The Moody Blues with The London Festival Orchestra conducted by Peter Knight – Days Of Future Passed (Audiophile)

Originally released in November 1967, Days of Future Passed was an outstanding technical achievement for its time. The record label Deram wanted to show off its new studio recording techniques by having The Moody Blues record a Dvorák symphony in this “Deramic Stereo Sound” process, which The Moodies did not want to do. Instead, newcomers Justin Hayward and John Lodge wrote an incredible Day-In-The-LIfe concept idea of celebrating the day itself–Dawn, Afternoon, Twilight, and Nighttime. Then Peter Knight wrote the symphonic score to these pop tunes to underscore the Moody Blues’ original songs, using the London Festival Orchestra. The result was a lush-sounding, extremely innovative pop album, which blew the minds of critics and fans alike. Now we can hear the beautifully remastered album in all its glory, with the inclusion of extra tracks that complement the making of this album (the 1967 singles recorded with the newcomers Hayward and Lodge a few months before the actual recording of this album). The flow of this album is unlike anything recorded in that year–even “Sgt. Pepper…” had not reached this level of sound and concept. The only album that matches this idea first brought to our ears by The Moddy Blues is Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon recorded five years later–the penultimate concept album, which almost entirely matches the “A Day in the Life” concept created by the brilliant Moody Blues. The fade-in of the gong versus the thumping heartbeats, and the reprises of melodies on both albums certainly are not coincidental. The Moody Blues took the concept approach and created one of the most fantastic sounding albums in the year when 4 track recording as standard and singles were more important than albums. Days of Future Passed is the one album everyone who loves the concept format in pop should have.