Album review: JUSTIN HAYWARD – Spirits of the Western Sky

Eagle Records (Released 25th February)

The Moody Blues main man Justin Hayward returns with his first solo album since 1996. The album was recorded in Nashville and Genoa and features a few musical adventures with a couple of bluegrass/country tunes and two dance remixes!

As the voice of the Moody Blues as you’d expect much of the album reminds you of the band, especially ‘On The Road To Love’ which sounds like a long lost Moody Blues song from the late 80′s/early 90′s era – a great song. Also Kenny Loggins co-wrote the song and appears as guest vocalist. There is a lot of West Coast AOR flavoured songs including ‘Lazy Afternoon’ and ‘One Day, Someday’, the latter enriched by Anne Dudley’s string arrangements. There is also an extended version of ‘One Day, Someday’.

The bluegrass/country of ‘It’s Cold Outside Of Your Heart’ and ‘What You Resit Persists’ (a nice backwards looking lyric that name checks a few historical moments of the Moody Blues) really suits Justin Hayward’s voice and based on these two songs an album of similar tunes could well be a future offering from him.

Now for the two songs that I am sure will have some fans choking on their tea and biscuits…a dance version of the Moody Blues classic ‘Out There Somewhere’, which I actually like and a six minutes plus Raul Rincon remix which pushes my limits it has to be said. But if it exposes the Moody Blues wonderful music to a whole new audience then it’s job done.

Lovely album, wonderfully lush musical arrangements and of course the timeless vocals of Justin Hayward, who has lost none of his vocal prowess. If you’re a fan you will enjoy this album, well at least until you hit the two dance tunes…

****

Jason Ritchie

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)