Justin Hayward (The Moody Blues) - Songwriter [4 bonus tracks] (1977)

Year: February 11, 1977 (CD 2004)
Label: Decca Records (UK & Europe), 00422 8822832 5
Style: Soft Rock, Rock, Pop Rock
Country: Swindon, Wiltshire, England (14 October 1946)
Time: 54:45
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 403 Mb

Justin Hayward and John Lodge parted ways after Blue Jays, releasing solo albums in 1977. Songwriter and Natural Avenue were full of ideas, suggesting that both artists might have benefited from a wider canvas than that afforded to them in The Moody Blues. Not that Octave was a bad album, but it’s not demonstrably better than what Hayward and Lodge were able to do on their own. Songwriter sounds like the Moodies, The Beatles and 10cc, which is to say intelligent and inventive pop music that feels fresh with each song. Hayward plays much of the music himself; in fact, I’m pretty sure he plays everything—including the flute, cello and violin—on the closing Nostradamus. Though the album charted well, it didn’t produce a hit single. They’re one of the rare acts where the sum may actually be smaller than the parts, since I wouldn’t know where to begin editing on Blue Jays, Natural Avenue or Songwriter, and I couldn’t imagine any Moodies album without the contributions of its other three members. Maybe they should have been making double albums all along...
(progrography.com/justin-hayward/review-justin-hayward-songwriter-1977/)

01. Tight Rope (04:49)
02. Songwriter (Part 1) (03:32)
03. Songwriter (Part 2) (02:33)
04. Country Girl (04:02)
05. One Lonely Room (05:21)
06. Lay It On Me (02:55)
07. Stage Door (05:11)
08. Raised On Love (03:13)
09. Doin' Time (04:22)
10. Nostradamus (06:37)
11. Wrong Time, Right Place (bonus track) (02:35)
12. Marie (bonus track) (03:53)
13. Heart Of Steel (bonus track) (03:25)
14. Learning The Game (bonus track) (02:11)

UploadyIo     365file     FreedlInk

All my files:     UploadyIo     DailyUploads     KatFile

The Moody Blues - Days Of Future Passed [10 bonus tracks] (1967)

Year: 10 November 1967 (CD 2008)
Label: Deram Records (Europe), 530 663-1
Style: Symphonic Rock
Country: Birmingham, England
Time: 70:03
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 383 Mb

How The Moody Blues went from R&B to progressive rock magnificence in the span of two years is perhaps one of rock’s greatest mysteries. As a rhythm-and-blues band, it wasn’t getting them anywhere so they had to change their style and sound.
Though Days of Future Passed is their second album, it’s widely considered as their debut album considering it’s the first record with their classic lineup.
It’s ambitious and grand but unlike other albums which fell short of everyone’s expectations, this one delivered. It’s consistent, cohesive, and solid. It’s basically the culmination of the band’s musical brilliance and efforts and it’s clear from the get-go that they were at the height of their creative powers. Although it achieved moderate success after its release, over the years, it has been regarded as an important album that helped shape the sound of prog-rock. Thanks to new members Justin Hayward and John Lodge, The Moody Blues were steered towards the right direction. It was a risk but in the end, it paid off nicely.
While two songs stood out - “Nights in White Satin” and “Tuesday Afternoon”, the rest were still stellar. It’s groundbreaking, revolutionary, refreshing, and unique. From haunting ballads to psychedelic tunes, it’s interesting to note that Decca Records ALMOST rejected it because they simply didn’t know how to market it. The album was clearly way ahead of its time.
Days of Future Passed is complex and grandiose. It’s a mixture of rock and orchestral arrangements with some spoken word poetry - in paper, it shouldn’t work together but listening to one song segueing into another, it blends seamlessly. This album made The Moody Blues legends.
(societyofrock.com/album-review-the-days-of-future-passed-by-moody-blues/)

01. The Day Begins (05:51)
02. Dawn: Dawn Is A Feeling (03:49)
03. The Morning - Another Morning (03:56)
04. Lunch Break - Peak Hour (05:29)
05. The Afternoon a - Forver Afternoon (Tuesday) b - (Evening) Time To Get Away (08:23)
06. Evening a - The Sun Set b - Twilight Time (06:40)
07. The Night: Nights In White Satin (07:29)
08. (Bonus) Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (BBC Radio Session) (02:24)
09. (Bonus) Fly Me High (1967 Mono Single Masters) (02:56)
10. (Bonus) I Really Haven't Got The Time (1967 Mono Single Masters) (03:09)
11. (Bonus) Love And Beauty (1967 Mono Single Masters) (02:26)
12. (Bonus) Leave This Man Alone (1967 Mono Single Masters) (03:01)
13. (Bonus) Cities (1967 Mono Single Masters) (02:26)
14. (Bonus) Tuesday Afternoon (Alternate Mix) (04:20)
15. (Bonus) Dawn Is A Feeling (Alternate Version) (02:20)
16. (Bonus) The Sun Set (Alternate Version Without Orchestra) (02:50)
17. (Bonus) Twilight Time (Alternate Vocal Mix) (02:28)

UploadyIo     FreedlInk

All my files:     UploadyIo     DailyUploads     KatFile