For me, "Keys" is the best of the Moodies' later albums.  "Long Distance Voyager" and "The Present" were good, but producer Tony Visconti seemed to push Ray Thomas into the background, so "The Other side of Life" and "Sur la Mer" sounded more like Blue Jays' albums than Moody Blues' albums.  The lead track, Justin Hayward's bouncy "Say it with Love" never fails to life me out of my chair.  Two sides of John Lodge are shown in the introspective "Lean on Me" and the rocking "Magic."  Live versions of "Say It with Love" and "Lean on Me" are found on the "Night at Red Rocks" CD set along with another "Keys" track, Justin's "Bless the Wings."  They still do "Lean on Me" (see 2005's "Lovely to See You" concert set).  Ray Thomas is back with "Celtic Sonant," which is lovely and well sung but nonsensical in the lyrics, and the Hayward-Thomas collaboration that ends the album, "Never Blame the Rainbows for the Rain."  The vocal chorus on that one is one of their best efforts.  While "Sur la Mer" came out over programmed and heavy, there is not a dud on this one.  It starts off my work week.  You can't go wrong with "Keys of the Kingdom."
For me, "Keys" is the best of the Moodies' later albums. "Long Distance Voyager" and "The Present" were good, but producer Tony Visconti seemed to push Ray Thomas into the background, so "The Other side of Life" and "Sur la Mer" sounded more like Blue Jays' albums than Moody Blues' albums. The lead track, Justin Hayward's bouncy "Say it with Love" never fails to life me out of my chair. Two sides of John Lodge are shown in the introspective "Lean on Me" and the rocking "Magic. "  Live versions of "Say It with Love" and "Lean on Me" are found on the "Night at Red Rocks" CD set along with another "Keys" track, Justin's "Bless the Wings. "  They still do "Lean on Me" (see 2005's "Lovely to See You" concert set). Ray Thomas is back with "Celtic Sonant," which is lovely and well sung but nonsensical in the lyrics, and the Hayward-Thomas collaboration that ends the album, "Never Blame the Rainbows for the Rain. "  The vocal chorus on that one is one of their best efforts. While "Sur la Mer" came out over programmed and heavy, there is not a dud on this one. It starts off my work week. You can't go wrong with "Keys of the Kingdom. "