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To Our Children’s Children’s Children is one of those old standbys that you might casually slip into your car stereo — and leave it there for weeks.
The Moody Blues had lots of hit songs in the 1960s and ‘70s. None of them are on this album, which makes hearing it even more of an unexpected pleasure. If the title (which is perfect when you think about it) were to describe the theme of the album, it would probably be Spaced Out — and In. “I feel like I’m up in Heaven,” said the girl who turned me on to it back when I was seventeen.
Recorded about the time the first man walked on the moon, it begins with the startling roar of a Saturn V rocket in “Higher and Higher.” One thing is for sure — once the Moodys lift you above the clouds, they leave you there. You’ll find that space is not the cold, dark place you expected; in fact, it’s the perfect spot for gazing past the planets or floating to a candy store on the moon.
The Moodys must have been the most democratic band ever — the five members split the songwriting almost equally. Each one gets a chance (more like several) to shine. The songs are of the highest craftsmanship, full of depth and feeling, overlaid with Mike Pinder’s ever-present mellotron. (Feeling stressed? Pinder’s deep and mystical voice on two of the songs is guaranteed to lower your blood pressure.)
You may never get a chance to visit outer space, but give this classic a chance, and you won’t have to.
