Love is the key (Ray Thomas) (LP 4644 - 4645)

Ray Thomas  From Mighty Oaks  (Vinyl, Threshold Records, 1975) ***  

Ray Thomas  Hopes Wishes & Dreams  (Vinyl, Threshold Records, 1976) ****  

Genre: Prog rock 

Places I remember: Chaldon Books and Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Hey Mama Life (From Mighty Oaks)

Gear costume: In Your Song  (Hopes Wishes & Dreams)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6; Part 7

Active compensatory factors: Ray Thomas was (he passed away in 2018) the flautist and multi-instrumentalist who is known best for his work (playing and songwriting) in The Moody Blues.

These were his only solo albums, released in the mid-seventies. An open mind is required to enjoy these albums. Having an affection for The Moodies may also be a pre-requisite. Otherwise, the gentle, folky, pastoral, soft rock that is Ray's stock and trade may become an annoyance. 

The covers to both albums by Phil Travers are worth a side comment as they perfectly capture all that gentle, folky, pastoral vibe.

The songs on his debut, From Mighty Oaks, glide by very pleasantly, starting with the orchestral sweep of the opening title track which serves as a kind of fancy overture. Nothing stands out too much however, and they probably would have found it difficult to find their place on a Moodies album.

That's not the case with his second album so much. A few of these songs could have been easily used on a Moody Blues album. Ray is in fine voice and the musicians appearing on the album are in tune with his ideas. The brass inclusion adds another dimension to the songs as well.

Where do they all belong? His best work was with The Moody Blues - where he is one writer and singer amidst others, but I'm thrilled to also have these two solo albums.