ON THE THRESHOLD OF A DREAM

Third album of the so-called "MB's core 7" - the first being 'Days of Future Passed' (1967) and the second 'In Search of the Lost Chord' (1968). A good work at all just like the previous one but inferior to DOFP.

What seems more clear are the ways band members were taken with Justin Hayward and John Lodge tending to a balladesque or soft rock line while keyboardist Mike Pinder keeps a progish bias and Ray Thomas apparently senseless in the middle of the stream.

'Lovely to see you' and 'Never comes the day' are pure Hayward cool songs, very agreeable but not prog; Lodge contributes with two typical soft rocks 'Send me no wine' and 'To share our love'; from Pinder we have the best prog moment with 'Have you heard (1&2)' completed by instrumental 'The Voyage'; 'Lazy day' is the most interesting track composed by Thomas being his 'Dear diary' the weakest point of the album. Worthy is 'Are you sitting comfortably?' a joint-venture by Lodge&Thomas.

The final sensation is about a sometimes unbalanced work compensated by the quality of the songs individually, the singing and the musicianship.

Even so, it's Moody Blues and it's one of the "core 7" and highly recommended for any prog collection. Total: 4.