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Odessa

 
Album Review: Odessa
 
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Odessa

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  • Artist: Bee Gees
  • Rating: StarStarStarStarHalf Star
  • Release Date: 1969 01
  • Total Time: 63:47
  • Genre: Rock

Review

The group members may disagree for personal reasons, but Odessa is easily the best and most enduring of the Bee Gees' albums of the 1960s. It was also their most improbable success, owing to the conflicts behind its making. The record started out as a concept album, to be called "Masterpeace" and then "The American Opera," but musical differences between Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb that would split the trio in two also forced the abandonment of the underlying concept. Instead, it became a double LP -- largely at the behest of their manager and the record labels; oddly enough, given that the group didn't plan on doing something that ambitious, Odessa is one of perhaps three double albums of the entire decade (the others being Blonde on Blonde and The Beatles) that don't seem stretched, and it also served as the group's most densely orchestrated album. Yet, amid the progressive rock sounds of the title track and ethereal ballads such as "Melody Fair" and "Lamplight" were country-flavored tunes like "Marlery Purt Drive" and the vaguely Dylanesque bluegrass number "Give Your Best," delicate pop ballads like "First of May" (which became the single off the album), and strange, offbeat rock numbers like "Edison" (whose introduction sounds like the Bee Gees parodying Cream's "White Room") and "Whisper Whisper" (the latter featuring a drum break, no less), interspersed with three heavily orchestrated instrumentals. Even the seeming "lesser" numbers such as "Suddenly" had catchy hooks and engaging acoustic guitar parts to carry them, all reminiscent of the Moody Blues' album cuts of the same era. Moreover, the title track, with its mix of acoustic guitar, solo cello, and full orchestra, was worthy of the Moody Blues at their boldest. The myriad sounds and textures made Odessa the most complex and challenging album in the group's history, and if one accepts the notion of the Bee Gees as successors to the Beatles, then Odessa was arguably their Sgt. Pepper album. The album was originally packaged in a red felt cover with gold lettering on front and back and an elaborate background painting for the gatefold interior, which made it a conversation piece just to look at. The CD reissue is surprisingly well-mastered and a bargain at mid-price. Ironically, the making of Odessa was to herald a split between the Gibb brothers that would leave the group sidelined for most of the next 18 months, and was the last to be heard from them as a trio for two years. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Odessa (City on the Black Sea) Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (7:33)
You'll Never See My Face Again Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (4:17)
Black Diamond Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (3:29)
Marley Purt Drive Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (4:26)
Edison Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (3:06)
Melody Fair Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (3:50)
Suddenly Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (2:30)
Whisper Whisper Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (3:25)
Lamplight Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (4:47)
Sound of Love Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (3:29)
Give Your Best Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (3:28)
Seven Seas Symphony Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (4:10)
With All Nations (International Anthem) Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (1:47)
I Laugh in Your Face Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (4:10)
Never Say Never Again Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (3:29)
First of May Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (2:50)
The British Opera Robin Gibb, Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb Bee Gees (3:16)

Credits

Bee Gees (Producer), Bee Gees (Main Performer), Elliott Sharp (Engineer), Robin Gibb (Vocals), Bill Shepherd (Director), Bill Shepherd (Musical Direction), Barry Gibb (Guitar), Barry Gibb (Vocals), Adrian Barber (Engineer), Paul Buckmaster (Cello), David Katz (Violin), David Katz (Orchestra Contractor), Maurice Gibb (Vocals), Vince Melouney (Guitar), Colin Petersen (Drums), Robert Stigwood (Producer), Pete Wade (Engineer), Eric Weissenberg (Banjo)
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Wikipedia: Odessa (album)
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Odessa
Odessa cover
Studio album by the Bee Gees
Released February 1969 (US)
March 1969 (UK)
January 13, 2009 (reissue)
Recorded July 12 - December 1968
at IBC Studios in London & Atlantic Recording Studios in New York
Genre Rock, pop, baroque pop, art rock
Length 63:47
215:39 (2009 Deluxe Edition)
Label Polydor
Producer Bee Gees, Robert Stigwood
Professional reviews
the Bee Gees chronology
Idea
(1968)		 Odessa
(1969)		 Cucumber Castle
(1970)

Odessa is a studio album by the Bee Gees, released in 1969. It is their sixth album, the group's fourth album released internationally, and their first released as a double LP. Odessa is noted in Robert Dimery's book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[1]

Contents

Background

After the recording of the album, guitarist Vince Melouney left the group amicably, wanting to pursue a more bluesy direction. Prior to release there were disagreements over which song was to be released as a single (the Robin led "Lamplight" lost out to "First of May" a Barry solo vocal). This led to Robin Gibb leaving the group in late 1968,[2] though he would rejoin the group in 1970.

Odessa was initially released on Atco Records in a red flocked cover with gold lettering. Due to the high cost of production, as well as allergic reactions among workers during assembly, this design was discontinued.[1] It was later reissued in 1976 as an edited single-disc album with a plain red cover on RSO Records.

Rhino Records had previously planned on an August 2008 release of the album containing three discs, which would contain mono and stereo versions along with selected rarities.[3] The release of the re-issue had been delayed until January 13, 2009. This edition restored the red flocking originally found on the LP.

Track listing

All compositions by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb.

  1. "Odessa (City on the Black Sea)" – 7:33
  2. "You'll Never See My Face Again" – 4:17
  3. "Black Diamond" – 3:29
  4. "Marley Purt Drive" – 4:26
  5. "Edison" – 3:06
  6. "Melody Fair" – 3:50
  7. "Suddenly" – 2:30
  8. "Whisper Whisper" – 3:25
  9. "Lamplight" – 4:47
  10. "Sound of Love" – 3:29
  11. "Give Your Best" – 3:28
  12. "Seven Seas Symphony" – 4:10
  13. "With All Nations (International Anthem)" – 1:47
  14. "I Laugh in Your Face" – 4:10
  15. "Never Say Never Again" – 3:29
  16. "First of May" – 2:50
  17. "The British Opera" – 3:16

The 1976 single LP reissue deleted tracks 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, and 17. Some early CD and cassette editions also omitted the track "With All Nations (International Anthem)".

Deluxe edition

On January 13th, 2009, Reprise Records released a 3-CD set of Odessa, complete with remastered stereo and mono version of all 17 tracks, plus a bonus third disc with demos, alternate version, and three unreleased tracks.

Disc 1: stereo/Disc 2: mono

  1. Odessa (City On The Black Sea)
  2. You’ll Never See My Face Again
  3. Black Diamond
  4. Marley Purt Drive
  5. Edison
  6. Melody Fair
  7. Suddenly
  8. Whisper Whisper
  9. Lamplight
  10. Sound Of Love
  11. Give Your Best
  12. Seven Seas Symphony
  13. With All Nations (International Anthem)
  14. I Laugh In Your Face
  15. Never Say Never Again
  16. First Of May
  17. The British Opera

Disc 3: “Sketches afor Odessa” [all tracks previously unissued]

  1. Odessa” (Demo)
  2. You’ll Never See My Face Again”(Alternate Mix)
  3. Black Diamond (Demo)
  4. Marley Purt Drive (Alternate Mix)
  5. Barbara Came To Stay
  6. Edison (Alternate Mix)
  7. Melody Fair (Demo)
  8. Melody Fair (Alternate Mix)
  9. Suddenly (Alternate Mix)
  10. Whisper Whisper – Part Two (Alternate Version)
  11. Lamplight (Demo)
  12. Lamplight (Alternate Version)
  13. Sound Of Love (Alternate Mix)
  14. Give Your Best (Alternate Mix)
  15. Seven Seas Symphony (Demo)
  16. With All Nations (International Anthem) (Vocal Version)
  17. I Laugh In Your Face (Alternate Mix)
  18. Never Say Never Again (Alternate Mix)
  19. First Of May (Demo)
  20. First Of May (Alternate Mix)
  21. Nobody’s Someone
  22. Pity
  23. Odessa Promotional Spot

Personnel

References

  1. ^ a b 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. New York, NY: Universe, 2006. pg 165. (ISBN 0-7893-1371-5)
  2. ^ Bee Gees: The Authorized Biography by David Leaf. Chappell, 1979. (ISBN 978-0903443357)
  3. ^ Odessa Deluxe Edition

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 

 

Copyrights:

Album Review. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Odessa (album)".  Read more

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