ON THE THRESHOLD OF A DREAM

Very much late sixties related, this album doesn't pass the proof of time very well, I 'm afraid. If ever The Moodies were ones of the very first to introduce the great mellotron in their work, it has gone by now (unfortunately).

One has to admit that the band was quite innovative for their time. Recording concept albums one after the other was not a usual affair in those pre-historical musical times. I entered their catalogue a year later (1970) and couldn't testify their influences so far. One thing is for sure : while you would listen to the early "Barclay James Harvest" albums, there is little doubt about their major source of inspiration. The Moodies of course. (The Fab Four being the other part of it).

There aren't really any highlights on this album. Just a bunch of average songs IMO. To be complete, I would say that very few songs are poor, but there is no speak about a masterpiece here. The band can be integrated into the prog movement because of its originality but not really due to his compositions so far.

To be honest, it is not the type of album I spin very often. Songs as "Never Comes The Day" or "Lazy Day" are too childish and sounds rather outdated. You might say that they ARE indeed old, but still there are many albums of the late sixties which sound so much better than this one .

This album is propelling us in another time. The pastoral "Are you sitting comfortably?" being one of my fave? Probably due to the sweet fluting, I guess. Still, when you listen to the short and spoken "The Dream", you have some kind of a premonition to what ELO will deliver some years later (The Golden One - El Dorado).

One of my fave from this work is the dual "Have You Heard?". Another tranquil ballad which features an excellent melody. As if the quality is increasing towards the end of this album. Thge closing The Voyage being another interesting number.

I am upgrading this work more for its influences as well as persistent quest for "concept" from the band than truly for its essential qualities. Three stars.

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