Customer Reviews

Odyssey

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Since purchasing her first major album Pure, I've been eagerly awaiting Odyssey. I am not disappointed at all. She retains her crystal-clear singing-style, but at the same time improved on her articulation and expression to the songs.

Among my favorite songs are "Both Sides Now", "What You Never Know", "May It Be", and "Never Saw Blue". I know, that's like a third of the album. :)

Overall, this album has a very spiritual feel to it. Even the blue colors on the album gives it a very contemplative feeling. It's great all-around listening and helps me relax, especially when I'm driving in southern CA traffic.

One last comment, I'm very impressed by Hayley's mature, intuitive, and realistic approach to her singing. She seems to really knows her strengths, and the songs she chooses to sing has a technical perfection to them. I just hope that her transition from a child prodigy to a international artist will be smooth and she will be able to share her gifts with us for a long time.

This Odyssey - this second fantastic journey - for Hayley and for all of us is about to begin.....

'Prayer' opens with unaccompanied vocals from Hayley and the Conventus Choir and immediately conveys an atmosphere of peace and serenity. Members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra gradually fuse with the vocals, almost unnoticed.

The first-time listener might now expect an up-tempo number to contrast with the opening track but the fact that it doesn't happen is a stroke of genius. A second sublimely gentle song underlines the peaceful mood. Instead, the contrast is achieved by the fact that 'Never Saw Blue' begins with only piano accompaniment. I have never used this word to describe a song before but this is really pretty.

A dramatic but nevertheless fairly quiet introduction opens 'Dell Amore Non Si Sa'. The lead vocal builds towards the end of the first verse and, if you haven't read the cover notes, you may wonder where this will lead. Then suddenly, Hayley's voice gives way and that of Andrea Bocelli bursts forth. For this song, I cannot imagine a more perfect vocal partnership. Much of this song is soft and gentle (like its predecessors) but once or twice the crescendo effect is quite magnificent, especially when Hayley and Andrea sing in harmony.

Next comes Cacchini's 'Ave Maria'. For those two words to be repeated over and over again throughout the song may seem somewhat tedious. It is not. The expression and the sheer beauty of Hayley's voice carry this song to new heights within her classical repertoire.

Now comes a huge contrast. During the last two songs, we have moved gradually towards the classical genre but suddenly comes a song made popular by Joni Mitchell (and others) in the sixties - 'Both Sides Now'. The melody is simple and the somewhat fairy-tale lyric conveys an equally simple picture of clouds, of love and of life. It is the songs simplicity which makes it compelling especially when it is sung so beautifully.

'What You Never Know (Won't Hurt You)' is the long-awaited debut of Hayley as a songwriter. Although this was only co-written by her, it promises well for the future.

'May It Be' was surely always going to be a favourite. It proved highly popular on the DVD and sounds even more lovely here. The quality of Hayley's voice is outstanding. "...A promise lives within you now..." Absolutely heavenly.

'Quanta Qualia' continues the peaceful mood. The arrangement augments the natural beauty of the melody. During a brief instrumental, an oboe sounds enchanting before giving way to the more melodious sounding flute. But listen closer and it will become apparent that it is not a flute at all; it is Hayley's voice soaring blissfully into the heavens.

This is followed by 'Bachianas Brasileiras No 5 Aria (Cantilena)'. As I have indicated before, I just cannot appreciate this work. To me, the melody is fragmented and utilises many notes which do not belong to the key (which is what I meant when I previously described the melody as "unpredictable"). This causes a feeling of unrest within me. Having said that, Hayley's remarkable vocal skills are demonstrated here as well as anywhere. Every note is perfect and her lovely tone is utterly captivating.

We now come to a song that I have known for years but have never liked. Hayley has completely and immediately changed my view. 'She Moved Through the Fair', as performed here, is a truly magical work of art. From the very first note, it grabs you and does not let go! The tantalisingly beautiful combination of the Irish whistle and uilleann pipes is out of this world. It is pronounced "ill(y)an" by the way! A member of the bagpipe family, it is played with bellows beneath one arm (rather than by blowing) pushing air into the bag beneath the other which, in turn, is compressed to convey the air to the chanters. I always thought the uilleann pipes had no drone (unlike the highland pipes of Scotland, for example) but there is certainly one here.... or is it supplied by the double bass? Whatever, they have a hauntingly beautiful and unique sound which is used to such good effect.

'I Say Grace' is a gospel song which will inevitably be compared to 'Down By The River' by all those who have seen the DVD. I have to say that, for me, it doesn't compare well but that is only because the latter is exceptionally good. This song is sung with great feeling and somehow comes to life with an unexpected key change. Overall, it has a very laid-back feel which is sustained right through to the final shake of the tambourine - note the very effective rallentando.

To turn Odyssey from a remarkable and memorable album into a truly world-class masterpiece, we need a fitting but spectacular finale. We get it. 'My Heart Belongs To You' has everything. From Hayley's surprisingly low vocal opening to the peaceful but uplifting tempo; from the stunningly gorgeous harmony which Hayley provides to her own lead to the delightfully optimistic lyric; from the sound of the full orchestral backing to the closing flourish of the harp, this song is a perfect way to end this incredible journey.

May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home
from 'May It Be' by Enya

What an album. What a voice. What an Odyssey.

Hayley Westenra's new CD ODYSSEY is a beautifully done Album of mostly covers. All the songs are done well and you will enjoy the whole CD. The CD starts off with a beautiful song called Prayer it has a Celtic flare as much of the album does. Hayley does nice renditions of Both Sides Now, Never Saw Blue, May it Be, You Are Water, She Moves through the fair, My Heart Belongs to You and Ave Maria. Hayley does a nice version of Andrea Bocelli's Song, Dell Amore non Si SA, Heylay sings the lines of the song in English and Bocelli sings the Chorus in Italian, and then at the end of the song Both Bocelli and Westernra sing in Italian together; It sounds wonderful. Then the Album closes with a Gospel song, which is a change up, called I Say Grace. A very good song. Overall a 5 star album and a must have for those who love beautiful singing.

... or else you will become totally bewitched by Hayley's sirenlike singing.

However, unlike those of the sea nymphs of ancient Greek mythology, Hayley's tunes will not prove lethal to the inclined listener but, on the contrary will put stressed-out nerves at soothing ease.

It has been said of Hayley that her vocals have a therapeutic effect, and if you listen to the opening Secret Garden-adaptation "Prayer" you will know why. Any feeling of unrest is allayed immediately when following a very calming guitar part Hayley tenderly sings: "Hush, lay down your troubled mind. The day has vanished and left us behind. And the wind, whispering soft lullabies, will soothe - so close your weary eyes." You have to listen to it to experience the full beauty of this piece.

"Dell'Amore Non Si Sa", featuring the perfectly matching talent of blind tenor Andrea Bocelli, is another highlight on Hayley's 5th album (counting in "Walking in the Air"). Their voices so ideally blend as did Andrea's and Sarah's (Brightman) on "Time to Say Good-Bye". "Tutto cambierá ... tutto rivivrá ... con te," and you know what I mean.

Then, eventually on CD: "May It Be" (forgive me for my poor poetry). Being a great fan of Enya, I cannot tell you how much I delighted in listening to Hayley's cover version of this one. So entrancing, so captivating, you automatically close your eyes to be fully focused. I do miss the subsequent orchestral excerpt from Howard Shore's LOTR score, though, which was still included in the concert version of the DVD.

Finally, when you listen to Hayley's interpretations of the traditional "She Moved Through the Fair" as well as of Caccini's "Ave Maria," you can see why Hayley is hailed (or should I say hayleyed) as the "singing sensation". The clarity and purity of her voice makes you doubt that a human is singing here.

So whether you love beautiful voices or if you are simply looking for music that relaxes you after a demanding day, Hayley's ODYSSEY is for you. But beware, after listening to it you will want to buy her other albums as well including the JP- and UK-versions that differ in content as well as in arrangement. So better have yourself tied to the mast ...

I first heard about Hayley Westenra while visiting New Zealand in February this year. Given the enormous popularity she enjoys over in her home country, I was somewhat surprised that Australian audiences hadn't made such a fuss over her earlier albums. Upon listening to samples of 'Pure' in the store, I purchased it on the spot and was not disappointed. Hayley has a beautiful, soaring, and lyrical voice which can only get better as she matures.

'Odyssey' is a strong album which truly highlight's Hayley's musical virtuosity. The variety of songs on here demonstrate the way in which she can be equally at home singing a Joni Mitchell classic or an Italian duet, a gospel number or one of her own compositions. While some tracks are undoubtedly stronger than others (the gospel track 'I Say Grace' is probably one of the weaker pieces), I applaud Hayley's willingness to experiment with different styles. Since she is still so young, there is plenty of scope for her to explore new musical horizons.

I had a hard job choosing my favourite tracks on the album, but apart from the first song 'Prayer' which grabs you from the opening bars, they are the middle four songs (on the Australian version). First, there's Joni Mitchell's 'Both Sides Now', which I have always loved and I really enjoy her interpretation; then her own 'What You Never Know' which is deceptively simple in its melody but has the ability to transport you to another world entirely - the coda of 'I'm falling for you' sung several times feels like waves washing over, and it is one of the strongest pieces on the album. Hayley's rendition of 'May It Be' brings a tone and clarity that easily surpasses Enya's original; and 'Quanta Qualia' is like a luscious soundscape that starts small and grows in layers, with deliciously rich suspended chords sung by Conventus Choir and Hayley soaring above them. Conventus also appear on another couple of tracks.

If there is one area in which I think Hayley could improve, it's that she occasionally has a tendency to slip into vowel sounds that do not indicate the classical training she's had, and classical purists might find this slightly annoying (most noticeably she'll often sing 'ew' as opposed to 'oo'). It's not a 'nasal' or overly bright sound that you might get from some badly trained pop singers, and it's not even that out of place in the repertoire she's chosen, but I still find it distracting on what is otherwise a wonderful album. Hayley Westenra's odyssey is taking her places I'm sure she never dreamed she'd be, and I'm very glad she's letting us share the journey.

After buying Pure last year, and listening to it non-stop. It was hard to believe it could get much better then that. All the tracks on Pure matched the name... pure. It was a 5 out of 5 in my eyes, though after reciently buying Odyssey last weekend, I didnt think it was possible, but it is alot better then anything I've heard! Every single track is amazing, and so far, I havent heard any songs that seem to be apart of my "skip" list, as I get to them, which unfortiently, occured every once & a while on Pure. As on Pure, I'm having a hard time picking a favorite song how ever, because I havent found a reason why any of them would be any worse then the others! Like before though, after a good 10-20 times of listening to the CD, I'm slowly finding which songs I'd much rather listen to, after so many times. Those of which include: Both Sides Now & My Heart Belongs To You.
Now to get down to the niddy griddy of it all.
Obviously the name of an album doesnt mean much, its the music inside that counts, like the name of a book. Though I still have a small comment over it. Odyssey is a beautiful name for a CD like this, the only problem is, unlike Pure, it doesnt really seem to fit in. I mean, why is the album actually named Odyssey? Looking up the meaning of Odyssey, it doesnt really seem to match any of the songs to my knowledge. Is there a hidden answer here? Not sure. As far as the entire theme of the album goes, I noticed the color Blue is the ideal theme. What do I have to say? Finally! Out of all colors, I dont think many match Hayley better then Blue, and I'm not just saying this because its on my list of favorite colors. Getting into the actual CD itself how ever, the track itself seemed slightly cut short, being only 12 songs on the USA version, is a slight disappointment, taking into concideration that there were 13 on Pure, and other versions of Odyssey, have more songs. Though in a way, its hard to complain at first, because the 12 songs included, live up to there name. Hayley truely has a way of singing almost any song, and having it come out beautifully!
I was slightly disappointed to find that the CD didnt come with a small booklet including all the lyrics like in Pure though, because the first few times you listen to the CD. You find yourself synchronizing the words with the lyrics, and doing this off the internet is kind of clean cut, rather then sitting on the school bus, listening to the music on a CD player. Not a big deal, but something that will be missed the first few days.
Overall, Hayleys voice maturing as she grows is truely making all the music she's singing, sound alot better, and I think thats why Odyssey excels where it does. And this is where I take my bow, leaving a 5 out of 5 stars.

I became a fan of Hayley Westerna when she first released 'Pure'. She has a very nice voice, but like many others have said, it's untrained and very small. The album itself is very good, but I don't care for the song selection. They don't seem to have a unifying theme, and it's almost too Pop sounding to be what is now called 'classical' music. Not to mention there are only 12 on this version. I recommend the import version from the UK.

You will not be disappointed! Once again Hayley holds true to her extraordinary gift. I have never heard any other artist with such perfect command of voice. From the first song of this CD through the last it's a listening state of bliss. The only disappointment is that there are not 20 more tracks!!!so we'll just have to wait for the next CD release...

If Hayley Westenra recorded "Pure" as a 16 year old, and now "Odyssey" as an 18 year old, I shudder to think what kind of incredible potential remains in those vocal chords. I still am not wild about the selection of about half the songs on each album, although there are some real gems on both. On "Pure", the track Wuthering Heights was a great showcase for her voice, and on "Odyssey", the first track, Prayer, just blew me away with its beauty. She also does a great job with Both Sides Now and, if you like that sort of thing, gives us a really beautiful version of Ave Maria. On some of the other tracks, however, she competes with overly ambitious instrumentals - and sometimes she gets drowned out. On another review of mine, I characterized Lara Fabian (her French albums only) as the "best voice on the planet" (if you want to know why, just listen to the track Addio del Passato on the album "En Toute Intimite". Or try her album "9". Both albums show why she's the world's premier female singer). In my humble opinion, Hayley Westenra is not there just yet, but she's only 18 and is sure closing in fast. If most of the world doesn't yet know who she is ..they sure will soon! But Hayley - improve the song selection!

Okay this is quite possibly one of the best albums I own at the momment! I loved Hayley's first American effort Pure, but she was dangerously close to following in the earlier foot steps of Charlotte Church. Then she does a complete 180 and comes out with this amazing Sophmore effort!

The duet with the great Andrea Bocelli is my favorite song off the album so far, but the last one is quickly moving up my top 10 List. The thing I enjoy most about this album, is although Hayley has an operatic style of music, her voice stands out. So many female opera singers sound the same and she just has that softness to her voice that makes you fall in love all over again.

All-in-all I'd say this album was better then Pure. So if you enjoyed her first effort, then go out and purchase this one. It will be a beautiful journey!