cold Outside of Your Heart".

While "The Present" lacks a standout track like "The Voice" or the two powerhouses from its successor, it is my favourite latter day effort by the Moody Blues, still only worth 3 stars, but solidly so. Given its date of release, "The Present" is a gift.