Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Moody Blues, The
Label: Decca Records
Released: 1970
Running time: 38:35
Rating: 4.5/5
»A Question of Balance« was the sixth studio outing from the thrilling workshop of British symphonic prog rock champions The Moody Blues, who by the early seventies had earned themselves cult status and enjoyed huge respect from plenty of their prog contemporaries. On this project, no less ambitious than its studio predecessors, the Moodys went for a sonic refresh, clipping the wings of the overdubbing and trimming the traditionally lush symphonic arrangements just a touch. At the same time they decided to shed many of the psychedelic elements of their past, since psychedelia was no longer a badge of innovation by then and, for musical adventurers of their standing, already smacked of anachronism.
»A Question of Balance« mostly features shorter compositions that, as ever, positively bristle with mighty orchestral arrangements, branching acoustic passages, hypnotic multi-part harmonies and rhythmic dynamism. The opening »Question«, ruled by an ethereal lead vocal and acoustic guitar from its author Justin Hayward, is one of the most vivid evergreens in the story of these British legends and, without a doubt, by far the best-known track on the album. This timeless piece is marked by a galloping rhythm, pleasantly harmonized acoustic guitar passages, pompous orchestral arrangements on the Mellotron and mighty vocal harmonies. The pacifist lyrics, with their critique of the Vietnam War still smoldering at the time, surely did a lot for its fame too, since it was the first time in their career that the Moodys dared to poke the embers with outright social criticism. The song’s original title was actually supposed to be »A Question of Balance«, but in the end they decided to shorten it.
On the mystically atmospheric »How Is It (We Are Here)«, keyboardist Mike Pinder shines, using the Mellotron to conjure up a pile of hypnotic curtains of sound and seasoning the already exceptional mood with his mysterious vocal. Ray Thomas does a great job stepping up as lead singer on the pastoral love ballad »And The Tide Rushes In«, where tasteful arrangements on mandolin, acoustic guitar and Mellotron create a warm, solemn mood in the background. Thomas reportedly got his inspiration for it from a row with his wife, which the lyrics, with their lack of a happy ending, seem to suggest.
The ethereal treat »Don’t You Feel Small«, where bassist John Lodge takes the lead vocal over playful flute and hypnotic vocal harmonies, is pretty much the prototype of Moody Blues mysticism, with a thrilling tempo shift in the middle section. Interestingly, its author was drummer Graeme Edge, who also contributed the whispering backing vocal. Lodge’s creation »Tortoise And the Hare«, which draws on the old fable of the tortoise and the hare and has a few psychedelic ambient flourishes, features a pretty beefy guitar riff by Moody standards, while the infectious vocal harmonies are once again top-notch.
Written as a radio hit and crowned with gorgeous acoustic arrangements, Hayward’s gem »It’s Up to You« is especially impressive for its super melodic, emotional-to-the-tenth-power, almost Beatles-like chorus. Strangely, it never made much of a noticeable splash, which is a real shame. The psychedelic-pastoral »Minstrel’s Song«, where hypnotic vocal harmonies reign over mighty acoustic accompaniment, contains an interesting twist into a ‘cheerful’ ambient section, where bassist Lodge takes over the lead vocal. Armed with acoustic guitar passages, »Dawning Is the Day« is yet another full-blooded Moody classic, and there’s no mistaking that its author is the all-round talent Hayward, who once again moves you with his trademark, emotionally lavish vocal performance, while mighty orchestral-pastoral arrangements on Mellotron and flute flourish in the background. On the lament »Melancholy Man«, keyboardist Pinder gets his moment again, creating a truly harrowing atmosphere with inconsolable choral harmonies.
The closing »The Balance«, where Pinder takes the lead as a reciter and Lodge handles the lead vocal in the chorus, is a kind of conceptual sequel to the opening classic »Question«, which means it again deals with the horrors of the Vietnam War, but with an important difference in the lyrics. While »Question« dealt with the negative aspects and senselessness of wars in general, the positive, optimistic message of »The Balance« is about the capacity for forgiveness and the potential brotherhood between seeming, artificially created enemies, in other words the ultimate victory of love over hatred. That optimism comes through nicely in the middle of the festive chorus, where exuberant multi-part harmonies and symphonic curtains of Mellotron take over.
With »A Question of Balance«, The Moody Blues cemented their reputation as a ‘people’s’ progressive rock band. They dropped the complex overdubbing technique that marked their earlier albums and tweaked their sound a bit to fit what they could pull off on stage at the time, which made the live shows considerably easier. The response to the album was phenomenal right from release: it easily climbed to number one on the British charts and number three on the American ones, while »Question« rose all the way to number two on the British charts, which means they were still playing one of the key roles in popularizing progressive rock.
Lineup
Justin Hayward – vocals, guitar, mandolin
John Lodge – vocals, bass guitar
Ray Thomas – vocals, flute, tambourine
Graeme Edge – drums, percussion, spoken vocals on “Don’t You Feel Small”
Mike Pinder – vocals, Mellotron, Moog synthesizer
Production
Tony Clarke
Track list
1. Question
2. How Is It (We Are Here)
3. And the Tide Rushes In
4. Don’t You Feel Small
5. Tortoise and the Hare
6. It’s Up to You
7. Minstrel’s Song
8. Dawning is the Day
9. Melancholy Man
10. The Balance
