UK 1960s psych-pop scarcely gets more seminal than this. The Zombies' '68 swan song is their crowning achievement, a Day-Glo, baroque-tinged masterpiece on a par with PET SOUNDS or SGT. PEPPER'S. Like the Beatles, the Zombies had left their Merseybeat sound far behind by the late '60s, pursuing instead a moodier, more sophisticated sound. "Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)", a grimly haunting accordion-led WWI narrative would have been unimaginable on an earlier Zombies record, and the simmering, ominous classic "Time of the Season" is as far from "She's Not There" as "Strawberry Fields Forever" is from "She Loves You". Still, the peerless pop craftsmanship of keyboardist Rod Argent and bassist Chris White (the group's principal songwriters) makes for plenty of richly melodic gems, as realized by Colin Blunstone's breathy,angelic voice. The delicately beautiful "A Rose for Emily" and the sunny, optimistic "This Will Be Our Year" can melt even the coldest of hearts. The 2004 reissue's bonus cuts (equally as entrancing as the initial tracks) and top-notch remastering further secure ODESSEY & ORACLE's status as an absolute must-own.