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The Zombies - Odessey and Oracle Audio CD

A fair review of the The Zombies "Odessey and Oracle" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Zombies reviews here, or go back to the The Zombies tabs.

The Zombies Band: The Zombies
Title: Odessey and Oracle
Rating:
Release Date: 1998-03-30
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Care of Cell 44 2: Rose for Emily 3: Maybe After He's Gone 4: Beechwood Park 5: Brief Candles 6: Hung up on a Dream 7: Changes 8: I Want Her She Wants Me 9: This Will Be Our Year 10: Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914) 11: Friends of Mine 12: Time of the Season 13: Care of Cell 44 14: Rose for Emily 15: Maybe After He's Gone 16: Beechwood Park 17: Brief Candles 18: Hung up on a Dream 19: Changes 20: I Want Her She Wants Me 21: This Will Be Our Year 22: Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914) 23: Friends of Mine 24: Time of the Season 25: Rose for Emily [Alternate Version 2][#] 26: Time of the Season [Alternate Mix][#] 27: Prison Song AKA Care of Cell 44 [Backing Track][#]

Odessey & Oracle Falls Short
Maybe a "best hits" would be better. I was expecting much more, only a couple of good songs.


A classic poprecord
There`s not so much jazz harmonies as on their earlier records. This is a fantastic poprecord from the magic music year 1967 (released 1968) with bright colors and delicate melodies. "Hung up on a dream" is so beautiful and bittersweet and the single "time of the season" so special with handclaps and ahh. . .

Victoria Bjuringer.


I Know,You Think I am Crazy About Vinyls - You're Right!
So much that I had gone to see them twice in as many years. I still get chills down my spine when I hear the voice of Colin Blunstone. The last time was The Trump Marina in Brigantine,N. J. What a performance, like a fine wine aged to perfection. Sorry Colin I am not knocking your age,I am in the same bracket. I own,no lie, seven copies of the lp/cd Odyssey and Oracle. One is the original vinyl domestic on Date Records, one came in a Zombies cd box set titled "Zombie Heaven",the original Repertoire release,one cd on Rhino,the Thirtieth Anniversary Edition on Big Beat(UK),a Japanese mini-lp sleeve edition and oops I don't have it yet,but, has been ordered, the fortieth anniversary concert edition. Am I crazy? Then, I own the original vinyl edition of Begin Here on British Decca,a Japanese mini-lp sleeve version on cd,the original cd released on Repertoire and another German import on Line Records. Add to them,the Five Live Zombies cd,a collection called "The Singles - A's and B's" and lastly,but certainly not leastly, The Return of the Zombies on RCA from Germany and Live at the Bloomsbury Theatre. Now, I ask you, do you think I like the Zombies? .


Uneven brilliance
Although these harmony-driven, intelligently catchy songs do not hold up to the pop brilliance found in a very small minority, O&O is still well worth it for any fans of late 60's pop-rock. 3 1/2

Undoubtedly good, and insanely influential, the album nevertheless begins to loose steam after an amazing early streak.


The Zombies: "What's your name, who's your daddy?"
dominated the airwaves, and from 1966 on, following The Beatles lead, albums became more ambitious and musically creative. The British rock invasion of the 1960's was overwhelming and The Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks etc. "Odessey and Oracle", by The Zombies, was one of those more adventurous albums.
The Zombies were a little different in that their music was driven by the keyboard playing of Rod Argent, not unlike The Animals, whose sound was propelled by the organ and piano playing of Alan Price. The Animals were much more blues and R and B oriented than The Zombies, and had the raw power of Eric Burdon's vocals. In contrast The Zombies had a much more delicate, classical-pop sound, owing much to the unique vocals of lead-singer Colin Blunstone.
The album "Odessey and Oracle" released in 1968 was the creative highpoint in their career and it echoed the music of The Beatles, The Left Banke, and The Bee Gees 1st album. The music has a very cohesive sound with all of the songs written by Rod Argent and bassist Chris White. There is much vocal and orchestral embellishment, highlighted by Argent's extensive and early use of the mellotron.
WARNING: If you are looking for some searing guitar and soulful-rockin' songs, or find Colin Blunstones vocal style annoying, then this album is NOT FOR YOU.
Since most of the rock groups of the '60s were guitar-driven, the list of great solos and riffs are too numerous to mention. On the other hand, keyboard solos are much rarer, a few examples would be Ray Manzareks work with The Doors (LIght My Fire), Alan Price with The Animals (House of the Rising Sun), Matthew Fisher in Procol Harum (Whiter Shade of Pale), Rod Argent's wurlitzer piano solos on "She's Not There" and "I Love You" and his organ solos on the final song of "O and O", "The Time of the Season". Unfortunately by the time the album was released in the U. S. and "Time. . " had become a hit, The Zombies had been broken up for some time.
The album had not been a hit in England and it would not have even been released in the U. S. except for the advocacy of songwriter, musician, A & R man, Al Kooper. (Kooper, himself, had gained much of his fame from his keyboard work with Bob Dylan and particularly his organ playing on "Like a Rolling Stone").
The music and vocals are all excellent on "Odessey. . ", however some of the flowery lyrics don't hold up as well today. My favorite lyric is a line in "Time of the Season" that begins: "what's your name, who's your daddy . . " and it always brings a smile to my face, and Colin Blunstones one-of-a-kind delivery makes it classic.
.


You can see a complete list of all The Zombies discography, or go back to the The Zombies tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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