Starting life in 1964 as an R&B group, the Moody Blues scored an international hit the following year with “Go Now,” which was initially recorded by Bessie Banks. Personnel shifts eventually ensued, and as 1967 drew to a close, the Birmingham, England band had morphed into an entirely different species.
Bathing their material in a bodacious blend of classical and rock, accompanied by mystical prose, the Moody Blues were instantly endorsed by not only the burgeoning underground sect, but AM radio listeners as well.
The Moody Blues went onto become one of the biggest bands of the late ’60s and early ’70s, with songs such as “Nights In White Satin,” “Tuesday Afternoon,” “Question” and “The Story In Your Eyes” riding high on the charts. Albums, including Days of Future Passed, In Search of the Lost Chord, Every Good Boy Deserves a Favour and Seventh Sojourn, also netted hefty profits and are duly deemed masterpieces of their genre.
By the time the ’80s rolled around, the symphonic rock practiced by the Moody Blues was considered seriously archaic. The vast majority of the band’s peers had either retired the cause or were pale facsimiles of their former selves. Yet the Moody Blues managed to seed their music with a contemporary bent while still retaining an arty approach designed of imaginative arrangements and the occasional cosmic-coated concept.
Weathering the storms of new wave, synthesized dance pop and hair metal, the Moody Blues proceeded to make good throughout the ’80s. “Gemini Dream,” “Talking Out of Turn,” “The Other Side Of Life” and “Your Wildest Dreams” were among the band’s songs that dwelled on the dial during a decade in which their signature style of music had long been laid to rest.
The ability to adapt to the ever-changing technology of the era, teamed with the group’s own innovations and universally appealing vocals, clearly played a prominent role in the continued success of the Moody Blues.
Sur la mer (Polydor Records) served as the band’s final album of the ’80s, and included “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere” which cracked the Top 30 in the summer of 1988. Featuring an aching desire to reunite with a childhood sweetheart who always remained a true love, the song radiates a spiritual kind of loneliness amid a tapestry of twinkling melodies and clean and orderly construction.
Basically an effort involving guitarist Justin Hayward, bassist John Lodge and keyboardist Patrick Moraz, Sur la mer was produced by the reputable Tony Visconti, who furnished the album with a slick and smooth sheen characteristic of the period. But unlike many recordings back then, Sur la mer doesn’t go overboard on smothering the band’s natural talents in a blanket of gadgetry. Those beautiful and breezy trademark harmonies take center stage, and the instrumentation is tight and tasty.
Sure-and-sturdy rock rhythms steer “Breaking Point” and “Here Comes the Weekend,” and then there’s the pretty and poignant “Vintage Wine,” which is dipped in nostalgic commentary on the ’60s. Other special cuts heard on Sur la mer include the soul-tugging “No More Lies” and “River of Endless Love” that grooves to a peppy and potent beat.
Sur la mer originally received poor reviews – and, to be honest, it’s definitely not the Moody Blues’ finest moment. Still, there is actually much to enjoy and appreciate here, particularly for those smitten with the sounds of keyboard-driven pop rock.
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