Organs and worthy lyrics of The Zombies strike through their latest track, Dropped, Reeling and Stupid, which picks up where those great classics left off. Bold strokes, strong vocal presence and a heavy guitar riff cement themselves with this new single, a fine way to promote the upcoming album Different Game. This is a different game from the one they played with on The Zombies’ previous album, Still That Hunger. It has been some time since audiences were able to ready themselves with some new work from Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone, but this is worth it, and for those fans that found themselves enjoying As Far As I Can See…, this latest piece will be a treat.
For those that still have belief in what The Zombies can do next, Dropped, Reeling and Stupid is a delight. Not quite the highs of their earliest works, but for a group that is still somewhat together almost sixty years on from their initial conception, it is hard to knock the consistency here. Peeling away somewhat from that glorious opening organ explosion comes a focus on a bit of guitar work that cuts through with a great feel to the sorrow peppered throughout. “Why do you treat me so mean,” preceded and followed by some quick riffs is a quality that feels as classically rock-oriented as it does fresh and committed to a sound that has steered the group well for so long. The Zombies strike through on this new release with a desire to improve on roots that have served them well over the past fifty-eight years.
Doing so gives way to a solid instrumental section toward the end of the track before an inevitable bridge, break and launch into one last litter of lyrics. With bands of this calibre, this longevity, lyrics can slip toward the bashing of the modern world. Thankfully The Zombies avoid what Iggy Pop could not resist. Upbeat and verging on relatively considered at times, there are stronger moments found in the playing styles, more so than the lyrical offerings. They are solid pieces; the track has a slow burn that lasts through those first few listens. Get comfortable with the organ. A track about finding a “good reason to live.” An answer to that is not given by Dropped, Reeling and Stupid, but it is on the right path.
Perhaps the rest of the album concludes these thoughts. Blunstone and Argent appear to be in good form, returning to some strong melodies and broad concepts. Those technical strokes throughout, the layering and that simmering drum beat, the shimmering moments of brilliance are all right there for the taking. The Zombies are back, and provide a solid track to prove it. Dropped, Reeling and Stupid is a quality track that does well to straddle the line between modern audience interest and the futility of chasing nostalgia. Some bits and pieces feel lifted from earlier works or a bit flat, but the bulk to precede those moments comes with a great dedication to continuing on a sound that still has space to breathe in a genre rattled by guitar music. The Zombies provide themselves, and listeners, with a track that hears them feel “like a fool”, but they are far from it with a track this well-worked.
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