Not that it could be anyone else, but from The Zombies’ title track different gamewith its ostensibly booming ‘dirty’ organ, creeping strings and a distinct voice that could be delivered by one man, we’ve obviously checked into pop anthem territory with founders Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone on their new album.
Argent used a variety of keyboards, wrote most of the songs, co-produced and orchestrated the strings on the four-part “Q-Strings”. Though the man can undoubtedly play an organ damn well, he only hears Argent play the piano sweetly under Blunstone and strings on “You Could Be My Love,” as well as tunes like “Dropped, Reeling And Stupid” and the big rocker Popping along to “Merry-Go-Round” is a real treat. He really is one of the great rock keyboard players.
different game keeps alive the spirit of the late bassist Jim Rodford (Argent’s cousin who rejoined the band after 30 years) with his son Steve on drums who has been with the Zombies since 2001, the year his father returned. Guitarist Tom Toomey, who came on board in 2010, provides solid, understated guitar counterpoint to Argent’s keys. Søren Koch, the newest member of the Zombies, plays bass.
Blunstone only sings over the strings on “I Want To Fly” and gasps on the last track (and the only one he wrote) “The Sun Will Rise Again”. If anything, the slower songs showcase his still incredible whistling. I know it might be rock ‘n’ roll sacrilege to explain this, but quite a lot of the tracks different game just as good as big hits like “She’s Not There” or “Tell Her No”. A group producing an album of this quality at this stage in their career gives one the confidence that perhaps the time of the season has not come yet.
~ Ralph Greco Jr.
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