Reviews (page 6 of 14)
Standard for the time, nothing great.
Really enjoyed this album. Great songs written by band members Argent and White. Well arranged and performed. Particularly liked A Rose for Emily Brief Candles Butcher's Tale Time of the Season
Un agradable descobriment,pobre gent...el mon de la música no ha fet justícia amb ells.Molt bons!!Els hi poso un 8!!
- Tja, zeker niet slecht - 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummer al toegevoegd aan MMMM
Oddly appropriate random pick for Halloween, and also just a good album in general
Usually when I call something a knock off Beatles it's derogatory but here I kinda mean it as a compliment! 7/10
Easy 5 stars.
My wedding first dance song appears on this album. Hard to be rational about this one. 6 stars out of 5.
Enjoyable listen, quite upbeat and happy. Reminiscent of beach boys, easy to listen to.
Liked it
Good 60s pop
I really enjoyed this album. At first I thought maybe they were trying to emulate and capitalize off a Beatles or Beach Boys sound but I realized pretty quickly they have a sound all their own. I really liked the use of vocal layering and harmonizing. They do the 60's psychedelic pop sound super well and without any cliche. I also thought for a pop band the lyrics were surprisingly deep and introspective but also not entirely abstract like some psychedelic bands of the era might lean into. Also bonus points for "Time of the Season" being one of the all time great jams.
I am genuinely surprised that their label could fumble this album so bad that it wasn't well received when it was released. It sounds like a mix of the Beach Boys and the Beatles and there's not a bad track on here. It's just a solid psychedelic baroque pop album from front to back!
A lot to unfold with beach boys ripoff, church instruments turning mid track into a daft punk precursor, experimental stuff and an unmatched diversity. Listen when chaos is needed
Better than 99.9% of all the other psychedelic rock that came out around this time, but this genre doesn't do it for me. 3 stars for fantastic recording quality and sound engineering.
No way. I was literally just talking to my girlfriend about how "Time of the Season" is the most soulful song ever produced by white people lol. Another one of those albums that gets better each time you listen to it. And yea, "Time of the Season" is one of the greatest songs of all time obviously. Favorite track: Time of the Season 4.5/5
Redeemed by the one song I knew
Generic and dull didn't care that much for them, gotta admit the background story is pretty amusing
Pretty cool, but some songs are a little repetitive. low 4/5
This was light but fun, four stars.
great songs
J'adore The Zombies et c'est censé être leur chef d'oeuvre, et pourtant j'ai trouve ça ... juste bien.
Inoffensive and easy to listen to. Perfect background music when guests are around.
Classic 60’s vibe
I know the Zombies by reputation as one of the great bands who never really were, and the story of the 2 fake The Zombies (see top review) is mad, but after listening to this I am underwhelmed. There's some nice stuff in here, and an odd preoccupation with death (maybe appropriate given their name), but the presentation, with the soft vocals and kitsch organ backing, doesn't really do it for me. It was the last song on the album but I recognised Time Of The Season and nothing else. (A bit sad not to hear their best song, She's Not There, but if it's not on this album, it's not on this album).
3.5 actually but yeah.
Alright just some basic 60s music
Limpo, agradável, muito bom. Inesperadamente, amei.
The last two songs slapped. Those were coincidentally the only two I recognized.
A collection of some of the best of 60s rock-- folk, harpsichord, all manner of harmonies. And it ends on their darkest sounding song with organ, kind of Doors-ish. Just a great album. 4/5
Got some like beach boys and early pink Floyd vibes from this, pretty cool, enjoyed it quite a bit. 4 stars
One of my all time favorites. I caught wind of this a few years ago and has been a grail of mine. It is just so well written, catchy, and so much more than just its lone hit single. I love it significantly.
Delightful classic beach boy esque 60s music
Enjoyed this much more than I expected and more than I felt I should. Somewhere between a weak 4 and a strong 3.
Entertainende sixtiespop, harmonietjes a la Beach Boys met semivergeten hitjes ‘a rose for Emily’, ‘this will be our year’ en ´The Time of the Season’
Ended up listening a few times, really grew on me.
Very pleasant songs - a great album - I was pleasantly surprised
If the beach boys were British and psychedelic. This is glowing warm with youth and life, has this vintage quality and medieval references that work. Soundtrack to youth, autumnal quality
Solid through and through.
Not my style but some great songs.
Good stuff. "This Will Be Our Year"
An under looked albums I’ve always thought
Great songs, fun harmonies, lovely instrumentation.
Pretty, pretty, pretty good.
This has always been their best album, and I loved it much more in my youth than I do now. These days, it feels surprisingly dated—more so than many of its contemporaries. Still, it’s a great record that carries a lot of nostalgia for me. Three stars for its quality and the memories, though I doubt I’ll put it on again unless someone else does.
Easy listening, very few skips, however, very few standouts. Time of the Season makes me feel like i am walking through the sixties and for that, it is my favorite track of the record.
Very Beatles like
Beatles-style band, also has a bit of indie feel
Fun 60s music
Thy Bombies.
Pleasant listen that has quite sophisticated production. Always perceived and enjoyed the haunting tone to many of their songs, including 'A Rose for Emily' and of course 'Butchers Tale'. The Zombies offer a distinct sound that allowed them to standout even during the height of thr Beatles. Top Tracks = A Rose for Emily & Time of the Season
Nothing that happens on the first 11 tracks lead you to think this is the same band that made "Time of the Season," which is an absolute monster of a song. The rest of the album is more Brian Wilson-adjacent, which means it was never going to be totally for me, but I ended up enjoying my time with it, though I doubt I'll return. Several songs feel overwritten and overproduced. But there's a spark of something I'm responding to; those parts that probably influenced elements Bowie and Queen.
Nothing much going on here. Time of the season stand out song
It bored me.
So I said I wanted my hippie music back, but I probably should have been more specific. This wasn’t quite it. There were a few good songs on here (edibles do help) but it doesn’t surprise me there was very little interest in this when it came out, from either the public or critics. There isn’t anything that makes them stand out. And I don’t know why this popped into my head, but the singer’s voice reminded me of the prince in Monty Python’s Holy Grail who was marrying the princess with the HUGE….tracts of land. So that was something! I mentioned the edibles, right?
Very stylistic of the time period. Melodic songs that are piano led with a steady drum beat. Reminiscent of the Beatles without the drugs. Middle of the road for me but these songs would never last in today’s music scene. Time of the Season was a nice surprise at the end of the album.
Alright, Jen, the 1001 randomizer machine heard your peace and love request and served up this peach of an album. For most of the songs, I kept waiting for a jarring voice to interrupt mid-track and say, “all of our agents are busy right now, but your call is important to us. Please stay on the line and your call will be answered by the next available agent.” Yes, this is just on-hold music, if it was more progressive and had a lead singer. Exhibit B in what is becoming a true question for me with this list: Do we have albums like this because everyone was on drugs in the 60s … or was everyone on drugs in the 60s because we have albums like this?
I really liked this album. LIght and fun, very enjoyable listen. Feels like this was the bubble gum pop of the hippie era.
Just beatles
Fair
Actually it's very good! I didn't expect to like it so much but I do.
Cool album. Sounded oddly both current & vintage. One generational banger and it's the sound of the late 60's. You can tell they did more psychedelic sounds and possibly even loosened their ties & undid a button (not 2). These guys would have made great monks. Cool nerds honing their craft.
Better than expected, especially the last couple. Butcher’s Tale was the right combo of weird and catchy for me. This felt a step above a lot of the 60s stuff we’ve gotten. Light 4.
Honestly not sure why this album is so critically acclaimed. The only stand out song for me is Time of the Season. The rest is pretty bland, late 60s British rock. Not bad but not special either.
This was a fun one to hear again. Like the Beatles and Kinks the Zombies are able to combine psychedelia with early 20th century British dancehall music seamlessly. "Time of the Season" is a classic that still sounds cool today. Also a great album cover.
Groovy! But also annoying.
It was a bit all over the place and the vocals for a bit annoying. Not bad, but wouldn't listen again.
This is fine. 3 stars, nothing too special here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
One of my favourite bands from this era. Couple of outstanding tracks a a great listen overall
Really grew on me, thought it was 2 bound after the first two songs and when I stopped comparing it to the Beatles. Might be generous but really enjoyed by the end
Enjoyed this but expected more, found myself losing interest. Finishes on a high
Influential for sure, but it doesn’t belong on this list.
Just very 60s. I get the impression these were the indie softbois of their day.
On kivaa beatlesmaista meininkiä. Näistä tykkään
Had never heard the Zombies before. Definitely gave me some Beatles binders. Nice melodies. Could use a few more uptempo tracks sprinkled in.
W its a dope album, and the lyrics really got me thinking what more can I ask for
What a suprise! I knew one song. Masterpiece.
Good album!! There were several great songs!
OK
Time of The Season is a 10/10, rest of it is like solid 6/10.
?? ah doch "times of the season" toll. c
Good 60s vibe with Age of Aquarius too.
If there is ever a band that gained a cult following from one album alone, it would be the Zombies. Frustrated by their lack of success, they signed to CBS Records and recorded their second studio album at Abbey Road Studios. Tempers flared as the band worked under a tight budget, with morale hitting an all-time low at the end of the sessions. After the first two singles failed to chart and demand for their live appearances dwindled, the Zombies split up. Months after their breakup, Odessey and Oracle was released in the UK, and it was musician Al Kuper's convincing of the album's merits to his superiors at Columbia Records that the record had a second chance in the US market. "Time of the Season" became a sleeper hit, and the legend of the Zombies started to grow. After giving this album a listen, I can hear the dedication in the songcraft and production. After the Beach Boys put out Pet Sounds, and the Beatles put out Sgt. Pepper's, the Zombies had their baroque pop record. The sound is lush and ornate, with Rod Argent's elegant work behind the Hammond organ and Mellotron, the bouncy rhythm section from Chris White and Hugh Grundy, eclectic guitar lines from Paul Atkinson, and Colin Blunstone's breathy vocal delivery supported by a multitude of harmonies. The overall style is very psychedelic and avant-garde, paired with lyrics that present as a series of dream sequences in the mind, with vivid imagery used to describe the passion for love felt by the narrator, only broken up partway with the wartorn conflict eloquently described on "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)". Even in the argument could be made for more varied subject matter, the execution makes up for any shortcomings. I honestly couldn't find any fault with Odessey and Oracle. The Zombies would reunite decades later to revel in the glory that this album brought.
No
Very ‘60s/‘70s psychedelia in a rejuvenating kind of way. Enjoyed this one much more than I expect I would, too!
Huh! I, of course, have heard a few of these songs never knowing the band The Zombies, however I now see that they are not a one hit wonder band at all, and worthy of a listen. In fact the only real thing I will say here is they fall under a sort of 60's pop psychedelic genre with clear, somewhat meaningful lyrics and are truly WORTH A LISTEN! Made me happy!
If every song had been like Time of the Season this would have been an easy 5, but honestly most of the majority of this album was too hippy-psychedelic concepty for me. Like a low rent Sgt. Pepper's album which I'm sure heavily influenced this. It's a shame because a lot of the Zombie's other hits are really good.
Time of the Season
Typical 60s sound. OK but not enticing
6.8/10
Love Time of the Season. The rest of the album is OK. Not jazzed.
I am skeptic to the beatles and all the other modern heavy rock sponsors like yes, genesis, hendrix. In 2025 the seed means nothing, so I only appreciate the hit - Time of the Season, Who's your daddy?
The first album on this list where I let it play a second time through straight. I knew Time of the Season but couldn’t have told you who sang it before today. Really enjoyed the album 8/10
lush instrumentals and bright harmonies. delightful and whimsical 60s british psychedelic pop. despite moments of repetition, with several tracks seeming to blend into one, the distinctive sound is nostalgic and evocative of the era; go-go boots, mod dresses and the zebra crossing on abbey road came to mind. 3/5
day 2: i’ve never listened to a beach boys album but this is what i imagine it would sound like. some nice harmonies and some interesting musical sections (trumpet in there somewhere?), but overall does nothing ambitious or outside of the box. not bad not amazing
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. This list’s psychedelic recommendations have mostly left me feeling frustrated and disoriented. But the Zombies have an immediately arresting sound. I was engaged all the way through to the clear highlight Time of the Season. Solid 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
monótono!!!
eh bacaninha, bem feito e menos psicodélico do que eu esperava mas nada demais não. divertidim!!
Mycket trevligt men helheten nådde inte hela vägen till en fyra. Time of the Season är en toppenlåt
Ganska behagligt sound!
Gammal hederlig musik! Inga konstigheter, bara bra melodier och vibe.
Pretty interesting uses of stereo - a relic of the time, I suppose. Some nice guitar on some songs, but the piano and vocals are obviously at the forefront. Was “Time of the Season” a single? If so, it seems like a weird choice!
4/5
Fav Song: Time of the Season
Not not Beatles
By 1968, it was almost impossible for a British band dabbling in psychedelia to avoid comparison with the Beatles. Yet the Zombies, on Odessey and Oracle, are closer in spirit to the Beach Boys, if the Beach Boys’ harmonies had been drilled not by a stern Californian father but by a choirmaster at St. Albans Cathedral. Their harmonies are exquisite, yes, but there’s something eerily juvenile in those stacked voices: they shimmer with purity, but purity here feels like an absence, a refusal of sex. As I say: Beach Boys. Argent's arrangements lean toward the baroque. Not so exciting as Wilson's, but, like him, Argent is unable to escape the bounds of pop. Romantic gestures abound, but they lack the bite or danger that psychedelia was beginning to explore. By the time this album appeared, the Beatles had already shattered the form with the fragmented brilliance of The White Album. Against that backdrop, the Zombies’ flirtations with poetics feel precious rather than daring. A Rose for Emily pretends toward Faulkner but never gets its hands dirty in Southern soil, while Butcher’s Tale risks reducing the Western Front to a curious trifle rather than elevating the pop song into tragedy. Still, it’s a lovely album to listen to: feather-light, beautifully crafted, but so airy it must be tethered to its era, lest it drift away into oblivion. Its afterlife is secured mostly by Time of the Season — ironically, the least psychedelic track here — which continues to soundtrack film and television montages of “the sixties.” That, perhaps, is the Zombies’ fate: remembered as a perfectly preserved echo of a time that was already slipping away when Odessey and Oracle first appeared. Something dead that keeps coming back to life. 2.5 I wish we’d had this on a weekend. First of all because listening on YouTube was annoying (this album is not on Deezer). Second because there are so many interesting things that are wrong with this album and I wish I could have an hour or two to pull them apart properly. I didn’t know Odessey and Oracle but I gather from my lunchtime read of its Wikipedia page yesterday that it is a ‘cult classic’. The squares (people listening to pop and rock music in 1968) didn’t ‘get’ this album, in any sense, and so the poor Zombies were obliged to break up. As ‘smartcookie2022’ on the YouTube comments puts it: ‘Fantastic ablum. The crime of the last century was this album not selling and being No. 1 around the world.’ And still only 802k views. History is a nightmare from which too many of us are still trying to awake. And I’ve only had a day and I’m not a morning person. So groggy and still scratching myself - excuse the confused take that here follows. Odessey and Oracle is a bit shit. It is at times bluntly derivative of the Beatles and the Beach Boys and given that there is a fair amount of musical talent on display on this record, that can’t help feeling like cynicism. McCartneyish bass lines, PennyLaneish plonky piano, mellotron, British brass-band horns, and there is even tabla at one point. Alongside there is the cooing of three-part backing vocal harmonies in the style of California’s best-selling. How could the Zombies miss? In a nutshell by being nowhere near as good as either. ‘A Rose for Emily’ is a poundshop Eleanor Rigby. ‘And as the years go by/ She will grow old and die/ The roses in her garden fade away/ Not one left for her grave’ I try to see the prettiness of the Zombie’s music in its own right (not a string quartet, to its minimal credit) but I can’t take my eyes off the gulf in imagination and poetry between it and The Beatles single of 18 months before. ‘Maybe After He’s Gone’ makes a bold attempt at out-Beach Boying ‘I’m Waiting for the Day’ by presenting a protagonist so pathetic that even Brian Wilson might wince. It does no good; the spirit of flaccidity is certainly present in the lyrics but the music hasn’t the elegance to distract us. The melody has a rigid, awkward contour characteristic of much of this album, perhaps as much to do with the performance as the writing; no swing, no freedom in the line, a mere locating of each note in an almost robotic way. A stick up its backside. Which brings us to the pronunciation. Now I’m not one to invoke Class Struggle every time News at Ten comes on or anything but the way, for example, your man sings the word ‘after’ in this song put my back up. It doesn’t feel right in a pop song. I don’t know whether that is (again) the Beatles fault for valorising Northern accents - I have never given the Fab Four any credit merely for being from Liverpool. But in any case - these Zombie voices don’t work for me. They are too RP. I don’t believe for a second that they have mates in prison, unless they were in for tax fraud but sure when does that ever happen? This sense of the Zombies as class intruders in pop music is reinforced by the antique poise of some of the lyrics. ‘A sweet vibration seemed to fill the air I stood astounded, staring hard At men with flowers resting in their hair A sweet confusion filled my mind Until I woke up only finding Everything was just a dream A dream unusual of its kind That gave me peace and blew my mind’ (Hung Up on a Dream) Your hole, Percy. This sort of cod-Romantic shit is all over this album and it is excruciating. I know other artists were doing this in the 60s but taken with the album’s other sins the horror really pops. I do actually like some of the music here with the reservation that almost every musical idea worth celebrating on Odessey.. is reused without variation two or three times in a song. Yes pop music often does that but you know who doesn’t? The Beatles and The Beach Boys at their peak in the couple of years before the Zombies released this album. The Zombies know they are doing us wrong and they don’t care. And that is, presumably, the banality of evil. 2/5
Strong 3,5
Gorgeous listen, made me a bit misty at points
This was so pretty. Dreamy harmonies and just the right touch of sadness. It’s melodic the whole way through, never boring, and a couple tracks really stuck with me. Loved this one. The most liked review was also awesome to read.
I've always found Time of the Season to be a decent song, but an entire album in that vein is a little much to take. However ... I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I was driving through rural Oregon while listening, and it was a nice soundtrack for that. And I'll give them an extra star for their crazy story.
This sounds very modern, very indie, very not my jam in larger than one song doses. So, historically interesting and no doubt meritorious, but only getting 3 stars from me because I'll never listen to it again.
Some probably find this too precious but I’m a sucker for orchestral pop. I was introduced to this album by This Will Be Our Year which is the best song by a fair margin. Some of the tracks took time to grow on me but did with the exception of only a couple. Colin Blunstone has one of my favorite rock/pop voices of any era.
Good, varied stuff. Btw OK Go recorded an excellent (albeit not especially innovative) cover of This Will Be Our Year.
3.5/5 - You need to hear this because it has a couple solid hits, and so you know the music behind the insane back story of the "Fake Zombies." Go look it up on Wikipedia. The album cover and misspelling of Odessey are pretty classic as well. I'd probably have to spend more time with this to really get into the album cuts, but I like it overall. Rounding up to 4 for the Fake Zombies story.
21.00, hima, sennheiser, qobuz JES
so good
Fluffy and light. 60's / early 70's soft, almost psychedelic rock. Okay to have in the background.
The Zombies’ sound blends elements of The Beatles, The Monkees, The Beach Boys, and at times, early pieces of Queen. The harmonies are impeccable and they cover a wide range on this album - from classic barbershop-style pop to ominous psychedelic rock. Not really ‘fuzzy guitar’ psychedelic rock, it’s more the organs, glockenspiels, and woodwinds kind. I had high hopes for this album after the Young Rascals album I reviewed a few weeks ago. This album is a perfectly cliche late 60s pop/rock album, but it leans more pop and that's not what I wanted. “Time Of The Season” is a classic, and there’s a reason it’s used so often in tv/movies to quickly establish a scene in the late 60s, but beyond that, there's not much here for me.
Why did I never realize the 'good morning to you' song is about someone in prison
Känns som att det borde vara bra men jag är bara uttråkad
Better hippie stuff than normal!
Favourite Track: beechwood park, time of the season
I listened to half of this album. It's nice. It's not my kind of music.
I won’t remember this
Genuinely easy listening, soothing and gentle. I liked it best when they got spooky on "Time of the Season" - this song really stood out from the rest of the tracks which were like Beatles lite.
A better Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.
Just barely a five!
Less high profile than Beach Boys but a very similar sound. Very catchy in places
One great song, two ok songs and the remainder just sort of drivel.
Hung up on a Dream is perfect. Dang I really like this album.
Was really vibing with it until Butcher's tale. Def was not a fan of that song
For reasons I can’t put my finger on, this agreed with me more than other late 60s music that is stylistically similar.
An album of songs that are in the album.
An uneven ride with a few gems. From the plink plonk to the WAHHHHHH, it’s not bad, not great, but I do love the softness in his voice.
eh
A standard rock record with some high moments
An important record to be sure.
Mannn talk about a Tale of Two Different 70s, some stuff was absolutely awesome and trailblazing... and then you have the boring milquetoast stuff like this
I've never listened to this album (20). Not a big fan of psychedelic pop from this era, too much pop and not enough psych.
Time of the Season is a good song and this is a good recording. The rest of the record is fairly middle-of-the-road 1960s psychedelic. Lots of tiny cymbals and isolated vocals. Doesn't do it for me.
banger
Pretty cool album! Nothing to write home about imo but well worth a listen
Love the zombies!
Really enjoyed this. Brief candles especially.
This was a really good and fun album. I've only ever heard the last track.
At its best when it's talking about a dude being eaten by flies and writing jail letters, at its worst when it is trying to be a rip off of The Beatles. But still, it was better than I thought it would be, especially since this isn't my type of music typically.
another great record
Really enjoyed most of this
I saw some of the comments saying this is something like "baroque-leaning psych pop". This is mostly too light and pop for my tastes. Oh, Time of the Season, ya, even I know this one, was used in movies and stuff. It's good, but ya, the rest is forgettable.
This album is a miracle, a brilliant shimmering diamond. It captures the spirit of that romantic, pure, youthful, idealized world of the 1960s better than any other album. The songwriting is pop perfection. Catchy hook after catchy hook, while also maintaining a high degree of intricacy. None of the songs are simple 4-chord pop fluff; many of them weave between keys or employ strange and complex chords, without compromising the allure of the music. I love the vocals, both the lead and those in the background. And I love the lush sound quality of the album as well; many songs have that magical mellotron-sound popular in the late 60s. A thoroughly charming, delightful listen.
Понравилось вначале, потом немного поднадоело. Тем неожиданнее финальная развязка - классная последняя песня (неожиданная даже несмотря на то, что я её знал). 6,5 из 10.
Somewhat interesting. Not what I'd expect for a group called The Zombies.
Great melodies and performances. Very good players and the production is perfect. It sounds like when it was recorded but in the way that you want - like a document not something that got stranded there. Nothing typical about it but you also feel like it is familiar.
it wwas something. the big song at the end saved, i think. not super notable otherwise, but nice
The album became good with the last song. Everything else just sounds like a standard 60s band.
I thought this was going to be a straight up Beatles knockoff, but it has a pretty unique sound once you dig in. Things did feel repetitive towards the back end though. Over all I liked but didn’t love this one.
While I've never sat and listened to the whole thing in one go before, I've heard quite a lot of it before and it's great.
Increasingly obsessed with this. A conglomeration of everything that made the '60s great.
Fun, a little whiny, but I think that's kind of the genre. Easy listening
Time of the Season aside, this album has the aesthetic and sound of the WaWa Hoagie Fest. I get that this might have been new and innovative in the time that it came out - but now its aged into completely flat, smooth marketing material to sell sandwiches in the summertime. Art truly is a cruel mistress.
Inoffensive, slightly interesting. Very Beatles-esque but without the avant-garde-ness. Not bad, but not my cup of tea.
kan vokse på en
One of my favorite of the era.
Time of the season was the only song I really loved but its ok
03
I don’t think it holds up
few really big, strong moments. Has aged better than a lot of records from this era
I wasn't sure what to expect with this one but it was a pleasant surprise. A decent listen.
A slog
Damn,the beatles really overshadowed other bands in the 60s.Honestly prefer some of this psych to em.Also,GOKU?? 8.7
Another unexpectedly fantastic album. I want it on vinyl.
Fucking fire psychedelic pop. The mixing has great layers.
chill. 60s. psychedelic.
great
Of all the things I was expecting with that combination of band name, album name, and album cover, Beatles was not anywhere in my top 5. I was expecting something closer to Jimi Hendrix's flavor of psych rock. It's fine, but really nothing noteworthy, or notable for that matter. I've heard this sound before in like 5 different bands from the same year. Changes was a good standout, though.
Great album, first time listening in a couple years and its more of a banger than I remembered
What a wild story this band has, good album
A lovely album—reminds me of The Beatles, mixed with a little bit of Chicago! I wasn’t familiar with the Zombies’s discography but I really enjoyed this album’s songs! Great harmonies and mixing!!
There's some albums that have cover art that I just want to have in my home as decoration. This one is a strong candidate if I can find it. The album? It's got that classic late 60's sound. But with better production value. Do I like it? It's fine, but nothing I'd play on purpose. But I also wouldn't take it off the turntable early.
Time of the Season is an all-timer for me. The rest of the album was pretty good, but nothing to write home about.
I enjoyed the sound of this. Sort of early Beatles meets Beach Boys with a touch of psychedelica and Dusty Springfield. I particularly liked the last track, “Time of the Season” which I seem to have “liked” on Spotify previously. It sounds like the sort of thing that might be on movie soundtracks. Other than that one, I don’t think there’s a lot of catchy tunes. But I might return to it.
Classic from its time, really enjoyed.
Tis a bop
"released to critical and commercial indifference" - Yeah, I can see that. This is what "twee" and "quaint" were invented for. I do notice how this can be experienced as a noteworthy shuffle of 60s sounds, ... [...] ... but later, revisting it right now, I am thinking about highlighting the Britishness of it, maybe mention an LSD infused cup of tea as a likely good companion to the album, back then, in a Bridport/Dorsey cottage... which has me thinking... I don't love this, but it's got a thing going for it. "This Will Be Our Year" is playing right now, I would be lying if this wasn't a 4.
This is one of those albums that would change what I think depending on my mood of the day. Eight years old when released, I have recollections of songs on the radio, of which I had no control over. Thus absorbing British pop of the time. I don't recall any of The Zombies, however, the style and sound is so generic of the time. On an exceptional good mood day this is 3 stars, otherwise 1 star.
Really enjoyed this. It felt like a combination of what I enjoyed of the Beatles and the Beach Boys.
not really for me
Fín, nokkur góð lög þarna en alls ekki það góð í heild sinni.
groovy with good melodies, heavy two channel action
Enjoyed this album. Very good sound and production, some lovely songs, Beatles-esque vibes
There are a lot of 1968 albums on this list. Not an album I know or have listened do but everyone know the giant hit single "Time Of The Season". Not sure how well it stands up today, it sounds dated. "Care of Cell 44" and "A Rose For Emily" are nice songs but forgettable. "Maybe After He's Gone" was solid. "Beechwood Park" feels like it would be a good candidate for a updated remake. "This Will Be Our Year" was a nice little ditty. I read all about the album but I wasn't as impressed as the writers were. It's good, has one all time great hit and some decent filler but not a T1001 album in my book. 3 stars
I think I want to give this a 3.5 just because I liked it more than pet sounds but not that much more? Idk I just wish there were some more options and this was out of 10
Mixing sounds quite modern for 1968 Very good mood
Way more fun and engaging than I originally expected. Listened twice. Care of cell 44, rose for Emily, this will be our year, dreaming of you, and butchers tale, were personal favs among others.
I liked this one! Super chill.
Wow, I enjoyed this so much. Time is the season eat the only song I recognized but I loved the entire album.
cool, but something is missing for a 4th star. nice psych rock. ok i changed my mind, i dont know whats missing for the 4th one
Fun Beach Boy-esque harmonies and a tinge of 60s psychedelics. There was a point in my life where I would have listened to this over and over again. A Rose for Emily is a brutal song, but I really did enjoy the album.
I honestly loved this one. You can hear a lot of Elliott Smith influences, especially a great example of a more sophisticated version of 60s pop
Maybe After He’s Gone // Brief Candles // I Want Her She Wants Me // Butcher’s Tale // Time of the Season 3.5/5
It is okay just a bit dated nothing memorable really bit wishy washy nothing exciting or ground breaking yet not offensive.
What a little gem. Owes a heavy debt to Pet Sounds and all the other usual suspects, but it's pretty distinctive melodically, with some poignant lyrics, some brilliant vocal harmonies and arrangements, and some groovy rhythms. It has an autumnal, melancholy vibe. May have sounded a bit dated by mid-1968 when it came out, which might account for its relative obscurity. Nevertheless it's a great album.
A cute album and I love the fake zombies story I read here in the comments
Enjoyed it.
Quintessential 60s. Baroque Pop. Funny origin story. Can't go wrong.
It’s like The Beach Boys are trying to be psychedelic and British but only have half the talent. It’s not bad it’s just meh
Nice fun music, but not really what I'm digging at the minute. I can see why it's on the list though.
Some classics, but some a little dated. Amazing for an album 58 years old!
I mean cmonnnn. One of the best albums ever made. Every time I listen I have a new fav. I think as time goes on tho care of cell 44 and a rose for Emily r my favs lol. What a wonderful album that has aged beautifully
Awesome classic so great such a wonderful experience to get to hear this again with fresh ears. One of my favorites ever.
good
Deserves to stand proud in the pantheon of the late-sixties psych-pop pillars: Forever Changes, Sgt. Pepper, etc. Progressive and baroque, equally indulgent in simple melodies and studio-created multi-layered textures, it conjures the fleeting moments of long-ago in an inexplicable, phantasmagorical, and utterly magic manner.
This album was very light going, not aure it was my kinda vibe though.
I will not pretend I am an expert on drugs of any kind, but I don't hear the "made by drugs" or "made for drugs" psychedelic pop is meant to have. This just sounds like average English pop music seemingly best described as "ugh". This is the kind of stuff the English send to Eurovision, and then they don't understand why no one votes for them. I think I know the last song from a beer ad?
The genre of the album is boring to me, but I appreciate the little stories the songs tell. The lyrics aren't your generic pop song.
Not really a big fan of the genre
I enjoyed it, very 60s
Appreciated the different take on that classic 60s psychedelic pop sound. It just didn’t quite come together for me.
“the warmth of your love is like the warmth of the sun, and this will be our year, took a long time to come” I love this album so much. it feels like a hug on every listen
This happened and I was there and I would return to this again
Dear Diary, This album is a high three for sure. But then I ate a burrito bowl while listening and almost fell asleep in the middle of the work day. .
I knew "Time of the Season" like probably everyone does, even if they don't know who sings it. Didn't realize the entire album was that same level. Really solid.
Meh, it has a couple of nice bangers but it's not up to the point of quality that Beatles, Love or whatever.
This sucked booooooo
Jawn was nuts
Much better
This sounds like if Church Hymns were written by hippies
Not bad. Near bad though. I expected more from a band with that name; nope, replacement level 1968.
Me gustó el disco, amé la historia alrededor del disco.
ok album. has a very recognizable song.
Nice album 7/10
The Zombies are endlessly charming and have n irrefutable control of music theory. Putting "The Butcher" after "This Will Be Our Year" is the most dastardly move in album order I think I've ever heard
Eh. Not sure what the big deal is just because there's a single iconic song.
very funky and fun, probably not something that I would listen to regularly
i heart this album
I enjoyed this. A couple of tracks were very evocative of good times. Lyrics on some tracks were very Ray Davies meets Syd Barrett. Liked it a lot.
This was disappointing for me. I had higher hopes. Still, it was good, I liked it more on second listen, and I have nothing bad to say about the songs.
Some good songs, but the production gets in the way. Most songs sound cluttered, like they are going of r a Beach Boys sound. When the songs are more stripped down, they are at their best
It's an alright album, nice to listen to, time of the season really stands out as a single I didn't feel the other songs stood out as much.
L'autre fois j'en avais un peu plein le cul du rock psychédélique, mais un bon break me fais apprécier à sa juste valeur cet album, ou bien il est juste au dessus de la moyenne.
I like Time of the Season, and the rest of it is on a par. Not a bad album.
😁
Catchy hooks, jangly guitars, lovely vocals and harmonies, poetic lyrics. What's not to like. Couple of overly cheesy parts in my opinion preventing the full 5.
Extremely pleasant listen. Total Beatles vibes, but still unique and lovely. Maybe not the most standout album, but this was really wonderful to listen to. Fave songs: The whole album, perhaps maybe not "Butcher's Tale"
Classic rock goodness
A few good hits but I reminder of why the 70s was probably the worst decade of music (so sleepy)
Un Chef d'Oeuvre du même niveau que Pet Sounds ou Sgt Pepper.
Produit de qualité. Écoute un peu pénible. 3.49 étoiles.
Major disconnect between me and the global reviews here. I think there's one great song, the last one, and certainly not the one with a roll call of happy married couples.
Back story was more interesting than the music
Boring
So many hits! Loved this album.
Great
Fico muito feliz que esse desafio dos 1001 álbuns me fez ouvir esse disco. Riquíssimo musicalmente! Bela experiência. QoA Vesper.
3,5
Pop rock from the 60’s with tinges of The Beach Boys. Varied instrumentation. That said, just did not land with me.
Too Beatles-esque for me but still some cool stuff here
Just not for me. Have it 1 and a half listens after not liking it and seeing all the high reviews.
Quite a pleasant album to listen through all the way. Nothing stood out as being stellar but it managed to keep fairly upbeat and enjoyable the whole way through.
Psychedelic rock tends to blend together for me, but this is a standout. The harmonies were reminiscent of The Beach Boys, but less cheesy. I’ve only heard Time of the Season prior to this, but I’d definitely listen to this again! Also the lore to this one is crazy
The perfect autumn record. A total hidden gem of the 60s. So many different styles explored and perfected. Excellent stuff all around. This one has earned its place in history.
4.5 08.14.2025
Ik weet niet of het heel flauw is om dit de Britse Beach Boys te noemen, maar het klinkt wel als de Britse Beach Boys. De zanger klinkt af en toe als Nick Drake (track 6). En een vleugje Beatles natuurlijk. Ik vind dit helemaal niet onaardig. De enige twijfel is of je dit gehoord moet hebben, maar ik vind het dus eigenlijk wel leuk. Ik wist niet van het bestaan hiervan en dan is dit wel een leuke ontdekking. Redelijk upbeat liedjes, mooie oohtjes en aahtjes, een goeie productie vanuit een legendarische studio, licht psychedelisch. Ik durf hier wel 4 sterren voor uit te delen en dat doe ik niet alleen zodat ik van de 3-streak af ben. Maar het helpt wel.
me ha parecido bastante igual todo el album, aunque es chulo
solid, if generic british invasion fodder time of the season is a classic though
A couple solid songs but not exactly my taste
Is it gay to say Time of The Season is sexy? I don’t want to bang this dude, but someone surely does. Feels like an appropriate descriptor. All time song. Anyway, immediately regretting giving Billy 4 stars, because I gotta go 3 here and I’d rather listen to this I think. Main reason it falls flat is because when psychedelia misses the mark it misses big. Interesting that this sound/movement had already jumped the shark by ‘68. Some great songs in here for sure though.
Like a cross between The Beach Boys and the Beatles, but with its own panache. ‘What’s your name who is your daddy is he rich like me?’ is one of my favorite creepy lines in rock, repeats in my head from to time (I’m broke). But there is way more to this band than I thought. First off the album sounds amazin. But the songs are so assured and complete - Care of cell 44, rose for Emily (English majors ftw) changes, this will be our year, are all such unique compositions. I can’t decide if the fact that they didn’t get famous off this album and the singer (whose voice I love) spent years as a car salesman afterward is cool or just a travesty. Huge find. Thank you bountiful list god.
Care of Cell 44 and Time Of The Season are huge hits that deserve their incessant radio presence. The rest of the album is entertaining, but doesnt reach those heights. Love the instrumentation- lots of piano, great harmonies, Blunstons vocals are solid Also wasn't surprised to read that this was recorded at Abbey Road. The weird flute was definitely calling on some Beatles stuff. Some of the songs even resemble Beatles hits - A Rose For Emily sounds just like For No One off of Revolver. Crazy to read how bootstrapped this project was and how they disbanded after. The talent and sound is so clear to me? Ill definitely be returning to this again to get the middle of this album another run
I love Time of the Season so was excited for this. Other than that song, I liked but didn't love pretty much everything. Feels like a pretty generic 70s baroque-influenced pop/rock band. Some nice harmonies and fun instrumentals, but nothing special other than Time of the Season
Sweet little jangle psych album that feels incredibly dated. Beautiful harmonies, intricate phrasing, and a general ease to the album. But, it feels so simple. I think I'll listen to Pet Sounds instead.
Time of the Season and 11 other related tracks
Extremely 60s, but consistently good songs and interesting music make it a great listen today.
Это хорошо. Ну прям вот хорошо. Вот ооооочень хорошо. Не ну не отлично прям, но ооооооооочень хорошо!
Nice
Really dig it, probably a 3.5, but not a common ‘go to’ genre so giving it a 3 for now. Needs more relistens.
The three songs I already knew (A Rose for Emily, This Will Be Our Year and Time of the Season) are all great but the rest of the album is all a bit of a psychedelic mush to my ears.
I couldn't get into this. it was just okay
Sian would give a 4 :)
The first song, a Beach Boys derivative that is weirdly upbeat given that it's a song for a lover in prison, is fantastic. Ridiculous and I love it. I shouldn't have been surprised because The Time Of The Season is one of my most favorite ridiculous tracks ever. I mean, which one is it, the time or the season? And the lyrics to me sound like the soundtrack to a date rape. Anyway, not particularly original music but very much of its time and amusing, if unintentionally.
It's hard not to hear the Zombies--or at least this album--as a sort of British Beach Boys, although not nearly as successful or well-received at the time. I was glad that their radio classic "Time of the season" didn't sound completely out of place on the album, although funny to read that it took a CBS producer in the US to fish the album out of the trashbin and decide that Americans would respond to the antiwar theme of "Butcher's tale (Western Front 1914)", and from that eventually led to their one-hit-wonder "Time" more than a year after the band had broken up. Overall, though, I can also see why they failed to get much traction with studios or fans alike; I'm not entirely sure I understand why they're now considered so highly, I'll admit. In addition to "Time of the season", I also largely enjoyed "Hung up on a dream" and "Changes" (despite the latter's heavy-handed seasons-as-metaphors), as well as the Beatles/Kinks-esque "Friends of mine", but it seemed like there were far more trite duds like "A rose for Emily" or "Brief candles" to counter-balance the infrequent solid tracks. A shame that the album didn't include their other hit "She's not there". I greatly appreciated the brief running-time, though, and it was heart-warming to read that the surviving band members were able to play songs from this album many decades after it came out--better late than never!
Enjoyed but their songs tend to sound a little similar.
excellent listen
Strange ... Ibland låter det som Beatles och nästan lika bra. Ibland låter det som alla brittiska sextiotalsband pre-Beatles, platt och dåligt producerat. Gammalt helt enkelt. En trea
Not bad. It's OK for me.
Nice one, very psychadelic, 4
I'm happy that the Zombies are still going strong. Their album is also good. It's a bit too similar to the Beatles to me. But "Odessey and Oracle" has some surprises of its own. "Brief Candles" is my favourite song on the album. 3 stars for "Odessey and Oracle".
probably a good album but u wouldn’t be able to tell bc it’s MIXED LIKE PURE SHIT. lyrics are good, so wish I could hear them. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT LISTEN WITH HEADPHONES.
I quite liked this, and that story in the top review is crazy and hilarious. Might give this another listen, but for now it is a solid 4 stars.
Not bad for psychedelic stuff - fun to listen to
Lindo, pero un poco tranqui en general. Siento una familiaridad que quizá es que los conocía, o es que suenan a todo lo de la época. No sé ni me importa. Nota: 3.0 Nota:
Odessey and Oracle is one of the best psychedelic pop-rock albums ever. Fantastic songwriting, vocal harmonies and organ playing and overall it has a very British sound. It's really unbelieveable that this gem was overlooked upon release and the consequence was that the band split up - and while later Time of the Season became a major hit in the US, some agency made two other fake Zombies band and send them touring to make money. Crazy story which would be impossible to do today. I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting this album today and it deserves no doubt 5 stars.
Nice one, very psychadelic, 4
8.5/10 Wow, huge surprise and I’m surprised this isn’t more well known. Psychedelic, baroque pop rock from the top drawer. Very much its own thing, but clearly influenced by Pet Sounds. Very British sensibility. The keyboards and organs in particular are excellent. Best: Care of Cell 44
colin bluntstone what a voice
Four stars for Time of the Season and Care of Cell 44
Really enjoyed this one. Of course "Time of the Season" is a pure classic.
Unremarkable
This album feels more modern than 60s/70s. The album, and especially the "I Want Her She Wants Me" song makes me think of Belle and Sebastian.