The Moody Blues - A Question of Balance
Threshold Records THS 3 / UK Near Mint Pressing (Late 70's)
Vinyl rip in 24-bit/96kHz | FLAC | No cue or log (vinyl) | Full HQ LP Artwork
813 MB Flac + 70 MB Art | Hot File & RS | Progressive Rock | 1970
Threshold Records THS 3 / UK Near Mint Pressing (Late 70's)
Vinyl rip in 24-bit/96kHz | FLAC | No cue or log (vinyl) | Full HQ LP Artwork
813 MB Flac + 70 MB Art | Hot File & RS | Progressive Rock | 1970
When listening to A Question of Balance, it is easy to realize that the band was still on their creative summit. This is the band's most energetic effort, with uptempo rockers from Justin Hayward and John Lodge ("Question" and "Tortoise and the Hare"). But it's balanced by beautiful masterworks such as "And the Tide Rushes In" (perhaps the best song from Ray Thomas... ever), Mike Pinder's "How is it, We are Here?" (which features the Mellotron at its most haunting) and Justin's "Dawning is the Day" (which feature one of the coolest middle 8s ever created).
On the avant-garde side of things, we get Graeme Edge's "Don't You Feel Small?", which gives a psychedelic, very alternative sound. And Mike's "Melancholy Man". This song proves Mike is the master at writing songs about first-person loneliness and despair. These emotions are surrounded by a symphony of heavy Moog Sounds and culminate into a heavenly chorus of vocals; which makes this depressing song very uplifting.
On the middle ground, They give us "It's up to You". This one isn't a stand-out track, but is a fun song and gives the album a great foundation (reminds me a lot of Eric Claptons' "Let It Rain", which was released at around the same time). John's "Mistral Song" is a good effort, as well, though it's a bit too "happy" for my tastes. Closing out the album is "The Balance"; perhaps Greame's most beautiful spoken piece. Though it is commonly known that the Moodies scaled back the instrumentation on AQOB (so they could perform all of the songs on stage as they appear on the album), that was later disproved to an extent by Mike, who said he had never held back on any of his arrangements and that "And The Tide Rushes in", "Melancholy Man", and "Dawning is the Day" had just as much layering as previous efforts.
A Question of Balance evokes a cool dark imagery; much like the view on the beach on the back cover. But what makes this album really stand out, is that all of the songs are so darned fun! There really isn't a dull moment.
On the avant-garde side of things, we get Graeme Edge's "Don't You Feel Small?", which gives a psychedelic, very alternative sound. And Mike's "Melancholy Man". This song proves Mike is the master at writing songs about first-person loneliness and despair. These emotions are surrounded by a symphony of heavy Moog Sounds and culminate into a heavenly chorus of vocals; which makes this depressing song very uplifting.
On the middle ground, They give us "It's up to You". This one isn't a stand-out track, but is a fun song and gives the album a great foundation (reminds me a lot of Eric Claptons' "Let It Rain", which was released at around the same time). John's "Mistral Song" is a good effort, as well, though it's a bit too "happy" for my tastes. Closing out the album is "The Balance"; perhaps Greame's most beautiful spoken piece. Though it is commonly known that the Moodies scaled back the instrumentation on AQOB (so they could perform all of the songs on stage as they appear on the album), that was later disproved to an extent by Mike, who said he had never held back on any of his arrangements and that "And The Tide Rushes in", "Melancholy Man", and "Dawning is the Day" had just as much layering as previous efforts.
A Question of Balance evokes a cool dark imagery; much like the view on the beach on the back cover. But what makes this album really stand out, is that all of the songs are so darned fun! There really isn't a dull moment.
Track Listing
Side One
1. "Question" (Justin Hayward) – 5:40
2. "How Is It (We Are Here)" (Mike Pinder) – 2:48
3. "And the Tide Rushes In" (Ray Thomas) – 2:57
4. "Don't You Feel Small" (Graeme Edge) – 2:40
5. "Tortoise and the Hare" (John Lodge) – 3:23
Side Two
6. "It's Up to You" (Hayward) – 3:11
7. "Minstrel's Song" (Lodge) – 4:27
8. "Dawning is the Day" (Hayward) – 4:22
9. "Melancholy Man" (Pinder) – 5:49
10. "The Balance" (Edge, Thomas) – 3:33
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