Dodgy compressed sound, the inimitable Alan ‘Fluff’ Freeman and the feeling of getting the band in and recording the tracks before an inevitable tea break permeate the first disc on this interesting compilation. Covering the peak years of Days Of Future Passed, In Search Of The Lost Chord, To Our Children’s Children and 1970’s UK No 1, A Question Of Balance, it kicks off with a great Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, before settling into some ropey versions of Peak Hour and Nights In White Satin.
Things pick up with full-blooded versions of …Lost Chord’s Ride My See-Saw and Best Way To Travel, from July 1968’s Top Gear. Then we get a fantastic Tuesday Afternoon, showcasing Justin Hayward’s soaring vocals, and the sheer effort the song entailed, including melodic twists, key changes and orchestral samples courtesy of the Mellotron.
Disc Two’s catalogue of TV performances from the same period offer better sound and performance quality. The 24- minute suite from …Lost Chord that dominates this disc is The Moodies in all their live glory. A veritable feast for any fan, the superb Are You Sitting Comfortably from a 1969 In Concert show and Question from a 1970 Lulu Show close proceedings with a bang.
