Decca Stereo Anthology, The - Zombies (The)

Well I had seen the reviews of 'Odyssey and Oracle' on another music website and then I also happened to come across this, which i listened to first, as i wanted more of a thorough overview of this band which i knew not much about, apart from the songs 'Time Of the Season' and 'She's Not There.'

It's pretty easy to skim thru a load of short and snappy pop songs to decide if you like them or not. I knew I HAD to own this
after ...
...have no idea what the original mono songs sounded like, but i am not worried. Clarity counts for a lot when i listen to music.
Yes, Colin Blunstone certainly had an 'incomparable' voice. -Some people of around my age (30 -something) may recall some of his solo tracks from the 70's, his hit record with Dave Stewart in the 80's "What Becomes of The Broken Hearted" and his guest appearances on a few Alan Parsons Project albums from ... more

Well I had seen the reviews of 'Odyssey and Oracle' on another music website and then I also happened to come across this, which i listened to first, as i wanted more of a thorough overview of this band which i knew not much about, apart from the songs 'Time Of the Season' and 'She's Not There.'

It's pretty easy to skim thru a load of short and snappy pop songs to decide if you like them or not. I knew I HAD to own this
after just skimming thru the first CD.

I have no idea what the original mono songs sounded like, but i am not worried. Clarity counts for a lot when i listen to music.
Yes, Colin Blunstone certainly had an 'incomparable' voice. -Some people of around my age (30 -something) may recall some of his solo tracks from the 70's, his hit record with Dave Stewart in the 80's "What Becomes of The Broken Hearted" and his guest appearances on a few Alan Parsons Project albums from the 70's -80's. Excellent stuff also!! The Zombies' sound was basically beat-pop, with the added bonus of groovy keyboard backing on many of the tracks. (Another thing in common with The Animals, I guess!)

It was so fantastic to hear how much the Zombies could rock!! If you like "she's not there" there are MANY other such gems on this compilation, many singles that sadly failed to dent the charts. -What a fantastic, wild song is 'Sticks and Stones' quote: "I've been abuuuuuuuuuuused" and others. One minute Blunstone is all sweetness and light, the next he snarls or goes way up the scale to dizzy heights. Somewhere i once read "they sing like angels, and play like demons." I could compare them to The Animals for their raw energy and vitality and 'laddish' sound, but i feel i would be doing them an injustice. I think they are MUCH better. They like their harmonies, and they like their rock 'n' roll too. Once I had listened to the first CD, I was just struck dumb.Just about every track was pretty darn excellent, just classics. (admittedly, some were just cover versions of old standards, but who cares when they are played and sung as good as this?? ) -The word 'Awesome' came to mind. I nearly cried to think of how little success they had had in the U.K. It is CRIMINAL that the record buying public overlooked their precocious talent. They were at least as good as The Hollies, infact, arguably better than them too. More Rhythm n Blues.

When i listened to the 2nd CD i felt it didnt have quite the same energy and power and melody of the earlier songs, but at least the first 5 songs hold up well in comparison, I also love 'I'll Call You Mine' , 'if it Don't Work Out', 'Indication' (dig that groovy keyboard ending!!!) and 'Is This The Dream'. Also check out 'Gotta get a hold of Myself' which is one of the saddest pining- for- a -lost -love songs ever, and also 'She Does Everything for me' which comes directly after, and makes you feel glad he has found someone to replace the girl in the former song. "now I can say goodbye, and I DON'T CARRRRRREEEEEEEE!! You can go your own way, go ANYWHERRRRRRRRREEEEEEE!!" -wild and
mad and full of youthful new love joys.

I give the collection five stars for value for money and for
exhilerating entertainment, it is in my opinion a MUST-BUY for all 60's beat -band fans EVERYWHERE! SPREAD THE WORD!!! PLEASE!!!!!!

 

...less