Hello again! Time for another Album Series release!

When we did the AIRHeads Does the Classics pack, I got to revisit a lot of old favorites as I was looking for relevant tracks. One album which I always loved was “Odessey and Oracle” by The Zombies. I did “Beechwood Park” – a great favorite of mine – for that pack, but it wasn’t enough. I loved working on it so much, that I just went on for the next song. And the next. And the next. And here we are.

“Odessey and Oracle “is widely considered one of the finest albums of the ‘60s, and a masterpiece of the psychedelic period. In the complicated reality we live in today, it is a reminder of the “Summer of Love” – a simpler time of optimism and love. Recorded at Abbey Road Studios in 1967 – literally just after The Beatles finished Sgt. Pepper – the album captures a specific kind of magic.

The biggest hit from it is, of course, “Time of the Season” – an era-defining song that was released as a C3 official custom. But the album itself is pure magic; it’s a lush journey defined by Rod Argent’s haunting Mellotron, Colin Blunstone’s breathy, ethereal vocals, phenomenal harmonies, and a positive, even slightly naive attitude that gave birth to some of the shamelessly happy songs I know. Ironically, the band had actually broken up before the album even found its audience, leaving this record as a beautiful, final gift to the world of rock.

This pack kicks off with the legendary opener “Care of Cell 44” – a deceptively bright song with some gorgeous harmony about waiting for your loved one to be released from prison. It then moves into the melancholic beauty of “A Rose For Emily,” a stunning piano ballad. In general, this pack is absolutely great for the piano players out there, and of course, all songs include Pro Keys! Then there is “Beechwood Park,” already released but as beautiful as it ever was, followed by “Brief Candles,” a classic track where three band members take turns singing lead.

We kick things up a bit with “Hung Up on a Dream” – another huge favorite of mine – a “Summer of Love” masterpiece which leans heavily into the swirling, psychedelic textures that make this record such a joy. We finish up with a trio of songs celebrating pure love, joy, and happiness. We have the driving pop energy of “I Want Her, She Wants Me” and the sheer optimism of “This Will Be Our Year,” and then it’s the whimsical, fast-paced fun of “Friends of Mine,” a track celebrating love that will definitely test your lyrical dexterity. And of course, the record ends so beautifully with “Time of the Season” – so now would be the time to play this one.

So, it’s the time of the season for loving! Are you ready?

Download the songs here:

Video previews here – many thanks to jphn for recording them!

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This release is part of the Album Series. Previous entries include:

1. The Beach Boys – Pet Sounds
2. Silver Jews – Tanglewood Numbers
3. Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures
4. Summer Salt – Happy Camper
5. My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade
6. Beach Bunny – Honeymoon & Blame Game
7. Jimi Hendrix – Band Of Gypsys
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers – Unlimited Love
9. Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear
10. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Infest the Rats’ Nest
11. The Magnetic Fields – 69 Love Songs
12. The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses
13. George Harrison – All Things Must Pass
14. Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci – Barafundle
15. Suede – Autofiction
16. Silver Jews – American Water
17. Blur – Modern Life is Rubbish
18. R.E.M. – Murmur
19. Coldplay – Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
20. Cream – Disraeli Gears
21. Tanya Donelly – Love Songs for Underdogs
22. The Gaslight Anthem – The ’59 Sound
23/24. The Breeders – Pod/Last Splash
25/26. Big Star – 1# Record/Radio City
27. The Strokes – Room on Fire
28. Echo & the Bunnymen – Ocean Rain
29/30. Stephen Malkmus – Stephen Malkmus/Pig Lib
31. The Clash – The Clash
32. Screaming Females – Desire Pathaway
33/34. Pixies – Come On Pilgrim/Surfer Rosa
35/36. The Jam – All Mod Cons/Sound Affects
37/38. Blondie – Blondie/Parallel Lines
39. Young the Giant – Young the Giant
40. The Undertones – The Undertones
41. Elvis Costello – Armed Forces
42. Sir Chole – Party Favors
43. Neil Young – Tonight’s the Night
44. The Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten
45/46. Pulp – His ‘N’ Hers/Different Class
47-51. Ninja Sex Party – Strawberries and Cream/The Prophecy/Cool Patrol/Attitude City/NSFW
52-53. The Sundays – Reading Writing And Arithmetic/Static And Silence
54. PJ Harvey – Dry
55-57. Green Day – Nimrod/Insomniac/Warning

The Album Series is an ongoing collaborative project. If you would like to get involved, be sure to reach out to Yaniv297 for more information on how to participate.