Blue Jays (Justin Hayward/John Lodge) 5

This is an absolutely outstanding album. This is one of the major stages of the story of how I got into the Moody Blues. It all started when I downloaded a Rush show from 1978, and heard the song 'Nights Winters Years' (although at the time I had no idea what it was) as their introductory music. I was absolutely captivated by it, and in my lust to find out who had written this masterpiece and what it was called, I typed what lyrics I could decipher from the somewhat flawed recording into Google and it told me that it was by two fellows called Justin Hayward and John Lodge, who, after a little research, I found out were better known for their work with the Moody Blues, who I investigated a little while after getting to know the album Blue Jays, which I acquired immediately after I discovered it (although it was very difficult to find). My immediate impression was that the album wasn't anything special, save the intro, a number called 'This Morning' which has a neat acoustic introduction and then becomes heavier, and of course 'Nights Winters Years'. However, after repeated listens, I started to marvel at other songs on the album too. A mellow acoustic number called 'I Dreamed Last Night' and a Lodge composition called 'Saved By The Music' started to become lodged in my mind, and when I finally fell in love with a sombre yet beautiful song called 'Blue Guitar' (which I think was only added on the second edition of the album), this album's place amongst my very favourites was complete. The musicianship is not overly complex, however Hayward in particular manages to pick the perfect tone and chordsmanship for his songs every single time. Another thing which struck me was the sheer beauty of Justin Hayward's voice. It was after listening to 'Nights In White Satin' that my respect for this man's voice originated from, but listening to Blue Jays reminds me that Justin Hayward's voice is one worthy of the pantheon of rock n roll greats, if he is not the very greatest of them all. The tenderness it displays in 'Blue Guitar', the power of 'Saved By The Music' and the mixture that is displayed in 'I Dreamed Last Night' and 'Who Are You Now' is something to marvel at, and for all the credit given to Freddie Mercury by most rock fans, it is something Mercury has not even come close to matching. Blue Jays is a fantastic album, even good enough to rival Days Of Future Passed.