One Year (50th Anniversary Edition)

ゾンビーズのリード・シンガー、コリン・ブランストーンが1971年に発表した1stソロアルバム『One Year(一年間)』が、発売50周年を記念してアナログ盤でも新装再発!

内省的かつ美しいメロディ、細部まで作り込まれたサウンドで、ここ日本でも非常に高い人気を誇る1枚。今回の再発では"Caroline Goodbye"や"Let Me Come Closer To You"といったアルバム収録曲のデモ・ヴァージョンが3曲、さらにアルバムのために作曲された11曲の未発表曲を収録した合計24曲!デモにはロッド・アージェントやダンカン・ブラウンも参加。

After the Zombies split in 1968, Colin Blunstone opted for the security of a 9-to-5 job and took a position with a London insurance company. However, the posthumous success of the Zombies "Time of the Season" made a return to the music business almost inevitable. Blunstone accepted an offer from producer Mike Hurst to cut a remake of the groups first hit, "Shes Not There," for Deram Records. Released under the pseudonym "Neil MacArthur," the record was a hit and two further MacArthur singles followed in 1969. Neither charted, and Blunstone soon decided to start recording under his own name. He ran into ex-Zombies Rod Argent and Chris White, who had just signed a production deal with Epic Records. The duo were eager to produce their former bandmate, and soon Blunstone was preparing his first album for Epic. Recorded between June 1970 and June 1971, the album was titled One Year (for the length of time spent making it). The initial sessions found Blunstone working with Argents new group, Argent, but later sessions saw the singer backed by Chris Gunnings lovely string arrangements. The first singles, "Mary Wont You Warm My Bed" and "Caroline Goodbye," flopped despite their achingly pretty melodies, but the third -- a cover of Denny Laines "Say You Dont Mind" -- was a hit in Britain. Widely considered to be Blunstones best solo album, One Year is the perfect showcase for his distinctive, breathy voice. He also came into his own as a songwriter on this record. Although he had penned only two songs during the Zombies career, he was responsible for most of the songwriting on One Year, including such classics as "Caroline Goodbye" and "Let Me Come Closer to You." With the input of so many former Zombies, Blunstones debut can be seen as a worthy successor to Odessy and Oracle. It may lack some of the epic appeal of that album, but the autumnal beauty on offer here more than makes up for it.~ Robin Platts