Here's an album most definitely of its time, and that time was 50
years ago. Psychedelia was all the rage, prog rock was awakening, and
the Moodies were riding high on the strength of the hits Nights In White
Satin and Tuesday Afternoon from their previous album, Days Of Future
Past. So off they went on this flight of fancy, about space travel, time
travel, and mind travel. It's the album that features the memorable
chorus of "Timothy Leary's dead..." (from Legend Of A Mind), and the
lost chord turns out to be the mantra Om. All that, plus flutes and
Mellotrons.
As a concept album, it's a
head scratcher, and a bit of a laugh,
with a couple of spoken-word sections. including one stupid poem, the
penultimate track, The Word.
But as just an album, it ain't half-bad, and the bulk of the songs
stand up nicely. It includes the modest hits Ride My See-Saw and Voices
In The Sky, and even though Om features overused Indian instruments and a
lengthy sitar solo, it's quite lovely. Just don't study the lyrics too
closely, they might induce snickering.
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