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Track Listings
| 1. Care of Cell 44 |
| 2. A Rose for Emily |
| 3. Maybe After He's Gone |
| 4. Beechwood Park |
| 5. Brief Candles |
| 6. Hung up on a Dream |
| 7. Changes |
| 8. I Want Her She Wants Me |
| 9. This Will Be Our Year |
| 10. Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914) |
| 11. Friends of Mine |
| 12. Time of the Season |
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Vinyl
If you think you know The Zombies from 'She's Not There' then think again. Original songs from Rod Argent and Chris White, Colin Blunstone's breathless vocals, superb harmonies and tight arrangements make this an album well worth hearing. It's pop music but pop music with class. I loved this album when I was a teenager and my teenage sons, more into rock than pop, like it too. It was 'Time Of The Season' with its empty feel and brilliant organ breaks that first caught my attention but there are no weak tracks and 'Maybe After He's Gone' still sends shivers down my spine even after thirty years.
30 of 32 people found the following review helpful
By Kris Barclay
Format:Audio CD
Why I've only just happened upon this album I do not know. It must be ranked alongside Love's Four Sail & The Flying Burrito Brothers's Gilded Palce Of Sin as one of the most criminally overlooked albums of the last 40 years. Sunshine, Beach boy harmonies knitted to jazz flavoured song structures astride unusual and emotive lyrics. If you love good music,make that GREAT music, buy this album and spread the word, music this good deserves to be heard.
26 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By D. Macphee
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
Until last year all I knew of The Zombies was 'Time of the Season' and 'She's Not There'. After reading the reviews on Amazon I decided to buy the CD in the vain hope that I haven't wasted £12 on rubbish. The version I bought featured 15 bonus tracks (mostly b-sides). Needless to say that I was blown away from the first track to the last (incidentally 'Time of the Season' is probably my least favourite). Why haven't I come across this before? Why weren't they as big as the Kinks? And how can a bunch of unattractive insurance salesmen make such incredibly beautiful music?. Maybe this is why they didn't get the recognition they so richly deserved.
If you are a fan of the mellower side of the Kinks and the genius Elliott Smith I would ignore any bad reviews of this album and buy it today. My only regret is that I didn't discover this band before. Truly essential.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
I was a teenager when this was released.Butcher's Tale was a minor hit and then Time of the Season topped the hit parade here in Canada. The whole LP shines with depth and great musicianship. "A Rose For Emily" is delicate and mesmerizing while "Care Of Cell 44" is certainly an unusual setting for a song. This LP ranks right up there with Sgt. Pepper and Beggar's Banquet and has moments that will stagger you. If you love the sixties you'll adore this LP and will never regret the purchase.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By W. Morrison
Format:Audio CD
After hearing glowing reports, I purchased this album and was rather pleased upon the first few hearings. Quality, catchy Sixties pop. The thing was that after a few more listens the songs began to get right into my mind and emotions, the album opened up and revealed itself to be a far more beautiful, pure and uplifting piece than it first appeared. Deeply indebted to the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" this may be, but for sheer quality of songwriting and production it deserves to be considered as an equal to that album. I can't recommend it highly enough, and no fan of late Sixties pop or psychedelia should be without it. Brilliant.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Many bands (the Beatles, the Beach Boys) at least dabbled in psychedelica, but the Zombies are often overlooked. For the 30th anniversary of "Odessey and Oracles," the Zombies' best album was rereleased in a new form, proving that their enchanting psychedelic pop has aged exceeedingly well.
The Zombies were unusually good at taking perky, sweet, lush music and wrapping it around a more serious song, such as the upbeat "Care of Cell 44" (guy writing to his jailed girlfriend), or the lovely "A Rose For Emily," a poignant little song that tells of a lonely woman doomed to stay lonely. "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..."
But the Zombies aren't all sadness wrapped in happy music. There are perky songs about being happy in love, losing a love and hoping she'll return, and reminiscing about "golden days and golden summer nights." The album ends on a reassuring note with the laid-back "Time of the Season," which sounds like the ultimate hippie anthem.
I have no memories of the 60s, since I was only born in the eighties. But "Odessey and Oracle" gives a rosy glow to that era,. Psychedelic flair minus the hazy, and every song is a gem. Though "Time of the Season" was the sleeper hit from the album, it's not the best or catchiest song on here -- it's just one of many excellent ones.
Rod Argent was definitely an outstanding songwriter. He was able to create atmospheric and beautiful songs with very simple writing ("Brief candles in her mind/bright and tiny gems of memory"). Perhaps his finest moment here is "I knew he when summer was her crown/and autumn sad/how brown her eyes," as a kick-off to a colorful look at a woman compared to all the seasons.... Read more ›
The Zombies were unusually good at taking perky, sweet, lush music and wrapping it around a more serious song, such as the upbeat "Care of Cell 44" (guy writing to his jailed girlfriend), or the lovely "A Rose For Emily," a poignant little song that tells of a lonely woman doomed to stay lonely. "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..."
But the Zombies aren't all sadness wrapped in happy music. There are perky songs about being happy in love, losing a love and hoping she'll return, and reminiscing about "golden days and golden summer nights." The album ends on a reassuring note with the laid-back "Time of the Season," which sounds like the ultimate hippie anthem.
I have no memories of the 60s, since I was only born in the eighties. But "Odessey and Oracle" gives a rosy glow to that era,. Psychedelic flair minus the hazy, and every song is a gem. Though "Time of the Season" was the sleeper hit from the album, it's not the best or catchiest song on here -- it's just one of many excellent ones.
Rod Argent was definitely an outstanding songwriter. He was able to create atmospheric and beautiful songs with very simple writing ("Brief candles in her mind/bright and tiny gems of memory"). Perhaps his finest moment here is "I knew he when summer was her crown/and autumn sad/how brown her eyes," as a kick-off to a colorful look at a woman compared to all the seasons.... Read more ›
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Odessey (sic) and Oracle: The CBS Years 1967-1969 is Repertoire's 2 CD expansion of The Zombies' second and final album, featuring their best-known hit single, "Time of the Season." The package contains the mono and stereo mixes of the album, plus "RIP: The Lost Album," a collection of unused tracks that might have formed a 3rd LP for the Zs had they not split in late '67 and gone in different career directions (e.g. Rod Argent to Argent, Colin Blunstone away from music, etc.). Repertoire has done a fine job remastering these recordings; the notes give a nicely detailed account of the Zs' last months as a functioning unit, good track-by-track information and other minutiae relating to the songs contained within. Prior to buying this and Begin Here, which covers the band's recordings for Decca (1964-67), I had not owned any Zombies material - now am very glad I made these purchases. Their complete recordings are captured in two very neat packages; kudos to Repertoire for their efforts. I highly recommend both.
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
End here
Odysey & Oracle mono & stereo, with related singles tracks and unreleased album. And you thought you had bought everything by them when you got the box set! Read more
Published 5 months ago by Bill Krohn
5.0 out of 5 stars
In my opinion, the greatest album ever made!
This album contains the most beautiful melodies, poetic lyrics and fantastic singing ever. Unlike other albums people cite as the best ever, there are no cringy or filler tracks... Read more
Published 7 months ago by phil swain
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stands the test of time
This album is an often overlooked gem. Quality music from a band that never got the recognition they really deserved. Highly recommended, get this album!
Published 14 months ago by Jan Patrik Sahlstrøm
5.0 out of 5 stars
I just WAS made for these times!
Those reviewers who do not appreciate or understand the context of this seminal album clearly were not at least 13 years old at the time it was made. Read more
Published on 23 Dec 2009 by andybrum
2.0 out of 5 stars
Listen before you buy!
This was high in my wants list of then deleted albums for years! While I could see the merits of most so called classic albums, the reputation of this one baffles me. Read more
Published on 18 Nov 2006 by B
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stunning last will and testament
Judging by other reviews, this is an album that polarises opinion. For those who hate it, the problem is probably their expectation of it as a psychedelic job. Read more
Published on 11 Sep 2005 by D. J. H. Thorn
2.0 out of 5 stars
Dissapointing
LOts of people who's musical opinion i respect rave about this album.
I cant see why. It is very run of the mill. Nothing more to say really.
I cant see why. It is very run of the mill. Nothing more to say really.
Published on 7 July 2005 by A. TAFF
5.0 out of 5 stars
Utterly Brilliant
certainly one of my favourite albums of all time- a wonderful atmospheric record with some beautiful songs and the greatest anti war song ever recorded- butchers tale. Read more
Published on 4 May 2005 by JoeMgeek
1.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing compared to others of the era
What is all this about being likened to Sgt. Pepper? Not the Beatles finest, maybe, but apart from the high pitched barber harmonies, there's little else to link them with this... Read more
Published on 14 July 2004 by a reviewer
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