147. Bee Gees - Odessa (1969)




















Track Listing

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. I Laugh In Your Face
14. Never Say Never Again
15. First Of May
16. British Opera

Review

Wow, I am quite afraid to say that I enjoyed this album. I never imagined I'd like anything Gibb made. But here they are before their Disco era, during a time some saw them as possible successors to The Beatles, yes you read me right. And if you want epic, forget Tommy. This has a much, much larger feel to it although it doesn't sound over-extended like Tommy. It sounds like a whole album, even if it has big interpolations.

You know this isn't your regular Bee Gees with the title track, where beautiful prog is played, with beautiful strings and lasting over 7 minutes, this is probably the best track ever recorded by the Bee Gees, and you should really give it a listen, no matter how much you hate them.

This was really a surprise to me, but of course there are tracks here which give you glimpses of the crappiness to come, take First Of May or Never Say Never Again, and you get all the tackyness that would be coming in its fuller form. Some of the tracks tread the very thin line between pretty epic and just downright tacky; this is mainly present in the two instrumental tracks, which depending on the day are either effective or a bit crap, it really depends on the mood I'm in. They are almost Ennio Morricone style compositions, a bit on the crappier side. Still, I'm impressed they they are also Gibb, Gibb, Gibb compositions.

So it is a hit and miss album, with some tracks really surprising you and making you quite like the Bee Gees... which is just weird... I always thought I hated them. That's the good thing about this project I suppose, I'd never listen to this if it wasn't for the project but I am happy I did. Napster diesn't carry it, but you can buy it from UK or US.

Track Highlights

1. Odessa
2. I Laugh At Your Face
3. You'll Never See My Face Again
4. Marley Purt Drive

Final Grade

8/10

Trivia

Here's a video for Melody Fair... they are really trying to sound like The Beatles here:



Disagreements over which song was to be released as a single ("First of May" won out) led to Robin Gibb leaving the group in 1969. This, and the departure of guitarist Vince Melouney reduced the group to three members: (Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, and Colin Peterson). This group would record the Cucumber Castle album.

First of May is probably one of the shittiest songs on the album.