Sounds great. Combines the good of Beatles and Beach Boys into their own sound. Might not be the most original, but there aren't many bands that succeed in coming close to Beatles-quality..

Ambitious, psychedelia tinted chamber pop that aims for Sgt. Pepper/Pet Sounds levels of pop perfection.

Or at least perfection by the means of 1968, which means silky sweet harmonies, unconventional chord sequences and A LOT of thought put into melody. I was instantly hooked on this album, it's very catchy and I'm a sucker for it's sharing of composition and lead instrument duties between guitar and keys. While there is an influence from Pet Sounds and Peppers, Odyssey and Oracle definitely has it's own sound, a lot which stems from the classical backgrounds of The Zombies which inform the brilliant orchestral (read: mellotron) parts.

The album has a lot of range and colour, but for me a problem is that whenever it tries to delve into something new, it always ends up back at the same point, the catchy choruses where it triumphs. Some of the time it feels like they were trying too hard to make the songwriting interesting, including the lyrics. Maybe time constraints and tensions in the band are partly to blame, it's documented that this led to some ideas being scrapped at the last minute. Still, the awkward, somewhat plodding moments of "A Rose for Emily" and "Brief Candles" are far more enjoyable than some of the "granny music" on Sgt. Peppers. And at it's best ("Care of Cell 44", "Beechwood Park", "Butchers Tale", "Time of the Season", the coda of "Hung up on a Dream", the bridge on "Friends of Mine") Odyssey has it's fair share of excitement and charm.

Beautiful is the word

Favorite tracks: Beechwood Park, I Want Her She Wants Me & Time of the Season

I wasn't expecting a band called "The Zombies" to be full of so much life.

Care of Cell 44 is one of the best written songs ever...Period

This album is just special. It has some mystical aura that I can't describe. Mesmerising. Can't find the words to describe it. If you haven't listened to this album, do yourself a favour and do it.

Beautiful is the word.

A little out of context since sunshine-psychedelic rock was already being left behind by the greatest bands as it clearly was a dead end.

Just to balance it up a bit. But again beautiful is the word.

An abum like this should be on the Top 10 of every list of Greatest Albums of All Time.
This albums is in the same league as any other greatest albums like Sgt. Pepper's, Pet Sounds, Revolver and Dark side of the Moon, it's just not many people listen to this album yet..

I can't believe they broke up before the album's release. I wonder if they would have persisted if they knew its impact.

Not an empty track on here. Just from the first notes of Care of Cell 44 I was hooked. The breakdown of Maybe After He's Gone gives me chills. The whole thing is beautiful and really got me on a kick of chamber/baroque/psychedelic pop that I don't think I'll ever get off.