Disco de The Moody Blues: “Strange Times [Import Bonus Tracks]”

We waited eight long years for "Strange Times", almost a decade and while we have all grown older and have changed,why then is it surprising to find that the Moody Blues have also matured and changed as a band?

I like this CD for what it isn't! It isn't a dinosaur of a band trying to be what they once were. It isn't "Core 7" revisited!

I like the interweaving of the decades on this CD, it's like they have given us a very subtile version of Day's only this time, the CD opens with the very modern technopop sounds of "English Sunset" and ends with a very sharp reminder of where this all began with Graeme Edge's "Nothing Changes" and that ladies and gentleman is why I find "Strange Times" such an appropriate album for the Moodies to give us at the close of this century. A reminder of where we are and a chance to look back and see where we have been.

The Moody Blues very simply gave us the fans our own little time capsule called "Strange Times" in which if you simply listen will hear strains of the very new and touches of the past.

I highly recommend this CD to anyone who has ever listened to a Moodies album and been transported to another time and place, and also to anyone who can appreciate truly exquisite music.

For me, this album has a certain poignancy. My favorite band since I was 11 yrs old, they are like old friends. They are still as creatively strong and versatile as they were when I was so young. Many of the songs are very emotionally honest - from Hayward's anguish on "Haunted" to Lodge's confrontations with finality and loss on "Forever Now". "Strange Times", the song, starts out with a full-blown guitar intro and segues into some pretty swift grooves as the prophetic story continues. "Sooner or Later" and "My Little Lovely" are very listenable tunes. "The Swallow" is a refined and beautiful piece - a real cool, clear song. There is no lack of drama on this cd, to which the well-proportioned orchestrations add nicely. This album is insightful, and there are some really lovely things happening here. Sounds like the Moody Blues just can't stop making great music.

I've been listening to The Moody Blues for,(I hate to say it,) 30+ years.I like the first seven albums the best and "Blue Jays", but I have to say "Strange Times" is my new favorite. The only song I don't care for that much is "Sooner or later". It sounds a little "bubble gum" to me. Although John made up for it with his other songs on the album. I think that the instrumental arangements are excellent! For example, the orchestral arangements were beautiful. I'm still trying to figure out how much was real strings and how much was synths. I also think that The Moodies were much more creative on this one, maybe because they produced it themselves instead of having to listen to some record company tell them how to play, sing, and arange.I wore my cassette out and I'm going to buy the CD. Dave

This CD is an absolute MUST for any die-hard Moodies fan. I fell in love with this CD from the first moment I heard it. The range of music on this album is superb, from Ray's "My Little Lovely" to (my favorite!) Justin's "Foolish Love." Actually, I first heard a lot of the new songs in concert back in August of 1999, and I found them so irresistable that I had to go out and buy the album. I wore my first copy of the CD completely to ruins, and had to buy a second copy! THAT is how good this album is. Once you start listening, you just can't stop. I agree with another reviewer - long live the Moodies!

Even as a long time fan, "Strange Times" is a major disappointment. Justin Hayward's contributions are okay but certainly nowhere near the quality exhibited in his recent solo work (View from the Hill). I listened to it the album twice but nothing truly remarkable.

It was nice to see that Ray Thomas was allowed to make a contribution again. However, John Lodge's contributions largely detract from the album. I couldn't listen the whole way through any of his maudlin songs. I certainly agree with another Amazon review that John Lodge needs to leave the singing to Justin & Ray.

If you're a fan, you'll probably buy it anyway. Otherwise, "Strange Times" is just not on.