EVERY GOOD BOY DESERVES FAVOUR

After releasing five very good albums in four years, the classic Moody Blues lineup was starting to sound tired on this album. It didn't surprise me when they disbanded (temporarily) after the following album.

The album starts out promising. Procession opens the album with a pastiche of quick musical ideas, showcasing many of the different aspects of the Moodies' music over the years. You hear their unique vocal harmonies, mellotron and synths, guitar, spacy stereo effects, and even some sitar. Then comes The Story In Your Eyes one of my favorite rock tunes by this band. And the album closes with My Song a three star symphonic rock piece.

The problem is that everything else in between those songs is just second (or even third) rate, compared with most of the band's material up to that point. After all these years, I find each of those songs just painful to sit through. Actually, back in the seventies when I first heard the album, I felt pretty much the same way.