The Moody Blues - 1994 "Time Traveller" [5 CD Box]

Time Traveller is a five-disc compilation album by The Moody Blues. The set is presented in strict chronological order, beginning with the 1966 addition of Justin Hayward and John Lodge (omitting the earlier Denny Laine and Clint Warwick-led R&B period), shortly before the release of Days of Future Passed, and continuing through 1993's A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. The set includes several previously unreleased or rare tracks, songs from the Hayward/Lodge album Blue Jays, and a solo track ("Forever Autumn") by Hayward.

The bonus fifth disc contains a contribution to the FIFA album Soccer Rocks the Globe otherwise unavailable on a Moody Blues album, plus eight live recordings that were cut from the original 1993 release of A Night at Red Rocks with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra but later included in the 2003 2-CD deluxe re-release of A Night at Red Rocks.

When the Moody Blues were due for the box set treatment, it would have been uncharacteristic for the production to be lacking in overstated grandiosity. On that count, this four-CD retrospective does not disappoint, including the bulk of their most famous work (from their 1967-1972 albums), lots from their later records and side projects, and a few rarities. This package is designed more for the band's fanatics, as opposed to a definitive overview for newcomers; the albums (which were specifically programmed to work as separate entities) remain readily available, there's too much late stuff and Hayward/Blue Jays tracks, and there's nothing from the Denny Laine era. The three non-LP 1967 cuts that open the set are available on the double import LP A Dream (still possible to find), an album that also has the additional 1967 B-side "Really Haven't Got the Time," which somehow doesn't make it onto Time Traveller...The liner notes are pretty good and extensive, and the first printings of the box include a bonus disc of a 1992 concert with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.

Had several greatest hit s compilation of the moody blues in the past and found this one is absolutely the best version. Leave all the rest on their shelves as this one blows them all away. Liner notes, discography, etc. the best I have seen. Production excellent, each song lovingly restored from analog and digitally remastered as in most box sets today. Each song picked by producer to be favorite. My wife agrees with me that this is her favorite version of this groups anthology. The wife knows 60's and 70's music like I do and we grew up with this group as one of our very favorite. Excellent and would recommend this compilation for any serious moody blues lover or just someone in general who loves good music.

5-CDs with all the key tracks from their albums remastered from the original tapes, salted with some intriguing rarities, such as the first two singles with Justin Hayward, Fly Me High and Love and Beauty; Cities , the B-side of Nights in White Satin (which appears here in its original album mix); Justin Hayward's Forever Autumn from War of the Worlds, and an unreleased track. The set includes a 48-page booklet with notes, credits and photos good for a Tuesday afternoon or two!

Tracks Listing:

DISC ONE
1. Fly Me High
2. Love And Beauty
3. Cities
4. Tuesday Afternoon
5. Nights In White Satin
6. Ride My See-Saw
7. Legend Of A Mind
8. House Of Four Doors
9. Voices In The Sky
10. The Best Way To Travel
11. The Actor
12. In The Beginning
13. Lovely To See You
14. Dear Diary
15. Never Comes The Day
16. Are You Sitting Comfortably
17. The Dream
18. Have You Heard Part 1
19. The Voyage
20. Have You Heard Part 2

DISC TWO
21. Higher And Higher
22. Gypsy
23. Eyes Of A Child
24. Never Thought I'd Live To Be A Hundred
25. Beyond
26. Out And In
27. Candle Of Life
28. Never Thought I'd Live To Be A Million
29. Watching And Waiting
30. Question
31. Don't You Feel Small
32. It's Up To You
33. Minstrel's Song
34. Dawning Is The Day
35. Melancholy Man
36. Procession
37. The Story In Your Eyes
38. One More Time To Live
39. You Can never Go Home
40. My Song

DISC THREE
41. Lost In A Lost World
42. New Horizons
43. For My Lady
44. Isn't Life Strange
45. You And Me
46. I'm Just A Singer
47. This Morning
48. Remember Me, My Friend
49. My Brother
50. Saved By The Music
51. I Dreamed Last Night
52. When You Wake Up
53. Blue Guitar
54. Steppin' In A Slide Zone
55. Driftwood
56. The Day We Meet Again

DISC FOUR
57. Forever Autumn /
58. The Voice
59. Talking Out Of Turn
60. Gemini Dream
61. Blue World
62. Sitting At The Wheel
63. Running Water
64. Your Wildest Dreams
65. The Other Side Of Life
66. I Know You're Out There Somewhere
67. No More Lies
68. Say It With Love
69. Bless The Wings
70. Lean On Me
71. Highway

DISC FIVE: BONUS DISC
72. This Is The Moment
Encore - Live at Red Rocks:
73. The Story In Your Eyes
74. Voices In The Sky
75. New Horizons
76. Emily's Song
77. Bless The Wings
78. Say It With Love
79. Legend Of A Mind
80. Gemini Dream

Line-up / Musicians:

- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass guitar, vocals
(except on Disc Three, track 13 and Disc Four, track 1)
- Ray Thomas / harmonica, flute, vocals
(except on Disc Three, tracks 7-13 and Disc Four, track 1)
- Graeme Edge / drums, percussion (except on Disc Three, tracks 7-13 and Disc Four, track 1)
- Mike Pinder / keyboards and vocals on Disc One, Disc Twoand Disc Three, tracks 1-6 and tracks 14-16
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards on Disc Four, tracks 2-11