This should be part of every "Moodies" fan's collection - and should create a legion of new fans!!!
353490
Excellent acoustic performance of new songs and old 'Moodies' classics, great storytelling, and the extra 60 minutes of documentary footage was interesting and entertaining.  I attended the show in Atlanta where this was filmed, and the only criticism I have is that the curtain act's (Mike Dawes) performance was not included in the DVD, however he joins the Justin Hayward performance after the opening song to play accompaniment with the other two band members Alan Hewitt and Julie Ragans and it works very well.  There is a short bit of "Boogie Shred" by Mike Dawes in the documentary - so you get a taste of his solo performance - love the "GoPro' camera attached to the head of the guitar where you see the finger work on the fret board.  Hayward is an absolute legend and Dawes is a young rising talent - with consummate, experienced pros like Hewitt and Ragins the quality of the production and amazing content make this a 5-star PLUS!!!!
1973993
Review # 32. I've been wanting this CD for ages. Recorded at the Royal Albert Hall on December 12, 1969. 'Caught Live + 5' just shows us how far ahead of their time the Moody Blues actually were. So many fantastic art rock, progressive (whatever you wish to call it) vintage tunes here - several I simply do not remember. It was great hearing the beautifully played "Dr. Livingston, I Presume", the catchy "Never Comes The Day", the inventive "Peak Hour", "Tuesday Afternoon", "Are You Sitting Comfortably?" {great flute playing}, "Nights In White Satin", the trippy "Legend Of A Mind" and "Ride My See Saw". Plus, the five extra studio cuts are nice as well - liked "Please Think About It" and the well played "Long Summer Days" the best. A must have.
3782341
OK first off I have to tell you that after listening to this CD 10000000000000000000000 times and seeing their show twice, I am still finding new things about it that I love. For one thing the entire concept of the project is BRILLIANT!!!! On so many levels. I love that every little thing was thought about and executed perfectly. And I love that it's so personal, and that it is geared toward a more mature audience than the last one. It gets me in mind of Queen/Beach Boys/Billy Joel. The vocals are spot on, the riffs are unique, the drum beats/loops (what ever they are called) are fantastic. And just the progression of the album in general is genious. There is such a broad range of songs on the album there is sure to be something to suit all tastes and likely something that will change your mind about some types of music you thought you wouldn't enjoy. These boys have serious skills, and have thought out every little detail. This is a major plus for Canadian Music, and just the music industry in general as it lets us know that it's not all fluff.
A MUST have for anyones collection.
2550260
Feast your ears on this! I'm totally loving the songs on this collection. Honestly, I was more of a casual World Party fan before I bought this 5-CD set. I owned two World Party albums and liked them a lot (especially the amazing "Goodbye Jumbo") but I'd never really taken the full plunge until I ordered this monster.

First all, I think this is great value for the money. You get 5 CDs, full to the brim with great tunes, many of which even longtime fans have not heard before. I'm not crazy about the notebook packaging, but I can't put up with it. I just keep the CDs in a separate place. But the music is what really matters, and once again Karl Wallinger, recording as World Party, shows his genius musical skills throughout this delightful set of recordings. Whether he's doing covers or originals, the songs all stick in your head. Sure, there is the obvious Beatles influence --- including a handful of Beatles' covers  --- but Wallinger is quite his own man too and these songs all resonate with his distinctive musical touch. Whether you are a casual fan or a hardcover fan, this box/book of CDs is akin to a musical treasure chest, and one you will be happy with having.
3260142
i am not sure how to write this review without sounds like a turncoat.

i love amy winehouse, in spite of the recent tumult of bad press.  i don't think i'll ever stop loving her or her astringent lyrics about toxic relationships or the rough patches in her life.

but now that i have sharon jones and the dap kings in my radar, i am beginning to wonder who else is working the retro sound to such a fabulous effect?

is carmel still doing her thing in england? and how about lisa stansfield?  i hope someone is getting these ladies back to the studio so they can reclaim part of this rich section of the musical landscape.

anyway, back to the subject at hand.  the disc is fabulous. the lyrics are perfect for our time without the inclusion of expletives so they're perfect for a dance class in the bible belt(trust me, this is an important aspect when buying new music). jones' style is gritty and funky without excessive riffs and with maximum use of technique. the girl sings! i would have cast her as the lead in a film version of a certain musical about a black girl group. and i would speculate that dreamworks would not have had to run her as best supporting anything if they wanted her to win something.

the band is fabulous!  the style is perfect and the engineering makes it sound just like they're playing in your space.

truly, this discovery was the BEST thing to come out of a saturday matinee of 'baby mama'. a definite must have for retro soul fans!
2051141
If you are a new Dispatch fan and are looking to get a good feel for them, you need to get this! Bang Bang is a collection of 10 potential hit singles that include poppy songs like "Here We Go", "Railway", and the title track. It also has their most famous  "The General" which is an amazing and catchy acoustic song! It also has beautiful acoustic ballads such as "Two Coins" and "Outloud", you cant forget the rock side of Dispatch with "Mission"! If you like more rock, i suggest "Who Are We Living For?", more pop/reggae "4 Day Trials or the acoustic ballad "Silent Steeples" I suggest you eventually get all of these albums, but you have to start off with Bang Bang first! These guys are going to be HUGE very very soon, i suggest you hop on the Dispatch band wagon now and go see them live. YOU HAVE TO BUY THIS ALBUM!
4239542
This is a must for all true fans! I have watched it 7 times in a row and can't get enough of it. It's almost like being part of making the album. If you ever wondered what the origional title of "I Missed Again"  was, you will get a chance to hear a bit of the origional demo tapes. If  you want to hear "Hand in Hand" being played backwards on a track  of "Tommorow Never Knows" this is it! There is so much detail!  Hugh Padgham, the Engineer, sits with Phil and plays back individual tracks  from the original tapes...and they explain how it was done. Includes guitar  by Eric Clapton and strings by Ravi Shankar!  It even has a previously  unrelaesed full length music video of "If Leaving Me is Easy" as  well as  a clip of Phil at the piano doing "Plaese Don't  Ask"...so emotional he almost cries! If you want the standard music  videos watch VH1. If you want to really know how one of the greatest albums  of the 20th Century was put together, GET THIS DVD!
1294471
WHEN I FIRST ENCOUNTERED THE BOXMASTERS I WAS AMAZED.
MY WIFE AND I SAW THEM LIVE AND THEY WERE AMAZING !
"BUD" AND HIS COHORTS ROCKED OUR TOWN'S TAVERN
TO PIECES ! SO WE MET THEM AFTER THE SHOW AND THEY
WERE VERY DOWN TO EARTH AND WE BOUGHT THEIR FIRST CD
(WHICH IS ALSO GREAT)NOW , WITH "MODBILLY" THEY ARE
IN ORBIT FOLKS . THIS CD WILL TAKE YOU THERE , JUST
BUY IT ,IT'LL MAKE YOU A FAN FOR LIFE ,AND READY TO
HEAR WHAT THEY DO NEXT ! IF YOU LIKE THE HARD STUFF,
PURE UNDILUTED COUNTRY+BRITISH INVASION(LIKE MOST
BOOMERS HAVE IN THEIR DNA) THIS IS A MUST BUY .
IT IS TRULY REMARKABLE AND I'M A SINGER/SONGWRITER
MYSELF WHO KNOWS THE GOOD STUFF .GET "MODBILLY",
YOU'LL BE GLAD YOU DID AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS TOO.
RAVE ON BOXMASTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3782981
So finally they decide to bestow on the U.S. of A. this DVD documentary of the Moody Blues. This is the "Anthology" of the Moodies from their humble beginnings in Birmingham to the present day featuring interviews from the band (excluding Clint Warwick because he's dead, and Patrick Moraz). Sadly Ray Thomas declined to be interviewed but some questions are answered from previous footage. There are 3 discs in the set. The first has the documentary, which is very in depth with plenty of footage and some surprises. The second disc contains more interviews and impromptu performances from Hayward plus videos of 5 songs. And the third disc is a CD of tracks from members of the Moody Blues before they became the Moody Blues. All in all a great package at a great price.
747134
I bought this CD because of the bonus tracks and they're great.  The original songs, such as "New Horizons" and "For My Lady", have been Moodies favorites of mine for many years.  After sampling the songs on Amazon, I was really interested in the instrumentals of "You and Me" and "Lost in a Lost World".  They're incredible, as is the full version of "Isn't Life Strange".  This album highlights the Moodies' progression as musicians and songwriters.  Justin Hayward's signature guitar is amazing, and Mike Pinder's dreamy, etherial work on the Chamberlain keyboard is impressive.  Seventh Sojourn is a nice blend of the Moodies classic orchestral/psychedelic sound and the emerging harder rock of the 1970s. 40 years after it was released, this album holds its own as intelligent, thought provoking rock.  The CD's liner notes describe the Moodies as near burnouts while making this album, not long before they quit recording for several years.  You can't detect that exhaustion in these excellent songs.  The Moodies created a masterpiece before they took a well deserved break.
3973775
A very interesting release this

For a compilation of the Stories - its a good start. Nice to have the Michael Brown single Circles herein (although the flip Premonition is missing in action!)

However, this is ESSENTIAL for the Left Banke fan as the first 2 tracks are the Steve Martin single Love songs in the night b/w Two by Two (I'm losing you) produced by Michael Brown and the Left Banke in all but name, as recorded for a porn film (Hot Parts) and soundtrack

A few curious ommissions (no Nice to have you here - that has some lovely Michael Brown playing!) but the liner notes are great, nice pictures of single releases and of the band (the back picture of the cd is horrific - the About Us band was more photogenic!)

Ian Lloyd has the odd solo track herein, but this is essential just for the 6 tracks with Michael Brown. The Steve Martin makes it worth the price of admission. Thats hard to come across on cd, aside from the History of the Left Banke cassette/lp on Rhino Records (from the late 80s) - maybe Two by Two & Love Songs in the Night are on a UK cd somewhere (along with the LB 3rd album's outtake Foggie Waterfall) but if they are I haven't seen them. And they certainly aren't on the Mercury best of (Theres gonna be a storm) and the recent LB reissues of the 1st two (Walk away Renee/Pretty Ballerina & Too) on Sundazed!

Well worth getting. And certainly better than Walk Away from the Left Banke!
296217
Bought this along with The Moody Blues' December cd when I realized just recently these were released last year. What a great surprise! Oh...and buy The Moodies' December if you liked this one. Tull's effort on this Christmas cd is just exceptional. From the music to the lyrics....this may be the best cd they have done since the early 80's...Ian never ceases to amaze me with his brilliant compositions and lyrics.
1731442
What a treat!  I can actually remember seeing some of these on TV as a child, around the time I first discovered G & S as a kid.  Every moment of it was a gallop down some of my memory's favorite trails.  And while I love every one of these, I do have to put in an extra word or two for Martyn Green, the only man, past or present, who could really sing "Titwillow" as it was meant to be sung. A moment of pure magic.  This is delightful for old G&S fans and for some newbies who want an introduction. (Review by Cheryl Duval)
3569715
As a Looooong time fan, I first saw them open for Echo and the Bunnymen at the Felt Forum in NYC back in 84',  I'm always eager to see what they can do next. The other reviewers have done a splendid job of describing this record to folks who may not have heard of this incredible group. I'll instead direct this to Church fans. Buy this immediately!! They have managed to better themselves with each album since Hologram of Baal, an impossible task, to reach this, their opus. This finally nails it. This is the trip up the wormhole! The last two tunes, Lunar and Operetta, really go to that place that Church fans love. No way to pin this down. That's why this group is so special. Completely unique! I applaud them for reaching the place that "Appalachia" was pointing to. See you in July....
4672129
"THREE FRIENDS", is the name of the new band, by the way. That's right Kerry Minnear, Gary Green, and Malcolm Mortimore,(all key members of Gentle Giant), just this year- have formed a new band! Having just started, they're doing older "Giant" stuff, but if you're a G.G. fan, I'd strongly suggest you write their website, and try to encourage them to do a new album. Just for starters, if you've heard any of Kerry Minnear's recent music for the two live DVD (menus), you'll know what I mean! I never would have guessed! Perhaps some of the other former members, (who thought that something like this never would have taken place), might consider entering the fold now!
  Anyway, being a musician myself, I used to play with an excellent keyboardist/composer by the name of Gerald O'Brien who has since made a name for himself writing and co-writing hits, as well as producing. We once had a progressive, complex band that did mostly original material, but one of the few originals we did was "A Cry for Everyone" (off this album), which was the most challenging, (and also one of the most fun), songs I've ever played! We probably gave up on, or didn't even consider doing "Knots".
  Finally, this is a superb CD, "Raconteur Troubadour" being my personal favorite with a uniqueness all it's own that makes it virtually "timeless".
601766
The moodies followup to "Voyager" is finally remastered and has never sounded better. This album however deserves much more credit than it gets. Yes it's not the moodies clasic seven with "Mike Pinder" , nor is it "voyager", but this album has some very quality songs and Ray Thomas's best I ever heard especially his well sung (written by Grame edge) Going Nowhere. And now it is remastered once again beatifully by Mr. Hayward himself, Maybe Justin needs to remastered other artist as well. But if you think this cd is still outdated,listen to the terrible Other side of life (with the exception of the two main tracks). and this album will have a fresh new sound for you.
4445444
So much talent! Every member has their own unique personality that shines through their voices. I have downloaded the MP3 album and cannot get enough of it. Had I purchased a CD or Album, I would have had to purchase a new one from the wear I have already given it! I cannot praise it enough. I cannot even pick a 'favorite track' as each track is so uniquely different and good. I keep going onto YouTube to look for new videos because they are as much fun to watch as to listen too. I hope you start your next CD soon. I'll be watching for it! Thanks guys and good luck. Your huge success awaits!