Reviews (page 10 of 14)
noaml kenni vo ihne nur time of the season HALLOU STEREO care of cell 44 sehr nice, au wemmer am backgroundgsang d 60er jahr ahmerkt, findis relativ "modern"? a rose for emily cute aber au nöd meh MONOVERSION oke die lieder sind jz wieder vill krasser 60er als care of cell 44 beechwoodpark het für mich au wieder die wärmi wo so musig mit ihrem hammond-örgeli hend brief candles hani auscho ghört? ui changes findi gad chli heavy jap schrecklich this will be our year au sehr cool und mega laid back butcher's tale hani auscho iwo ghört s hetmer musikalisch nöd megaaa gfalle aber s isch iwie sehr es creepy und rohs lied? sehrsehr geil time of the season isch halt echt es insanes lied de beat mitem schnuufe, HAMMOND und eifach wieder das laid back VIEEEEEERR
I've been blessed by the album gods so many times in just my first 100 albums. Odyssey And Oracle is one of my favorite albums ever - those first few notes of the harpsichord immediately lift my mood, and I'm in the happiest little buzz by the time I'm through Time of the Season.
An excellent representation of this type of 60's sound. Solid from front to back, although not quite on my personal favorites list.
This album sounds amazing! 1968 is crazy… Love the sound of it… although not every song is very memorable, some are pretty good(Hung up on a Dream and especially Time of the season) Overall, a pleasant listen.
sounded a lot like the beach boys, not my usual style but there were certain elements i could see heavily inspired modern music that i listen to. really enjoyed it!
A bit of an odd name given the sound of their music, but I had heard one of their songs before which surprised me. Good tight harmonies? Decent sings. Very listenable and downloaded some so it’s a four for me.
It's like they made up a bunch of songs just to sell to generic romcoms. Favorite track: the only one that wouldn't fit in a romcom
Maybe this should be called “1001 Songs” instead of albums. Cause this is a great song… referring, of course, to Time of the Season. I mean really great song. The rest is pretty bland stuff. One Hit Wonder? Don’t know enough about them to judge. But this is a monster dish looking for a home on a better platter.
Nice mellow psychedelic pop album. Solid all the way, and has "time of the season" which is a bop.
I was immediately and delightfully thrown into a soundtrack suitable for a montage in a rom com, and with each new song entered a new phase of an imaginary relationship. I give it 4 stars for the beautiful musicality of it all, and the fact that I got to pretend that I was Tom Hanks for a while, rolling on the grass in some park with a beautiful but socially awkward female lead.
Hmmmm, I reviewed this album two weeks ago. Have it 3 stars then. Here's what I had to say last time: "I've never heard this album before. A bit dated and jarring at times with flourishes of ...psychedelic accordion? Some likeable songs, like a soundtrack to a 60s British movie. 'This will be our year' made me happy. Everyone knows'Time Of The Season', surely, which leaves a nice taste in your ears as the album ends." I may have been a little generous. Two evening stars in Beechwood Park.
Wow huge surprise, awesome sound and then ends with a mega banger. I guess the tracklist is kind of weird but honestly a great listen. cool album!
First track is Care of Cell 44. It's an upbeat song of someones lover returning after serving a prison sentence. While the song is nice, well produced, mixed alright, whimsical and comical with a unique attitude, I'm unsure what it provides towards this album, or what this albums significance is. I'll see soon as I hear the rest of the record, so we'll see what the next track brings. Next, we have A Rose For Emily. This is a more somber song, depicting the loneliness of this Emily character. The production is great, and the song is heartfelt, a good transition between tracks. It's a tragic piece, both well done. But after that, we have Maybe After He's Gone. It's a somewhat Igor-esque song, telling the narrative of maybe if her mans is gone, she will finally love me. These songs are turning very tragic and dark, this all reminds me of a Shakespeare play. I wonder if they all connect. Very good sounds though, lyrics are great on each, production just keeps getting better. Love it. Then, we have Beechwood Park. This is a song reminiscing of times two spent in the park, and how good they had it. I enjoy it, but ti tends to clash with the narrative/ theme currently playing. Still, good sounds, production and lyrics are fine. No major complaints, yet. We then have a song titled Brief Candles. The song is about memories, thoughts and emotions being compared to candles, how easily they burn and leave. The records going from comedic/tragic to just plain tragic and cut-throat. Just a lonely cold wind, and idk how to feel about that. Also, not big on the mixing on this track, nor where the narrative is going, it's just not blending well in my opinion. Oh well, the nxt track provided is Hung Up On A Dream. This song does fit the past few songs, being an existential soliloquy about a dream that was had that can't be forgotten because of how magical and wondrous it was. I think its a great track, lyrics are beautiful, production is amazing, makes me feel more hopeful, and I can't help but smile, I love it. After, we have Changes. This song probably provides the most unique production on it, with a huge array of instruments and vocals done. The song discusses how a girl changes with time, looks and personality, and in general. It's a good song basing how humans are human, and there will always be change, it hosts a true beauty and has personally my favorite production of the record so far. Loved it, absolutely. Following that, we have I Want Her, She Wants Me. The song is about the dangers one may feel of getting into a relationship, despite how one feels, they fear love. It's a real relatable song, and again, plays well into the narrative, but I think the production hits a dull point. Not a big fan of the vocal mixing or the drum patterns, it doesn't fit well to me. Not all bad though. Then, we have This Will Be Our Year. The song is about staying hopeful, in play of a "new years resolution". It's a sweet song, but I'm not really a fan of the production, I don't like the piano on it. But it has alright lyrics with a fine sentiment, not too bad. Just not as blown away. Now, we're on Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914). It tells a magical story of the perspective of a german 1914 soldier. It's a dark story thats been told dozens of times. Its played well and perfectly pictured. The production goes out of it's way again, lyrics are pretty perfect. Back in its element. Second to last, we have Friends of Mine. The song is a point of view of a person who's in a third wheel, his friends are dating, what he sees and thinks of it. It brings the vibe the first songs played, it's funny, and a simple song. Thoroughly enjoyable. Finally, we have Time of The Season. The song plays out the album simply of an acclamation of ones love for another. Production is great, but for the wild journey this project was, I'm not at all impressed by the ending narrative wise or lyrics wise. What I make of this project is a simple perspective of life. Different points of view, emotions, all the lovely things that make us human. There's an easing simplicity to it. I don't think it's that special and thats what makes this project as beautiful as it is. Just an ode to life, and what a beautiful life it is we live.
Classic
This album reminded me quite a lot of The Pretty Things, who I definitely feel I underrated in my reviews. In a similar manner, on first listen I thought, “this is fun, I like this.” But then it finds a spot in my mind and keeps tempting me back. For The Pretty Things, this culminated in S.F. Sorrow becoming one of my all time favourites. I’ve yet to see if The Zombies has this same pull for me, but the albums definitely do have the same trippy rock band vibe.
Looking at this through 1968 lenses, this is a pretty solid album. It surprised me because I only knew this band through their hit "Time Of The Season" which was the last track. Every song that preceded it had a totally different vibe and sounded like a different band. It was all good and I enjoyed it. 3.5/5
Diet The Beatles. Favourite track: Hung Up On A Dream.
I liked this! Though it definitely feels like it was made in the 60’s.
kind of campy.
Seeing so many positive reviews of this album makes me want to like it … but I just don’t. Small exception for Time of the Season.
Time of the Season and This Will Be our Year are beloved songs.
song reco: care of cell 44 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ nice and fresh vibes.
It's impressive that the Zombies seem to have understood what John, Paul, and Brian (Wilson) were doing in (4-track!!) studios, thoroughly enough to reproduce the tricks to comparable magical results. But what makes this - or any album - great is the songwriting. This is such a stellar collection of songs that it belongs in any conversation of the best of Psychedelica: Rubber Soul/ Pet Sounds/ Sgt Peppers/ Good Vibrations. Hundreds, if not thousands, of acts all over the world captured that sound that tickles the ears. But so very few are built on songs that move the soul.
Sixties, innit. Pleasant nonetheless.
Of all the Beatles knockoff bands I’ve heard, this is the best so far. Good harmonies and songs that bring out different feels. I really enjoyed it.
lit
1. cell 44 - 1 2. roze - 1 3. gone - 1.5 4. park - 1 5. candlez - 1 6. dream - 0 7. changez - 0 8. me - 0 9. year - 1 10. butcherz - 0 11. friendz - 0 12. zeazon - 1.5
Clearly the Zombies' crack at a Sgt. Pepper/Pet Sounds, and really not a bad one at that. Time of the Season aside, particularly like Changes, Butcher's Tale & Friends of Mine.
Obviously hadn't heard this before. It's OK. All sounds a bit same same looking back. I know She's Not There very well. This was fine 60's brit pop. 2 seemed a bit harsh. 2.5
Boring
This was not on Deezer, but I was pleasantly surprised after finding it on YouTube. Kind of has Beach Boys vibes
Cool and fun. Before music had to be super intense. Feels like the 60s makes you long for a simpler time.
...I'd rather listen to the Beatles if this is the style. Was probably going to give this a 2, but the last song bumps it up.
This is like a slightly more interesting Beatles album. “Care of Cell 44” sets the tone for a lyrically more challenging album than the usual britpop dreck. I don’t think it fully realizes that but I really liked that song and there was more than one where the content wasn’t just about being hippie style fucked up or being happy, Butchers Tale being another standout there. Despite being easy to follow, I think a lot of the vocal (and instrumental) harmonizing is complicated and well thought out, more so than a lot of the stuff in this genre. The first track and “hung up on a dream” are good examples. There’s also a theme of not over utilizing the organ and keys in here though featuring them in a big way. They never overpower anything despite taking center stage in many songs. The more I think about it the more I like this more than the beatles releases we’ve had. I don’t think either are really worth the status they’ve got in popular music but this is a good album that is different enough to make a mark. A nice surprise!
Soothing and forgettable. Nice to listen to outside.
Gives beatles
Odessey And Oracle is a fine album but it is one of those albums that i feel that i don't really have a lot to say about it. The Zombies just feel like one of those bands that feels stranded in a sea of Beatles clones that were incredibly prevalent throughout the 1960s. That's not to say the album is bad though, the songs definitely had their good moments and had some fairly unique sounds to them, the album was a short one that i feel is a perfect length for something like this and there is nothing the album does that's particularly wrong or anything, I just think I'm searching the bottom of the barrel just to find things to really say about this album. Best Song: Butcher's Tale Western Front 1914 Worst Song: Changes
I think maybe 60s music just leaves me flat. Its not bad, but just cant get any kind of reaction from myself on this one. 3/5
Shocked how well recorded & produced this is - & the musicianship is a perfection point from this period in time. I had no idea how clean this was, I’d only heard this on FM or SiriusXM before. Tight PRAT!
beatlesesque
psycheldic mane
I've never heard this album before. A bit dated and jarring at times with flourishes of ...psychedelic accordion? Some likeable songs, like a soundtrack to a 60s British movie. 'This will be our year' made me happy. Everyone knows'Time Of The Season', surely, which leaves a nice taste in your ears as the album ends.
I kinda get why it wasn't a hit at the time. Time of the season is good, catchy anyway, but the rest of the album wasn't all that special
Rating: 5/10 Meh.
Pretty good. Couple surprises.
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.
I quite liked this. It's not aged particularly well, but I enjoyed it anyway, and would happily listen to this again any time.
Enjoyed this album. I didn't know most of the songs but was pleasantly surprised.
Blast from the past! Good music.
Took a few listens to really appreciate how good this album is throughout. Adding to music collection for those times when I yearn for some brilliantly complex 60s composition. It's a shame the lack of commercial success of this album led to their breakup because I wonder what their successive releases would have been like.
This a pretty classic Zombies album. Lots to love, not much to hate. It's classic rock plain and simple
It really is the time of the mf season. so classic. For some reason i really payed attention to the drums while listening to this one and that elevated the experience, but this is the type of music that i’d put on when everyone is talking over it. And then everyone would sing time of the season because that song is just so mf good top 3: time of the season, butchers tale, beechwood park
This a pretty decent album, quite easy listening and some occasional bops scattered throughout.
this was a fun album, i enjoyed all the tracks, if listen again, i love the first track
That is one of the best happy mood music I know.
A good listen all the way through as the songs are short and all fairly distinct with some real classics like time of the season. 4/5 because it's good but not as great as some other albums from the same time like the kinks or Beatles
I hate this dainty 60s English folk music… I don’t get it. It makes me angry and I don’t enjoy it. I suppose it’s meant to paint an idyllic image of England… I don’t get it. I see why people do, and my brother, who I am sharing this musical journey with, will likely rate this highly. But it’s not for me. Sorry. Objectively good music, subjectively not my thing. Maybe I’m too sober for it?
Absolute perfection start to finish. The Beatles never put out an album this good.
7/10 Fav track: Hung Up On A Dream
on want list
The first track sounds like the most feel good song about someone coming home from prison. By “A Rose For Emily” , the songs lyrics are much somber and darker in a way then the sound. If I wasn’t paying attention on the first listen I would have thought I was listening to a generally okay feel good album. Nothing like harmonizing on a song that contains lyrics “I feel I’ll never breathe again, I feel life’s gone from me”. I appreciate the writing. the sound I was getting over after several tracks. I like this much better than the early The Who albums with similar sound. My standouts were Beechwood Park and definitely Time of The Season. Time of The Season just feels too cool for the album.
Don’t tell my boy but I fuck with the zombies so much more than the beach boys. There’s something so nostalgic and warm about any record Colin Blunstone jumps on. Psych chamber pop that also sounds so folky. Idk why I get Nick Drake vibes so much from this record. Also, this album was recorded at Abbey Road two years before the big Brits recorded that one album. This rocks.
I like this as I said this is so 60s but it feels fresh still and does its own thing. First and last song are awesome and this is a good listen probably a 4 but im gonna go 3
I was somewhat familiar with the Zombies, but had never heard Odessey and Oracle. I'm familiar with the massively well-known "Time of the Season". But the rest was fresh to my ears. As far as the album goes, I would love to have heard a full set of songs in the vein of Time of the Season. But the rest of Odessey and Oracle (released in 1968) sounds a lot like the Beach Boys albums of the same period (Wild Honey, Friends, 20/20, etc.). It's enough of a soundalike, that I could easily have been duped into thinking this was a lost Beach Boys record. None of this is bad. In fact, it's quite pleasant. But Time of the Season is the obvious highlight. And nothing else from the album really sticks out. I wouldn't turn it off. But I also won't be seeking it out again.
I think I’m getting senioritis with this list because while this is by no means the worst psychedelic 60s album I’ve gotten. It’s actually a pretty good one that I’d probably like with enough time separation from this list but I had much less patience with this one than I probably would have had if it had been before the 1000 mark. I couldn’t help but just zone it out while I played balatro.
Fun
Care of Cell 44 - 4 A Rose for Emily - 3 Maybe After He's Gone - 3.5 Beechwood Park - 3 Brief Candles - 3 Hung Up On a Dream - 3.5 Changes - 3 I Want Her She Wants Me - 3.5 This Will Be Our Year - 3.5 Butchers Tale - 2 Friends of Mine - 3 Time of the Season - 4.5 So close to adding to my liked songs. Not bad, but a little slow and lacking for a large portion.
06/19/24 S Tier—————————5 Time of the Season A Tier—————————4 Care of Cell 44 Brief Candles B Tier—————————3 This Will Be Our Year Hung Up On A Dream Maybe After He’s Gone I want Her She Wants Me Butcher’s Tale A Friend of Mine C Tier—————————2 Beechwood Park A Rose for Emily Changes D Tier—————————1
Odyssey and Oracle by The Zombie Wednesday 6/19/24 3:16 S Tier————————— Time of The Season This Will Be Our Year A Tier————————— Care of Cell 44 Brief Candles Beechwood Park B Tier————————— A Rose For Emily Friends of Mine Hung Up On A Dream C Tier————————— Changes Maybe After He’s Gone I Want Her She Wants Me Butchers Tale
I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. It's very easy to listen to, but nothing memorable to be had.
Butcher's Tale ++ Time of the Season ++
🌞
Well, I listened to it, but I don't really remember much about what I heard. Not bad, but also not particularly interesting.
Not my jam. A couple songs held up OK, but the rest of the album was milquetoast for me. 2.3
I was good to hear others songs by the Zombies. It is not very likely that I will return, but still nice.
Baroque rock perfection. Just dandy 🩵
Groovy artwork. Don’t believe I’m familiar with this Monkees / beach boys vibes. Harsh stereo separation Overall not surprised ‘time of the season’ is the only one I’ve heard. Weak 3 stars, pleasant enough
A teir. Most of the songs were awesome, and I will probably listen to it again. Production is great, and the first and last songs are really nice bookends to the whole album. Butchers tale was a cool change of pace. The whole album was super fun to listen to.
Groovy
Pretty good. Nothing really stands out besides “Time” , but overall was still a good listen. 3/5 Might listen again
There are things I like, but ultimately almost fell asleep driving my car home from work.
2.5
Really solid all the way through. I enjoy the woodwind arrangements and tight vocal harmony that are ethereal. This entire album has a psychedelic, ethereal, and beautiful sound. I like the use of heavy reverb on vocals in Time of the Season. The organ solo is amazing
3.5 stars. The hits are good, but the rest is kinda filler weaker Beatles-esque redux. Standouts are the piano-driven sing-songy “This Will Be Our Year” as well as the psychedelic “Time Of The Season”.
I LOVE THE ZOMBIES this album is mid tho but still my most enjoyed thus far. Iconic song ofc time of the season (classic) however my fave song is: hung up on a dream and I deeply enjoyed listening to it. Fantastic.
A wonderful album that comes from the psychedelic explosion launched by The Beatles. Beautifully composed tunes with gorgeous instrumentation that is a trip to experience. From the explosive start of Care of Cell 44, to the dizzying soundscapes of Hung Up On a Dream. The haunting sounds of Butcher's Tale, and the absolute classic that is Time of the Season.
Not really my cup of tea… kinda reminds me of a less fun Beatles
Boooring
Ok
This album was just okay. I think the band's name is apt — not because they're scary, but because most of the music is pretty bland and boring. It's like being zonked out on meds. I knew the big songs — "A Rose for Emily," "Time of the Season," and "This Will Be Our Year" but not much else. Not a huge fan of the former, but the other two songs are good, definitely the ones I liked most. "Butcher's Tale" is also good, and the only song that really says anything interesting. The rest of the album is very meh. It's like a combination of The Beatles' blandest hits with some Partridge Family mixed in (and maybe some Carpenters). It's all very mid-tempo, very pretty bordering on twee, and not very interesting. 3/5 — not bad per se, but just kind of ... there.
What a surprise this was. Never heard of the Zombies and it opens with such a banger in Care of Cell 44 and closes on the high loint of Time of the Season. Creative 60s pop rock that stands up pretty well to some of the Beatles albums on here, in my opinion. Enjoyed this very much.
It’s giving 60s. Nice
Zombie are an under-rated band. They made really great music - sort of psychedelic, but heavily Beatles influenced.
Strange off-key-sounding harmonies. Fun psych rock. One brilliant song: time of the season
It's decent, I'd put it in big playlists but I probably won't listen to it much otherwise.
It was okay ish
hippie, british, alright
Un muy buen álbum de psicodelia ochentera que no tiene nada que envidiarle a los mejores trabajos de The Beatles. Con armonías vocales dignas de los Beach Boys, y composiciones tan interesantes como los Kinks, The Zombies nos demuestran que no solo son productores de singles bailables, sino que también de LPs conceptuales. Sumamente recomendable.
Nope.
Fine. Easy listening. Reminds me of the cranberries and Beatles world
Not as good as their more raw early stuff. Classic case of Pet Sounds / Pepper ruining a perfectly good album with over production
What’s your name? Who’s your daddy?
I didn't realize how many Zombies songs I knew. Some real classics. A very enjoyable weekend listen.
I liked this a lot. It felt like The Beatles a bit to me. Time of the Season is just incredible. I kinda of wish the rest of the album felt a bit more like that one. But still very much feel like this is worth a listen. Looking forward to a relisten.
Красиво звучит, но альбом совсем не запомнился. Напоминает чем-то группу The Beach Boys, но в спокойном стиле.
really enjoyed this one
The first and last tracks are pretty good but the filling in the middle is a bit of a dated dirge...
Very fun psychedelic baroque pop
Muy bueno.
Good
Wasn’t a huge fan of this one and then Time of the Season showed up. Saved the best for last!
Whoa, hell yeah! I didn't recognize the name, but when I saw the tracklist, "Time of the Season" was all the reminder I needed. This is honestly a great album, very bright and clear instrumentals, with just a dash of that psychedelic edge. Not every track works, and there were a few that I'd almost skip, but enough heat on here for me to call this a great album. The first three songs especially, that run really had me going. Favorite tracks: Time of the Season, Care of Cell 44, A Rose for Emily, Maybe After He's Gone, Changes, This Will Be Our Year. Album art: Classic psychedelic '60s art style, I like the figures mixed in here, an ape man in a hospital gown, what seems like Goku with his ass out on the right. Just an excellent collage style, this one perfectly typefies the style of the time. 4/5
nice classic album
This is a no skips classic. Wes Anderson core for sure. Must also be crazy to put together a masterpiece like this and have people shrug. Glad they got their due.
For me, the quintessential album that perfectly encapsulates what the 60s vibe is
For me it’s not bad but at this point in time it’s not new to me. While I can respect that they were around the same timeframe I still think the Beatles and even The Beach Boys did it way better. I’m giving a 3 out of respect
Begrudgingly like the Zombies. Such copycats! Doors, Beatles, too many “The” names. This has about twice as much of the zany weird and adventurous decisions as your average Sgt. Peppers track— perhaps more at times, more indulgent and fun!— but about a third as much good songwriting. “A Rose for Emily” really has something going for it. Great song, shifting smartly between chords in a really satisfying way. Same with “This Will Be Our Year.” Terrific. The rest (“Changes” a good example) is so indulgent that it’s hard to get really invested. “Time of the Season” is really good and one of those you would be ecstatic to find in a dusty record bin. 3/5, good example of this period but not outstanding.
Meh.. Track 8 I want her, She wants me.. reminds of My Life by Billy Joel
How is it possible I never heard about this album or even band before. And then at the last song it hit me: oh this song... I know.
It’s like The Kinks have mated with King Crimson
Decent, just not my cup of tea as I find that I have to be in a particular mood to listen to this style of music. Came away with two songs; Beechwood Park and Brief Candles. 6/10
Ei kamala mutta ei mikään hyväkään. Perus 3/5 rokkia.
I forgot to look at the wikipedia article or even the track listing for this one and just hit play. The album sure starts out nice and quirky and continues with lots of little highlights along the way and then Time of the Season kicks in and it almost sounds like a different band. On the second playthrough, I started to get a better appreciation for this band and am keen to listen again. Fave: Time of the Season is so dreamy.
Came across the album just over a decade ago - I think because I heard "Time of the Season" in a soundtrack? I had definitely assumed these guys were San Francisco based, as they really nailed that sound - surprised to learn they're actually British! It's gorgeous stuff - lovely harmonies, almost but not quite too much tweeness, which can be a problem with psychedelia from this period - this is one of my fave examples of the genre. Fave tracks - "Time of the Season" remains a fave. "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)" is great, and "A Rose for Emily" too - I could pick out a couple more highlights with each listen, too....
4.5
A once-a-year sort of album. Favourite track this time: Beechwood Park
Better than a lot of McCartneys efforts
Although I can't give this a 5, this beyond exceeded my expectations. I didn't dislike any song (Hung up on a Dream almost pushed me towards giving that extra star) and the album was surprisingly cohesive. Also, Time of the Season is in the top 10 for best karaoke songs--trust me, you'll bring the house down.
A Care Of Cell 44 5 A Rose For Emily 5 Maybe After He's Gone 5 Beechwood Park 5 Brief Candles 5 Hung Up On A Dream 5 Changes 5 I Want Her She Wants Me 5 This Will Be Our Year 4 Butchers Tale (Western Front 1914) 5 Friends Of Mine 5 Time Of The Season 5 One of the first vinyl records I bought, mostly because I loved the album cover, but I liked the music as well. I hadn't listened to this in awhile, so I was unsure what I would give it. I expected at least a 4, but didn't expect it to be the highest rated album yet.
Again, we fall into the problem where the "hit" overshadows everything else on the album. The other stuff is good, I like the opener along with "Brief Candles". But it just doesn't compare to "Time of the Season". Putting it at the end was probably a good idea, because putting it at the beginning would make everything else seem so much lesser. Still, the other stuff is decent and I liked it as much, but that last track is so good it takes away from the other songs a little bit. I know I would listen to some of those tracks again, so that's something. It's straddling the edge for me, around a 3.5. So rounding up it's a 4, I guess. Top tracks: "Time Of The Season", "Care Of Cell 44," "Maybe After He's Gone," "Brief Candles"
There are some really good songs on this album - Care of Cell 44 (sounds familiar but I don't recognize the name), A Rose for Emily, This Will be Our Year, and the big classic Time of the Season. Friends of Mine wasn't bad either. But there are also some clunkers - Beechwood Park, Hung Up on a Dream, Changes. These songs have too much of that buzzing or wispy psychedelic sound. Butcher's Tale was a mixed bag - some very clever lyrics but the organ has such an eerie sound, like the harpsichord on the Stranglers' later-released Golden Brown, which I always found annoying. The album was better than I thought it would be and got better with multiple listens. But I don't think I can go above 3.5.
I knew this was a classic, but I never gave it a listen before now. My overall impression is that it's really dated. Everything on it screams 60s. That's not necessarily a bad thing - I like music from the 60s, but I suppose I prefer the stuff that's a little more timeless. A few songs caught my attention when I was only half listening, but just felt so dated when I listened closely (e.g., Hung Up On a Dream and Changes). The only ones that seemed to hold up on close listen were This Will Be Our Year (nice, clever pop) and the classic Time of the Season which is certainly VERY 60s, but a true classic track. In fact, I'd say Time of the Season and She's Not There (from their debut) are not just "quintessential Zombies" but also perfect representations of cool 60s music. I'm going with a 4 for cultural significance - it's good, but very much OF ITS TIME.
When this popped up I honestly thought I was being punished (another obscure 60's UK band!) for having such a great run this week with Simon & Garfunkel and Janel Monae, but I was WRONG. This is a DELIGHT. Butcher's Tale has a haunting quality that reminds me of Days of Future Passed (The Moody Blues). Touches of it in Maybe After He's Gone & Changes. Holy shit, Time of the Season is The Zombies. Iconic.
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.
An alright album. I didn't realize The Zombies did the song Time of the Season, so learned something new. Other than that very generic. 2.5/5 -> 3/5
This was delightful. It was very clean and well produced with some lovely harmonies and decent tunes. Reading Wikipedia after made so much sense how it was recorded in Abbey road before the Beatles as it has a lot of the same charm.
This album is great and I really enjoyed it. More than that is the crazy story that goes with it. A massive thank you to the person that mentioned it in their review. Check out the Buzzfeed article "The True Story Of The Fake Zombies, The Strangest Con In Rock History" for an amazing read.
Pretty up and down album. Overall I'm pretty impressed with how good it sounds for being from '68, especially the vocals. The first song, 'Care of Cell 44' was pretty good and sounded fairly fresh! Generally it was hard to find songs that grabbed me, but they ended on a high note with 'Time of the Season', which was the best song of the album hands down.
The first song "Care of cell 44" was great, like a psychedelic "Beach Boys". The rest of the album was pretty decent but i struggled a bit to keep interest or singling any song in particular. A good ending with "Time of the Season" which is a classic. When I feel for som 60s chill psych I can see myself put this on. Much like similar artists like "The Kinks", "Beach Boys" or some "Beatles" albums.
A Rose for Emily is pretty brutal. Time of the Season is definitely used in some ad but can't remember where.
They have some super old sounding poppy stuff and then some real great ones. Pretty good!
TIME OF THE SEASONNNNNN FOR LOVINGGGGGG This album is pretty good! Always nice to listen to old rock that I would never otherwise hear, when it's good at least.
Decent
Muy psicodélico y generalmente aburrido.
4 great album
One of the best psych/baroque pop albums of all time. Great arrangements and vocal harmonies. Catchy melodies and solid instrumentals with some prominent bass and piano/organ. Toes the line between delicate and powerful. Just a great record that’s really a pleasure to listen to.
Not for me.
Wasn't a big hit but I liked most of it ok. The harpsichord isa little over the top and frou-frou singing gets old by the middle of the album. Lots of neat sounds and experimentation but I think the 'baroque pop' idea just didn't pan out for me.
Time of the Season is fantastic, the rest is forgettable.
Le iba a dar un 2, porque era un poco rollo, pero resulta que son los de Time Of The Season.
Very Monkees, very Mamas and the Papas, very '60s hippie pop vibe.
it was pleasant but nothing apart from ‘butcher’s tale’ particularly captured me. it feels… unfinished? songs i liked were: butcher’s tale, care of cell 44, brief candles, changes, this will be our year and time of the season (easy to see why the last two are among their most popular).
Superior then a lot of the Beatles lame tunes, plus Time of the Season is an all-time song.
One of my all time favorite albums, I can listen to this endlessly. The diversity of different sounds that they use on the album is incredible and the switch up in some songs is so interesting. "Maybe after he's gone" and "Beachwood park" do this especially well. Every song on this album I just love. This is better than pet sounds and maybe better than rubber soul. It has darker undertones than those as well which make for a very interesting listen. After some of those songs with very diverse sounds, we get "Butchers Tale" which is mostly an organ with just vocals, singing about WW1, wanting to go home and some visceral images of flies coming down in the heat and their hands shaking. It's really something. So much depth to this album with seemingly simple lyrics.
Good 60s pop. “Time of the Season” is all I knew before this. Some nice baroque sounding songs
I like hearing different experimental albums, but this one was largely forgettable.
Yeah, there's a few great songs on here. Unfortunately for me, 60's albums just sound too old in general for me to thoroughly enjoy. There's not enough going on 'sonically'. 3.5 stars for me, but if I was born in the 50's this would undoubtedly have been higher.
2.5
I had hoped for this album, but it let me down. Time of the Season doesn't make an album. I had no interest in the rest of it. And wtf is up with the band name? Makes no sense.
Good, a bit like Belle and Sebastian, some bittersweet songs
BEATLES
The Zombies? Nie gehört! Ist aber ganz nett. Viele Streicher.
It’s good psychedelia, even if at times it just feels like an attempt to modernize the barbershop quartet or even chamber music. In the end, nothing is worth remembering aside from time of the season.
Class
Groovy background music while working
One of my favorite albums from the 60's. Kinda corny in spots, but I still love it
todo es culpa de los beatles (y antes los Beach Boys)
Some easy listeners - easy going but not enough ‘groundbreakers’ for me.
Good
This one doesn't stand the test of time. Time of the Season is the only decent song, though it is a classic.
A Swan Song for the band. It's wild that they split ways before the release of the album, but I respect the integrity of the move. What was left was a quirky, playful album reminiscent of the Beatles and other early English bands (used same studio and Mellotron as Sgt. Pepper) but also helped to gently shape the Laurel Canyon sound as it emerged halfway across the world
Just does enough to really stand the test of time. The first and last songs are spectacular and the rest aren't far behind.
Absolute classic
Butchers tale and brief candles were AWESOME
Time of the Season is one of the best songs of the 60s. Rest of the album is super catchy too.
Hits!
Really enjoyed this album. It's fun and danceable, while having a lot of music interest with the vocal harmonies. One of the things that impresses me most actually is the timing with which they give their instruments space. They know when to be more sparse and when to be more expensive. Bass-playing is insane and vibes are amazing. The best albums transport you to a new sound world and this one definitely does that
Good record. Not really My thing.
Dat eerste nummer is sick, heel lekker album verder
Forse una delle esperienze di musica anni '60 più compiute che abbia vissuto fino ad ora, dato che non mi sono immersa abbastanza. Psychedelic pop, rockettino, dolce e carino, con diverse parti memorabili, specie nella 2ª parte del disco, come con "This will be' our year", "Friends of mine" e la più popolare "Time of the season". Se i Beatles avessero fatto più psychedelic pop, se avessero avuto delle tinte di doors, e fossero stati leggermente più hippy, ma con meno identità individuale. Album comunque sempre piacevole.
Would say bootleg Beatles, but they got some good stuff. Mainly background music igl
I can see why this did not sell well on release. Time of the Season is the only good song. The others sound like hippie parodies.
Bien
Great album overall. Favourites- beechwood park, this will be our year, friends of mine, time of the season
Happy go lucky late 60s psychedelic pop rock
This album was a really pleasant surprise! High quality 60s pop with no bad songs. Half the album is good, the other half is great. The closer, Time of the Season, is of course a standout, along with Care of Cell 44. I would also like to highlight Butcher's Tale, with its haunting chorus and lyrics, and the sad and beautiful A Rose for Emily. I've been in serious doubt whether to 4 or 5 it, but I let the best songs decide. 75 albums in, my first 5!
One good song.
Very iconic and weird that the Time of the Season was the closer. Very much a hippie rock flower child album. Not great but not terrible.
- immediately thinking beatles. like, very obviously, given the fact of same time active, and 5 white guys with bad haircuts / bowlcuts - sounds like music from the late 60’s.. wack… who would have thought! - feel like it would be cool to play on a sunny slow day. good to have chill 60s music that is not the beatles - i’m not really sure about it. think i may just not be in the mood for it - i think the british wobbly tone doesn’t work for every type of song. just found the staccato emphasis on every word doesn’t work - ohhhhh they’re the time of the season people. i do like the choral chorus of it, and the intro (clapping rhythm and exhales), but as a whole song i don’t love it yet
I just can’t get enough of these 60’s psychedelic rock albums. Definitely a 5 for me!!!
solid album. as some others pointed out, one can definitely see some similarities to the Beatles – interestingly, I think this album is significantly more beatle-esque than their debut album Begin Here, which makes one wonder to what extent the studio and the equipment might have contributed to shaping the sound. but of course the Zombies definitely do stand on their own, and this album has a ton of great songs. I find myself repeatedly drawn to the bridge of Beachwood Park, which to me somehow sounds very modern compared to the rest of the song and the album, providing an interesting contrast
Late sixties pop, but not much substance here.
Perfect start to finish. Some of the most brilliant melodies and structures in pop or psychedelia. Criminally overlooked in its time. Feels like they were trying to be the British Beach Boys in a way, but they landed on something really unique.
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.
Very vibey album, psychedelic experience, would definitely want to get fried and listen to this
Seemingly a Beatles knockoff. The rarely seen album that had their most famous song as the last song on the album. Unfortunately I do hate this song. It’s not the zombies fault but Jesus I feel like I’ve heard it so many times against my will. It’s in so many movies/tv shows or any oldies station in like doctors office.
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.
An album of it's time. This feels like the "quintessential" 60's summer of love sound. Easy melodies with clear vocals singing songs about love. . . ....and then there's "Butcher's Tale". Who would have thought that an album about love and good feels would need a shake up song about the horrors of WWI? Decent album, but will probably not listen to it again other than "Time of the Season" on my parents radio playlist.
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!
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 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.
Very melodious and gentle music and lyrics!
Pleasant 60's fare.
I didn’t know the album but turns out this is iconic
Sounds like the beatles but probably the only remarkable thing about them.
Psych pop, baroque pop, or pure pop, this is a terrific record. Great harmonies, catchy songs (for the most part). I didn't really care for it when I first heard it at 14, but listening years later it felt like sunshine. Beach Boys and Beatles come shining through these songs. Love it.
Awesome 70's psychedelic rock. One recognisable hit Time of the Season.
Old school english rock band.
This list seems to love physcadelia...
Loved
Never heard most of this before. Pastoral Nuggets. Pretty nice. Some a bit too English and twee, some quite Kinks-esque, some really quite experimental and fresh sounding. Thumb up
Better than I thought it would be
First few songs - Chill, I like it a lot! Kind of all blends together. Time of the seasons - ah, that’s why this album is on here. Otherwise I would say it was pretty mid
I already knew this before and remember listening to it first time. It was one of those rare moments. I could not believe how good the record is. Perfect songwriting and beautiful vocals. I was impressed and hooked by every note and sound. By now this is the greatest Pop Record I ever listened to.
bem interessante ainda mais q tem uma das músicas que mais gosto do mundo
Mooie sound, paar goede nummers, weinig slechte
this will be our year has been a favorite of mine for a long time, but never listened to the rest of the album... is it bad that it is exactly what i expected it to be? fairly mid.
Bit too whimsical for me. Hung Up On A Dream is nice though.
7 / 10 Tiene el sonido de Abbey Road de los 60, donde se grabó. Muchas armonías vocales estilo primeros Beatles o Beach Boys. La última canción es una joya.
Pretty pop music mixed with late 60s psychedelia. Highlights: "Care of Cell 44" (Beach Boys-esque pop), "Hung Up on a Dream" (nice strings and guitar solo), "I Want Her She Wants Me" (jaunty pop tune), "Time of the Season" (a classic)
I thought this would be a bad 80s punk band, and it wasn't. The dread I had on starting the first song quickly dissipated, and by the end of the album I even recognized a couple of songs. Average
The album definitely has that golden oldies feel that makes me feel like I am riding around in the back of my parents car as a kid. But it also has some strange almost creepy touches to it as well. Butcher's Tale in particular stood out. I could see myself seeking out this one again.
I really enjoyed this album. The cover art is great.
8/10. Great vibes. Kind of Beatles / Beach Boys vibes. Creativity felt a little lower than the Beatles though. Put Brief Candles and Time of the Season on the 5⭐️ song list.
Not my cup of tea, honestly.
I came across this album a few years ago. I was familiar with Time of the Season, but the rest seems completely different to me. Seems like a Kinks album from the mid 60’s. Very mellow and relaxing. With cool stories.
Smooth radio tunes
Flower Power easy listening Pop der späten 60er. Unüberhörbar der Einfluss des Abbey Road Studios. Einfach schön zuzuhören, irgendwo zwischen Beach Boys, The Moody Blues und den Beatles. Vermutlich auch der Grund, warum die Band kommerziell keinen Erfolg hatte, sie machte Musik im Schatten der Großen... Für mich eine Überraschung und der Grund, warum ich dem Vorschlag täglich zuhöre. Immer wieder mal etwas neues Unbekanntes was mir gefällt, danke.
This album is like if The Beatles were actually good.
Good
Amazing psychedelic rock album.
Beautiful and hypnotizing baroque pop
This band is super underrated. An amazing British Invasion band that lived at the same era as the Beatles with a smaller life span. This is their best album and their phsychadelic pop rock with their Beatles influence makes this a really really good album with great fluidity. Band split up too soon and only did 2 albums I believe in their short lived span. Saw them in concert recently qnd they are still good. They recorded more albums but their 60s glory days they only did 2. These are one of what could have been bands that reached a peak in a short period and left a good dent on the history of music. Must listen to album.
3.75
Ok aber nicht außergewöhnlich
Hasn't heard of The Zombies outside of Time of the Season but actually really enjoyed this, pretty chill
I really wanted to like this. On the whole this was a bit too twee for my taste. I enjoyed it more when it veered into a more cosmic rock direction. It’s worth getting to the end for Time of the season as it’s an amazing track that stands out from the rest of the album.
It's not a bad album, it was probably an absolute banger when it came out, now with the hindsight of time, you get nothing from it that a Beatles album wouldn't deliver with more punch.
okay-ish
Beatles in Soft, nett aber nich überragend
Ok 3/5
3.4/5 Best Track: Time of the Season
A savior after some duds. Brilliant production, and underrated writing
Care of Cell 44 Maybe After He’s Gone Brief Candles Hung up on a Dream This Will Be Our Year Time of the Season The guitar on this album is amazing. Such a great vibe behind this album. Vocals have great octaves and are strong. Genuinely enjoyed listening to this.
Beautiful! I didn't expect the sixties album by somebody named Zombies to be so folksy, but wow, it was nice. Absolutely lovely crooning voice, gorgeous lyrics, and The Butcher's Tale gave me the chills.
With exception of the last track, which is an absolute gem of a song this album isn’t all that brilliant. Not horrible by any means, there’s some interesting chord changes that go where you wouldn’t normally expect them to go. But certainly not something I’ll be revisiting.
I didn't realize that they sing "Time of the Season!" I really liked "This Will Be Our Year." I saved it to put in a playlist for my girlfriend. But some of the album wasn't really my taste.
Brilliant in places
3.5
Gem
01) Care of Cell 44 - 8,0 02) A Rose for Emily - 7,0 03) Maybe After He's Gone - 8,0 04) Beechwood Park - 8,5 05) Brief Candles - 7,5 06) Hung Up on a Dream - 7,5 07) Changes - 7,0 08) I Want Her, She Wants Me - 7,5 09) This Will Be Our Year - 8,0 10) Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914) - 7,0 11) Friends of Mine - 7,5 12) Time of the Season - 10,0 TOTAL: 7,79 (78/100) It's a nice and enjoyable pop album. Like a blend of Beach Boys and The Beatles. The album was not successful when released but it eventually achieved a cult following which is very interesting to me. "Time of the Season" is the best song on the album.
A fine album but not essential except for time of the season. Butcher's Tale is a gem though. White's vocals sound like an Arctic Monkeys lost demo
One of my favorite albums a reason why the zombies have a spot in my top ten favorite bands of all time. It's honestly tragic to me that the zombies didn't get more financial success in the 60s and ended up spending much of the subsequent decades not officially together. This was a the album they left on, an album absolutely full of creativity and a sound uniquely there's.
Good vibes classic rock. A disappointing lack on undead, but the vibes made up for it.
Solid 60s Album, Loved it.
Sometimes I worry that I'm too stingy or too loose with the 5'ers. Then there's something like this, which, like pornography, you know when you see it. Absolutely spectacular - breathy bluntstone, electric piano argent, a bit less of their guitar/drummer, who are very effective when they come in, and wild soaring, contrapuntal vocals soaring in and out. Cool ass complex arrangements and song structures. Rose for emily is basically a more complicated eleanor rigby. Changes is a typhoon of a sad take on Creams I feel free. Time of the season of course and epoch defining banger. THis will be our year transcending simple blues base. Words are good too - ie world war one core - butchers tale, setting up a good template for Tom Verlaines later lyrical explorations from the front with the absolutely brutal: And I have seen a friend of mine, Hang on a wire like some rag toy And in the heat the flies come down And cover up the boy Yeesh. This one brings out the boomer in me- who is creating music this out there now, with such good song structure underlying? Who is following up on these innovations. You kids and your Gizzard Lizards could never...
Eu achei que gostaria mais pelo visual do álbum mas foi bem legal!
Eh boring to be honest. These British 60s rock bands don't do that much for me. Last track was good.
reminded me a lot of the beetles, i really liked it
the beatles
beatles-lite, really easy listening and ended very strong.
Released in 1968, The Zombies' "Odessey and Oracle" stands as a bittersweet masterpiece. Despite the band's commercial struggles and eventual disbandment before its release, the album has become a cornerstone of psychedelic rock, lauded for its songwriting, musical innovation, and timeless appeal. Lyrics: A Tapestry of Emotions The album's lyrical tapestry is rich and multifaceted. Rod Argent and Chris White, the band's primary songwriters, weave themes of youthful optimism ("This Will Be Our Year"), existential longing ("Butchers Tale (Funeral of a Friend)"), and bittersweet romance ("She's Not There"). Songs like "Care of Cell 44" present a surprisingly tender perspective on confinement, while "A Rose for Emily" adopts a more cynical outlook on love. The lyrics are rarely overt, relying on evocative imagery and metaphors that resonate with listeners across generations. Musical Innovation: Beyond British Invasion Musically, "Odessey and Oracle" transcends the limitations of the British Invasion sound. While the band retains its signature jangly guitars and soaring vocals, the album incorporates elements of baroque pop ("The Flute and the Drone"), harpsichord ("Butchers Tale"), and even a Mellotron on the iconic "Time of the Season." This experimentation creates a sophisticated and layered soundscape. Colin Blunstone's distinctive, breathy vocals remain the album's focal point, adding a touch of melancholy beauty to each track. Production Magic in Abbey Road Recorded at London's legendary Abbey Road Studios, the album benefits from pristine production. Producer Hugh Murphy masterfully captures the nuances of the band's instrumentation, showcasing the interplay between Argent's keyboards, Paul Atkinson's bass, Hugh Grundy's drums, and Chris White's rhythmic guitar lines. The use of studio effects, particularly on "Time of the Season," adds a subtle psychedelic touch without overwhelming the songs' emotional core. Themes: A Look Beyond the Groovy Beneath the album's surface-level psychedelia lies a deeper exploration of universal themes. The fleeting nature of youth and the yearning for connection are central to songs like "This Will Be Our Year" and "She's Not There." Tracks like "A Rose for Emily" and "Butchers Tale" grapple with loss and disillusionment, hinting at a darker undercurrent beneath the album's pop veneer. Influence: A Legacy of Enduring Inspiration "Odessey and Oracle" continues to inspire artists across genres. Bands like The Flaming Lips, Belle and Sebastian, and The Clientele cite it as a major influence. The album's melodic brilliance and introspective lyrics have also found their way into film soundtracks and television shows. The Other Side of the Coin: Minor Shortcomings Despite its strengths, "Odessey and Oracle" isn't without minor shortcomings. The brevity of the album, with no song exceeding four minutes, may leave some listeners wanting more. Additionally, a few tracks like "Hung Up on a Dream" feel less impactful compared to the album's stronger offerings. A Timeless Masterpiece However, these minor drawbacks do not diminish the album's overall brilliance. "Odessey and Oracle" remains a testament to The Zombies' songwriting prowess, musical ingenuity, and ability to capture the essence of a fleeting era. It's a poignant reminder that sometimes, the greatest creative achievements emerge from moments of frustration and uncertainty. In conclusion, "Odessey and Oracle" is a must-listen for fans of pop, rock, and psychedelic music. Its innovative sounds, evocative lyrics, and timeless themes ensure its place as a cornerstone of popular music history.
Not listened to this for so long. What a pleasure.
An ok album
This Will Be Our Year Time of the Season
I know this album is critically acclaimed and adored by artists I rate highly, including Paul Weller. That said, I have always struggled with it. There is no denying the craft. The harmonies are tight, the arrangements are thoughtful and it has that classic late sixties melodic charm. But for me, it never quite catches fire. It feels pleasant rather than powerful, and I find my attention drifting at times. I have even seen The Zombies live and, if I am honest, I found them quite boring on stage as well. The songs just do not have the bite or urgency that I tend to gravitate towards. There are moments I enjoy. Maybe After He’s Gone has a lovely melody, and Time of the Season is obviously a standout with its distinctive groove. But the first couple of tracks do very little for me and make it hard to fully settle into the album. Favourite songs: Maybe After He’s Gone and Time of the Season Least favourite songs: The opening two tracks do not grab me Album artwork: A great cover. Colourful, bold and instantly recognisable
Orchestral, baroque pop perfection. So beautifully constructed and performed, and Colin Blunstone's voice might be one of my favorites to come out of the 60s and the British Invasion. I first heard these guys as a young punk kid, expecting the name to align with some scuzzy pre-punk noise. It obviously didn't, but the Zombies have since become among my most treasured artists, and this album is definitely their pinnacle.
Not the music I would expect from a group called the Zombies.
Ok
? 2
Classic for a reason
I was not expecting this to be such a great album. Fantastic and interesting musically. Fun harmonies.
Really cute album
Far out man.
Only enjoyed one or two of these - not my favorite English rock album.
I enjoyed it very much for the most part, especially the last song. 3
Groovy
Actually pretty fun. Didn't realize what I was listening to until I hit "Time of the Season". Not really my style though, so I'm sticking with my typical two stars.
Tack-piano attacks like a ticking alarm clock in a lone isolated phrase; yes, it is now the time (of the season) for some special occasion, some rising up out of a bed of obscurity for one singular great day of fame—such is a description of the Zombie’s one-off wonder Odessey and Oracle, an awesome album from 1968 released by a band that by that time was already broken-up and done-for. “Good morning to you…” the first song starts sung in prim smoky-tone over a delightfully familiar descending chord progression, just piano and drums chopping along. Bass enters in on tasteful phrases. The lyrics appear to regard man-n-woman’s long-anticipated reunion, divulged in the form of a letter; but how clever a concept when you realize that the boy plans to go get his girl from a correctional facility! Lyrics like “and we’ll get to know each other for a second time / and then you can tell me ’bout your prison stay…” reveal and explain the title ‘Care of Cell 44’. All the while, the music is sunshine-bright and beautified by spacious fades of mellotron and harmony vocal. In a chorus rivaling the best of the Beach Boys, ‘Care of Cell 44’ comes loaded with huge layers of heavenly harmony. “Feels so good!” ‘A Rose for Emily’ subverts expectations. An optimistic opening line “the summer is here at last” is coupled with the contrasting “the sky is overcast”. Worst yet, “no one brings a rose” for the eponymous Emily, and that’s what this is all sadly about. Played on piano, the song and its simple set-up become belied by complicated chords, inverted and diminished, minor and major, everywhere in the scale and beyond. Indeed, it all changes key for the chorus with well-woven vocal parts reflecting further on Emily’s hapless reality. Audible guitar occupies the shadowy opening of ‘Maybe After He’s Gone’, a sudden power-ballad in its chorus with walls of harmony, hammering piano, and the simple and somewhat desperate refrain: “maybe after he’s gone / she’ll come back / love me again”. Further verses wallow in great gloom with dramatic declarations of “I feel I’ll never breathe again / I feel life’s gone from me”. Drums thunder from a low valley and extra singers add sad la-la’s on the offbeats. These drastically different sections alternate (once with a bridge in between); and there’s finally an a cappella ending on those uncertain chorus words. Now the hazy glaze of 1967 summer-o-love shows up in the full swingin-psych of ‘Beechwood Park’. Warm organ and tremulous guitar walk in this pretty park together through a series of intriguing twists and shocking harmonic realizations—it’s a-lot like the natural ebb-n-flow of a free, sleepy mind. On those notes, the lyrics lean on wistful memories, detail-free impressions of the past with lovely music to match: “and the breeze would touch your hair / kiss your face and make you care / about your world / your summer world”. Hear the divine church-choir conclusion; it’s all a dusty dream for bygone times and untouchable things. ‘Brief Candles’ handles its drastic dynamics much in the same way as ‘Maybe After He’s Gone’ (ie, a sad and elegant section gives way to an enormous chorus). Each verse, with its pensive piano passages, features a distinct singer describing some lonely broken soul; but all is not lost as the music smooths into an exciting tune of triumph, an anthem of huge harmony with words “brief candles in his mind / bright and tiny gems of memory / brief candles burn so fine / leaves a light inside where he can see / what makes it all worthwhile / his sadness makes him smile”. How ear-catching! How encouraging! Next track trods through its end-twist progression insistently, the last chord always a strange yet stable resolution in this most noble of odes to the flower-power scene of the sixties: ‘Hung Up On a Dream’. The lyrics retell the singer’s blissful entrance into hippiedom when “a sweet vibration filled the air”, and how “[he] stood astounded staring hard / at men with flowers resting in their hair”. But what about that bridge? ’Tis revealed that this scene was just a dream, nothing but a transient time, a pleasant and intense memory that the narrator can never relive. But he’s hung up! The song haunts on with the presence of two more verses (now up a notch in a new key) and all the ghost vocals echoing each word (along with the tired lines “sometimes I think I’ll never find / such purity and peace of mind, again”). ‘Changes’ changes things up, appropriately so. This contrasting track blasts with banging bongos and overloaded harmony walls, these vocals repeating seasonal lyrics almost a cappella (save for the tribal percussion). Second section sounds outrageously dissimilar to the first due to its jazzy piano progression. These separate sections, essentially two distinct tunes, trade awhile and that’s all that really occurs in one of the longer songs on the album. Let that delayed bass bob along to introduce ‘I Want Her She Wants Me’, a harpsichorded rocker with audible guitar—again, the guitar does not feature nearly as frequently as common for contemporaries of ze Zombies. This track’s tune tickles the ear with its pleasant pop and optimistic message of mutual love. Maybe the mood’s a bit more menacing on the bridge (with lines advising care and caution); but ultimately, everything adheres to the easy-breezing feel-good stressless sentiment of young love: “there’s nothing on my mind / and life seems kind now!”. Piano drives the ballad-bus for ‘This Will Be Our Year’, a pretty little ditty refraining on the tag “this will be our year / took a long time to come”. The chords of the chorus capture the tumultuous up-n-down emotions of a pre-dating duo; but now their time is right. There’s even a short plunky piano solo and a key change stepping things up for maximum momentum in this lovely two-minute tune. There’s a big change of pace on ‘Butcher’s Tale (Western Front 1914)’ with its ominous winds and repetitive pump-organ passage. We’re here in the horrors of World War I as a poor butcher-turned-slayer sheds some dark light on the scenes of battle: “and I have seen a friend of mine / hang on the wire like some rag toy / then in the heat the flies come down / and cover up the boy”. The bleak chorus is most blood-curdling as butcherboy wails “I can’t stop shaking / my hands won’t stop shaking / my arms won’t stop shaking / my mind won’t stop shaking”. Of course, this eerie experience is utterly out of place on this album; but it isn’t unwelcome to any interested ears. ‘Friends of Mine’ be a twee tune about how touching it can be “to know two people / so in love, so in love”; in other words, it’s just a thoughtful guy feeling jazzed since his friends have found love. The music is straight-up fast piano-pop complete with the catchiest chorus—leadsinging repeats the title tunefully as buncho-backups say the names of specific friend-pairs: “Kim and Maggie / June and Duffy / Jean and Jim and / Jim and Christie” (I always enjoy that two Jims are mentioned—or maybe it’s the same scandalous Jim?). Cute composition. “Aw”, it ends. And at last ‘Time of the Season’ comes to close out the album with its classic claps and gasps and iconic drum-n-bass spooky-groove. Sensual singing comes to its glorious chorus with all voices together, tight and unaided by any instruments to express a simple statement: “it’s the time of the season for loving”. And there’s a few extended solos for an inspired electric-organ cutting loose over the only real instance of jamming this band left on the record. It’s a fine finish. Odessey and Oracle: it’s a mash of music characterized by a classical mode of composition, an ear-pleasing pop-sensible melody perspective, and a strong 1960s-style emphasis on love. Everything’s good-n-groovy, brother-n-sisters. Each song, crafted carefully with juicy artistic alloys, offers its own unique strength and sparkle. Taken as a whole, this album’s certainly one of the brightest and most substantial sets of songs of its time and season. [And even in 2019, 50+ years after the fact, the original band hasn't lost its verve and performs the entire album live! I won't forget a bunch of old Zombies making such beautiful music before my eyes—I hope they touch you all with their infectious melodies]
Definitely one of the staples of the psychedelic movement of the sixties, and for its historical significance, worth listening to. "Time of the Season," still holds up as one of the great pop songs of its era, but as a whole, the album isn't that thrilling to my modern ears.
I just found this one boring. It didn't engage me at all.
listened through al this just to hear the last song, which is the only one I know? Pass
In some ways, this was a nice palette cleanser after yesterday's absolutely madness, but it was a bit of a disappointment. The songs that I knew were good - Time of the Season in particular is a cracking bit of late 60s West Coast stuff. But overall, I felt that it drifted a little, and was often just...fine.
Solid.
Groovy baby... Your groove, I do deeply dig... but not my bag. Caricature of 60's carnies. No walls, only the bridge.
Meh. Maybe it was interesting in its own time. I didn’t enjoy it.
honestly one of the most pleasant and comforting albums i've heard in a while. It's all of the elements of classic rock/pop from the Beatles and indie pop bands without any of the boring chord progressions, topics, and musical blandness. REALLY liked this one.
I love this type of music, & it’s got one of my favorite songs
This is one of my favorite psych albums I've heard. The songs are catchy and very re-listenable. I hardly ever turn on psychedelic music, but this was enjoyable.
I really didn't care for this album, maybe it's just not the day for it.
4 stars for life on mars alone. What a song.
Surprising little vibe
The zombies, I owe you an apology. I wasn’t really familiar with your game. Some heat fr
One song. Just one song, and that a cult discovery. How do you call youselves The Zombies, and then make music fit for the Cowsills? Most of this is just trite pop.
Nice and concise album! Time of the Season is pretty good (which is probably why it’s the only one I’ve heard before) and the rest are ok, but not good enough to earn a 4.
I liked this. Simpsons: No
It was alright, another solid mid table album. Good album length. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Its an ok album, I imagine it was probably better received at the time of record. All sounded very samey apart form the last song. Which I had heard before. Probably won't listen to any of them again
Really enjoyed this album, it was just fun and nice. Highlights for me: A Rose for Emily, This Will be Our Year, and Time of The Season.