Strange Times (The Moody Blues album)

Last updated
Strange Times
Strangetimes.jpg
Studio album by
The Moody Blues
Released17 August 1999
RecordedDecember 1997 – June 1999
Studio Mulinetti, Recco, Italy
Genre Rock
Length57:33
Label Universal Records
Producer The Moody Blues
The Moody Blues chronology
Anthology
(1998)		Strange Times
(1999)		 Hall of Fame
(2000)
Singles from Strange Times
  1. "English Sunset"
    Released: August 1999
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]

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.

The Moody Blues English band

The Moody Blues are 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.

Acoustic guitar type of guitar

An acoustic guitar is a guitar that produces sound acoustically by transmitting the vibration of the strings to the air—as opposed to relying on electronic amplification (see electric guitar). The sound waves from the strings of an acoustic guitar resonate through the guitar's body, creating sound. This typically involves the use of a sound board and a sound box to strengthen the vibrations of the strings. In standard tuning the guitar's six strings are tuned (low to high) E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4.

Electric guitar electrified guitar; fretted stringed instrument with a neck and body that uses a pickup to convert the vibration of its strings into electrical signals

An electric guitar is a guitar that uses one or more pickups to convert the vibration of its strings into electrical signals. The vibration occurs when a guitar player strums, plucks, fingerpicks, slaps or taps the strings. The pickup generally uses electromagnetic induction to create this signal, which being relatively weak is fed into a guitar amplifier before being sent to the speaker(s), which converts it into audible sound.

Contents

Track listing

  1. "English Sunset" (Justin Hayward) — 5:05
  2. "Haunted" (Hayward) — 4:31
  3. "Sooner or Later (Walkin' on Air)" (Hayward, John Lodge) — 3:49
  4. "Wherever You Are" (Lodge) — 3:35
  5. "Foolish Love" (Hayward) — 3:56
  6. "Love Don't Come Easy" (Lodge) — 4:33
  7. "All That Is Real Is You" (Hayward) — 3:33
  8. "Strange Times" (Hayward, Lodge) — 4:29
  9. "Words You Say" (Lodge) — 5:31
  10. "My Little Lovely" (Ray Thomas) — 1:45
  11. "Forever Now" (Lodge) — 4:37
  12. "The One" (Hayward, Lodge) — 3:39
  13. "The Swallow" (Hayward) — 4:58
  14. "Nothing Changes" (Graeme Edge) — 3:32

Personnel

Justin Hayward British musician; songwriter, lead singer, guitarist for Moody Blues

Justin David Hayward is an English musician best known as songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist for the rock band the Moody Blues. In 2018, Hayward was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside the Moody Blues.

John Lodge (musician) British musician; bass guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter of The Moody Blues

John Charles Lodge is an English musician, best known as bass guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter of the longstanding rock group 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.

Ray Thomas British musician

Raymond Thomas was an English musician, flautist, singer, founding member and composer in the English progressive rock band the Moody Blues. His flute solo on the band's 1967 hit single "Nights in White Satin" is regarded as one of progressive rock's "defining moments." In 2018, Thomas was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues.

Additional personnel

Chart positions

Album

YearChartPosition
1999 Billboard 200 93
UK Albums Chart 92

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References

  1. ↑ Strange Times at AllMusic


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