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The Zombies

Odessey and Oracle (CBS/Date)

Bedouine Loves the Zombies: L.A.-based singer and songwriter Bedouine told us about her love for a Zombies classic.

Bedouine: It’s hard to narrow it down but Odessey and Oracle by The Zombies is definitely one of my favorite records. When someone puts it on I immediately light up. Right off the bat is an infectiously sweet celebration of a song (never mind that it’s a letter to a prisoner). Among the many qualities that make these songs hit home for me are the melodies’ unexpected twists and turns.

Odessey and Oracle

(CBS/Date)

The chord changes make me tilt my head with confused delight and have undoubtedly influenced my choices as a songwriter. The instrumentation can be so simple, at times as straightforward as a solitary organ, but juxtaposed to a gymnastic top line and counterpoint vocal harmonies it makes the perfect bed.

From sideways songs like “Butcher’s Tale” to anthems like ‘This Will Be Our Year’, the whole album is a dynamic masterpiece. I saw them live about 7 years ago at The Satellite (a small venue in L.A. that has since shut down) and it totally blew my mind. Colin Bluntstone’s voice is still so smooth and smokey but it’s also nimble, almost operatic. There was certainly a time I just assumed I would never get to do that. It felt like a 90 minute hallucination.

Bedouine Loves the Zombies: Bedouine’s Waysides album is out now.

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