Zombies' Odessey & Oracle: 30th Anniversary or 2004 Remastered version?

i really like that part when colin sings "to show"

Oh and of course I have the box set.

OK, let's ask again.

The local HMV in the Oracle (hey!) has two CD's, both on Repertoire.

One is a 2CD version, with the mono on one, the stereo on the other, and six extra tracks.

The other is one CD, Stereo version, with about 12 extra tracks.

Is this a nobrainer? I dunno.

ta.

Mark - is the one with 'about 12' extra tracks actually this, with 16 extra tracks?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Odessey-Oracle-Remastered-Digipak-Reissue/dp/B00005B0PU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1213718586&sr=8-2

That's definitely the one to get, as the bonus tracks are all fantastic and worth having over and above a mono version of the album + a few of the extra tracks.

This 28 tracker is exactly the same as the German CD I referred to upthread, btw.

Yeah, that's the one!

Triffic! Thanks for the pointer.

Yep!

It's as good as everyone else has said it was!

And that was definitely the one to get. Although I just finished the album proper and haven't got onto the extra tracks. The booklet/notes are good too.

Most of the extra tracks are from an album called "Time of the Zombies" plus some decca singles.

But it does not say that on the CD externally.

It's not that great a record.

Uh-oh

not bothered.

penetrating criticism (xxp)

Hi,

I played the CD in the car a few times, the album is great of course, but there is a marked reduction in 'quality' with the extra tracks (the one with the fake applause is embarrasing) but yes, that was definitely the version to get.

Subsequently, Alice was all "could you play that one you played yesterday?" so since then it's been the one they want on for car journeys.

Alice sings "rose for Emily" an octave higher that Colin, which is some achievement. Oh, and "Care of cell" and "Time of the season" actually they have mastered most of the standout tracks vocally.

Get the Zombies box-set next, Mark.

Can't agree with the quality drop-off! There's some of their best tracks in that 'bonus' section - I'll Call You Mine, If It Don't Work Out, Gotta Get A Hold Of Myself, She Does Everything To Me, Don't Cry For Me, I Know She Will....

I must play this asap!

I own this but have never listened to it. Would I like it?

Only one way to find out

Depends on whether or not you own it out of guilt.

it's a good album but I think it's reputation as the unsung best album of the 60's is way overstated.

i guess what I just said doesn't really make sense. What I mean is, this album has a critical reputation (and not really a popular reputation) as the best album of the 60's that isn't Pet Sounds. I think that is critical contrariness; this album ranks somewhere alongside "help" for me; it's alright, parts of it are great, a lot of it is eh.

I love it a lot, including "Butcher's Tale," which some of my friends can't stand. Then again, I listen to Love a lot more than I do the Beatles these days.

My friend Jill points out that they're friends who are Zombies fanatics and still don't dig "Butcher's Tale."

Why on earth would I own it out of guilt, Marcello? i saw it cheap once, not long before we moved house, thought "that gets talked about a lot, I'll pick it up", and then, y'know, moved house before I got round to listening to it.

Cut out about three tracks (including Butcher's Tale) and you've got an album with exclusively terrific songs on it.

Actually, couldn't remember that so played it this morning.

I like it. It's very "Boo Radleys b-side" which is a compliment, honest.

OK, which other tracks you thinking of?

(Also, rethinking the 'drop in quality' I mentioned before. I still say "She loves the way they love her" is verray wet, and the applause does not add the excitement it's supposed to)

Nick, you will like this.

Oh yeah, for sure.

Probably too pop for the rocktimists.

.. which is the same reason it stiffed in 1969. Had they done this in 1967, different story.

If you want to join our club, Marcello, just ask.

Well the album stiffed because it wasn't properly promoted here. Decca had been totally useless but when they signed to CBS there was no real improvement; obviously too busy promoting the Tremeloes.

... which is double crazy when you consider CBS shelled out for the use of Abbey Road (that same mellotron on "I knew HerAAAAAAGHHHH!!" as on "StrawbFields"?)

In the sleevenotes to my copy it says that the band paid for the recording themselves out of money they'd saved up from royalties. £1000 in total.

(the Mellotron was actually an economy drive since it saved having to hire an expensive string section)

Aah, that'd explain the lack of push.

When a label hasn't had to invest much dosh on recording, they can be unbothered about pushing it as they aren't digging themselves out of a hole as much.

Mark, you probably know this, but "Butcher's Tale" was an actual single in the U.S. -- first one after the album came out here, at A&R man Al Kooper's insistence.

Has really passed Forever Changes on the great unjustly ignored album of the 60s?

I would probably know the answer to this question if I read Mojo more wouldn't I?

"Forever Changes" might have been ignored in the US, but it certainly wasn't in the UK

No, and it was vice versa for "Odessey"

Really? How did Love sell in the UK? I know they did better relative to the US (where they were virtual unknowns) but I wasn't aware they had any top ten singles there either.

Forever Changes made 24, Out Here made 29. No hit singles as such, but "Alone Again Or" probably sold the album for them.

And how did Odessey chart there? Was "Time of the Season" not a single there?

Al Kooper came on stage at the 40th anniversary odessey gig and explained to us that he was pressing his paymasters at Columbia to promote the album because he was so convinced of its greatness, and they agreed to promote it, but then put out 'Butcher's Tale' as a single, and the album died before it rose from the grave again when 'Season' got radio play.

"She's not there" was the only hit. No albums. (Top 30, we're qualifying)

Hang on, I have a book to hand....

"Tell her no" was a minor hit, both in 1965.

No hit albums at all.

So good. I've always preferred the mono versions though.

Did Nick lend an ear over the weekend?

Out Here made 29

Now that I never knew. Well done the British Public!

Just listened tonight; this is FUCKING AWESOME.

Yay!

Where do I go next? Singles As & Bs I assume?

I don't really like very much else they did :(

I did say that the 'extra tracks' on my version showed a drop in quality, however that is a bit unfair...

.. Imagine that the album is the a-side, and the extras are the b-side, and you will be OK.

I like She's Not There a lot.

Next stop should be One Year, Blunstone's first solo album (albeit with major input from both Rod Argent and Chris White), as good as anything Nick Drake ever did but since Blunstone is still alive and well it doesn't get enough respect.

Yeah, first time I heard Nick Drake, I thought "Colin Blunstone?"

Except Colin Blunstone is a far better singer

True, but he's not as good on the bango....

Christ, the Zombies are one of the most overrated acts of their era.

Says the man who thinks Magnetic Fields dude is an all-time music great.

So, I guess I got to go find the mono version.

I did see that some editions have 'instrumental/backing' tracks...

From wiki:

In Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 2, the song "About Her" is a remake of "She's Not There" by Malcolm McLaren.

actual AND factual

In Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 2, the song "About Her" is a remake of "She's Not There" by Malcolm McLaren.

Surely that's just another example of the piss-poor grammar that's all over wikipedia and not someone crediting the original song to McLaren?

This thread revive has gotten me thinking about buying the album again- I know about half of the songs from it, but have never sat down and listened to it as such- but which of the five hundred or so versions of the album in print on CD is most worth buying? I'm not willing to pay for an import, and I care more about sound quality than b-sides (and on that topic, is the "Into the Afterlife" comp any good?), but wouldn't mind having mono and stereo mixes if a version with both is available in the US. So confused!

Where do I go next? Singles As & Bs I assume?

One song you should seek out - "The Way I Feel Inside"

It's on the Life Aquatic soundtrack and is absolutely gorgeous. I don't know where in the Zombies' own catalogue it comes from. It sounds like late-period Zombies, but I'm pretty certain it's not an O&O outtake.

"Where do I go next? Singles As & Bs I assume?"

Or just get the boxed set.

Just saw the surviving original members (guitarist has passed away) play the album live with various guests including Darian Sahanaja (who toured with Brian Wilson in 2003); current version Zombies; Chris White's wife...

Enjoyed this part of the show more than the songs from their new album

Slaying the Sacred Cow: The Zombies' Odessey and Oracle

Lots of Zombies threads on ilm

The Zombies - The Singles Collection: A's & B's 1964-1969

the zombies

OK , done using the search function. The current Odessey tour hits NYC tonight

I'm seeing them in a week. One of those "better see them before they die" kinda things. My expectations are not very high.

My mom hates this album.

I did get the 2cd edition too.

During the non-Odessey portion of the gig, except for old Zombies hits, I enjoyed hearing Colin and Rod reminisce about meeting Patti Labelle in 1964 at the multi-act gig in Brooklyn; and other stories more than seeing them do the 70s arena-rock tinged new songs, or seeing them drag out Argent's "Hold Your Head Up." They were so earnest and chatty and endearing while telling the stories. When they came back after the intermission with the original drummer and bassist, plus the others and basically just played the Odessey album, they sounded so much better on those songs than the ones in the first half. I know they may not quite have the same vocal range, but they still have some.