The Zombies have a new CD out. Does anybody else not give a damn?

[NightTrain]

From www.rhino.com:

"Legendary British Invasion innovators the Zombies are right up
there with the Beatles and the Beach Boys when it comes to influential '60s bands*. Recorded by founding members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent, 'As Far As I Can See' is their first studio album since 'Odessey & Oracle,' the Summer of Love masterpiece** that's regularly cited as one of the greatest albums of all time***."


*Who, exactly, did the Zombies influence? I can't think of a single artist or band.

**OK, I don't know the exact release date of "Odyssey and Oracle," but it produced the hit single "Time of the Season," which charted in 1969. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Summer of Love occur in 1967?

***Regularly cited by whom? I've seen a lot of "greatest albums" lists based on surveys of rock critics, but I don't recall having seen "Odyssey and Oracle" on any of them.

[jpgray]

1. There's a lot more to the Zombies than that

--The Zombies influenced countless bands. The entire singing style of Coldplay appears to be modeled on Colin Blunstone. For contemporaries, Phil and the Frantics shamelessly ripped off the Zombies' 'I Must Move'.

--Odessey and Oracle was recorded in '67 as the band's swansong. The singles 'She's Not There' 'And Tell Her No' found a lot of success in their earlier years, on both sides of the Atlantic.

--The Zombies are worshipped by music critics. Think of the level of retroactive praise heaped on such things as Love's Forever Changes--it's a similar level with the Zombies. Odessey is a superlative pop album.

Having heard the new album, though, it's pretty mediocre. Blandly produced pop with some okay melodies but crappy arrangements and sound.

edit: I hate the snarky-sounding 'you need to educate yourself' myself, so I'm not sure why I put it in my subject. Sorry.

:dunce:

And also--a lot of stuff that was slated for a never-completed 68 album (such as the song She Loves the Way They Love Her) were just awesome pop gems.

[elperromagico]

4. Didn't they do "Time Of The Season"?

I love that song. Nice groove to it.

[jpgray]

7. The album it's off of, Odessey and Oracle, has a similar feel

Somewhat samey, and nothing spectacular, but a group of really good piano-based tunes.

[last_texas_dem]

2. "Time of the Season"

I think Odessey and Oracle was released in '67, but the single didn't chart until a couple years later when it was re-released for reasons I'm not sure of. I don't know if it flopped initially or if it had just never been released as a single.

I think the Zombies are pretty good. They had some good singles; I'm a big fan of "She's Not There", "Tell Her No" and its flip side "Leave Me Be." I have an old Greatest Hits CD of them that has a number of good non-hits on it. Not sure how influential they were on other artists; I know the group People had a hit with the Zombies' song "I Love You." I know of one list I've seen Odessey and Oracle on; I believe it made the Rolling Stone Top 500 albums list released last year for whatever it's worth. I don't know about the new album; reunion albums tend to disappoint in my opinion, but sometimes I'm surprised.

[Colin Ex]

3. The what?

The Zombies? Who gives a damn?

[eeyore]

5. I love the Zombies!

I just discovered them a few years ago after people kept coming up to me and my bandmates and asking if we are influenced by the Zombies. Finally I got curious and bought Odyssey and Oracle, and was totally blown away. I think it is so cool discovering new old music!

As for a new album.....not so sure about that. They had a really crazy history or near successes and disappointing missteps. They recorded Odyssey and Oracle knowing that they were going to be dropped from their lable, and just made the freaky psychedelic pop record that they wanted to make, not worrying about being commercially viable. The surprise was that "She's Not There" actually hit after they broke up, inspiring the label to put fake Zombie bands on tour to support the record.

Glad you asked?

A really great history of them is at http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:e2jw7i6jg7xr~T1

[jpgray]

6. She's Not There was released in '65

You're thinking of 'Time of the Season'.

[eeyore]

9. Ooops!

You are so damn right! Time of the Season was their final hit that happened post breakup.

[elperromagico]

10. It hit in '69, IIRC,

long after their breakup.

[eeyore]

8. More Zombies trivia!

Zombie Rod Argent went on to form the subpar prog-rock outfit named, of course, Argent! They had a hit with the classic rock radio staple "Hold Your Head Up" which you've probably mistaken for being Styx. Actually, Styx probably was greatly influenced by Argent. So there!

[RetroLounge]

11. The Zombies are great, especially their lead singer

Zell Miller...

RL

[Mojambo]

12. For undead rock, I prefer the Mummies. n/t

[jukes]

13. check

my sig