Odessey and Oracle
by The Zombies
- Type: Album
- Released: 19 April 1968
- Label: CBS, Date
- Country: United Kingdom
- Length: 34:46
- Community rating: 4.55/5 from 14 ratings
Artists on this release: Hugh Grundy, Paul Atkinson, Rod Argent, Chris White, Colin Blunstone
Album Notes & Community Reviews
'Odessey and Oracle' is a defining work of baroque pop, characterized by songwriter Rod Argent's intricate keyboard arrangements on Mellotron and piano, layered vocal harmonies, and Colin Blunstone's distinctive lead vocals. Financed by the band itself and recorded at Abbey Road Studios just prior to their dissolution, its songs balance sophisticated pop structures with poignant, often melancholic lyrical vignettes about characters and relationships. Initially overlooked upon its 1968 release, the album later achieved immense critical acclaim and a cult following, spurred by the surprise 1969 American success of the single "Time of the Season".
Genres
Descriptors: melodic, harmonies, textured, orchestral, dreamy
Tracklist
- Care of Cell 44 (03:15)
- A Rose for Emily (02:23)
- Maybe After He’s Gone (02:37)
- Beechwood Park (02:47)
- Brief Candles (03:29)
- Hung Up on a Dream (03:02)
- Changes (03:18)
- I Want Her She Wants Me (02:58)
- This Will Be Our Year (02:13)
- Butcher’s Tale (Western Front 1914) (02:53)
- Friends of Mine (02:21)
- Time of the Season (03:30)
Credits
- Colin Blunstone - vocals
- Rod Argent - keyboards, vocals, producer, sleeve notes, written-by
- Paul Atkinson - guitar, backing vocals
- Chris White - bass, backing vocals, vocals, producer, written-by
- Hugh Grundy - drums, backing vocals
- Terry Quirk - cover, artwork
- Al Kooper - staff producer
- Geoff Emerick - engineer
- Peter Vince - engineer