One Year - COLIN BLUNSTONE***

She Loves The Way They Love Her/Misty Roses/Smokey Day/Caroline Goodbye/Though You Are Far Away/ Mary Won't You Warm My Bed/Her Song/I Can't Live Without You/Let Me Come Closer To You/Say You Don't Mind

Colin Blunstone was the vocalist with the noted British 1960s pop group The Zombies. On his debut album One Year he is reunited with their main songwriter Rod Argent. Includes the plaintive UK No.15 hit Say You Don’t Mind which deserved a higher chart placing.

“He is reunited with the principal creative force of The Zombies, Rod Argent and Chris White, and they crafted this very loose concept album. Argent and White show the same flair for pop craft they displayed in the previous band, and Colin's voice is in as good shape as it ever was. In fact, some of his best vocal performances are found in these tracks. He also displays a great knack for songwriting that had not been acknowledged previously. Not one second of this album is wasted. It's an absolute must hear for fans of The Zombies.”

“This is one of those albums that, even as you hear each song for the first time, makes you feel that you are meeting again with an old friend or, more accurately, that you has just met a kindred spirit.”

“One Year is an eclectic mix of ideas and styles creating this extraordinary and introspective package. Although the familiar Zombies sound shines through on some of the more pop or upbeat tracks, it seems as though these moments are merely to break up the heavily orchestral and strings based arrangements, with baroque sounding ballads that make up the bulk of the record.”

“The debut solo album from the lead vocalist of The Zombies. This isn't totally like his former group, leaning far heavier on baroque, although shades of his former group shine through. Colin offers up his first written songs here, along with material from other choice songwriters and it all leads to a really gorgeous album.”

“Yes, it's pretty and soothing, but too often prissy and cloying, with most of the tracks seeing Blunstone's breathy close-miked lead vocals set to a string quartet backing, occasionally expanded to include harp and flute. Ultimately you feel you're listening to a recital rather than a pop record, plus the twee-ness of much of the lyrics only adds to the student bed-sit atmosphere.”