Even though this CD shows up as a Moody Blues CD, it's actually a multitude of artists; the credits list Justin Hayward on guitars, vocals, arrangements of Moody Blues' music and co-writer with John Lodge of "We Can Fly" and "Water." The vocal on "We Can Fly" sounds to me like John Lodge is singing the song with Justin. The harmonies on "Water" may also include John. The music was composed and arranged by Steve Wood and Daniel May based up the two new Lodge and Hayward songs intertwining elements of the Moody Blues songs "Days of Future Passed," "Question," "I Know You're Out There Somewhere," and "Your Wildest Dreams." The result is a sumptuous neo-classical work that makes for an outstanding soundtrack for the IMAX film "Journey into Amazing Caves." The introduction, "To Extremes," begins wonderfully bombastic transitioning into an angelic vocal. Almost halfway into the first track are elements borrowed from "Nights in White Satin" that fit well with the lead-in. There are traces of "Nights in White Satin" in the instrumental as violins swell and take over the music, then the violins decrease in volume until the music quietly fades away near the end, becoming a beautiful introduction to this soundtrack. Flutes (though I'm not sure what kind of flutes, they sound like pan flutes, piccolo or a recorder) open "Search for Daylight" with a short selection of music from "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" that transitions to a brief vocal by Justin Hayward from "Question," then transitioning back to guitars for more of "I Know You're Out There Somewhere," with original score by Steve Wood and Daniel May filling out the transitions. The music borrows traces of "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" to the end. The next track, "Arizona," borrows from all three of the previously mentioned Moody Blues songs. "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" is especially prominent in this acoustic piece. A portion of the vocal is sung by someone with a very young-sounding voice. "Water" is the first of the two Lodge/Hayward compositions. The electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards and harmonies are the style we've heard from The Moody Blues since the 60s. I could wish that the quality of all the tracks on "Strange Times" was equivalent to this particular track. This track is ethereal and beautiful, and it is way shorter than I could have wished. There is a musical theme here that could be explored in greater depth in the tradition of longer Moody Blues compositions. In "Crystal Chamber" you are in an indescribably beautiful cave chamber. An echo effect is used to enhance the feeling at the beginning of the track. Wood and May used elements from "Nights in White Satin" along with elements from "Your Wildest Dream;" fitting given the subject of the track. The portions of "Nights in White Satin" used completely changes the flavor of the song and is contextually wonderfully beautiful. "Blue Cathedral" is a completely original Wood and May composition. A piano opens the piece, soulful and haunting. An Enya-like harmony builds and the piano gives way to a recorder or flute. There is just a touch of Native American flavor, perhaps Navajo, which changes the nature of this song. Music from "Question" gently introduces the next selection, "Frozen in Time." The Native American influences from the previous track continue to flavor this track. The music keeps a Native American flavor and adds music from "Nights in White Satin," including an electric guitar, to create a totally unique work. Had we not known the origin of this song we could easily have thought it was created specifically for this CD. Near the end of this track the music changes as a brief, but significant Hispanic flavor is added. "Home of the Mayan Gods" begins as a dramatic song. "Nights in White Satin" is sprinkled in this song to tie the musical theme to the other compositions. This time there is a touch of Mexican flavor with drums and an acoustic guitar to flavor the song to tie it as closely as possible to the Yucatan peninsula. "Horizons Turn Inward" once again uses elements from "Nights in White Satin." An electric lead guitar serves as the centerpiece for the arrangement, with orchestral components entering and exiting as appropriate to the pace of the song. This arrangement is much more complex than The Moody Blues attempted on "The Days of Future Passed." While the orchestra tends to dominate this piece, there are places where the potential of re-arranging the original song can be seen. The final selection is the second of the Lodge/Hayward compositions, "We Can Fly." This song has quality similar to that of the first selection. Once again, had the quality of the songs on "Strange Times" met this standard, I think the album would have been significantly better. This song is mellow and harmonious with classic Moody Blues style, harkening back to their early years. The Moody Blues created their own genre while being part of the creation of progressive rock. Their music is still somewhat unique. That their music is amenable to the expert manipulations of Steve Wood and Daniel May speaks volumes of the strongly classical origins of their music. Bombastic, harmonious, mellow, creative, and wonderful are all terms appropriate to this music. A passer-by listened to this CD for a while and said they thought it was Pink Floyd when "Water" was playing. I'll match this CD with some of the best in New Age, light rock, and even classical music being produced today. If your tastes run to these genres, then this CD is a must have. |
