Octave (album)

Octave
Studio album by The Moody Blues
Released 9 June 1978
Recorded October 1977 – April 1978 at The Record Plant, Los Angeles
Genre Rock, pop, progressive rock
Length 46:08
Label Decca Records (UK)
London Records (US)
Producer Tony Clarke
The Moody Blues chronology

Caught Live + 5
(1977)		 Octave
(1978)		 Long Distance Voyager
(1981)
Singles from Octave
  1. "Steppin' in a Slide Zone"
    Released: May 1978
  2. "Driftwood"
    Released: October 1978
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]
Rolling Stone (unfavorable)[2]

Octave is the ninth album by The Moody Blues, released in 1978, and their first release after a substantial hiatus following the success of the best-selling Seventh Sojourn in 1972. The album proved to be the last for the group with keyboardist Mike Pinder, who departed during the album's sessions, and declined an offer to tour with the group. Pinder had just started a new family in California, and found that he was not getting along with his bandmates as he had. As a result of Pinder's departure, Justin Hayward and John Lodge were forced to play some of the remaining keyboard parts themselves, and Pinder would be replaced by former Yes keyboardist Patrick Moraz in time for their 1979 tour, beginning a new era in the band's history.

Octave was considered a departure from previous Moody Blues albums, mainly because the group's use of lounge-style organs and synthesisers in place of a Mellotron or Chamberlin (Pinder's song "One Step Into the Light" referenced the Mellotron). Real strings were used on three songs: "Under Moonshine" and "I'm Your Man" (both written by Ray Thomas), as well as "Survival" (written by John Lodge).

Released after a considerable break, which saw The Moody Blues returning in an era of punk music and disco, Octave evidenced a reduced commercial impact for the band, but reached #6 in the United Kingdom and went platinum in the United States, where the album reached #13. The album produced the hit single "Steppin' in a Slide Zone," which hit #39 in the US, in addition to "Driftwood".

In November 2008, the album was remastered and released on CD, with five previously-unreleased, live, bonus tracks.

Original Track Listing

Side One

  1. "Steppin' in a Slide Zone" (John Lodge) – 5:29
  2. "Under Moonshine" (Ray Thomas) – 5:00
  3. "Had to Fall in Love" (Justin Hayward) – 3:42
  4. "I'll Be Level With You" (Graeme Edge) – 3:48
  5. "Driftwood" (Hayward) – 5:03

Side Two

  1. "Top Rank Suite" (Hayward) – 3:42
  2. "I'm Your Man" (Thomas) – 4:21
  3. "Survival" (Lodge) – 4:09
  4. "One Step Into the Light" (Mike Pinder) – 4:29
  5. "The Day We Meet Again" (Hayward) – 6:19

The 8-track tape version of this album has the distinction of being one of the few 8-tracks that is arranged exactly like the album, with no song breaks.

2008 CD Expanded Edition tracks (UK)

  1. "Steppin' in a Slide Zone (Live in Seattle 25 May 1979)" (Lodge) - 4:57
  2. "I'm Your Man (Live in Seattle 25 May 1979)" (Thomas) - 4:51
  3. "Top Rank Suite (Live in Seattle 25 May 1979)" (Hayward) - 4:28
  4. "Driftwood (Live in Seattle 25 May 1979)" (Hayward) - 5:02
  5. "The Day We Meet Again (Live in Houston 7 December 1978)" (Hayward) - 7:16

Personnel

Additional personnel

Chart positions

Album-Billboard (North America)

Year Chart Position
1978 Billboard 200 13
UK Albums Chart 6

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position
1978 "Steppin' In a Slide Zone" Billboard Hot 100 39
"Driftwood" Billboard Hot 100 59

References

  1. ↑ Eder, Bruce. "Octave - The Moody Blues | AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  2. ↑ Holden, Stephen (7 September 1978). "The Moody Blues: Octave : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 6 June 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2012.