Editing Odessey and Oracle (section)

== Composition and music ==
The style on ''Odessey and Oracle'' has been categorized as "lush, [[Baroque music|baroque]]-sounding [[chamber pop]]." The album's songwriting was characterized as "mixing trippy [[Melody|melodies]], ornate choruses, and lush [[Mellotron]] sounds with a solid [[hard rock]] base." Bruce Eder of ''[[AllMusic]]'' characterized the album's instrumentation by "chiming, hard guitar, [and] highly melodic piano." Some of the material was categorized as [[Blue-eyed soul|white soul]]. Pat Long of ''[[NME]]'' noted the presence of [[jazz]] influence on the album, particularly within the keyboard stylings of [[Rod Argent]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Agarwal |first=Manish |title=1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die |publisher=Universe Publishing |year=2005 |pages=153}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Odessey and Oracle - The Zombies {{!}} Album {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/odessey-and-oracle-mw0000192449 |access-date=2025-03-26 |language=en}}</ref> Some of the [[Keyboard instrument|keyboard instruments]] incorporated by Argent include the [[Harpsichord|harpsicord]], [[Organ (music)|organ]] and [[Pump organ|harmonium]]. Music critic [[Jim DeRogatis]] called the album "a melancholy look at [[England]]'s lost innocence."<ref>{{Cite book |last=DeRogatis |first=Jim |title=Turn On Your Mind |publisher=Hal Leonard |pages=166}}</ref> The album's sound has drawn comparisons to ''[[Pet Sounds]]'' by [[the Beach Boys]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Gold |first=Jeff |title=101 Essential Rock Records |publisher=Gingko Press Inc. |year=2012 |pages=106-107}}</ref>