RSSBee Gees Give Their Best with Odessa
Jan 13
Music album review Comments Off
Man, listening to Odessa, a re-release of the Bee Gees album released originally in 1969 (and being touted as their pop breakthrough) I’m horrified and captivated all at once.
On the one hand, given the generation the album was made in, it’s a far cry from the disco groove of the group’s later (and better known) tracks like Jive Talkin’ and Stayin’ Alive. And though the music is undeniably catchy, the overall vibe is just so far from what we think of when we are thinking Bee Gees. Odessa is largely missing Barry Gibbs falsetto and the brothers’ uniquely awesome harmonies. There’s a lot here that reminds me of the era though, especially reminiscent of The Beatles albums released around the same time (Abbey Road and Let It Be) and Bridge over Troubled Water.
Among the best tracks are You’ll Never See My Face Again (kind of Neil Diamond meets the Brothers Grimm) with its line “It makes me laugh, you got no friends” and the soaring love song Lamplight. The other I like a lot is the banjo-tinged Give Your Best which just hints at a psychedelic undertone, unlike the title track Odessa (City on the Black Sea) which is straight off of the Sgt. Pepper’s bandwagon. The rest are accomplished pop compositions that won’t necessarily stick out, but take you on a sweet trip down Marley Purt Drive. And if you’re like me, and this is a totally new look at the Bee Gees, it’s worth the listen.
The new release is padded with bonus tracks recorded in a 3-disc edition, featuring the full album plus track demos, alternate mixes and two unreleased tracks.
