Bee Gees Album: “Odessa [Box] [1/13]”

First off, the packaging...in a lovely, luxurious red velvet BOX, not a slipcase as I originally thought it would be...with the title gold embossed. Open it up and the treasures flow out...first a round red Bee Gees sticker, then a huge poster (double-sided), then a great photo-packed booklet (love the B&W cover, and Robin's buggish sunglasses...he looked downright alien-ish...a precurser to Flaming Lips head genius Wayne Coyne!!)...with incredible, informative liner notes that said what we've always known...prior CD issues were crap (abridged, bad sound, etc) and this was an opportunity to give "Odessa" the full glory treatment, and info on EVERY song...all versions.

Now, the songs, oh man, THE SONGS!!!! There are 3 CDs (as I guessed it would be when I first heard of this deluxe (an understatement if there ever was one) release...CD1 is the 17-track album in stereo, CD2 is the album in MONO (first time released in the US) and CD3 is the REAL treat, the 23-track "Sketches For Odessa"...cool and fascinating demos, alternate takes (sometimes both), 2 UNRELEASED tracks and a promo spot for the album from some record stores, not the radio.

I won't go into the riches of the songs TOO much, but the lovely folks at Reprise/Rhino must have known about how grand this album is (possibly the Bee Gees' best album ever, a true masterpiece) and how crap prior issues were, so they pulled out all the stops and made this clearly the best-sounding CD version of the album. I don't know what is better, the stereo or the mono...they both sound great. I love the songs on "Odessa", exquisite orchestral pop with killer melodies & 3-part harmonies and excursions into alt-country/rootsrock a la The Band, and orchestral interludes...it works best playing from beginning to end as one piece, yet each track coulda worked as a killer single (except the 3 instrumentals of course). Faves are def "Melody Fair", "Marley Purt Drive", "Give Your Best", "Never Say Never Again" (ESPESH the CD3 alt version with the fuzz guitar, AWESOME, it rocks a la Jesus & Mary Chain!!!), "I Laugh In Your Face", the awesomely cool Maurice-led "Suddenly"...on and on, one of THE great pop/powerpop albums EVER made, and that's an understatement...

Now, the REAL treats are the TWO unreleased tracks, "Nobody's Someone" & "Pity"...those songs are AMAZING, and it's wild to know they were in the vaults for 40 YEARS!!!!!!!!!! They could have been hit singles easily, they sound finished and complete, with great hooks and harmonies, just killer. Another thing is the album was not done justice by the choice of single released, "First Of May"...nothing against the song, it's lovely, but it would NOT have been my first choice of first single..."Melody Fair" or "Marley Purt Drive" or the title track would have caught people's attention, and the album would have done better, not widely forgotten except for collectors, hardcore fans and powerpop freaks...

NOW, with this GRAND 3CD reissue, people will realize what they truly missed, the treasures in store for them.

So far, best reissue of 2009...nothing will top this.

So its 1968 and Robert Stigwood decides that his young charges, The Bee Gees, need to make a big musical statement and the way to do it is with a double album. Heck, it worked for The Beatles, Bob Dylan; even The Mothers of Inventions debut was a double.

Thus "Odessa" was born.

When originally released, it was a 2 record set in a red flocked cover (you can still find decent used copies for cheap) but unlike the previous studio albums there was more of a feel of sophistication in the music and in the songwriting. Side one begins with the line "14th of February 1899, the British ship Veronica disappears without a sign" which is a clear indicator that the album is treading into "conceptual" waters but there really is no concept per se. The concept seems to be how much more orchestration can be added to the songs. And the beautiful thing is that it works.

This has to be the Bee Gees most varied album up to this point. With country numbers like "Marley Purt Drive" and "Give Your Best." Conceptual pieces like the title track, straight pop like "Melody Fair and the orchestral interludes "With All Nations" and "Seven Seas Symphony the group shows just how far they have come since their debut to an international career in 1967. And all before Barry turned 21. But then this is also the album that caused Robin to leave the group and caused a schism between the Brothers Gibb that would last for 2 years

This set is deluxe re-issue of "Odessa" spread over three CDs and contains the following:

CD 1 contains the original stereo mix of the two record set.

CD 2 contains the original mono mix of the album, which has its debut here in the U.S. since the album was only released in the stereo format on this side of the Atlantic.

CD 3 is titled "Sketches for Odessa" and contains early demos, alternate mixes, un-dubbed tracks, as well as unreleased material as well as the tracks "Nobody's Someone" and "Pity" which was recorded for the album but did not make the final hurdle

The package comes in a red flocked box (just like the original vinyl version) and contains a poster, a Bee Gees decal, and a booklet giving track-by-track annotation and session information. Unfortunately, neither Barry nor Robin was interviewed about their thoughts about the sessions, which is probably because of the growing rift between Barry and Robin at the time. Best to leave sleeping dogs lie.

The first Bee Gees reissues came out in late 2006, did we really need to wait this long for "Odessa?" Oh well, this thing is so friggin' gorgeous, WHO'S COMPLAINING?! I'm happy as a clam! Not only is the remastered sound quality top notch (just as the first three reissues were), the packaging should win an award. When fans are hoping a "deluxe" reissue of a classic meets their expectations, this one is a prime example of how to appease, (I was SO hoping the label would go so far as to recreate the original red velvet jacket and BY GOLLY THEY DID!). Not only that but I get a sticker and a poster in the package as well, are you kidding me?!

First off, this reissue sounds amazing! Details previously lurking in the background of the original vinyl release now come to life like never before! And this remastered version has provided a major breakthrough for me as a fan of this album, my ears have FINALLY opened to the three orchestral instrumental pieces featured. I bought my first used vinyl copy of this album in 1997 and almost always skipped over the instrumentals. To these ears, not one of them "delivered" to me at all, but that's not the case anymore! All three are strikingly beautiful. There's no need to go into how great The Bee Gees' songs are on this album, it's the early Bee Gees for pete's sake. Their vocal and songwriting greatness was already a given by the time of this album.

The mono versions of these albums have been such a treat on all of these reissues. Unlike the mono version of an album such as The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper," there are no real differences between the mono and the stereo mix like a different guitar track or vocal here and there. The difference lies within the perception of the ear that's hearing it. I've always found the mono versions to sound much more cohesive and more like a live performance of the material. The mono version of "Odessa" seems to actually bring the entire album together better than the stereo version does. It's probably because mono mixes remain steady throughout while stereo mixes can rock you back and forth with each track. I actually prefer to listen to the mono versions on headphones to get the full impact of the mix. Highly recommended!

The "Sketches For Odessa" disc is great, with some of the demos actually rivaling the finished songs on the album. Now how a song titled "Barbara Came To Stay" turns into a song about Thomas Edison I have no idea, but somehow it did. Both the demo and early take of "Melody Fair" are equally strong in their melodic appeal. The Part Two section of "Whisper Whisper," cast in a waltz time, doesn't work and it's a good thing they decided to pump it up with some soul for the released version. After all, it's one of the best sections of the entire record. The demo of "Lamplight" is especially intimate and charming, proving the song's ability to tug at heartstrings without so much heavy echo and orchestration. The early take that follows showcases the song on it's way to becoming the finished product but isn't nearly as charming as the demo. The song is great being on one extreme side of the map or the other, but not in the middle. The early take of "Give Your Best" sounds great just being a straightforward country tune without being dressed up in the novelty touches that the released version has. The "Seven Seas Symphony" demo is very eloquent with Maurice's piano playing. The alternate version of "Never Say Never Again" ALMOST works, that is until the overbearing, distorted lead guitar overdub comes in and sinks the entire track like the ship Veronica itself! The alternate "First Of May" features an even more heartbreaking lead vocal from Barry than the released version. Closing out the disc are two previously unreleased tracks that could have been issued as an non-LP single, and why that wasn't considered is weird to say the least! Both "Nobody's Someone" and "Pity" are so good it'd be hard to pick one for an A-side! My bets would be on "Pity" simply because it's more upbeat and catchy.

Onto the packaging, I love how the inner sleeves look for the CDs! The stereo/mono versions are housed in a gatefold cardboard jacket that looks like it could have succeeded as the album's original cover. The "Sketches For Odessa" is in it's own separate sleeve looking like it could have been it's own album all together. Heck, even the front picture on the inner booklet looks like it would've made a great cover! BUT, a problem that plagued the original vinyl release plagues this CD reissue as well. It seems that you just cannot have a flocked cover without little hairs getting all over the discs! Fortunately with a CD, you don't have to worry about the fine hairs being grounded into any grooves when you play it (the hairs on my vinyl records are etched into them for life).

If the mono version of this album hadn't been included I would've rated it at four stars for being "VERY GOOD." The packaging alone warrants five but it's the music contained within that always comes first. "Odessa" is a great double album, a must for any Bee Gees fan, but still remains a tad bit overblown. The album has always suffered, in my opinion, from lack of a better track sequencing. Closing the album's third side with TWO orchestral instrumentals is just absurd no matter how you look at it. However, it works itself out much better presented in CD format (you can now pretend that "With All Nations" opens side four).

In conclusion, thanks to anyone and everyone who was involved in the deluxe reissue of this classic album. It looks stunning, it sounds stunning, and features a great selection of bonus tracks. Unless I'm able to buy a mint, sealed original from the '60s (or a new 180g pressing if they indeed decide to issue one), I WILL NOT NEED MY WORN VINYL COPY OF THIS ALBUM ANYMORE!

After forty years, the Gibb Brothers have finally re-released their most classic and eclectic of albums, "Odessa". Released at the height of their first popularity and the start of their ultimate eighteen-month breakup, these three musicians, barely out of their teens, produced their only double studio album. Originally coated in a red velvet cover, this is one of the most extravagant re-releases to date. Originally seventeen songs, varying from the near operatic, "Odessa (City On The Black Sea)" to country flavored tunes like, "Marley Purt Drive" and "Give Your Best", the Gibbs cover nearly every style of pop music available, including rock, orchestral, country and R&B.

Originally slated to be titled, "An American Opera" or "Masterpeace", this double album epitomizes the height of talent of the Bee Gees boundless creativity. In addition to two new studio songs, "Pity" and "Nobody's Someone", there are alternate and demo mixes that will surprise in their originality, beat and alternate verses. "Edison", "Lamplight", First Of May" and "Whisper, Whisper" all are given special treatment, sometimes twice. "Whisper, Whisper" is actually Part Two, a welcome addition to a song that originally ended too quickly on a fast, rock driven pace.

Of the three discs (57 songs), the stereo had been remixed/remastered to absolute, crystal clear perfection, bringing out all the muffled sounds that the original LP contained. The Mono mixes present the songs with emphasis on different vocals and instruments, while the third disc contains all the previously unreleased material.

Fan Joe Brennan of website "Gibb Songs" has this great explanation of Stereo vs. Mono recordings: "Odessa was recorded on 1-inch 8-track tape reels. Each of the 8 tracks can be played separately, and each might have the input from one or more microphones. Each of the 8 could be recorded at different times and places (like New York and London), or erased and re-recorded. To make stereo, you have to mix down to 2 tracks, and for mono, mix down to 1 track. While doing this you get to decide how relatively loud each track should be. That's where the differences come from. The source is the same 8 track master. Mono was for old record players, and for AM radio, which was where you heard the latest tunes on your transistor radio or car radio".

With three discs, a poster, extensive liner notes, photographs of the group, handwritten lyrics, single covers and reel-to-reel listings, a T-Shirt and a sticker all enclosed in a nifty red velvet covered box, this limited edition is a fan and collector's dream.

Following their major label North American debut in 1967, the Bee Gees released three superb albums in rather quick succession, culminating in 'Odessa' in 1969. It was an ambitious era for rock and soul music, whether your tastes ran to the blues-based sounds of Johnny Winter or Fleetwood Mac; the psychedelic soul-rock excursions of Sly Stone, the Chambers Brothers or Santana; the jazz-rock experiments of BS&T, Lighthouse or Chicago; the proto-metal of Zeppelin, Deep Purple or the Jeff Beck Group; the back-to-basics 'Americana' of Dylan or The Band; or the 'sure sounds great on 8 track' swamp rock of CCR. 'Odessa' was another creature altogether. Grand in design and execution, it melded baroque pop, timeless melodies and a distinctly AOR-but-cool sensibility. Robin Gibb's voice was particularly stirring, but the harmonies throughout were flawless. If you're still not impressed after the first three tracks then remember: these guys were barely out of their teens when they recorded this. Respect due.