A Question Of Balance (The Moody Blues, 1970)

Ah, some core-7 Moodies at last. This album is best known as a "simplification" album, going against the increasing trend of the band to record material that studio-only. What is remarkable about the album is that they maintain their trademark sound. In the effort to "get back" to the basics, they could have elected to go acoustic/folk, go back to the "Go Now" era (highly unlikely from various statements by the band from this era) or something about as drastic. Instead it was more a matter of each band member sticking to what they did best. On 1968's In Search of the Lost Chord, they collectively played over 30 instruments. On this album, just about the only multi-instrumentalist in Justin Hayward, who doubles on both acoustic and electric guitar. While I normally don't consider flute and mellotron to be simple instruments for a rock band, each player focuses on just those instruments throughout. Because the mellotron can produce a symphonic effect all by itself, it gives the album a much more lush feel than an acoustic approach. That's why a song like "Melancholy Man" sounds way out there, but probably was not all that difficult to reproduce.

I think some people get hung up on this album being too rootsy. The final two albums which followed this one seem to move the tide back toward a more studio-produced sound, which leads many to view this album as a failure. On various compilations, usually only "Question" gets ample representation. While A Question of Balance was unarguably the bands attempt to create an entire album around simpler production techniques, each prior album had a "rocker" or two somewhere in its lineup. Therefore, I don't think it's too jarring a transition, nor do I see it as a one-off failed experiment. Simply listen to the first side (the first five tracks, for the non-vinyl world) and each band member checks in (Hayward, Pinder, Thomas, Edge, Lodge). Even in the mixed-up of world of Moody Blues writing credits, it is remarkable to see a completely evenly spread out presentation.