Review Summary: "Lose your money, but don't lose your mind. Lose your woman, but don't go with mine."
Ah, The Moody Blues. A band that, despite differences in music and a much more quality discography, would be relegated to the shadow of The Beatles for most of the beginning of their career. The year was 1965, The Beatles were working on the soundtrack for the film "Help!" which they would eventually release later that August. Meanwhile, The Moody Blues were busy working on their Merseybeat debut
The Magnificent Moodies. At the time of it's release, the album received mixed reviews for it's Blues and Merseybeat influences, and they were wrongly accused of being Beatles copycats. Despite that, their debut was a commercial success and their cover of
Go Now became a rousing singles success.
One thing could not be denied from listening to this album, it had loads of potential. From Denny Laine's quality harmonica playing in
Can't Nobody Love You to the amazing vocal performances in
Something You Got, it was clear that this quintet had a lot to prove. The problem lies in some of the other songs.
Thank You Baby has abysmal sound quality; whatever they were using to record that track, it just was not good. Not to mention the uninteresting
It Ain't Necessarily So which treads a somber tone in its vocal delivery but largely misses the mark with the instruments overtaking the vocals at points.
There are other quality tracks on here though.
True Story is my favorite track on the album, an amazing Rock track with a hefty dose of quality guitar playing from virtuoso Denny Laine.
Bye Bye Bird is an eccentric combination of pounding drums, crazy shakers, and some of the best harmonica usage on the entire record. It's with these tracks that I'm reminded why Denny Laine was so far ahead of his time back then, he was a man who could play instruments like nothing and do it to a level that was unmatched at the time.
The Magnificent Moodies was about as good as a debut as it was most likely going to get. However, if you had asked me at the tail end of 1965 which album was better; this or
Help!, I would have said this album hands down.
The Magnificent Moodies was much more fun, energetic, and interesting to listen to. Sure it would be a bit before The Moody Blues would truly tap into their potential, but with this debut, they proved they were nothing to scoff at.
