The Moody Blues Question Of Balance (180 Gram Vinyl) [Import]

The Moody Blues: Justin Hayward, Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas. Engineers: Derek Varnals, Adrian Martins, Robin Thompson. Includes liner notes by John Reed. All tracks have been digitally remastered. The beautifully remastered version of the Moody Blues's 1970 back-to-basics album (translation: they cut way back on the overdubs) strips away the original aural murk at last, and includes informative liner-note interviews with the band about the recording process. Standout tracks include the classic sort-of protest song "Question" and "It's Up to You," one of singer/guitarist Justin Hayward's most authoritatively wistful riff-rockers. There is a clear attempt to pare back the lush excesses of their earlier work in favor of a leaner rock sound, as heard on cuts like John Lodge's pell-mell "The Tortoise and the Hare." Still, one of the album's standouts is Ray Thomas's "And the Tide Rushes In," a lovely psychedelic ballad of the sort that moved the Who's Pete Townshe