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Elly Roberts reviews
UMTV
- Released: May 2008
- Rating: 8/10
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Few songs define an era or generation quite like Time Of The Season.
Formed in St.Albans, England in 1961, they were lead by pianist Rod Argent andsinger Colin Blunstone they scored hits in the USA with Shes Not There (1964),Tell Her No and Time Of The Season (USA #2 Canada #1).
They began recording with Decca Records after winning a beat-group competitionsponsored by the London Evening News. The result was hit, Shes Not There,a jazz-tinged classic which peaked at number 2 in the UK, making it their onlyTop 40 hit. In the states, it was aired on rock station WINS in August 1964. Itwas soon followed by Argents self penned pop folk gem Tell Her No in early1965 becoming another big seller but failed to make the Top 40 in the UK.
There are six other Zombies tracks here showing their wide ranging repertoiresuch a psychedelic pop rush Indication and the Californian folk inspiredI Love You. Blunstone gives one of his most challenging and masterful performancesever. A Rose For Emily, a stunning pop song, has the feel of the SummerOf Love and could have fitted neatly onto Sgt.Peppers.
The harmonies and melodies have elements of Brian Wilson mid-60s template. Thecollection then moves through their individual songbooks. After the failure of1971s Mary Wont You Warm My Bed (not included) and lightweight folk-popgem Caroline Goodbye, Blunstone struck gold the following year with hitsI Dont Believe In Miracles and Say You Dont Mind, though it wouldbe another 8 years before he charted on a duet with Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) ona synth heavy, but tasteful, cover of Jimmy Ruffins classic What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted, peaking at 13 in the UK.
Meanwhile Rod Argents career developed along the rock route, releasing anthemicand mini-opus (nigh on 7 minutes of) God Gave Rock & Roll To You and perennialsoft-rocker Hold Your Head Up in the early 70s.
File under : Essential, even the lesser known songs.
Weblinks:colinblunstone.co.uk /rodargent.com
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Time Of The Season *
2. Shes Not There *
3. Tell Her No *
4. Summertime *
5. Indication *
6. I Love You *
7. This Will Be Our Year *
8. A Rose For Emily *
9. Friends Of Mine *
10. I Dont Believe In Miracles **
11. Say You Dont Mind **
12. Caroline Goodbye **
13. I Want To Fly ***
14. Southside Of The Street ***
15. Old And Wise Alan Parsons Project ****
16. God Gave Rock & Roll To You *****
17. Hold Your Head Up *****
18. Keep On Rolling
19. Pleasure *****
20. What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted ******
* Zombies
** Colin Blunstone
*** Colin Blunstone & Rod Argent
**** Alan Parsons Project
***** Rod Argent
****** Colin Blunstone (and Dave Stewart)
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.