Odessey And Oracle

The Zombies are the subject of one my favorite, most unbelievable rock and roll stories. It goes like this: The Zombies record and release Odessey and Oracle, a fantastic record, but it flops, so they break up the band. About a year later, 1969, “Time of the Season” becomes a massive hit in the US, thanks to a last ditch effort by their US record label, and there is money to be made on a Zombies tour. One problem: they’ve been broken up for a year or more and they’re not even aware their song is a hit in the US - this sort of thing was possible back before everyone was connected all the time by the internet. So what’s an American concert promoter to do? Well, they did what anyone would do: They start their own version of the Zombies and send them out to tour the states. No ties to the actual band, no sign off from their management, label or band members. It’s just…”these four random dudes from Texas are The Zombies now.” Never mind that there were 5 people in The Zombies and The Zombies were from England. Wait…that’s not what you would do? Of course it’s not. That’s bat-shit crazy…you’d get your pants sued off. Well, guess what? They thought it was such a good idea that they formed a second fake version of the Zombies that would tour at the same time. I swear, I am not making this up. So there were two versions of the Zombies, neither in any way associated with the actual band The Zombies, touring the US concurrently. What in the actual fuck. It’s entirely within the realm of possibility that if you lived in Columbus, Ohio in 1969 and you called your cousin in San Antonio one Sunday to tell them you saw the Zombies in concert the night before, your cousin would reply, “No you didn’t, I saw the Zombies last night here in San Antonio…” You ready for the kicker? Two of the guys that were in the Texas version of the Zombies? Frank Beard and Dusty Hill from ZZ Top (using stage names). The members of the actual Zombies, when they found out, were understandably pissed. This whole thing created so much confusion that record labels were questioning the identities of members of the actual band, unsure who the Zombies actually were…*because there were 3 bands going around claiming to be the Zombies.* If it was me and I was a part of the legitimate Zombies, I probably would have dedicated my life to ruining the careers of anyone involved with the sham operations, but I can be petty, I guess. I know this story sounds insane and made up, but I assure you, 100% serious, this actually happened and what I’m telling you here isn’t even all of the craziness of this story. Visit your search engine of choice and do a search for “The Fake Zombies”. There’s a few articles that go in to the lunacy of this, but the Buzzfeed article is probably the most detailed.

Stop me if you've heard this one before: a british rock band recorded an album at Abbey Road in the 60s. No, not that british band. This one recorded their album two years before that band. It's kinda crazy how much this sounds like The Beatles, honestly. It makes me wonder what else was going on in the British music scene at the time. Whatever the case, this was a very enjoyable album. Everything I love about The Beatles is on display here. The songwriting isn't quite as good (unsurprisingly) but the vocals are better and the harmonies are all on point. I think the most interesting thing about this is how clearly one can hear the thumbprint of the studio itself. The recording is immaculate and the production is just SO good. It sounds like an Abbey Road joint. Almost gave this a 4 but the last track is Time of the Season which is just a monster of a single. Took it to a 5 easily.

One of the best 60s psych rock albums of all time

Despite the fact that I grew up listening to classic rock, I never listened to this album until about 5 years ago. I instantly fell in love with it. It's a shame that it was "received indifferently" on its release, and the Zombies didn't really do much after. They could have been one of the all-time greats for sure. But at least we have this classic. 5 stars.

Two thoughts before I even listened to this: 1) Since the 1001 App has hit us with so much Psychedelic, I get noxious when we are sent an album with a release date in the late 60s. 2) The choice of the band's name might not be the worst band name ever but second only to The Electric Prunes. Given the above, this album had to start the race 10 meters behind the starting line. The keyboards figure prominently. I don't think the organ works particularly well on songs like Butcher's Tale but the piano playing on some of the songs (e.g. Rise for Emily, This Will be our Year, et al.) makes some lovely ballads that are similar to what Bowie did a year or two later with Life on Mars. No accusations but, come to think of it, Zombies have a song named "Changes" and two years later Bowie releases a hit w the same name. Still no accusations. Now if his 1969 hit was called "Space Odeyssey" (sic), Bowie would need to do better than say that he went to the same grammar school that Argent and White went to. lol I find some of the songs tried to create too big of a sound. Care of Cell 44 is a fabulous song. It starts with vocals and keyboards but more sound keeps being added. First some very talented bass as well as drums which work well. They should have stopped there but it sounds like an orchestra is then added in the background. I expect this was Mellotron since that instrument was the bright new shiny object that everyone wanted to play around with at that time. Rather than helping the overall sound, it makes it cheesy. A lot of songs use harmonies extensively. The Zombies' harmonies are humble rather than being pretentious pursuits of perfection like CSNY's and the Beach Boys'. They end up wearing on me eventually but around half the time they are enjoyable the same way Queen's harmonies are. I didn’t remember that the song Time of the Season had the words "Who's your Daddy". The flavour of the song would have changed if it were released today. Given this line I figured it must be the sampling gift that keeps on giving to hoards of MCs. I couldn’t resist utilizing Google and the first hit from my search was Necro “The Sexorcist” I can’t make this stuff up. Check it out but probably not when there is anyone around who is too young, too old or too white. I have an unusual rating dilemma. I want to give a 4 for how the songs are written but a 3 for how they’re performed. If you don’t believe the songs are better written than they are performed you should track down Elliot Smith’s version of Care of Cell 44. wtf I’ll round up this time. Good news: While I'm not sure I'll smile, I’ll probably not grunt when the 1001 App sends us more hippy shit

Expected so much more from the band that gave us 'She's not There' and 'Time of the Season' - it's a listenable album but very forgettable

I love this album, Care of Cell 44 probably ranks among my favorite songs. Great from front to back!

Honestly this album is amazing. It was received indifferently when it was released, but has since become a cult favorite. I feel like there isn't a bad song on the album... its really, really good.

Baroque pop perfection. The Zombies are criminally underrated!

Side A of this album is just a Murderer's Row of baroque-leaning psych pop gems. Care of Cell 44 and A Rose for Emily get mentioned a lot, but I'll throw my two cents behind Hung Up on a Dream which has the swirling psychedelic sound in all the best possible ways. Side B is a bit more uneven, but still delightful. The instrumentation throughout the album is always tasteful, but never feels restrained. Just an absolute joy of an album from top to bottom.

A perfect example of a cult masterpiece. This is one of those gems I discovered in high school scouring through the RS 500 and ratings guides. Just so many good songs, the harmonies are fantastic, the instrumentation is beautiful. Wild to think the Butcher’s Tale was released as a single, just shows you how the record companies completely failed on marketing this one. Also sad that the commercial failure resulted in the band breaking up. Another one of the great what ifs of music history. The album is such a joy front to back every time I rediscover it.

I was so happy to see this album show up. This is one of my favorite albums of all time. I remember only knowing The Zombies from 'She's not there' and 'Time of the Season'. This album blew me away when I first heard it and I gained a whole new appreciation for the band and the genre. 'Care Of Cell 44' is an immediate attention getter to begin the album. The melody is infectious, backed up by a excitable rhythm section and beautiful background vocals in the choruses. The songwriting variety is exposed in the next song; the melancholy ballad 'A Rose For Emily'. A devastatingly sad tale provided with a wildly dissonant chord progression. A wonderful exhibition of brilliant songwriting. 'Maybe After He's Gone' is a dramatic statement, showcasing the genre diversity in the album with elements of Baroque Pop and Sunshine Pop. 'Beechwood Park' is a dreamy song with purposeful instrument tones and production. Yet, a catchy melody remains. 'Brief Candles' and 'Hung Up On A Dream' are maybe the two weakest songs on the album for me, but still give off a contagious vibe, whether it be relaxing in a dark room with headphones on just listening along, or on a beach on a summers day while everyone is playing volleyball. It's amazing how the songs on this album seem so suitable for so many different environments. 'Changes' is very baroque-y. One of my favorites on the album, it is a song where harmony reigns supreme. An ambitious number, it arranged in a particular way to pay homage to the albums genre. 'I Want Her, She Wants Me' is an up-tempo fun rocker with somewhat of a dark side, with a minor plot twist revealed in the lyrics of the B section. Another inventive chord sequence and arrangement. 'This Will Be Our Year', with a slightly unique rhythm, provides yet more musical variety to the album. 'Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)' is possibly the best song on the album. Haunting and mesmerising, a tragic story about a soldier in the war. The singing in the choruses are as powerful as any I have heard. You can become very invested in the devastating story that the singer recites. 'Friends of Mine' is a beautifully joyful piece about the love the singer has for his friends who are a couple. A song I can relate to very much, and can't feel anything but happiness listening to the song. And of course, 'Time Of The Season' finishes the album strong. Probably the most contemporary song in the album, there is a reason why this is the one everybody knows. Impressive musicianship and vocal work. This album is a masterpiece. HIGHLY recommend. FAVORITE SONGS: - Care Of Cell 44 - A Rose For Emily - Beechwood Park - Changes - I Want Her She Wants Me - Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914) - Friends Of Mine 5/5

I need to spend some more time with this album. I wanted to like it more than I did at first listen. I didn't dislike it, but I feel like more time might do me some good here. "Time of the Season" is incredible though.

Breezy psychedelic pop tunes float on by wanting to be a Pet Sounds or a Sgt. Pepper, and truthfully there's not a bad song on this album, but theres also not a lot of great ones either, they're all perfectly serviceable as a single listen through, but only "Time of the Season" stands out as a relistenable, and thats really about it... As middle of the road as psychedelic pop can be.

Amazing I loved it :)

a feel good listen! that sixties, happy pop is still a wonderful listening experience. most songs made me smile, but the zombies didn't restrict themselves on subject matter: "a rose for emily," a sort of gothic pop song, and "butcher's tale (western front 1914)," a song using only a harmonium with white's unsteady voice to depict a scene in world war i. major props for including a protest song despite the album's generally pleasant tone. i was so reminded of the beach boys, especially on "care of cell 44"--it's so reminiscent of "good vibrations" from the year before. the subject matter, however, is different from the beach boys' number, but honestly i'm in love with this song. the topic, combined with the tone, made it stand out! "time of the seasons" is a great classic, but my goodness this album is rounded out nicely! an album that deserves its spot on this list but also on my personal album rotation.

I really loved this album. Beautiful melodies, complex harmonies, great songwriting, clever lyrics. A real treat after a week of too much heavy metal.

Ah man this is great - perfect chamber pop. It's so lush and interestingly arranged without ever sounding like its trying to be too clever. Some of the melodic changes are layered harmonies are properly euphoric, even when the lyrics are more melancholy. It feels a bit like what The Beach Boys were aiming for with Smile or Pet Sounds, while also being rather Beatles-eque. I have to conclude that The Zombies belong in such company, though. It's mad that they packed it in before this album was even released. It gets a 4.5 on merit, and a nice bump up because it was such a pleasant surprise. And also because This Will Be Our Year was the first dance at my sister's wedding. Good vibes all round.

I liked this, much more than most late 60's/early 70's flower child folk rock. It is short - less than 40 minutes - with organs and harmonies and a sense of hope and goodness of all mankind. This Will Be Our Year is especially nice with easy, simple piano and sweet lyrics. Butcher's Tale has that weird fantasy vibe like Sgt Pepper's or a Lewis Carroll inspired short story. Time of the Season holds up; classic tale of a dude seducing a young girl by telling her he's rich and has life experience. Great final track.

This is a wonderful album. It's short, breezy, and pleasant. And yet it manages to pack in so much creativity. Their vocal harmonies are consistently on-point, and their lead singer has a voice that's so easy to listen to. He doesn't even really stretch it until "This Will Be Our Year", but then just absolutely crushes that. Half the songs are super-catchy sing-alongs, but with a surprising amount of compositional sophistication. The modulation to the m3 / m6 mid-verse on "Care of Cell 44" is jarring but works perfectly, as are the similar chromatic lines to conclude the chorus of "Time of the Season" and the verses of "Beechwood Park". And I'm a total sucker for repeated themes, which they have both writ-small and writ-large - nowhere better than the section of "Changes" that re-quotes "Flowers for Emily". The production isn't perfect - it was 1968, which is a reasonable excuse, although in a somewhat unfair comparison, contemporary Beatles records had better sound quality and more lush instrumentation - but it's got a dreamy sound (leaning like a man with one leg on that Leslie organ) that works perfectly for the style.

How would it feel to realize “Odyssey” was misspelled on your new record cover? If your The Zombies, probably just fine because the music on this album is so great! I’ve always loved “Time of the Season”, but hearing the rest of this album released just weeks after I was born was a trippy, fantastic little journey. Two more really standout tracks I fell in instant love with were “Care of Cell 44” and “Brief Candles.”

I listened to this album with low expectations. Ok, chien had 5 stars but there's not much predictive skill in that. But I listened, and once again, and once again. It's not incredibly long, that helps. The last song is of course a massive classic but it fits on the album as just one of the songs. Amazing record, very addictive. I had some associatian with Elliott Smith at some point. Google tells me he actually covered Care of cell 44. And the title is a typo. Only the greatest can afford that. All this leads inevitably to .. yes .. to 5 stars.

Album cover looks like it's going to be a psych album but a couple songs in it seems super poppy for the 60s. I really enjoyed this album. The harmonies are catchy and there is some darkness in the lyrics and instrumentation in contrast with the overall poppiness. Added 4-5 songs to Spotify and I'll be on the lookout for this album at vinyl places.

This is one of the sounds of the 60s. Everything from the garish, psychadelic cover to the keyboards, the drum beat and harmonies. The production is crisp and clear- there's nothing to not like. I love it.

Very good, like it a lot

Deceitful cover ahoy! This ain't no psychedelic headfuck, no tripping on the radical zephyrs of the Mother-Creator's minddrive. Of course, this album fits chummily into the late 60s hippy climate, and one can gesture towards the album's occasional suggestions of dreamscapes, but it's not a journey into the beyond. Rather, it's a genteel, mildly quizzical but bittersweet slab of baroque pop. Think Village Green Preservation Society instead of Tomorrow Never Knows. Actually, focus on that bittersweetness. Odessey and Oracle (the typo was an honest mistake by the cover artist, which the band tried to sell as deliberate). The album seems to have been dipped in the joyful pain of irrecoverable nostalgia. Fully the first side does not deviate from depicting the grief at the loss of potential, of the blueness at remembering when one could have been a contender. The first song, Care of Cell 44, has the convict wondering if his partner still loves him, A Rose for Emily concerns a woman who shall stay unloved her whole life, Maybe After He's Gone deals with a deluded suitor trying to persuade himself that she'll return to him, etcetry etcetry. And all that I found very effective. The songs themselves are exquisite, almost flimsy in their delicacy. But these multifaceted studies are great for a supine wallow. The second half turns more spritely and more positive, with some exception. Changes continues the melancholy of side 1, and Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914) is The Zombies' pacifist anthem, of a fear-ridden WW1 Tommy cursing the priest who encouraged him to enlist (set to an ironic church organ). But apart from those, side two is a lot more smoochy and romantic, ending with Time of the Season, that tribal hippy makeout perennial. You can guess that the second side coheres a little less than the first, but not that it alienates the listener at all; indeed, there will be plenty who prefer the songs about your current girlfriend to the ones about your ex. I was hesitant about awarding this 5 stars, but why not? One can ferret out flaws if one wants, but who wants to undertake such a miserable activity? I guess these five stars are partly akin to a Grade II listing, but I enjoy focusing on Odessey And Oracle's considerable charms much more than its scarce peccancies.

Based on my methodology which assigns 5 stars to anything that is 8 out of 10 or higher - it’s not perfect but then again what is!

Une sublime tranche de vie

12 perfect pop songs.

Loved this

loved this!!! Filled with some absolute classics and definitely loved the recording quality (mixed in with some really trippy background vocals

The Zombies' whole musical status is 100% because of this record. All the other albums and projects they released could not create the magic and sparkle that this particular album had when it released. It was a beautiful blend of influences with own artistic twists and often very forward thinking songwriting and production choices that influenced a new wave of artists. The album starts with one of its biggest songs. 'Care of Cell 44' features a great mix between Psychedelic and Baroque Pop and it instantly feels like the band took the best things from the Beach Boys, the best from the Beatles and added their own style of songwriting and lyricism. It is beautifully written and every part with the harmonies and breaks and build-ups work incredibly well. The chorus and its variants is always a worthy highlight. 'A Rose for Emily' starts as a piano driven ballad that slowly adds harmony and builds a beautiful story around it. A short but very sweet and delightful moment that shows not only an incredible vocalist in a much cleener form but also a simplistic but effective approach to songwriting. The double influence is even more present on 'Maybe After He's Gone' that features harmonies that at some points feel like the Beach Βοys and the next moment like classic Beatles vocals. It is crazy how they can blend both of these styles into such a coherent and interesting sound while still feeling orignial and bringing own ideas and creative parts to it. I love the chorus and bridge but the instruments in the verses do feel a bit short thought. It is a brilliant song but in my eyes with possible improvements. With 'Beechwood Park' we get very present organ and mellotron works that are made really lovely and add a kind of experimental but still comercial twist to their music. This might be one of the most influential moments in their whole career. The chorus is incredible and hypnotic and all the little details throughout just create one of the most psychedelic songs on the album and in the whole movement of the late 60's. The in duet sung 'Brief Candles' is another magical song with very great moments and although having piano & vocal only verses can go very wrong, it's pretty good implemented and the denser chorus is very worth the wait. It's mainly the tension that makes this such a great listen even if it is a "weaker" song when compared to most of the album. The highs are some of the highest but the lows do fall a little too low to be considered a perfect song even if it'S really close. One of the albums best songs is the legendary 'Hung Up on a Dream' that puts the psychedelia of previous tracks with more Rock influence into centre and features an incredible guitar solo. A masterful song to end the albums first half with as it features dreamy and hypnotic vocals that remind me a bit of 'I'm only Sleeping' by the Beatles and of course the guitar solo to complete the already perfect song. 'Changes' does start with the psychedelic organ that we are already used to but it does change its influences as this really seems to be inspired by early Pink Floyd with the "silly" lyrics and dreamy vocal performance. The song is really good but falls a little short in comparison to what already featured in this album. Although I don't really like the mixing of 'I Want Her She Wants Me' as it does give me a little headache with how the vocals are so left panned, the song itself is really good. The chorus is catchy, the verses are interesting and beautiful and if the mixing was done properly, this would've been one of the albums best songs. The very Beatles inspired 'This Will Be Our Year' really stands out with the use of piano as the main instrumental driving force that really complements the vocals and lyrics with a pretty simple but effective structure in the verses and a more complex sound in the bridge. The very ominous and anxious intro of 'Butchers Tale' introduces one of the albums most interesting and experimental moments. This is such a different and ethereal song that really flows from verse to chorus and bridge that I am stunned on how they could work all that so well into one song. I absolutely love this track and I think this is easily the best one on the whole album. It's just so beautifully anxious. 'Friends of Mine' has a great chorus that is full of vocal harmonies and the dense arrangements full of different instruments that play together makes this a very bright and romantic part in the album that really makes you relax and happy with your own surroundings while still having a slightly hypnotic feeling to it. The albums closing track 'Time of the Season' feels like the grand and nearly symphonic final moment for this album with all the interesting little details and instruments and weird "breath" groove as well as a brilliant chorus and mellotron solo. A perfect outro. favourites: Butchers Tale, Beechwood Park, Time of the Season, Care of Cell 44, Hung Up on a Dream least favourites: Changes, This Will Be Our Year Rating: strong 9

Wow. This is some Pet-Sounds-Sgt.-Pepper level psych rock! I can hear a lot of influences here from their peers. It's very '60s, might even be the most definitive '60s psychedelic rock album. I mean, just look at that cover

Album 164 of 1001 The Zombies - Odessey and Oracle Rating : 5 / 5 Favorite Tracks : Time of the Season & Care of Cell 44 Awesome, Awesome album. From beginning to end. Time of the Season has always been a favorite, but it is even more powerful when it pops up as the last track on this remarkable album. What a finish. I could listen to this over and over again. I like to slip the vinyl on.

Amazing.

Only familiar with Time of the Season, I did not expect The Zombies to feel so light and optimistic. I love almost every song on this album. Terrific!

Absolutely incredible album. It's amazing how all of the songs flow together and how "cool" it all sounds, especially Time of the Season. That song is the highlight of the album and it's a great way to close it off. But the entire album is a pleasant ride through psychadelica. Definitely worth checking out.

College era cult favorite among friends. A thing of beauty. Up there with Pet Sounds. I consider this a perfect album.

An incredible classic start to finish

The Zombies reached #7 on the 2UE Top 40 in Late 1964, at the height of the so-called British Invasion. The following year they had a Top 10 American hit with the great Tell Her No. Then I don’t remember hearing them at all on the radio until Time Of The Season topped the U.S. charts in early 1969. And on the basis of falling in love with that track, I borrowed this album from Chester Hill Library (and I do mean borrowed, not stole - you were able to do that in those days). Pretty sure you could borrow 2 albums at a time, & the other one I borrowed was Grateful Dead’s American Beauty. But I really enjoyed The Zombies’ album & still do. They sound so like an English band, and this is extremely classy pop music, sadly overlooked at the time. The harmonies are sometimes so much borrowed from the Brian Wilson songbook - the opening track, Care Of Cell 44 is a classic example of this. Time Of The Season sounds unlike anything else on the album - so moody & atmospheric & has a jazzy ending that would have been worthy of Georgie Fame. This Will Be Our Year is a fabulous track that’s worn well, and that I remember embellishing an episode of Marvellous Mrs Maisel a few years ago. And Butcher’s Tale(Western Front 1914)is a great anti-war song that features great organ by Rod Argent. There’s not a dud on this record. Sounds as good as it ever did.

one of the best albums of the sixties

top to bottom a magnificent album. late 60’s british rock perfection.

I had no idea what to expect going into this one but it was really good. Glad we listened to it.

There isn't a bad track on this album. There are a couple of truly exquisitely good tracks on this album. Two thumbs freshly, even after more than fifty years.

This album is very nostalgic to me, so I can’t be impartial. But I can be amazed by just how much I still love these British dorks.

What a great album. I wasn’t too familiar with The Zombies until about ten years ago but I’ve had a lot of great memories with them and this album in particular. And they still sound great live!

You've heard the closer, the opener is a beautiful love song about getting out of prison, don't sleep on everything in between those two tracks.

easy 5/5

I absolutely devoured this half-hour of flower power, and it scoured away my dour mood with a shower of empowerment. Good ass shit.

A lovely wistful album which really hits the spot in the right environment. Sure it's quite melancholic (dare I say gauche) at times but that's just part of its charm. Personal favourites for this cherished LP are 'Hung Up On A Dream', 'Changes', 'Brief Candles' and of course 'Time of the Season'.

Awesome album, up there with the best in terms of classic 60s albums. Time Of The Season the obvious standout track, but a lot of amazing stuff on here.

Yes.

PREFS : TOUT MOINS PREF : RIEN

An absolute classic. One of my favorite albums of the 60s.

This is a perfectly pleasant late 1960s album that did not deserve to languish in obscurity. Is it an absolute classic that deserves to be in every Top 500 or 1001 list? Not for me.

Got a soft spot for this kind of English pop

Vibey listen for a Monday afternoon when I don't really want to work. I feel more inspired to make/write/play something after listening, though. It may be new to me, but it sounds familiar and comforting, especially the first song which is probably my favourite

I can dig it, man.

I have heard of The Zombies, and I have listened to some of their songs before, but as I was going through this album I thought that none of the songs on this album were ones I'd heard before. It was a good album, very typical of what I'd expect when hearing that they were an English rock band from the 60s. The album had a very Beatles vibe to it, which I'm more familiar with, and was a good album to have in the background. When I got to the final song of the album, Time of the Season, I realised that I recognise the song from a bunch of places. It was one of the songs that I knew but didn't know the name or the artist of because it plays in TV shows and movies, and also I imagine I would have heard it a bunch on the radio without being inquisitive about it either.

Before listening to this album, the only song I'd ever heard by The Zombies was "Time of the Season," so I was pretty unfamiliar with their body of work. I really enjoyed this album. It was exactly what I'd expect for a late 60's psychedelic album: jangly guitars and great keyboard riffs. And as a bonus, their harmonies are incredible. All of the songs were terrific, but "Care of Cell 44" and "Time of the Season" were the standouts to me.

No. 69/1001 Care of Cell 44 4/5 A Rose For Emily 4/5 Maybe After He's Gone 3/5 Beechwood Park 3/5 Brief Candles 4/5 Hung Up On A Dream 3/5 Changes 4/5 I Want Her She Wants Me 4/5 This Will Be Our Year 4/5 Butcher's Tale 3/5 Friends Of Mine 3/5 Time Of The Season 4/5 Average: 3,58 Good psychadelic rock album.

really good. i hope there’s more albums like this on here

first listen extremely lovely

The Beach Boys did it better, but not by much. Slightly more European vibe to it. Hard to pinpoint what it is. All songs are good, but Time of the Season is obviously the best.

Pure uncut 60s psych rock, inject directly in my veins.

- Heard this album years ago - Really good, better than I remembered - Kind of dated to the late 60s, but in a good way? - Fav songs: Care of Cell 44, Time of the Season, Brief Candles

Third album in, this is the first that’s made me sit up and pay more attention. Was it easier to be different and creative in the 60s than now? Maybe. There was so much new to discover. But still, even if not, this is a varied album worthy of its plaudits.

Before listening to this album - "hmmm, i don't really know the Zombies" After - "I knew most of those tracks and didn't realise they were by this band" Conclusion - timeless classic

The name of the band put me in the wrong frame of mind. I thought the poppy psychedelic 60's looking album art was ironic and then hearing the first song thought they really nailed the 60's aesthetic, at which point I finally took a minute to look at when and where this album is from. An enjoyable listen though I wish the lead voice was a little stronger/richer. Time of the Season is, of course, a fantastic song, taking a three star album up to four.

Just a gem of an album. Not all of the baroque, psychedelic pop of this era has ages well, but this is such a strong collection of songs. Just lovely.

Pretty iconic, this doesn't sound much different than a lot of what I hear on this indie pop list I've been listening to.

Always been a fan of the Zombies but never listened to this album the whole way through. Love the spooky, psychedelic vibes and great storytelling.

This is such a special time in music. There doesn't seem to be any hint of a formula that I can find in any of the songs on this album, unlike most music since the 70's.

La légende dit qu'après avoir entendu les enregistrement des Zombies dans le studio voisin à celui des Beatles, John Lennon rentra dans une colère noire, fustigeant ses camarades de groupe, déclarant notamment: "ça c'est de la musique, pas comme ta guitare de merde Paul!". La suite vous la connaissez, les Beatles se sépareront, et l'audimat générateurien commencera alors à les surcoter.

If there were more songs on this album half as good as Time of the Season, I would have really liked this album. Unfortunately, the rest of it is just ok not bad, but too mellow for my tastes.

Super mellow, but blended together for me. To me it feels like one of those albums that’s cover art is better than the album. Season of Love I recognized immediately, maybe because of the Eminem song, but I also feel like it was in a movie or something.

Good lord, Butcher's Tale is so dark and depressing, but I guess so is trench warfare. Only knew Time of the Season coming into this and I was surprised that a lot of the album had less of a psychedelic sound. Overall, I enjoyed listening to this very short album and would go back to it again.

Beginning sounds more Beatles-esque than I would've thought. The tight harmonies and piano guiding the rhythm along is very Beatles circa mid 1960s, this is a good thing!

Lighthearted.

Didn't get it at first w/ lack of context, but after framing my mind around the "Beatles-era", really enjoyed the album. It maintains that late 60's baroque pop sound, while having just enough variety and strong melody to keep each song distinct enough to not let the album get too repetitive Fav songs: Care of Cell 44, Maybe After He's Gone, Beechwood Park, Brief Candles, Changes, This Will Be Our Year, Friends Of Mine We'll see which ones I come back to over time, but a lot of potential staylist for sure, and I have a feeling the songs on this album will grow on me over time as I listen to it in different contexts living life

ime of the Season is one of the best songs of the rock era. Incredible hook, gorgeous melody, sweet soulful singing, truly a modern classic. But how is te rest of the album? Well nothing quite so sublime as TotS but some really excellent psychedelic tinged rock songs. The whole album has a baroque feel that makes me think Belle and Sebastien ingested this album intravenously. All in all a beautiful album that is deserving of a 5 star rating.

I've heard the name before and wasn't super familiar with the music. When the last song came up I'm like "oh I have heard them before". Overall very, very Beatles-esque and definitely a shame this group only had such a limited output and was met with indifference. This is some great 60s era music that has aged like fine wine.

Happy, upbeat, chill, easy listening Favourite track: Care of Cell 44

Now this is an album that deserves to be here. We are on a good run. Discovered this only a few years back. Criminally overlooked it despite already loving She's not There. I honestly think I assumed Time of the Season was by The Bryds or something. Care of Cell 44 is wonderfully Brian Wilson-esque. That chorus just absolutely POPs out of the speaker. Brilliance. I believe it was A Rose for Emily being played at the end of every episode of the podcast series S-Town that finally dragged me to this album. Doubtless I'm not the only one, so I'm very grateful to that. There's plenty of Pet Sounds influences here (which is enough by itself to draw me in) but there's lots more to love besides. There's hints of Nick Drake's Bryter Layter here too in Hung up on a Dream (which of course was slightly layter). A glorious and faultless 60s psych-pop album. Definitely one of the best records ever made. Best - Care of Cell 44, Time of the Season, This Will Be Our Year, Hung Up on a Dream.

banger

Sgt who? Pet what? Peak psychedelic pop. Psychedelia achieved by reaching into music’s past - a time-traveling, genre bending pop explosion. Inventive melodies and chord changes you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. A beautiful work.

Can't believe I've never listened to these guys before. I loved the vocals and vocal arrangements. Lots of cool chord voicings and things like that. I just love psychedelic chamber pop stuff like this.

Pop psicodélico. Un megahit. Venga, vinilo.

Really liked this one.

Really good psych album. I would say timeless. Hadn’t heard it but big fan.

Great blend of cheesy 60s pop with psychadelia

Nytt, digget det!

It's like part dreamy part epic which I guess describes psychedelica lol but it's not like woooOoooOoo 9 minute jam sessions (not that there's anything wrong with that) it's subtle. Nice harmonies, cool instrumentation

Having been taken by the band Argent and being aware of the hits of the Zombies I came by this album as it was bundled as a double with their greatest hits. What a bargain! The album soon became a mainstay on the turntable. It is simple a superb collection of varied songs. Yes its genesis of its time but it does appear to span the generations. Exemplified by their short, but stunning, tour of the album 40 years after its release.

Lovely in every way

A Rose For Emily is one of my favourite songs of all time. And I'd forgotten how good Care of Cell 44 is too. Time of the Season is a full blown classic too. Whole album is ace tbf. Sometimes feels like the sort of British whimsy that Spinal Tap skewered so well, but when it's this infectious and fun you really can't complain. Absolutely brilliant from start to finish.

Vraiment un super album auquel je ne m'attendais pas du tout avec le nom du band... the zombies oh mon dieu, on ne peut pas être plus loin du style que je m'attendais. C'Est un Album A1 du début jusqu'a la fin. Surtout avec la super Time of the season a la fin 5+

A beautiful psychedelic baroque pop masterpiece. It's fun, goofy, and optimistic with a bombastic and dynamic range in harmonies; the vocals blend together to immerse you. The instrumentation has a bright and pleasant classical feel to them. It's spacious, providing room for the keyboards and other instruments to fill the atmosphere while the vocals come in to supplement emotion. Almost all the songs have catchy choruses and memorble melodies. We start with "Care of Cell 44" setting the themes and tricks that the album will convey to set it apart from pretty much any album that has come before or after. They really put all their strengths here, especially how they mix a capella with lush instrumentation. My favorite part is the psychedelic bridge that puts you into a temporary dreamscape before pulling you back into the next verse. Also really love that extended ending that just goes on: it's so satisfying and complete, exciting me for the rest of the album. "A Rose for Emily" is the exact opposite type of song: a simple ballad that shows the power and versatility of our vocalists. The attention to diverted to the lyrics as you learn to look out for it. "Maybe After He's Gone" picks up the tempo and emotion, very folk like but also the way it conveys so powerful and dark, it's almost gothic. My favorite part is the bridge, but again has a satisfying ending. "Beechwood Park" is a personal favorite, happy yet melancholic, with a loud chorus but otherwise a nostalgic and reflective melody. "Brief Candles" features very baroque verses (which I'm not too big of a fan of) and a fantastic energetic chorus. Love the angelic bridge. "Hung up on a Dream" features a trippy jangly guitar (reminds me of Byrds) and hazy angelic vocals, which is followed by another really psychedelic song "Changes" that sounds like a wild drum circle. "I Want Her She Wants Me" is a personal favorite, such a cheery and dreamy song. Fantastic hook to excite me immediately, with lyrics that feel like walking on a street on a good trip, and a dramatic and optimistic coda. I think "This Will Be Our Year" is a romantic ballad, and I like the chorus, but I don't like where it goes, probably one of my least favorites despite its acclaim and how many times it's been covered. "Butcher's Tale" is one of the eeriest tracks, sounding like a ghost ship pirate shanty. Really love the loud chorus."Friends of Mine" is a fun sunshine pop song, a bit chaotic (especially those cymbal crashes) but like exploding in happiness. Finally we end with the summer of love anthem "Time of the Season", groovy and catchy, I love everything about it, but from the echoey vocals to the loving lyrics to the gasps back vocals to the trippy solo. I seriously love this album and all its tracks. Although I have a few complaints, it's impressive how memorable and unique all 12 were, and how I could compliment several things about them all. Honestly, the only major complaint is the track ordering which could make it more cohesive. I feel "This Will be the year" would be an appropriate closer, but since I'm not too big of a fan, I do personally enjoy the bombastic end with the hit "Time of the season."

60s psychedelic pop is my jam

At least today, there's nothing groundbreaking or original about this album. Like The Beatles with more technical depth, like The Hollies with more psychedelia, like The Moody Blues with less organ. It seems like I've heard it all before, yet The Zombies combines these disparate parts perfectly to a great album that hits the right spots and which I'll gladly revisit. Standout song: Time of the Season.