The Other Side of Life (1986)

WARNING!!

These reviews are given in the spirit of a personal editorial and of personal opinion. If you would find yourself offended by these views and criticisms within the body of these reviews, please do not read further. It is not our intention to offend or injure someone's views on their favourite band. We wrote these as one-time fans who now, after many years, revisited these albums and wanted to write fair and unbiased reviews of The Moody Blues' material. If indeed, a member of The Moody Blues does happen to read these reviews, please take into consideration that these are simply opinions. These reviews present an alternate perspective.
Thank You,
Shawn and Andrew Dow,
March, 2007

Album Review by Andrew Dow

Album Review by Shawn Dow

Album Review by Andrew Dow

So, after almost 20 years being with Decca Records, they were dropped! Nowhere on "The Other Side of Life" LP or CD is their any mention of the Decca Record company. I cannot understand that the Moodies would leave Decca after being part of them for so long, and I don't understand how Decca could kick them off their label. This little part of Moody Blues history is never touched upon by reviewers or fans, so I thought I would bring it up. My idea here may be dead wrong, but I thought I would bring it up to stir up some thought. Has anyone ever mentioned this little tidbit? The new label, Polydor, is usually a rock or pop label, rather than have a rock album released on the prestigious Decca Records.

The Moody Blues once again get back in the saddle. After what I can only think of as a hiatus from recording and touring, to even Justin Hayward's then blossoming solo career, they recorded "The Other Side of Life", and although their Threshold Records label is on the album, it has morphed into a more "sophisticated", "futuristic" look. All the members of the band were accounted for and ready to go, with the exclusion of Ray Thomas. Now the word on the street is that Thomas was there but didn't sing or play a note, and an alternate rumour is that Tony Visconti, the new Moody Blues producer, fresh from sessions with Justin Hayward (and who of course worked with David Bowie on "Heroes"), told Thomas not to show. What was he to do; shake a tambourine that could easily be reproduced by a drum machine now?

This album would, once again, be featured like a comeback. The band was totally revamped in its overall approach, and relied heavily, very heavily, on drum machines, programming, and production. The band didn't have the same feel or presence as on the previous albums, going for the pop/rock hit, instead of compositions. Most of the songs were of the Hayward/Lodge ilk, and Edge and Moraz had only one song they wrote together.

This era was a whole new ballgame for these guys, ushering in a comeback of a magnitude they hadn't seen since 1981. But what would it bring in terms of their content?

Your Wildest Dreams: An almost non-sensical, cosmically flavored lullaby opens Hayward's first tune, a bright, up-tempo and keyboard based pop tune. Your Wildest Dreams is a happy little sad tune of lost love. The synthetically created sound is perfect hit material for 1986 standards. The song moves along nicely enough, even it's happy little chorus, accompanied by a heavenly chorus of backing vocals. Moraz's presence is stamped all over this tune in terms of technology. The middle 8 chorus of only "ahs" is pretty, with Lodge's (I hope its Lodge's) bass bopping along. This was a massive hit for Hayward, creating the only time the Moodies would reach a No. 2 single status since "Nights In White Satin". The song is good in its delivery, but sounds so artificial, it's like listening to plastic. Its production is mammoth.

Talkin' Talkin': Forget it! The Moody Blues are not a dance band! No way! Take this album off the turntable or pull it out of the disc player this minute! A Hayward/Lodge dance tune with the whole song sounding like it came right out of Moraz's synths. The Tony Visconti sound is present here, with the song's oh so ready-made single status all over it. The song has the same sound as "Your Wildest Dreams", actually. The chorus of vocals, the middle 8 with Lodge's falsetto, once again. The guitar break is so thin and tinny, I can't make out what he's playing. The song bops along in its happy manner. Gee, maybe I like these guys when they brooded and moaned more. Then the ending, with its breakdown by turning the record faders down on the production, revealing Hayward's lost acoustic guitars, faded out quietly. Boy, is this album going to be a bumpy ride.

Rock N' Roll Over You: More overproduced keyboards and programming with this Euro-disco Lodge rocker. "Like A Rock, I'm Gonna Roll Over You?" Lame. The frenzied delivery and its "ready made hit" sound is gross to say the least. Not much melody, just a steady dance beat. What did Vicsonti do to these guys? This song starts to drag not even 2 minutes in, and its padded. The keyboards are all over the place. Gee, maybe Moraz did ruin the Moodies after all, although I'm convinced by this point that its Tony Visconti's fault. The breakdown bass (I hope its bass) solo, but by its technically precise sound, after all these years I am convinced that its Patrick Moraz playing it. The song goes absolutely nowhere and the ending is a riot! The programming sounds like the computers crashing and the samples in a loop. Drivel.

I Just Don't Care: More programming and little things that go "ding" accompany the first Hayward ballad with his hallmark acoustic guitar (buried in the mix). The song itself is pretty, but has a horrendous climax with Hayward's guitar played through much processing. A slow dance number to be played at a middle-school sock-hop. This new image the Moody Blues had just didn't fit them. I guess they "Just Didn't Care".

Running Out of Love: The Moodies go into a synth, blues riff with the second Hayward/Lodge composition that actually sounds like the band may actually be playing together. I like the bass run in this one, but all those effects and processing make the song hard to listen to. The chorus is all right, but forgettable. The guitar solo is nice to a degree, with Hayward once again repeating the vocal line and playing it safe once again. The song has that "nasty boy" sound to it, but the Moodies cannot honestly pull this one off as their own. The ending of the song goes on for quite a while, featuring a solo by Moraz, with a myriad of sounds that just sound like a stupid jumble. A good song, ruined by 80's production excess.

The Other Side of Life: Finally, a real song! The Moodies go Bluesy with this 12 bar blues number in a mellow rock style. The strong Hayward vocals and electronically produced bass line. It is repetitive, true, but it's probably one of the best tunes so far on this album. The nice keyboard work to enhance the melody works well alongside the acoustic guitars. The keyboards get a little gimmicky at times, but they work here. Allanah Miles did "Black Velvet" a few years later, and it sounds somewhat like this tune in terms of feel. The "baby, baby, baby's" from Hayward are a little too much at times. Then the guitar solo. Not too bad for Hayward really, if somewhat brief. Then the song tends to drag and starts to wear out its freshness and ends up feeling dull. The ending is nice, all backed by the hi-hat in 6/8 time, but this tune died long ago.

The Spirit: In the fine tradition of "After You Came" and "I'll Be Level With You" we have a song whose introduction used to make me break down in riotous laughter. The song is just like those other song, with its multi-part structure with its feel going from straight rock to an attempt at complex changes. The changes are not that complex for these guys and sound contrived. The effect-laden vocals at some points in this song are good for a laugh. More schizophrenic prog-rock from Moraz and Edge. Moraz is running the show on this tune, at times sounding like his solo albums with Hayward, Lodge and Edge going along for the ride. Hammy and labourious.

Slings And Arrows: More programming here with another blues run, this time from what sounds like a real bass this time. We get a semi-shuffle from Hayward and Lodge which is a nice change for this band. This song, even through it's processing, sounds fresher and brighter. The immense amount of effects and the obviously sampled main guitar run hurt the song. The middle 8 here doesn't fit the song. I hate the sampling on Hayward's voice with a passion and it is so obvious. The song is about breaking up a relationship and the "slings and arrows" that ensue. Then the song goes into a constant string of repeats with that sampled guitar run at the end, I really start hating this album.

It May Be A Fire: Lodge pulls the album back to reality with what may be one of his best songs. I really like this tune. A perfect, slow dance tune really, I think I may have heard this one played at a middle school sock-hop! It is so ready made for that type of venue. I like all the changes in the tune, the vocals by Lodge are well sung, the chorus and its middle 8 section lifts the song up and features a nicely played Moraz solo. Then, the song runs into its big climax to feature what is probably the best Hayward guitar solo I've ever heard! Hayward really pulls it off on this tune. Great runs, maintaining the melody and then extrapolating it. Using what is undoubtedly his Gibson to get that great sustain. He even gets a little dirty sounding. Bravo, Justin!

Summary

Once again, the comeback kid wins the match! The Moody Blues scored a big one. No, not a big one, a massive one with this album. "Your Wildest Dreams" and "The Other Side of Life" (to a smaller degree) placed the Moody Blues back on the commercial map. Even the video to "Your Wildest Dreams' was the most requested video on MTV in 1986! The Moody Blues went into commercial overdrive here as well, producing videos to boot. Not that they didn't do it for "The Present" and "Long Distance Voyager", but in this period especially, where the image meant more than the message: an axiom that still holds over to this day mind you.

Their success was massive, but at what a cost. They stripped themselves down from writing songs they wanted, to producing every song as though it were a ready-made hit single. The barrage of keyboards and effects taking precedent over the material. Musicians being replaced by machines is another annoying aspect to this album. In some cases you can't tell when someone is playing and when they are not. The recording itself is another annoyance. It's in a specific mid-range with dull highs and barely any bass at all, as if it's tailor-made for radio airplay. If not for some moments like "It May Be A Fire" and parts of "Your Wildest Dreams", I would have thrown this album out the window.

In some of the press interviews I saw of Justin Hayward and John Lodge during this period, one thing struck me in particular. John Lodge told Red Robinson that the idea for "The Other Side of Life", "originated from Hailey's comet". Now, Hailey's comet did make it's scheduled flyby during '86, but what the album has in common with that celestial event I cannot comprehend. The only link I can see is the little thing that swirls outside the albums header. High concept there, folks.

The impact of Tony Visconti here on this is quite apparent. He turned the Moody Blues from being a band that stood for individuality and artistic freedom, to them literally selling their souls to the devil in exchange for fame and fortune. This album is a truly black mark on the bands prestige, but wait; there was more to come.

Star Rating (out of 5)

*1/2 out of *****

Album Review by Shawn Dow

Watch for an upcoming Review by Shawn Dow