SEVENTH SOJOURN

This album seems to be misunderstood by many listeners. Some find it depressing, whilst others find it sublime. It sometimes has a slight bittersweet feel and is possibly the moodiest of all the Moody Blues albums. Perhaps that sound has something to do with the mounting tensions in the band at that time. Despite the troubles behind the scenes, Seventh Sojurn also has a many magical and spiritually uplifting moments.

The work from the Chamberlin (a keyboard instrument that provides the sound of a string orchestra in the background) is quite stunning and adds some lovely textures to the songs in the same way the mellotron did on the band's previous albums. "Lost in a Lost World" is about the brutality of revolution and racial tension, so it has a very moody feel while the following "New Horizons" is more beautiful and very gentle. The folky "For My Lady" is also nice and really dreamy.

"Isn't Life Strange" has an odd beauty that somehow always captured my attention. When I saw the "Moodies" play it live backed by a full orchestra it was even more majestic and brought tears to my eyes. I can't explain it. I must have looked ridiculous as I'm also quite a big man, but this is how powerful this music can be for some listeners. Even Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" is a very touching piece but has never affected me in the same way.

"The Land of Make-Believe" is another special piece that simply describes a perfect world, a place where "heartaches can turn into joy". It's very in touch with the peace and love our world sadly lacks. It's wonderfully layered with both acoustic and electric guitars as well as the chamberlin and Thomas' flute. "When You're A Free Man" is another cracking although slightly bitter sounding song. "I'm Just a Singer" (In a Rock and Roll Band) provides the close. It's a very upbeat song that feels somewhat out of place coming after the more mellow tracks but is still a cool song.

This marked a wonderful end to the band's psychedelic era. In my opinion the band did come up with some good music later on, but certainly not as spellbinding as the group's earlier releases like this one. Highly recommended indeed.