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Zombies – Oracle and Odyssey
MLT have mentioned a number of times, including at the latest Q and A that the Zombies “Oracle and Odyssey” is one of their favourite albums. Had a listen and whoa, I can see why. By the second time around on the album, I kind of felt like I was floating in the clouds with some of the songs, so pleasant and psychedelic. It kind of has a Pet Sounds/Smile and Sargent Peppery magic to it. Some songs that stood out, started with a handful and after a few listens could easily list them all: Maybe After He’s Gone, Beechwood Park, Brief Candle, Hung Up On a Dream, Changes, I want her and she wants me, This will be our year, Butchers Tale, and last but not least Time of the Season. If you haven’t listened to it, do yourself and favour and have a listen. I hope MLT do a WOTT on this, would love to hear their track by track take and faves.
Here is a sampling of just one of the tracks on the album that really stands out for me.
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6 Replies
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I discovered this album just a couple of years ago. The Zombies were on tour performing the whole thing from beginning to end, and my brother invited me to come with him to a concert about an hour from where I lived. I listened to it ahead of time, and wow! I agree it’s one of the definitive albums of the 60’s, even if it didn’t register that way at the time.
The gut-wrenching emotion of Butcher’s Tale always stays with me as I listen to the following track, Friends of Mine. I picture that song as the war-traumatized guy from Butcher’s Tale reminiscing about the carefree days with his friends back home.
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Hi David, wow that would have been a wonderful experience to see the Zombies do the whole album from start to finish. Ever since I first heard Time of The Season I felt that song was the definitive 60s song, and now this album too. It’s a real magic gem. Friends of Mine is a great song, and the line from Butchers Tale – Friend of Mine – Time of Season is an awesome end to the album.
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…and “Hung Up On A Dream” is dreamy nice! “Changes” right after that is good too.
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I really like Care of Cell 44 as the opening number. It has a bouncy “hello and welcome” vibe that makes me think of When We’re Together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afrdo2qneoI
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Care of Cell 44 is very nice David. I think this is the kind of album you eventually end up liking every song on it, it’s that good. This song has a Beach Boys feel to it with those harmonies. Being in the same period, I am sure there is bound to be a lot of creative cross pollination going on among the bands.
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Absolutely, Jung. I’m very picky with my musical tastes, and Odessey and Oracle achieves a combination that few albums do. Each song has a different feel, and yet every one is “radio ready” (no filler tracks), and none of them sounds derivative from any other song. Truly a special accomplishment.
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