THE MOODY BLUES - IN SEARCH OF THE LOST CHORD

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.

There are a few 50th anniversary options, including a big box with a new stereo mix, BBC cuts, out-takes, DVD audio and a DVD of TV appearances, and there's a 2-LP version as well. This single disc version includes the original stereo mix, plus mono 45 versions, probably enough unless you took the trip back in the day.