Natural Avenue

Natural Avenue
Studio album by
Released28 January 1977
Recorded1976
StudiosThreshold Studios, London; mixed at Sunset Sound, Los Angeles
GenreRock
Length45:26 (album)
49:28 (Original CD)
53:45 (Reissue CD)
LabelThreshold/Decca
ProducerTony Clarke
John Lodge chronology
Blue Jays
(1975)
Natural Avenue
(1977)
10,000 Light Years Ago
(2015)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllmusicStarStarStar
ProgStarStarStarHalf star

Natural Avenue is the debut solo album by John Lodge of The Moody Blues, released in 1977 during the Moody Blues' five-year hiatus. During the five years, Lodge also collaborated with Justin Hayward for an album titled Blue Jays. While Natural Avenue was not a major hit, the album fared slightly better than Hayward's release of Night Flight three years later. Music critic Robert Hillburn gave the album a favourable review in the Los Angeles Times. The album's cover features artwork by English artist Roger Dean.

The album was originally released on the London label in 1977. It was subsequently re-released on CD on the Threshold label in 1987. This release included one bonus track, "Street Café" (originally released as a single in 1980).

It was released yet again on Threshold in May 1996, with the additional bonus track "Threw It All Away" (the B-side of the "Street Café" single).

Track listing

All tracks composed by John Lodge

Side 1

  1. "Intro to Children of Rock 'n' Roll" – 1:04
  2. "Natural Avenue" – 3:56
  3. "Summer Breeze" – 5:22
  4. "Carry Me" – 5:42
  5. "Who Could Change" – 6:04

Side 2

  1. "Broken Dreams, Hard Road" – 4:33
  2. "Piece of My Heart" – 3:56
  3. "Rainbow" – 3:53
  4. "Say You Love Me" – 6:25
  5. "Children of Rock 'n' Roll" – 4:31

1987 CD Bonus Track

  1. "Street Café" – 4:02

1996/2014 Reissue CD Bonus Tracks

  1. "Street Café" – 4:02
  2. "Threw It All Away" – 4:17

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1977) Peak
position
UK Albums (Official Charts)38
US Billboard 200121

References

  1. ↑ Natural Avenue at AllMusic. Retrieved 21:20, 17 May 2016 (UTC).
  2. ↑ Sexton, Paul. "John Lodge: Natural Avenue". Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  3. ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 13/2/1977 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  4. ↑ "John Lodge Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2025.