In 1964, The Zombies joined The Who and The Kinks as the new kids on the block while The Beatles and The Rolling Stones continued their attack on the American charts. These so-called British invasion bands reimagined American-born rock ‘n’ roll with varying ratios of its parent genres. Each of these bands got a foothold with impressive early singles, each bringing a different personality to the fore.
The Who kickstarted a countercultural revolution with their early hit ‘My Generation’, and The Kinks set the controls for punk and metal with ‘You Really Got Me’. Meanwhile, The Zombies ravaged charts on both sides of the Atlantic with their debut single, ‘She’s Not There’. A respectable peak at number 12 in the UK was pushed to the back pages by a sensational number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Distinct from The Who and The Kinks’ more riotous rock sound, The Zombies prospered on the merits of Rod Argent’s mellifluous keyboard solos and Colin Blunstone’s smooth, soulful vocals. In 1965, the band consolidated their impressive start by releasing their debut album, Start Here. Titled The Zombies in the US, the record performed well and whetted the appetite for more.
When devising a follow-up album, The Zombies wanted to release an album consisting solely of original songs. Naturally, writing a discerning set of tracks would take time and consideration, yet the group hadn’t anticipated being dropped by their label, Decca Recordings. This left the band in a financial struggle as they financed Odessey and Oracle from their own pockets.
After signing a new deal with CBS, The Zombies had most of the album arranged and released the lead single, ‘Care Of Cell 44’ with due optimism. The November 1967 release sadly failed to chart in the US, leading to disillusionment among all involved. After a final gig together in December, the band decided to split up and pursue respective solo projects and external collaborations.
Odyssey and Oracle finally hit the shelves in April 1968 and began to draw attention thanks to its accessible single ‘Time of the Season’, which resonated with the hippie ideals of love and peace. Although The Zombies decided not to reunite until 1989, Odyssey and Oracle received rave reviews and are today regarded among the finest albums of the 1960s. It is a beautiful blend of baroque pop and psychedelic rock consistent with its colourful and alluring cover art.
Throughout the 1970s and beyond, the album continued to inspire high-profile musicians. Paul Weller of The Jam famously cited the record as his all-time favourite, once stating, “The first time I heard it was in the mid-1970s, and it just blew my mind.” In 2010, Weller recorded a cover of ‘Time of the Season’ to show his appreciation.
With Foo Fighters, Cher, and Of Montreal among the other prominent artists to pay tribute to Odyssey and Oracle with a cover, it seems there isn’t a corner of the modern musical landscape the record hasn’t touched. Another notable endorser of the album was the late American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith, who recorded a cover of ‘Care of Cell 44’ during a live performance at Black Cat in Washington, DC.
In an interview with Far Out, Blunstone revealed that he was always a fan of Smith’s work and was proud to discover he had recorded the cover. “You know, I was a fan of Elliott Smith,” he said, “but I’m not sure I knew that he covered a Zombies song. Perhaps I just momentarily forgot because I was always a big fan of his.”
In his cover, Smith stripped The Zombies’ original back to a charming acoustic progression, honouring Blunstone with a delicately endearing and emotionally captivating vocal.