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Elly Roberts reviews
Absolute
- Released: June 2008
- Rating: 10/10+
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Arthur Lee, Lou Reed, and John Martyn have all been at it.
Back from the dead, The Zombies are road-testing their seminal album,the famously misspelled Odessey & Oracle, 40 years after its original release.
Caught live at Shepherds Bush Empire London on one of their three nights in March2008. Lee toured successfully for years with Forever Changes, Lou Reed hasjust done Berlin (again) and Martyn did Solid Air last year.
Odessey And Oracle is widely regarded as their Pet Sounds or Sgt.Peppers. Fromthe sound of things it was a magical night for band and fans alike as they rollback the years to the Summer Of Love.
Their unique blend of Baroque pop, beat and psychedelia doesnt seem to havedated one iota. Pure 60s pop opens the set, with the sunshine groove of thehook-laden Care Of Cell 44 sounding much like the surf sound of the BeachBoys, consolidated by fab close harmonies, indicative of the time. Things cooloff for the divine piano-led beauty A Rose For Emily, with some deftlead vocal swapping – this should be on everybodys iPod: its one of thefinest songs of the 60s.One of their most channelling moments has to be thefull on vocal a Capella close to a stirring Maybe After Hes Gone.
A major highlight is the awesome recreation of complex opus-like Brief Candleswith Blunstone delivering one of his finest vocal performances of the night.This is followed by the psychedelic classic Changes, featuring masterfulclose harmonies once again. Their earlier pop template returns on the Beach Boys/Turtles-soundingextravaganza: the hum happy melodies are mind-boggling.
Upping the psychedelia, This Will Be Our Year smacks of Sgt.Peppers stormingbrass and whopping chorus bringing a massive response. The hits Time OfThe Season, Tell Her No and Shes Not There are just magnificent.
On CD2, now called The Zombies Touring Band, they delve into solo workby Blunstone and Rod Argent. I Love You, a B-side of Whenever Youre Ready,peaking at 110 in America in 1965, sounds fantastic. It should have been theA-side.
One of the shows major highlights is the stunning tear-jerking ballad Her Song,sung by Blunstone and strings only wow! Hi solo hit Say You Dont Mindis equally impressive.
Finishing a great night, they unleash Argents (Rod Argent) brilliant Hold Your Head Up,complete with extended organ improvisation.
File under: Must must have !
Weblink:thezombies.co.uk
The full list of tracks included are :
Disc 1:
1. Care Of Cell 44
2. A Rose For Emily
3. Maybe After Hes Gone
4. Beechwood Park
5. Brief Candles
6. Hung Up On A Dream
7. Changes
8. I Want Her, She Wants Me
9. This Will Be Our Year
10. Butchers Tale
11. Friends Of Mine
12. Time Of The Season
13. Tell Her No
14. Shes Not There
Disc 2:
1. I Love You
2. Sticks And Stones
3. Cant Nobody Love You
4. What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted
5. Misty Roses
6. Her Song
7. Say You Dont Mind
8. Keep On Rolling
9. Hold Your Head Up
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.