Spirits of the Western Sky | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 26 February 2013 | |||
Recorded | 2012 Genoa, Italy Nashville, USA | |||
Label | Eagle Records | |||
Producer | Justin Hayward Albert Parodi | |||
Justin Hayward chronology | ||||
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Spirits of the Western Sky is a solo album by Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues. It was Hayward's first solo album since his 1996 album The View from the Hill . [1]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [2] |
Classic Rock Revisited | B [3] |
Express | 4/5 [4] |
Record Collector | [5] |
Sea of Tranquility | [6] |
The album was recorded in Genoa in Italy and in Nashville. On it, Hayward explores new areas – country and bluegrass on tracks like "What You Resist Persists", "Broken Dream" from The View from the Hill and "It’s Cold Outside of Your Heart" from The Moody Blues' 1983 album The Present.
Orchestration on the album is by Anne Dudley, an English composer and pop musician who has worked in both classical and pop genres. She is particularly known as a core member of the synthpop band Art of Noise, and as a film composer.
Hayward co-wrote the song "On The Road To Love" with Kenny Loggins. The two artists were both on the road at that time and they were staying at the same hotel. Loggins also plays and sings on the track. [7]
The bluegrass cover track of "It's Cold Outside Of Your Heart" was originally recorded for and released on the 2011 bluegrass tribute album Moody Bluegrass TWO...Much Love. [8] [9]
All songs written by Justin Hayward unless otherwise noted.
Chart (2013) | Peak position |
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Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [10] | 95 |
UK Albums (OCC) [11] | 81 |
US Billboard 200 [12] | 142 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [13] | 25 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [14] | 36 |
The Moody Blues were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1964, initially consisting of keyboardist Mike Pinder, multi-instrumentalist Ray Thomas, guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge and bassist Clint Warwick. The group came to prominence playing rhythm and blues. They made some changes in musicians but settled on a line-up of Pinder, Thomas, Edge, guitarist Justin Hayward and bassist John Lodge, who stayed together for most of the band's "classic era" into the early 1970s. Edge was the group’s sole continuous member throughout their entire history.
A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra is a live album by The Moody Blues, recorded from a live performance at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre on 9 September 1992. This performance was the first time The Moody Blues performed in concert backed by a full orchestra. The concert was held in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their second album, Days of Future Passed, which had featured the London Festival Orchestra. The full video of this concert was broadcast as a fundraising broadcast for PBS in the United States.
On the Threshold of a Dream is the fourth album by The Moody Blues, released in April 1969 on the Deram label.
David Justin Hayward is an English musician best known as the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist of the rock band the Moody Blues. Hayward became the group's principal lead guitarist and vocalist over the 1967–1974 period, and the most prolific songwriter and composer of several international hit singles for the band.
In Search of the Lost Chord is the third album by The Moody Blues, released in July 1968 on the Deram label.
Seventh Sojourn is the eighth album by the Moody Blues, recorded at Decca Studio 4 on Tollington Park in North London, and released in 1972.
Octave is the ninth album by The Moody Blues, released in 1978, and their first release after a substantial hiatus following the success of the best-selling Seventh Sojourn in 1972. The album proved to be the last for the group with keyboardist Mike Pinder, who left during the album's sessions and declined an offer to tour with the group. He had just started a new family in California, and found that he was not getting along with his bandmates as he previously had. Pinder would be replaced by former Yes keyboardist Patrick Moraz in time for their 1978-1979 tour, beginning a new era in the band's history. Octave would also be the final studio album from the band produced by Tony Clarke.
Graeme Charles Edge was an English musician, songwriter and poet, best known as the co-founder and drummer of the English band the Moody Blues. In addition to his work with the Moody Blues, Edge worked as the bandleader of his own outfit, the Graeme Edge Band. He contributed his talents to a variety of other projects throughout his career. In 2018, Edge was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.
The Present is the eleventh album by the Moody Blues, released in 1983. This was the group's last original studio album to be released on their custom label, Threshold Records.
John Charles Lodge is an English musician, best known as bass guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter of the longstanding rock band the Moody Blues. He has also worked as a record producer and has collaborated with other musicians outside the band. In 2018, Lodge was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.
Sur la Mer is the thirteenth album by The Moody Blues. It was released in 1988. It features the hit single "I Know You're Out There Somewhere", a sequel to their 1986 hit "Your Wildest Dreams". Much of the music on the album would fit in the "synthpop" genre, though it does bear more rock and acoustic influences than its predecessor.
Keys of the Kingdom is the fourteenth album by the rock band the Moody Blues, released in 1991. Although some of the tracks recall the songwriting on Sur la Mer, the failure of Keys of the Kingdom to produce any major hit singles would mark the beginning of the Moodies' decline in popularity with mainstream audiences after their success in the MTV video generation.
Strange Times is the fifteenth album by the rock band the Moody Blues, released in 1999. The sound features mostly acoustic guitar, slightly processed electric guitar, light organ, flute, and string arrangements, with heavy synthesizer use in the fast-paced opening track, "English Sunset." This was the last Moody Blues album to feature longtime flautist and vocalist Ray Thomas.
"Tuesday Afternoon" is a 1968 song written by Justin Hayward that was first released by English symphonic rock band the Moody Blues on their 1967 album Days of Future Passed and later released as a single.
"Your Wildest Dreams" is a 1986 single by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues, written by Justin Hayward. The song was first released as a single, and later released on the Moody Blues' 1986 album The Other Side of Life.
"I Know You're Out There Somewhere" is a 1988 single by the English rock band the Moody Blues. It was written by guitarist Justin Hayward, and it is the sequel to the Moody Blues' 1986 single "Your Wildest Dreams", also written by Hayward. It is the band's final Top 40 single in the United States, peaking at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues, released in 1989. The band recorded new versions of "Isn't Life Strange" and "Question" with orchestration by the London Symphony Orchestra. The arrangements were overseen by Anne Dudley, who also produced the recordings with Justin Hayward and John Lodge. The album was re-released as The Story of the Moody Blues – Legend of a Band in 1990 to coincide with the release of the documentary of the same name.
Hall of Fame is a live album by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues. It was recorded at a concert performed at the Royal Albert Hall, which included backing by a live orchestra. The album was released on 8 August 2000. It is the second Moody Blues live album to feature a live orchestra, with the first being A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. This is the last live release to feature Ray Thomas. A decade on, all but "Overture" and "Legend of a Mind" appeared on the budget release Live at the Royal Albert Hall with the World Festival Orchestra released by Sony Music Custom Marketing Group in the United States. The concert is also available on DVD.
Justin Hayward and Friends Sing the Moody Blues Classic Hits is an album by Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues with the Frankfurt Rock Orchestra and Michael Sadler of Saga and Shaun Williamson as guest-singers. It's an album of tracks taken from the Moody Blues discography, played with orchestral arrangements with lead vocal duties being taken in turn by Hayward, Sadler, and Williamson.
Moody Bluegrass is a bluegrass music project that produced two tribute albums to the British progressive rock band the Moody Blues. The albums consist of bluegrass-style cover versions of Moody Blues songs performed by a variety of noted bluegrass and country music artists.