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Product details
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Track Listings
| 1. Breathe Out, Breathe In |
| 2. Any Other Way |
| 3. Play It For Real |
| 4. Shine On Sunshine |
| 5. Show Me The Way |
| 6. A Moment In Time |
| 7. Christmas For The Free |
| 8. Another Day |
| 9. I Do Believe |
| 10. Let It Go |
Product Description
Review
Lead singer Colin Blunstone and virtuoso keyboardist Rod Argent are present and correct from the original quintet for this new Zombies album, while original bassist Chris White co-writes a couple of tracks. However, though this goes some way toward dispelling the smack of flying under a flag of convenience which afflicts so many 60s band reunions, this music rarely sounds like The Zombies we remember, and this can’t be put down solely to the alien presence of bassist Jim Rodford, drummer Steve Rodford and guitarist Tom Toomey.
When the opening title-track reveals itself to be breathy pop, the fact that it is a world removed from brooding fare like Zombies signature song She’s Not There seems unimportant: it’s a highly agreeable concoction and one is happily aware that musos of these men’s age rarely sound so peppy. However, when Blunstone’s Any Other Way (the sole song written with no input from Argent) turns out to be in a similarly sun-dappled mode despite its melancholy lyric, and when the Abbey Road-esque Shine on Sunshine transpires to feature the tweeting of birds just in case we don’t get the life-affirming message, it begins to seem like this peppiness is affected. Even the lack of gaps between songs feels designed to add to the artfully guileless air.
Not that all ties to the sophisticated past are cut. Jazzy, off-kilter time signatures maintain the bespectacled gravitas that led The Zombies to become one of the first bands to record a concept album, while there is plenty of the type of elegant, dazzling keyboard work for which Argent is renowned.
The relentless musical frothiness becomes almost paradoxical in contrast to the sometimes edgy lyrics of the slinky Play It For Real, the funky Show Me the Way and the flamenco-flavoured A Moment in Time. Yet, interestingly enough, it’s only when The Zombies try to get serious in both music and lyric that the album falls down: Christmas for the Free, a solemnly delivered querulous song about Yuletide, is too inchoate to have impact, while the muscular pop-rock domestic bellyache Another Day is somewhat banal.
Breathe Out, Breathe In is a very respectable piece of work, but the main thought it provokes is that it is a puzzling and almost painfully self-conscious attempt to put distance between The Zombies and the minor-chord moodiness that made their reputation.
--Sean Egan
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Product Description
New 2011 studio album ... their first in 7 years! Multi-layered pop harmonies 'n' pastoral balladry from the UK icons led by Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If you're already a long-time fan of The Zombies then you've probably already got this CD or it's on order.
If you are familiar with some or all of their previous work or have stumbled on The Zombies and are wondering whether or not to buy this CD, my answer would be definitely.
There's a lot of rubbish talked by reviewers about how bands either stick too closeley with a predictable formula or, alternatively, disappoint by not adhering to familiar production values!
This album is at one and the same time a very new, surprising and different Zombies album yet totally a Zombies album in the traditional sense.
The fact is that The Zombies are a contemporary band in 2011 who retain two of the original founding line-up from 50 years ago (Argent/Blunstone) and who also include three other equally-talented and experienced musicians to complete their line-up. Jim Rodford, the bass player, actually inspired Rod Argent to start a group in the first place in 1961. The Zombies celebrate their past but are very much in the now.
The reliability, uniqueness, familiarity and excellence of Rod Argent's keyboards and Colin Blunstone's vocals are a given on this album and the two Rodfords, drummer Steve and dad Jim and guitarist Tom Toomey, as I said, play much more than a supporting role to the 'two originals'.
What is surprising and exciting about this album is that there's a bigger variety of styles and tempos over the course of the ten tracks than I was expecting.
What binds all ten tracks together is the standard of musicanship and production. All are clearly identifiable as Zombies numbers, with some familiar references and sounds, but each as distinct, fresh and different as the last.
I have already recognised several tracks as future favourites on my iPod.
But don't just take my word for it. With the sound-bites on Amazon and some of the tracks available to see and hear on Youtube and The Zombies' website, there's no reason not to try before you buy.
If you are familiar with some or all of their previous work or have stumbled on The Zombies and are wondering whether or not to buy this CD, my answer would be definitely.
There's a lot of rubbish talked by reviewers about how bands either stick too closeley with a predictable formula or, alternatively, disappoint by not adhering to familiar production values!
This album is at one and the same time a very new, surprising and different Zombies album yet totally a Zombies album in the traditional sense.
The fact is that The Zombies are a contemporary band in 2011 who retain two of the original founding line-up from 50 years ago (Argent/Blunstone) and who also include three other equally-talented and experienced musicians to complete their line-up. Jim Rodford, the bass player, actually inspired Rod Argent to start a group in the first place in 1961. The Zombies celebrate their past but are very much in the now.
The reliability, uniqueness, familiarity and excellence of Rod Argent's keyboards and Colin Blunstone's vocals are a given on this album and the two Rodfords, drummer Steve and dad Jim and guitarist Tom Toomey, as I said, play much more than a supporting role to the 'two originals'.
What is surprising and exciting about this album is that there's a bigger variety of styles and tempos over the course of the ten tracks than I was expecting.
What binds all ten tracks together is the standard of musicanship and production. All are clearly identifiable as Zombies numbers, with some familiar references and sounds, but each as distinct, fresh and different as the last.
I have already recognised several tracks as future favourites on my iPod.
But don't just take my word for it. With the sound-bites on Amazon and some of the tracks available to see and hear on Youtube and The Zombies' website, there's no reason not to try before you buy.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If you're reading this you are probably already a Zombies/Argent/CB fan.
The harmonies and production are everything you'd expect and more. Colin has never sounded better and Rod's keyboard variations are a delight as always.
Ultimately it all comes down to the quality of the songwriting, and you won't be disappointed here. Eight new songs plus a couple of old Argent tracks 'Shine on Sunshine' which sounds very different from the 70's original & 'Christmas for the Free' both sounding very fresh and fit in with the new material perfectly.
Without a shadow of a doubt this is one of the Zombies best - well crafted, superb vocals, and just great songs that really feel alive!
A word too for Tom Toomey who co-writes one of the many stand-out tracks - 'A moment in time'- whether its acoustic or electric guitar, he's really added something to the band. It's no slight on Keith Airey but Tom Toomey's talented playing shines through on this set.
My only complaint - a bit short at 39 minutes and another couple of tracks might have made this a 5*. Leave them wanting more eh!
The harmonies and production are everything you'd expect and more. Colin has never sounded better and Rod's keyboard variations are a delight as always.
Ultimately it all comes down to the quality of the songwriting, and you won't be disappointed here. Eight new songs plus a couple of old Argent tracks 'Shine on Sunshine' which sounds very different from the 70's original & 'Christmas for the Free' both sounding very fresh and fit in with the new material perfectly.
Without a shadow of a doubt this is one of the Zombies best - well crafted, superb vocals, and just great songs that really feel alive!
A word too for Tom Toomey who co-writes one of the many stand-out tracks - 'A moment in time'- whether its acoustic or electric guitar, he's really added something to the band. It's no slight on Keith Airey but Tom Toomey's talented playing shines through on this set.
My only complaint - a bit short at 39 minutes and another couple of tracks might have made this a 5*. Leave them wanting more eh!
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
2011 album from the British Pop/Rock legends led by founding members Rod Argent and singer Colin Blunstone. A magisterial work, it is everything you could possibly hope for from the group who, back in the '60s, provided such signature works as the singles 'She's Not There', 'Tell Her No' and 'Time Of The Season' and the album Odessey And Oracle, their 1968 Brit Psych masterpiece. The 10 songs, which make up Breathe Out, Breathe In, are impeccably crafted pieces, the harmonies are rich, the melodies full, the arrangements exquisite, the organ and piano fresh, the production intuitive.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Still going strong
The Zombies still alive in 2011/12 - who would have thought that back in the sixties. But they are, and playing very well and making good music. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Claus Sarup
Zombies Gold
This is a band I have followed for 50 years and bought this album already a fan. It is a stonker of an album with strong songs and great musicianship, and I'd say if the music... Read more
Published 5 months ago by EssexMan
Zombies Undead
I've always been skeptical of the reunions of 60s bands--so many of them are compromised by a dearth of the kind of inspiration that the musicians brought to their original... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Christopher Abbot
Reelin' in the Years???
I have read many good reviews about this album in the music press so naturally I decided to investigate what my favourite 60s tunesmiths have been up to recently in the way of... Read more
Published 9 months ago by A fan
Classic Rock
This album is a genuine delight. Ten good tracks and no filler. It was always one of rocks great "tragedies" that The Zombies broke up before
their masterpiece "Odessey and... Read more
their masterpiece "Odessey and... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Ewan
fantastic
Fantastic cd but then what else could you expect from such a good group as the Zombies with such tallent as Colin & Rod.
Published 11 months ago by M. Tennant
Fantastic album
This album oozes quality. The whole band are just brilliant - Rod's keyboard work is still incredible, Colin's voice still showing subtlety, but with a strength when required. Read more
Published 11 months ago by AC Worcs
Pretty good comeback
I love the Zombies. I REALLY love the Zombies. More especially, I love Colin Blunstone, whose voice seems to have a direct track straight to my soul. Read more
Published 11 months ago by JDO
It sits very well with other work from these artists
Having been fortunate enough to see "The Zombies" on stage at The Shepherds Bush Empire" I can state with certainty that the songs work very well intersperced with past solo and... Read more
Published 12 months ago by A. Holder
Classics Redefined in 2011...50 years On!
I am amazed by this album. It was long in the making, as Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone kept getting busy with touring and one personel change throughout the last three years, the... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Joy Andis
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