Odessey And Oracle

What a wonderful surprise. Right from the opening harmonies of Care of Cell 44, which then carries on throughout. Beautiful stories are told. The album sounds like 1967. Never trust a hippy, apart from The Zombies.

I feel like it's been way too long since I got a 60s album. Nearly a month as a matter of fact! I know there's a lot of 60s albums on the list, but sometimes you just miss this kind of stuff, especially when some of the albums are this good. This album's amazing! There's a lot to like about this album. The instrumentation and singing is consistently great. I really don't think there are any bad songs on Odessey and Oracle. The songwriting is excellent. The album is full of great stories. The album's opener "Care of Cell 44" is a strong example of this. The best songs on this thing are truly wonderful. "This Will Be Our Year" and "Time of the Season" are probably the best ones here. I love those songs. The style of this album isn't exactly revolutionary or anything. This is definitely still in line with other 60s psychedelic pop acts. However, I'd argue that this album represents the ultimate culmination of everything that this era of culture was building towards. I don't want to say that this is 60s psychedelic pop perfected, but it's pretty darn close. Odessey and Oracle absolutely deserves its reputation as being one of the best albums of the 60s. 5/5.

Ironically, enough, I like this more than most of the Beatles albums. I’ve listened to. Really fantastic early psychedelic rock.

So many of these 60 psychedelic bands just didn't get it. This band got it. And they didn't get the game since they broke up. Such a shame. This record is pretty good. Good enough that I went and listened to their other albums too.

Fed up with the industry, The Zombies were just going to call it quits. Then a hero bandmate suggested doing one more album of whatever they wanted. They agreed. What followed was the release of one of the greatest albums of all time. Listening to Odessey and Oracle is the equivelent to having an orgasm. The choruses are PERFECT! Each song sounds like a hit, each song is an earworm. Then there's "Butcher's Tale", and wow, what a fucking song. Probably the greatest chorus ever, the sheer energy off the build and release is astounding not even taking in the song's subject matter. Masterpiece. One of my all time favs, wish they changed their minds about quitting after releasing this

Other than Time of the Season, this was kinda boring.

It’s fine? I think I’m just getting real tired of this era of music - there are a lot on this list.

Reminds me of The Beatles, which isn't a good thing.

Some undeniable tunes on here. Great arrangements and production, too. Probably deserves a higher rating just for the craftsmanship. But something about that 60s psych sound just doesn't really vibe with me.

Time of the Season almost feels out of place. It's head and shoulders above the others. But it's presence on this album is enough to bump up the rating by a star.

Favorite Track: Time of the Season

Great for its time. A bit too ‘easy listening’ for my tastes but I’m a sucker for a Hammond organ so it finished in a high note. 3/5

Another album I love and don’t listen to enough. The sound is excellent, Colin Blunstone’s vocals, the stunning harmonies, Rod Argent’s keys; it’s incredible that the band had already split by the time of release. Perhaps they and it were too idiosyncratic - the album starts with a lovely, bouncy, upbeat song about welcoming a lover back after her prison sentence… Odessey and Oracle should be spoken of in the same terms as Pet Sounds and Sgt Pepper’s but perhaps it was fated to disappear when the artist misspelled Odyssey in the cover painting. There are so many good songs, so many great moments on the album - listen to the transitions to the choruses in Care of Cell 44 or Brief Candles for examples. The vocal melodies and the piano/mellotron (John Lennon’s mellotron in Abbey Road) combination foreshadows ‘70s prog. Butcher’s Tale (Western Front 1914) written by Bassist Chris White is as harrowing as a Wilfred Owen poem. And then comes Time of the Season, possibly The Zombies’ best known track and their biggest hit in America, when the band was no more. They should have been huge.

Solid psychedelic album with many forgettable tracks for me. But Time of the Season is just so good and oozes sexiness. I love the keyboard/organ solos especially.

Wow this was BLAND. A few times I thought the album had started over because I was convinced I'd already heard the song. The Time of the Season is the only song that stuck out to me. 2/5

Nice, laid back chill 60s vibes. Beatles before the Beatles got super innovative. And a little less talented. Easy to imagine this playing in the background of a chill spring day, but there's nothing here to elevate it above the mass of 1960s music. Hung up on a dream is aight

There are a couple good songs that bump this up from the 2/5 to 3/5 that I want to give it, but overall this just seemed like generic Beatles knock-offs

Okay, I loved this album. Didn't realize so many of my faves from the Zombies was just this album alone. A Rose For Emily is a toned down Eleanor Rigby, but doesn't make it worse IMO. Something about it made the yearning stronger.

This album is very good. Fantastic 1001 album worthy: 59/108

A safe Beatles / Beach Boys clone.

There's something so innocent and lovely and just so bloody English about this that I don't think has been replicated any time since.

If not for "Time of the Season" this would not be deserving of a spot on the list imo. There is a lot of chamber pop that exceeds the majority of this album. But that song alone I think does justify the inclusion.

Great psych/baroque pop album, which I have heard dozens of times in full.

Nice, a bit like The Kinks at their mellowest

care of cell 44- 6 a rose for emily- 6 maybe after hes gone- 6 or 7 beechwood park- 6 or 7 brief candles- 6 or 7 hung up on a dream- 5 changes- 5 i want her she wants me- 5 this will be our year- 5 butchers tale- 5 friends of mine- 5 time of the season- freaky. 5

Niet geweldig, wel goed. En het laatste nummer is het beste

Underrated.

I think this was way more impressive back then than it is now. Production is amazing and some of the songwriting is good. The opener and the closer are the famous diamonds of the album and of course they are amazing but changes was the most pleasant suprise in there. Generally the album goes up and down in almost every song make it pretty inconsistent . Decent album in total though about 7-7.5/10.

Where has this album been all my life

decent. very 60s ballad, synthy, piano based album. 8.

Really great album - a nice find!

Well wrought 60s pop.

Stond al een tijdje op mijn lijstje. Superinteressant album!

OK, first time listening to this album. Not a horrible album for 60's psychedelic rock, but not notable. I'm glad the song I actually like from the album is all the way at the end, so it's a treat for listening to it. My rating: 2/5. No thanks, guys. But I LOVE the story about the Zombies that another reviewer posted.

We are lucky to live in a world where this was made

Instantly forgettable album.

Includes This Will Be Our Year and Time of the Season, probably their best songs. This whole album has feel good vibes - a gentle sway. Very much enjoyed.

Time of the Season saves a middling album

The album is a very enjoyable with some very upbeat, major tones. However, it is very apparent the technology in music was lacking at the time therefore not hugely impressing me. Would recommend to others who want an easy listen. Big fan of the use of the organ

I can see why this album didn’t gain more traction coming out of the British scene in 1968. The Beatles and Stones were already generating more interesting tunes by this time. Had this album come out between 1963-1965, it may have been a different story. Started off strong with Care Of Cell 44 as the Zombies did their best Beach Boys impression. Tunes became less interesting as the album wore on though, until ending with Time of the Season. Still solid. Top Tracks: 1. Care of Cell 44 2. Time of the season All other tracks are perfectly fine, ranging from interesting to bouncy to a bit of psychedelic dread. 6/10

It reminds me of other music of the era. Roses for Emily made me feel sad and affected and I did not like the sentiment. It was like a ruder Eleanor Rigby. I warmed to it more in the back half. It made me imagine about the 60s and what daily life was like and how people talked and related to each other. It did not feel very emotional or examined, there was distance and unexamined statements not vulnerability, which was typical at the time.

Happy, Hippie 60s music. Lots of sunshine-y themes. They did "Time of the Season"

Not what I was expecting! Lots of harmonies; sometimes, it almost reminded me of a musical. Theater.

Classic tea-and-cakes Brit psychedelic pop. “Time of the Season” is actually my least favorite track - it sounds annoying compared to a banger like “Our Year”. Good groovy stuff.

A perfect sunny hit of psychedelic pop. Lots and lots of Beatles influence, but of course the Beatles were exploring psych at the same time--there's something unique about the Zombies' take on pop-psych. Not as weird and silly as Traffic's first couple of albums, but more chamber-pop than either band. Sweet, beautifully crafted songs with gorgeous arrangements and harmonies. A must-have for aficionados of pop music.

Never heard of these, enjoyed this though. A very good version of 60s pop/rock/pysch. Care of Cell 44 and Changes were my two favourites. Definitely flirts with that Beatlesy sound, but with more poppy harmonies at times. Cant see this ever being a thing I return to, but canny nonetheless. 3.5

Sort of a Beatlesy 60s band with some mamas and papas style vocals on occasion. Very of it's time, mostly in a good way. It's a step up from inoffensive but not sure that quite makes it interesting. A quick look through the track list and I cant remember any particular songs. 2.5.

Being at the level of a signed, framed picture, this album checks all the boxes for me. Snappy songs, captures the essence of the era, great musicianship (I love the extended psychedelic breakdown on Time of the Season), and holds up well. I also rate Colin Blunstone's voice - he also sings the lead vocal on Old and Wise by the Alan Parsons Project. Best songs other than Time of the Season are A Rose for Emily, Beechwood Park, Butcher's Tale, and This Will Be Our Year. I saw them live around 2022, original (well, close enough) line-up in a concert hall in the Hague. Whilst the crowd was generally over 65, there was a good atmosphere and a buzz - everyone was so excited to see them, and despite all being ancient, they sounded fresh and lively. Really nice to hear this album again after a few years of not really listening to it.

Didn't think I knew who these guys were, but I did! Enjoyed it. Very 60s sounding. I guess a bit like cream? Not sure I'm at the level of a signed framed picture, but was good none the less.

A top 10 album of all time, with extraordinarily rich, complex melodic pop songs, perfumes with muscular simplicity and grace. To my ears, far beyond anything the Beach Boys did, and equivalent to the best of the Beatles from the same era.

I was looking at this pick and saw Psych Rock as a description and immediately groaned. A few songs in and I was already enjoying the heck out of the album. By the end I can say that was a very entertaining romp this morning, and one I did not expect.

Easy listen, not memorable

Thoughts before listening: 60s psychedelic pop rock that is often cited among the best of that era. I believe I have listened to this before, and that it has 2 or 3 absolute classics that are surrounded by a lot of meh. That seems to be the case with many of the 60s bands on here where the singles clearly standout from the rest (the Beatles are an exception). Review: This sounds like Pet Sounds meets Sgt Peppers. It has the harmonies and orchestration of the former but the solid rock backing of the latter. There are some outstanding songs on here, and I'd say this is deserving of the praise it gets. 4-stars

60s. Psychedelia. Vocal harmonies. Short songs. Absolutely average album. Good songs, nothing remarkable.

4 stars

My favorite album that's been recommended to me by this platform. The harmonies are perfect, the piano work is intricate, and the melodies are perfectly '60's!

Good music

Time of the Season is far and away the stand out track of the album. I didn’t mind it as a whole. Quick listen, very 60s.

This album sounds like it’s the product of a covert CIA operation to drug the water supply. I don’t understand it. Had to be there, I guess. It’s very unstructured & loose and not that great. Standout track is “This Will Be Our Year”

The only standout for me was “This will be Our Year” and “Time of the Seasons”. The rest were horrid. I’d be gracious giving this 3 stars and should likely get two. I’ll sleep on it and see what I do give it.

60'a "psychedelic" is generally a genre I hate so I went in with low expectations. This was a really well written and executed album. Missing a lot of the over the top annoying shit this genre usually brings with it. I really liked the vocalist and the production. The back story on this band makes them even more interesting.

A very comfy listen. Another one of those where I find myself stopping what I'm doing to listen, and find I'm tapping my foot more than usual.

First? 4/5 Again? 4/5

I'm sure I'm not alone in seeing The Zombies on here and having no idea who they are. I'm also sure I'm not alone in seeing The Zombies and thinking they're probably some early punk bands like the Misfits or Iggy Pop and the Stooges. Of course, that second notion was dispelled about 5 seconds into the opening track. As for the first? We'll get to that in a bit. Imagine, then, my surprise at finding out The Zombies are a Beatles-esque band from the late 60s. Perhaps even capitalizing on The Beatles earlier sound that they had moved on from quite a bit by this point. Despite my slight accusations of imposterism, I actually really enjoyed this album. The melancholy baroqueness of the strings with the rich, textured layers of vocal harmonies made for easy listening. Odyssey and Oracle is no White Album (released the same year, believe it or not) but it's damn good at what it does. Oddly enough, the final track is the album's most popular track: "Time of the Season". So, it turns out, I have heard of The Zombies. Well, maybe not them as a band but certainly their hit single. But I guess that's the curse of one hit wonders. Everyone can know your song and not know your name. Which, in The Zombies' case, is even more extreme because this song didn't become popular until after they had broken up and moved on to other projects. The Zombies were so far forgotten that fake bands were made to your in their place. I highly recommend reading the Wikipedia for those one (and reading some of the reviews here) to read about their crazy story. All in all, it's good. I mean, really good. What a strange fate the members of The Zombies suffered after recording such a great album.

Not super exciting, but also not bad. Classic 1960s pop music. Contains the legendary song „Time of the Season“, which is probably why it’s in the list. Interesting that this song is musically quite sophisticated (solos, etc.), but the rest of the album is rather not. That song makes it a 4/5 rather than a 3/5.

Happy shizzle

This was better than I expected and I actually recognized a few of these songs. My favorite was “A Rose For Emily”. 3.5/5

This is an album that a lot of people are obsessed with. I don’t get it. I’ve given it a few tries but it just doesn’t do anything special for me.

not remarkable

Mixed feelings on this one. Time of the Season is a great song, but totally different than the rest of the album. This is my least favorite genre of British music. Despite that, many of the songs were catchy even with the random chunky chordal progressions that I typically dislike.

Pleasant hippie psychedelic rock

Überraschend gut, und natürlich Time of the Season

It’s pretty good, starts well but I was fading towards the end

Me dio muchas vibes de los Beatles, me gustó Rating:7

sweet

There’s a type of 60s music that’s like *harpsichord plays* “butterscotch pumps and tangerine eyes, twirling about in summertime skies” (the other four band members start going AAAAAAAAH OOOOOH) I don’t like it

Time of the season is such a huge song, rest of the album was pleasant enough

It was pleasant, and upbeat. Well done but nothing that really excites me

From the opening notes of Care of Cell 44, you know you're in for something special—the bittersweet story of a lover returning home, set to an upbeat, almost baroque melody. Tracks like A Rose for Emily and Brief Candles are delicate and melancholic, while This Will Be Our Year radiates hope. And then, of course, there’s Time of the Season, the album’s eventual hit, with its hypnotic bassline and cool, detached sensuality. What makes Odessey and Oracle so magical is how effortlessly it balances sadness and joy, nostalgia and forward-thinking ambition. It’s an album that feels intimate yet timeless.

A rose for Emily is beautiful. Shame the rest doesn't live up to that standard.

Great album that still stands up well today.

A really good record. A bit of its time in terms of 60's pop rock and lots of beach boys and beatles influence but it has some great songs besides the one song everyone knows by them where the chorus sounds like them opening up a can of coke and sipping in a commercial. A rose for emily, this will be our year, beechwood park and a butcher's tale are my standouts.

Every track on this album is wonderful. I love it. Though I think “Time of the Season” doesn’t really fit in the album, it’s a good song still.

This album was lovely to listen to while cooking and some of the tracks seemed like psychedelic rock which must’ve been newer at the time, as this was a late 60’s album. Also I didn’t realize I was going to recognize a song off of this either which was cool.

I'm sure this is someone's jam, but again not mine. Didn't bother to finish sorry.

Forgettable and not my favorite 60s album

60's british rock oh no I'm gonna hate this aren't I? Actually not bad, not great either but a solid album

British rock.... What can I say that hasn't been said before. It was probably great at the time. But it's not for me.

I cant help but hear the beatles here, though not nearly as groundbreaking as the beatles were in the same era. Yep, A rose for emily on this album bears a striking resemblance to For no one by the beatles, which came out a year before. Meh

Very good. Catchy, mellow, gentle. I like this album and it has some great moments, but I don’t seem to like it as much as some critics.

A genuine classic, one of those 60s psychedelic albums that gets slept on. A couple of hits here but even the deep cuts are great.

Really good, really 60s. Not quite up to a 5 for me. Time of the Season is an all time great, though.

naja, doch schon was älter

Baroque psychedelic chamber pop. Groovy. They certainly had a knack for writing grand and memorable songs.

It’s sad that this was their pinnacle and swan song.

Nice one!

This is kind of a pop masterpiece. Yes its got a dated sound, but man these are well written songs!

LP

i actually rellay enjoyed this, cool soundscapes and melodies. i just love psychedelic music. 7/10

More Beach Boys-y than I expected! Sun-kissed and lovely

Fun 60s psychedelic rock album. Great arrangements and emblematic of the genre.

Lots of good tracks on this. Some of which I never realized were them until now. Kind of like how I never realized they originally did This Will Be Our Year. I've heard so many covers of this without realizing this was the original.

Better than I thought it would be. Songs kind of mesh with the distinctive sound but it is an overall very good album.

Solid late 60s psychedelic rock. The last song was the only one I recognized and was easily the best on the album. Favorite: Time of the Season

Pretty classic

спокойный рок вайбик, моментами слишком однообразно и песни незаметно меняются, но парочка запоминающихся есть

Three biggest tracks are excellent; crisp and full production, great melodies, and catchy. Rest of the album is very solid. No real skips.

time of the season is one of the best songs ever made

Psychedelic Pop with a large sound and nice harmonies. Time of the Season is the big stand out here and the backstory on the recording of this album are more interesting than most.

Time of the Season was good; the rest didn’t really do it for me.

It’s the time of the season…

Great classic album.

Pretty good 60s rock, nothing too standout.

Feels like a mix of the Beatles (Sgt. Pepper vibes) with the vocals of the Beach Boys. Had this on in the background so I didn't give it the closest listen, but it was mostly good. Really enjoyed the songs: Care of Cell 44, Changes, This Will Be Our Year (piano sounds like something straight out of a Beatles album), Time Of The Season (heard this one plenty of times). Landed at 3.5 stars and willing to bump to a low 4.

Classic retro sound. Really dig it.

It was okay. The second six songs were better than the first six songs.

Bit busy, so this became background noise. I did appreciate it though.

I've not heard this band before, apart from Time of the Season, which for some reason I thought was done by The Mamas & The Papas. Seem to sit squarely between the Kinks and the Beatles. Good harmonies, sometimes odd songwriting. OK overall, but I wouldn't come back to it. 2.5/5, rounded up for the last song

Sorta reminds me of the Beatles in their psychedelic phase. Although I am staunchly in the Stones camp in the age old "Stones or Beatles" conversation starter, I do like them a lot better after they discovered acid. All this to say, I dig this album a lot. This would be a good album to listen to while hanging out by the pool, or cooking, or working on a motorcycle.

4 stars

Nostalgic

Mostly quite boring.

One good song

This is one of my favourite albums of all time. The harmonies are on par if not better than the beach boys or the Beatles. I had heard the songs since I was a kid but on a whim bought this album on cd in London when I was a young man. I have been listening to it on and off for 20 years.

Outside of Time of the Season it's pretty meh. I wanted to like it more than I actually did.

Best Track: Time of the Season. Lindo álbum psicodélico, tiene breves momentos en los que el volumen suena un poco más fuerte de lo que debería. Tiene muy lindas harmonías y algunas melodías encantadoras. Álbum sencillo de escuchar poco demandante. 7/10

Care of Cell 44 - like the vocalists and backing vocals/harmony, some nice blasts of noise, bass and piano are both pleasant A Rose for Emily - very sad, again I like the vocal performances, reminds me of The Beach Boys

ENGLISH ENGLS ENGLISH

I hate 60s music. But this album is a corker

It's okay, but the album is grossly overstated, and multiple albums from 1968 are better. Cream - Wheels of Fire Dr. John - Gris Gris Jeff Beck - Truth Otis Redding - The Dock of the Bay Miles Davis - Nefertiti Ennio Morricone - Once Upon Time in the West These are just a few examples; this Zombies album is another example of a record critics have always fawned over, and therefore, it's amazing. It is average at best.

Enjoyable, not necessarily something I'd listen to a lot but it's very cool

Oh boy I bet these guys were on some decent LSD when this was released! I enjoyed it but I found the songs to be missing a ‘hook’

Love the classic Time of the Season as well as Care Of Cell 44 and a Rose for Emily.

Even though I don't listen to too much psychedelic rock, no less from the 60's, I fell in love with this album hard. It's very much a shame that people were so indifferent towards it during it's release. They're missing out!

First listen alright. Two big hits. Supposedly influenced MGMT "Congratulations"

Fun, Kinksy

I'm a sucker for this era, such great music and this is in there.

solid psych rock but not very unique? style feels like all other psych

Five stars for Time Of The Season!

What a total snooze-fest to get to the only pay-off, the last song, Time of the Season, which is the only one that doesn't sound like a generic version of a Beatles song

Another 60s Album that makes me think “yes, this is 60s music”. I would never seek this out. None of this means it’s bad, I’m clearly just a hater. 4 stars.

Time of the Season is classic!

Мне очень понравилось!

A example of 1960’s psychedelic rock. The song “Time of the Season” still rocks

I enjoyed the instrumentals more than anything.

Generic happy 60’s music. Nothing particularly interesting here. Everything is channel separated so it doesn’t sound great on headphones

Very cool album, I really liked it

Kinda Beatles like. I did not dislike but I doubt Ill get back to this.

Enjoyable late 60s music. It was fine.

Epitome of 60’s music. Interesting but not part memorable other than Time of the Season.

I saw these old geezers live at a local venue. It was pretty fantastic. 3.5 stars.

This was a fun, classic listen. 3.5

Needed more than one listen. Time of the Season felt quite different to the rest of the album.

What a gem

I like this. I only knew A Rose for Emily in passing. Good melodies, good songwriting. Will revisit.

Nothing really stands out to me on this. Nothing bad about it but it did nothing for me

Had never heard this before so was good to listen. Some good tracks

Not bad. I liked some of the songs like "Time of the Season" and so on. 4/5.

Nice, beatles like

Fun, but not something I would want to listen to all the time.

"beautiful harmonies, would be surprised if Yes did not love this record" -u/Muzak_For_A_Nurse. This quote had me putting effort into this album 4 years ago, but I didn't recognize it as a 5 star until today. No skips

A one-hit-album is not an album.

This was really good, kind of like later Beatles stuff but I really liked Flowers for Emily

Openingstrack is goed maar verloor al gauw m'n enthousiasme. Hoge 2.

Rose for Emily en time of the season wel het beste. 3,5 rounded up

This album was very nice, a slightly more psych-leaning Beach Boys sound with an absolute banger at the end with Time of the Season. Not my favourite 60s album, but a decent one.

bangers

One of the best albums ever ! Takes you on a proper journey from start to finish. My favourite is A Butcher’s Tale, which adds deep gravitas in the form of imagined narratives from ordinary soldiers in the First World War.

It's fine. Too slow for my liking. Last song rips.

ок

Always a classic

Liked this more than I expected to, Time of the Season is a classic but my favorite track has to be Maybe After He's Gone. This guy is down bad

A classic in my book. Brilliantly experimental, thought not all of the experiments work. Uneven but intermittently beautiful.

Flawless production and instrumentation. One of the few albums that came close to what the Beatles were doing in the mid-late 60’s. I applaud them for being so pro-harpsichord. Having said that, I found the back half to not be as strong as I remembered, with one song I’ve never liked. Standouts: Care of Cell 44, Beechwood Park, Brief Candles, This Will Be Our Year Turd In the Caviar: Butcher’s Tale

It’s hard to listen objectively when I’m sobbing uncontrollably and getting lost in Colin’s voice. One of my all-time favorite records. The only real questions worth pursuing: is Butcher’s Tale a good song? (A good song no, but it’s surprisingly effective. Puts me in some sort of evil trance). Should TotS have been on this record? (I vote no. Great song, but it stands out both because of overplay and very different sound from the rest of the album). It’s funny that The Beatles get all the credit for doing the R&B->bubblegum->psychedelic rock pioneers thing, but the Zombies did it, in fewer recordings, skipping the bubblegum stage, and were often better. The Beach Boys skipped R&B and made one classic album. Give me Odessey over Pet Sounds or Sgt Pepper’s any day of the week. This is a 5-star album and anyone who says otherwise is a BUFFOON. I’m looking at you, phlops.

Too old fo my taste

Lovely rocking album. Weird Zombie story about the Zombie’s.

This was brilliant. I knew of the band from a couple of songs but really enjoyed this slice of 60s pop. Even the recording quality, fairly typical at the time, doesn't detract from the diamonds in the rough. Time of the Season is the big one, but This Will Be Our Year is a beautiful song that could have been released the decade after.

When I was tween I was annoyed because I wish I'd been born growing up in the sixties when there were things to protest about. Be careful what you wish for. I imagine this would have been the soundtrack to my youth had I been born then.

Amazing to see this live in Barcelona. Peak psychedelic rock that doesn't forgo melody nor outstay its welcome.

Spelling mistakes Fake Takes American Zombies controversial Cover band touring USA y'all Music is timeless Songs ageless Sixties man You should have been there, man

two English pop albums from 1968 in a row? I should play the lottery again! if the Kinks were operating largely apart from pop trends of their time while they were recording Green Village Preservation Society, the Zombies were much more in line with those trends. it may have even been to their detriment; despite the excellence on display here in the songwriting department (and the pristine production!), Odessey and Oracle didn't make much of an impression upon release. it was only after the album flopped on the charts and the Zombies broke up that "Time of the Season" suddenly took off as a hit in America, and people finally began to take notice of the band's craftsmanship! they've got a bit of a reputation for being a one-hit wonder as a result, but there's a reason this entire album has a legion of superfans willing to sing its praises to high heaven. the songs are impeccably constructed, with the psychedelic quality of the instrumentation and production serving to elevate the compositions, rather than paper over a lack of them. if you have the stereo mix, this is definitely not a headphone listen. I was incredibly disoriented by the hard-right panning of the lead vocals on the opener, "Care of Cell 44", but once I switched to speakers, I felt like I was better able to appreciate it, and the rest of these songs too. you can tell they were mixing for speakers back in the day. decent 8/10.

I always thought "This Will Be Our Year" was a 90s song, so I was surprised this came out in 1968.

Love the Zombies! This album is ok though. The one hit song is an absolute epic game changer for the decade but the rest of the songs on the album don't come close to the same impact in my opinion.

yah it's ok

Beach boys literally

A beautiful, haunting time capsule. What a opening, "Care of Cell 44" is one of the cutest love songs ever.

Amazing.

An unknown album for me. It starts off quite poppy, with clear references to the 1960s. Once you've heard one track, you know where it's going, and it stays that way for the following tracks. A bit too trivial, not groundbreaking enough for me in 2025. Well-produced, but it doesn't open up a new universe for me. I probably won't listen to it again. If I want to listen to this type of music, I have better albums on my shelf.

Not my style, I only liked “Care of Cell 44” and “Hung Up on a Dream”

Have to admit that when I started this album, after what I had heard about it, I was expecting a bit more. I enjoyed it and it is definitely psychedelic rock.

Odessey and Oracle is a record with as much of a wild backstory as any other. One, such as myself, wouldn't have known or thought of that as the music sweeps through the ears as though it were a nice, comfortable velvet blanket in spite of song topics including a prisoner and anti-war sentiments. Despite the Aquarian age beginning to sour and resemble something far grimer, The Zombies (whether they were a unit or disassembled) had crafted an album that has stood the test of time regardless of the upheaval that had faced it. Now, if there was a way for the mono version of this album be reached upon further ears so that everyone can hear the horns in This Will Be Our Year then that would be great.

Este disco estuvo muy bueno

Stark angefangen stark nachgelassen

Schlechte Beatles-Alternative, guter Hit!

Nice and psychedelic but chill and fun

A truly spectacular work, with incredible production that sounds so ahead of its time yet so distinctly 60s. It’s maybe the best psychedelic rock album I’ve heard, mainly because it doesn’t devolve into pure tripped-out jamming like a lot of psych albums of the era and is instead held together by stellar yet diverse songwriting - I Want Her She Wants Me sounds like it clearly influenced Queen, the opener sounds like it basically shaped Flaming Lips musical ethos, and the gorgeous Friends of Mine would sound at home on a Kinks album. Time of the Season is the biggest song here and it is a genuinely fantastic closer, but I’d hesitate to call it a stand out because the rest of the album is so damn good

I have a serious soft spot for psych pop/rock with a British accept. Frolicking drums and Beatlesque vocal harmonies, what more could you ever wish for? Thing is, while I do enjoy the soundscapes, I can't say any song in particular sticks in my memory. Even immediately after listening, it's all very forgettable. Feels like it has the superficial form of music I enjoy, but the songwriting is lacking. I can’t remember a single thing about a song after having listened to it.

Brit rock generico.

Never really listened to them before, but this was great. "Time of the Season" was a fantastic way to round out the album, too.

Sounds like a more enoyable version of the beach boys

Christ Almighty where has this been all my life. This thing is almost perfect from start to finish (looking at you Changes), the production is unbelievable, the songwriting is excellent. This is my first surprise on this journey 100% and I didn't want to give a 5 this early, but I really cannot ask for more from this, I just loved it. Best: all of 'em except Changes; Worst: Changes 4.7/5

The Zombies are one of those bands that feels like they were lost to a former era. Listening to Oddessey & Oracle, most of the album tracks feel dated and, if you're streaming, are entirely skippable. Oddly, my 21 year old daughter is more interested in their music than her old man. She was in a play in middle school that had a brit rock playlist for its transition music, and "Time of the Season" was featured. She became a fan. All of my shit talking aside, "Time of the Season" and "This Will Be Our Year" are fantastic late 60s gems, with "This Will Be Our Year" being an appropriate track to crank up as we head into 2025.

Forgettable

I think it’s supposed to be poppy, kind of cheerful. Whatever, I don’t like these harmonies or this little style

What's your name? Who's your daddy? "Butcher's Tale" and "A Rose for Emily" seem like the standouts here to me. This is pretty standard psychedelic rock, but it's done well enough.

dumb

For an album from '68, this album sounds amazing. I'm sure there's been some remastering over the years but I am stricken by how clean everything sounds and how well mixed the harmonies and individual elements are. Not a whole lot of detailed points as I was listening while doing some electrical work around the house, but this was a pleasure to listen to. The songs are well written, and well sung. Standouts for me we're Beachwood Park, Hung Up On A Dream, Time of the Season, and Friends of Mine. But honestly this was great straight through... Sleeper 5 for me

Saw "The Zombies" and expected The Cranberries. Was a bit confusing for a minute. Cool album cover. Album left a bit to be desired. Hits right around a 2.5/5. I'm going to call it a rare "low 3".

Pretty cool psych pop album nothing super special though. Time of the Season is really good though I have known that song for a while.

Really loved Care of Cell 44. Very Beach Boys/Beatley. Beachwood Park has that creepy psychedelia to it. This album flew by (35 min) but in a great way. Was boppin' to a lot of these songs. Zombies don't get enough cred in the late 60's rock imo besides a few hits, including Time of the Season which also rules.

I love this kind of 60s pop. Not every song on here is amazing but some really are.

First listen. Ok+.

Niet veel soeps maar het laatste nummer maakt het weer een beetje goed, 4/10

psychedelic bangers fav tracks: Care of cell 44, maybe after he's gone, hung up on a dream, i want her, she wants me least fav: A rose for emily, Butcher's tale (Western Front 1944)

sue me i like the brits!!!!!

Great vibes, some cool harmonies. Nice to hear 60’s style rock

Decent British invasion ish

Very 60s maybe a basic take, but damn they sound like the beatles sorta mixed with the stones Time of the season being the most played song is no surprise at all. Iconic song, with the makings of a great song solid catchy bassline, matches the drums perfectly 8/10

That has not aged well for me. Sounds like the average of the time. I'd prefer other records and bands from the era...

Beach Boys, but sometimes medieval battle hymnal. Nevertheless, Time of the Season is a go ✅

Time Of The Season is a classic, the rest was listenable but not outstanding.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I love this album and I love The Zombies. Listening again, I wonder why this band hasn’t had the same staying power as the Stones or the Beatles. They surely had a stronger handle on the psych elements of the 60s more strongly than either of those bands. And I love the musicianship on display here - relic of a bygone era in music. Truly enjoyed this.

3 - budget beetles, very lively but the production suffers and even the best songs are kinda dumb

Basis Album der späten 60er. Ein bisschen Woodstock und ein bisschen Hippie. Solide arrangierte Songs, mit Drums, ePiano und viel Bass. Tolle Songs sind „Time of Season“ und „Care of Cell 44“.,insgesamt ganz ok.

Love the layered production, the way the organ and keys would create this wall of noise underneath the vocals gave me chills every time. Thought it was a little samey at first, but the B-side knocked it out of the park. Definitely going to return to this one a lot, such a unique sound in a ubiquitous style.

Solid but not spectacular

Great pop songwriting performed excellently with the production/instrumentation/sound pallet of psychedelia. Some really familiar bangers on this one, but it's all pretty solid. I will definitely be listening again.

These guys should have worked with Brian Wilson! Not that asshat Mike Love! Groovy, psychedelic, and hauntingly beautiful. The kind of album that takes you to a place and a feeling.

3.5

I am generally lukewarm on 60s psych rock, but as that genre goes this was pretty good. And the Time Of The Season deserves the hype, great track.

only Time of the Season and the Super Sayan in the cover art are actually worth it..

Loved it. Weird that they were already broken up when it was released. I love the oddly happy sound of Cell 44 as opposed to the subject matter. Weirdly, Time of the Season always had an ominous vibe to me. I read that this album is a favorite of Paul Weller, I can understand why.

Nice sound

2,5

Kinda bored until the end. I love Time of the Season

This album was okay.

Solid album, cool vibe Standout songs: Maybe after hes gone Hung up on a dream Butchers tale

A reminder of a great album by a great band. “This Will Be Our Year” is an example of a song that just keeps me optimistic. This entire record just mellows me out.

this was a fun surprise - even moreso when i realized that the zombies weren't a band of women with deep voices, lol. enjoyable weird psychedelic vibes!

normally i’d run screaming from any 60s psychedelic album on this list, but something about this one just works. the harmonies are great and work really well with the instrumentation throughout, the songs are fun and engaging, and the vibes are just immaculate overall. it’s a shame this was received so poorly upon release and the recording sessions were so fraught with setbacks and tensions within the band, though maybe i like this so much specifically because it’s not like all the other albums from this time. favorites: care of cell 44, a rose for emily, beechwood park, this will be our year, friends of mine, time of the season

Perfection

This list really does skew towards old British bands dunnit? So far this sounds like a boring low energy Beatles knockoff. Basically an inverse of The Kinks. Oh, they wrote "Time of the Season", is that why they are on this list? Do one-hit-wonders really deserve a spot? In my opinion, no.

Great

This was better than I expected, but this genre isn't really my thing. 3.5 stars

The vibe is soft and relaxed. Feels a little like The Kinks if they leaned more into being mellow. The harmonies are smooth, and the whole thing feels very sunny. Not too much going on, but it’s comforting. Definitely easygoing.

Pretty fun, background music

It’s a light Beatles pack that ain’t connecting with me. First track or two is listenable but I can’t listen to that kind of sound for too long without everything feeling samey. I like Hung Up on a Dream tho.

fabulous! One of the best of its time.

Es un disco de psicodelia corte los Beatles en Sgt Peppers, pero se queda cortísimo.

when i saw this album today during lunch break, i figured out that i'd like to get high during english language class while the teacher talks about stuffs and the questions in class slowly drifts out of sight and becoming surreal. care of cell 44 has this classic 67' beatles feel, the guitars and pianos and harmonies, so penny lane. i like it, as i'm a ex-beatles fan. but some tracks are sloppy. 4/5

Crazy

Wow. Eh.. Weird? But not the worst thing ever. Just middle of the road for me

По началу только первый и последний трек, вроде бы зашло и решил дальше продвигаться, но вторым треком стал A Rose For Emily и мне что то не зашло и выключил. Но позже где то между 26 и 27 ноября вновь послушал когда плавал в бассейн и понял что недооценил этот альбом и даже тот трек. В итоге это теперь один из моих любимых альбомов и все треки как минимум хороши.

3/12 25/100 rlly good though

Felt like the soundtrack for either a b-movie film of the 70s or a scooby doo episode with a terrible cameo

The Beatles St.Peeper era splashed with Beach Boys harmonies. I get it and I like it. Oh wait, add in Pink Floyd when Syd was there. Yes, that should do it. Now, just because I like this doesn’t mean I think it should be on this list. I’m lost when it comes to this album. It’s weird. It lacks a stand out track and it’s like a mashup of metaphors, that which I can’t figure out. I kept listening though and that holds some weight. Just not much Choice cut: Hung Up on a Dream

Beatles poppy beach boys sort of vibe with new seekers flung in there

Nice inoffensive 60s pop. This Will Be Our Year is a stone cold classic.

I have so much respect for this album.

As with many bands of the era, The Zombies seem like a poor man’s Beatles, thankfully there are a lot of worse bands you can be influenced by. It starts strong with Care of Cell 44 and obviously ends strong with Time of the Season. The middle drags a bit 6.1/10

Dug it more than I thought I would. 3/5

5 Zombies out of 10. A nice blend of voices and gentle woodwind sounds. With the cover art, I expected the music to have much more of a dreamy or psychedelic sound. I’d describe the album as having more of a daydream feel that of a trance or fantastical journey which I’ve heard from other albums of the 60s. This album gives us ‘Time of the Season’ which is a pretty sick song to be fair. It’s sexy and a little bit spooky - it sounds super autumnal and I love the little ‘ahhh’ instead if a cymbal in the little phrase we hear throughout the song. The most memorable for me after that is ‘changes’. Very simple song but the layers of voices is very satisfying to listen to and pull apart. I could definitely see myself covering it just for the fun of trying to recreate the layers. This sort of music isn’t really my style but as albums go, it definitely has many catchy songs and some contemporary sounds going on there. I could see why a 20 something from the 60s would totally dig it.

couldn't really get into it, but not bad by any means. still a few songs i enjoyed. favs: maybe after he's gone, hung up on a dream, this will be our year

I ignored this album for too long. Absolutely fantastic. Wonderful melodies, arrangements and playing. Gently psychedelic. This one is a keeper.

Time of the season es genial, pero el resto me dio un poco igual. Aún así le pongo 3 porque no me pareció nada pesado. Eso sí, muy jipi.

I’m slightly triggered by this album because of the song Rose For Emily. It was in the closing credits of one of the seasons of Serial, and while it’s not a bad song, I just always felt like it was so out of place that it bothered me to the point that just hearing the song bothers me (it’s a “me” problem, I know). Questionable podcast credit music aside, not a bad album. There were a few recognizable tracks that I didn’t know were by The Zombies (This Will Be Our Year, Time of the Season), so it was cool to place those. Overall, enjoyable listen. — 4/5 Highlights: Changes This Will Be Our Year Time of the Season

Pretty good, had that one classic song that I didn't realize was by them

Good.

Chill time. Most of the album is pretty low-key, but it has a strong start and ending.

This is a fun lil psychedelic record. A lot of the album is sort of Beatles-esque, but given how world-changingly popular the Beatles were at the time, I think most UK bands drew some inspiration. It’s fun but it’s not particular exciting or unique. Obviously “Time of the Season”, the biggest hit single off this album, stands out for good reason. It’s strange in that it doesn’t quite feel like part of this album, when compared to the rest of it. It’s just head and shoulders better than the rest. This song alone definitely adds a star to my rating. If you’re ever interested in the absolutely insane link between ZZ Top and the Zombies, google “fake zombies” and enjoy the rabbit hole. 3*

In the first 50 albums of this project, I’ve been served up many variants on the 60s-70s psychedelic theme and have come to realize I really don’t care for it at much. When I saw this album cover, I expected another slog through boring, distorted guitar riffs and childish lyrics. I was pleasantly surprised to find this album distinguishes itself in its field with a pretty unique and interesting sound. The bass throughout the album is especially cool, as well as the keyboard and organ. “Beechwood Park” and “This Will Be Our Year” are highlights, but it’s really a pretty good album start to finish. I knew the Zombies were responsible for some super-popular song of the era but I couldn’t remember which, so ending the album on the spooky season classic “Time of the Season” was a nice treat. The mastering on this album is noticeably bad, but I don’t feel it’s fair to demerit the artists for that. Solid 7.5/10, torn between three or four ⭐️ but I think I’d listen to this again in certain contexts and I’m feeling generous so I will round up. Not sure what the misspelling of odyssey is about but it’s a good enough record to look past that.

Synes godt nok alt 60’er rock vi hører fra UK lyder ens… det lyder godt, kan godt lide når de synger flerstemmigt, og time of the season er en banger

Virkelig lækker lyd, overrasket over hvor mange af sangene jeg allerede kendte uden lige at vide at det var The Zombies. Meget glad for at have hørt den, stor 4'er!

Beatles-jam-band-gone-good!

Very much a product of the times. Exactly what I expected and enjoyable.

A hidden chamber-pop gem. Everything good about music from this era is here and executed with whimsy and an ear for melody.

Oj

The Zombies… should have stayed dead. This is absolute crap, amateur hour.

Enjoyable listen but nothing that I’ll come back to

Pretty good. Like the mama's and the papa's but more interesting.

“Time of the Season” is obviously the stand out here, and a quintessential signature song of the Hippie generation soundtrack. The rest was a pleasant listen and a strong album deserving an high rating. Interesting history on the recording and connection to Argent. 4.5/5 3.25/5

I find it interesting that these guys are mostly ever referenced for the song “Time of Season”, when this album shows a much more deeply talented group. This was a great listen and came close to being a 5 for me. Strange how they get forgotten in the top band discussions of the late 60s when clearly they deserve residence alongside some of the bigger recordings of that time (Beatles, Beach Boys). Even more strange is after their short-lived career, there were copycat bands popping up claiming to be them. One of which included Dusty Hill and Frank Beard of the soon-to-be ZZ Top.

Such a great album. Obviously these guys are not unknown and have a handful of hits, but I still feel like they’re erroneously left out of the discussion of the great bands of the 60s. This album is up there with the best of that decade, easily.

Took a chance and turned this on for a jog. Zombie was excellent to move to. Nice rhythm and energy. I like the rest but def felt like it dragged a bit. 3.25

This gets very very close to 5* for me but not quite there. An enjoyable listen. Def seems like a band that got overwhelmed by the popularity of bands like The Beatles, Beach Boys, etc. Shame. 4.25/5

It was "ok".

Huge surprise of an album. Very good and will definitely revisit. 4.

I really enjoyed this album. Clearly a late 60's vibe, but I didn't realize this had Time of the Season on it, so when that last track began to play, it was almost startling how great that song really is. Capped off a solid album.

i can't say anything bad about this album. it's one of my favorites of all time. the songwriting and production are very late 60's which is maybe my favorite time period of music of all time. every song on here is catchy and lovely. of course, there's one big song on here that is a classic - 'time of the season' but i think most of these songs should be held as classics in the same vein. in particular, i adore 'this will be our year' which i think is one of the best songs of the decade. there's no world i would give this one under a 5.

An enjoyable listen - like the bastard child of the beach boys and the doors

Time of the Season is great, the rest is all B and C level 80's background rock.

A decent album but doesn't really do much for me. The instrumentation is pretty cool but the vocal style and lyrical content is pretty boring

Gear: Moondrop Variations Artwork: 🌻🌼💊 Production: 😑🙂👌 Music: ⏳🌼🎶 Rating: 🌼🌼/5

This is so psychedelic and I love it, man! Liked Songs Added: Care Of Cell 44 This Will Be Our Year Time Of The Season

приятный теплый мелодичный альбом

This sort of Beatles-esque psych rock just does nothing for me. It needs something else to add energy into it It's not terrible but it's all just a drag to get through. Butcher's Tale isn't too bad to be fairs

Highlights: This Will Be Our Year, Care of Cell 44, Time of the Season In a nutshell: the band that should've been bigger. Odessey and Oracle is one of those great albums that was lost in the wash. Divine harmonies, cool organ. Lovely balance of psychedelic, baroque, pop and rock. Overall: 7/10

Really great psych/pop/rock album that gives me the feelings I wish I got from the Beatles. Kept wondering during my first listen whether I’d hit a song I recognized, then “Time of the Season” hit right at the end. I like “Care of Cell 44,” “This Will Be Our Year,” and “Friends of Mine” too.