Search - Colin Blunstone, Rod Argent :: Out of the Shadows

MOST ADDICTIVE

Amy Ronayne | Boston, MA USA | 11/14/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Since I got this a couple of weeks ago, it's one in a rotation of 3 CDs I listen to regularly (the other two being Blunstone's "Greatest Hits" and Argent's "Hold Your Head Up- The Best of Argent"). These days my other CDs are simply palette-cleansers, and it's not long before this one goes back in the player. If you truly appreciate the music of the Zombies, you'll thank your lucky stars Blunstone and Argent have gotten back together and found an excellent troupe of musicians to play with them. Colin's voice is smooth as ever, and more versatile than I'd realized. I suppose such versatility is necessary with the wide range of moods Argent has created in this diverse group of compositions. (He wrote everything himself except "A Girl Like That," which was co-written with Russ Ballard and "Only the Rain," which was a poem written by Rod's son Mark and put to music.) Don't expect The Zombies of the 60s though. This is current, and the influences of music they've heard over the past 30 years is apparent in these songs. At first listen you might be tempted to say "Living in the Real World" sounds like Sting or "Danger Zone" sounds like Hall & Oates, but if you listen more than once you'll find it's truly original work. Though one might hear influences of other musicians, I wouldn't call it derivative. I believe it was Lenny Kaye who once said The Zombies wore their hearts as well as their intelligence on their sleeves. The same is true of Blunstone & Argent in their present-day form, and it shows in the honesty and emotion you'll find in these songs. If you're seeking more Zombie-esque work, you'll find it in tracks like "Sanctuary," "A Girl Like That" and "Home," but what makes this CD such a joy to listen to is the fact that the songs are not all the same. Some of the tracks are bluesy, some poppy and some unidentifiable as anything other than present-day Zombie-esque."

Oh my...

treestamp | 09/02/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I understand about being a devout fan, but seriously, folks, this isn't anything more than an album only the uberfanatical can love. I love the Zombies, and I think that their music has gone largely underappreciated both for its quality and its influence on the development of 60's pop music. Alas, that was then and this is now. Both Argent and Blunstone are in their 50's by now, and while I think that's hardly an excuse for making such absymally uninspired music, it's the only thing I can think of to logically explain why a collabration of two such extremely talented musicians would result in this album. As a musician myself, this is frightening -- is this what I have to look forward to when I hit fifty? And I don't even have the talent of either of these men! I really don't want to slam either Argent or Blunstone because their Zombies-era music means that much to me (I have to give this album two stars, because I'm too sentimental to give it just one), but I can't deny that listening to this sends a tremor of fear through my heart. Sure Blunstone's still a wonderful and moving vocalist, and sure, Argent still displays his trademark ability of intergrating diverse musical sources into his songwriting. However, contrary to the collective talent I believe Blunstone and Argent still possess in some form, this collection of songs just doesn't hold up -- WAY too many references to bland pop/soft rock of the 70's and 80's which would probably be best left unreferenced for our progeny's sake. Sadly, it seems all to be terribly misguided and lacking any notable passion. After listening through it completely, I can't even imagine their justification for this outing, other than they're two aging musicians who have lost their bearings and are seeking some kind of refuge in a music industry that's very, very different from the one they were first initiated into in the 60's. This album only makes me feel sorry for them that this world isn't a kinder place for people older than 25, but my pity doesn't change what is lacking about their current musical direction.Older, less-demanding fans of the Zombies, devout loyalists that carried the Zombies flag proudly throughout the Argent years, and those hopelessly in love with Blunstone's voice may find something worthwhile to mine from this heap. All others would do better to save their precious pennies and listen to their copies of Zombies Heaven with bittersweet gratitude that at least these two musicians did, at one time in their career, create brilliant and timeless music, even if it was too, too long ago."

Can't Top the Legends

John W. Dunner | Atco, NJ United States | 04/16/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Limited budgets are reflected in this duo reunion, as nearly all the keyboards sound like stock leftovers from the late 80s. Rod Argent tries gamely to bring the arrangements into the 00s, and Blunstone demonstrates a set of high pipes that clearly defy his age, but Out of the Shadows doesn't quite move out of the shadows of the duo's creative progenitors, the Zombies or Argent. It's tough to surpass one's own legend."