This Is The Moody Blues (compilation album) by The Moody Blues

From ChrisPBacon 03/26/2020 23:56

I have never listened to any Moody Blues album, except this one. I have had it for a long time, and I love it.

From Fischman 12/28/2016 22:47

Excellent compilation. There are no bad Moodies songs from this period, so picking a "best of" is naturally difficult and this is a pretty good stab at it.

From Gero 02/15/2011 10:53

This album is an excellent starting point for a life-long love affair with this band (it worked out like that with me anyway). All the material is from the so-called 'core-7' albums from '67 to '72, recorded by the classic line-up of Hayward, Pinder, Thomas, Lodge and Edge. No crappy disco-ish/synth-pop stuff then. Although technically a compilation, this 2LP features a couple of new (that is 1974) re-mizes by the sixth Moody Tony Clark, the differences might not be huge, but the new versions always gain, especially the sped-up Eyes of a Child and Legend of a Mind with the flute solo more in synch and a more lucid coda. There are a couple of bars missing (The Actor)or appearing (Have You Heard)in other songs, too, always to the point (apart from the cut-off punch-line of Dear Diary) Plus there are those beautiful segues (And The Tide Rushes into New Horizons - magnificent): another early Moody Blues trademark and with a compilation you had obviously more possibilities for clever blends. The mixes of Legend of a Mind, Question, Watching and Waiting (backing vocals' prominence restored!,) Actor and Eyes of a Child as featured here I consider definitive. There are hundreds of Moody Blues compilations available but this is the only reasonable one.

From badfaith 10/24/2010 12:21

Not a real fan of the moody blues, but two songs that really caught me recently are: Question, and talking out of Turn.... the first: Question, is just crazy, two different songs jammed into one nutty whole, begining with a frantic acoustic quasi choral groove fest, before inexplicably pausing for a few moments to deliver a sublime ballad, and then finally launching back into the craziness again.
The second: Talking Out of Turn, has for my money, the best string arrangement I've ever heard on a pop song. I usually hate strings on songs, as they are all to frequently insipid, stodgy afterthoughts which seem to have no purpose or are simply not integral to the song... but here they sweep and propel the song along... and after opening with some squeaks and squiggly sci-fi beeps, the song could almost be a Pink Floyd song, with the vocal delivered in that style, before a very catchy chorus you'll be hard pressed to get out of your mind again!

From badfaith 10/24/2010 12:20

Not a real fan of the moody blues, but two songs that really caught me recently are: Question, and talking out of Turn.... the first: Question, is just crazy, two different songs jammed into one nutty whole, begining with a frantic acoustic quasi choral groove fest, before inexplicably pausing for a few moments to deliver a sublime ballad, and then finally launching back into the craziness again.
The second: Talking Out of Turn, has for my money, the best string arrangement I've ever heard on a pop song. I usually hate strings on songs, as they are all to frequently insipid, stodgy afterthoughts which seem to have no purpose or are simply not integral to the song... but here they sweep and propel the song along... and after opening with some squeaks and squiggly sci-fi beeps, the song could almost be a Pink Floyd song, with the vocal delivered in that style, before a very catchy chorus you'll be hard pressed to get out of your mind again!