Z Page
The Zombies
Odessey and Oracle (1968)
Originally known for their British invasion hits 'She's Not There' and 'Tell Her No', the Zombies also recorded as what's now recognised as one of the finest albums of the sixties while in their death throes. With a warm, layered pop sound that's obviously derived from mid-sixties Beach Boys and Beatles records, in 1968 this album was probably a couple of years too late for mainstream acceptance, but with two strong song-writers, a sweet voiced singer backed by luscious harmonies, and a high level of musicianship corralled into succinct pop songs, Odessey and Oracle is a landmark in hindsight and absolutely essential for any sixties pop fan. The songs, written by keyboard player Rod Argent and bassist Chris White, are generally sweet in tone, yet there's tension either underneath, like the bittersweet welcome home to a lover released from prison in 'Care of Cell 44', the romantic resignation of 'Maybe After He's Gone' and the simmering sexuality that underpins the closing 'Time Of The Season', or openly in the Vietnam protest tale 'Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)'. While White's bass is surprisingly prominent for a sixties pop record, and guitarist Paul Atkinson also contributes some memorable lines, it's the acoustic piano and mellotron of Argent that are the main musical feature, while the harmonised vocals of Rod Blunstone, White and Argent are also beautiful and ornate.
Of the twelve songs, ten are largely cut from the same cloth and are almost universally likeable; it's the two longer and more experimental tracks that are more contentious. The main stumbling block is Chris White's 'Butcher's Tale'; its dour delivery and obvious thematic agenda are almost enough to throw an otherwise perfect album off course, even if it's hardly lacking in musical ideas in itself. The other song that doesn't quite fit is 'Changes', also by White; it's full of beautiful harmonies and mellotrons, but it's also overlong and repetitive. Once adjusted to these two difficult tracks, the rest of the album provides a practically flawless display of pop music, melodic, beautifully arranged and gloriously sung. Blunstone's warm vocals provide an air of spirituality to songs like the quietly devastating psychedelic vision of 'Hung Up On A Dream' and the loneliness of 'A Rose For Emily', while 'This Will Be Our Year' and 'Friends of Mine' bubble with unstoppable exuberance. The closing 'Time of the Season' is also out of step with the rest of the album, with its lack of innocence and jazzy keyboards, but it's also a divine end to what's an indispensable pop album. White subsequently disappeared from prominence, Argent went on to form the band Argent, while Blunstone tragically abandoned music to take up a post in insurance, although he reunited with Argent in 2004 to record a poorly received new Zombies album.
|
Random Album Pick: Bruce Springsteen - Darkness On The Edge Of Town
If you've grown up with watered down Springsteen like the Born In The USA hits, don't write him off before you experience albums like this to find out where all the Springsteen hype originates.
LastFM Top Artists:
|
|
