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Maybe a "best hits" would be better. I was expecting much more, only a couple of good songs.
"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 This is a fantastic poprecord from the magic music year 1967 (released 1968) with bright colors and delicate melodies. There`s not so much jazz harmonies as on their earlier records.
What a performance, like a fine wine aged to perfection. 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. So much that I had gone to see them twice in as many years.
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. 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. Am I crazy.
I still get chills down my spine when I hear the voice of Colin Blunstone. I own,no lie, seven copies of the lp/cd Odyssey and Oracle. Now, I ask you, do you think I like the Zombies.
The last time was The Trump Marina in Brigantine,N.J. Sorry Colin I am not knocking your age,I am in the same bracket.
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 1/2Undoubtedly good, and insanely influential, the album nevertheless begins to loose steam after an amazing early streak.
except for the advocacy of songwriter, musician, A & R man, Al Kooper. Unfortunately by the time the album was released in the U.S. 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. (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. 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. The British rock invasion of the 1960's was overwhelming and The Beatles, Stones, Who, Kinks etc.
The Animals were much more blues and R and B oriented than The Zombies, and had the raw power of Eric Burdon's vocals. 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. dominated the airwaves, and from 1966 on, following The Beatles lead, albums became more ambitious and musically creative. 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". 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. "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 music has a very cohesive sound with all of the songs written by Rod Argent and bassist Chris White.
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