Customer Reviews

Odyssey Number Five

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This CD is one of those 'instant classics' - it grabs you from the first track, and takes you on an emotional journey that few CD's can. Their successor to the fabulous 'Internationalist', this CD shows a more 'even' setting to the songs throughout - in other words, even the more rocking songs blend in with the tone of the CD versus the 'quirky syndrome' that can happen when the 2 styles are not mixed in well.

You will find yourself drawn into the pulse and emotion of this CD rather quickly - from the upbeat opener, straight into the heart of the 2nd track 'My Happiness', weaving through the following tracks and into even more great songs like 'Up & Down & Back Again' and 'These Days'...there is just not a bad track in the lot!

They have been sighted as being 'Bowie influenced' - I would agree, however not ever being a huge Bowie fan, I can't comment. My personal comparison is to 'what R.E.M. could have been', and throw in a much more talented vocalist, with sensibilities of the best parts of rock music from the 70's to the 90's, and there you have my 'who they sound like' view of Powderfinger. Hard to 'put a finger' on them (no pun intended!) - however if you take a chance on this band you will NOT be disappointed if you like the types I music I alluded to earlier. Bernard Fanning is just simply the BEST vocalist I have heard in a LONG time - and he just keeps getting better.

If you made it this far into the review, thanks. I can't say enough positive things about this band. I lived in Australia for 7 years (90-97), and grew fond of a lot of the local talent that is just simply not heard on the US Airwaves (Spiderbait, Pollyanna, Chisel as well as Powderfinger). I think with a little push from the right people, this group could gain some more fame overseas (if that is what they want). They simply blow away so many of their contemporaries it is pathetic - I mean, any song from this CD would top 'Sex and Candy' or anything like it...

What to do next? Buy it!!

Odessey Number Five is the most recent album by the Australian Band, Powderfinger. Lead singer, Bernard Fanning's unusual voice cuts through the melodic guitar and is a nice change from the mass produced voices so common on today's radio. Clean, sharp, soulful and fresh.

Just when I thought that Internationalist would be the crowning achievement of Powderfinger's career they bring out this masterpiece. I first discovered Powderfinger while studying abroad in Australia about the time their last album, Internationalist, was getting a lot of play. I thought that album was great but this one blows it away. It has the melodic pop that is lacking in most music today. Yet they stay away from being too pop or without real substance. Songs like My Happiness, These Days, and My Kind of Scene are great, radio friendly tunes that show that POwdefinger understand the importance of good songwriting. The real gems of this album, however, are the songs that take a few listens to even begin to comprehend. Tunes like The Metre, Thrilloilogy, and Up & Down & Back Again (my favorite), with its amazing coda show the maturation of the band. The guitars are restrained and fairly simple but prove that they are there to enhance the song rather than show off with complicated licks that go nowhere. The drums and bass lay a solid, if inconspicuous base, and Bernard Fanning simply has the best and most emotive voice in music today. Listen to him and you will be amazed. All in all I recommend all the Powderfinger albums, and suggest listening to the others first, but this one is the best.

Because Australia is pretty much separated from the rest of the world, the music is often different from what you may find elsewhere. And because of the large amount of foreign music shoved into the Aussie culture, it therefore makes Australian musicians determined to stand out - and for the better.

Meet Powderfinger, one of Australia's premier rock bands. Their earlier albums were harder rock (as is their latest venture, "Vulture Street"), but what makes "Odyssey Number Five" stand out is the powerful quality, and it's gentler than "The Finger's" other albums. And while it does have some tracks you could brush over, there are some truly stunning ones to keep you interested.

"My Happiness" was number one on Triple J's Hottest 100 for a year (Triple J being an Aussie radio station that mostly plays local alternative music). It's a light rock ballad, but I think I've heard it too many times for me to be able to properly appreciate it. This is a problem when music that you like happens to be commercially friendly.

"Like a Dog" is one of the best tracks on the album. It's rock, with some great riffs, definitely a song for driving. It also seems to have a close connection with Australia, and not just because boxing star Anthony "The Man" Mundine appeared in the film clip. Some examples of references to Australia include "Now we're trying hard to reconcile a history of shame, but he reinforced the barriers that keep it the same" as well as "But it's a fine, fine time for the people in the lucky land." Meanwhile, "These Days" is simply brilliant. You'll know what I mean if you've heard it. And "Up & Down & Back Again" is another powerful track, with somewhat of a pleading quality in lead singer Bernard Fanning's voice. It's a somewhat inspiring piece ("I hope that you remember that pride comes before a fall" and "Have you ever attempted to be yourself when everybody wants you to be someone else?"), and is one of the better songs on the album.

But "Thrilloilogy" is the real stunner, capturing attention from the very opening bars. This has a riff that sounds rather sad, and this track is one of the most emotional songs on the album, music-wise. It's a powerful, brilliant piece that is mostly rock, except for when it softens for the bridge, and then rises for the coda. I'd go as far as to say it's the best track on the album, and it shouldn't be ignored.

As for other tracks, "The Metre" brings a touch of classy sophistication with the use of strings. It's a song for the journeyman (one can't help but picture a quiet road), which comes up with some interesting lyrics ("pull off the social bluff, celebrate your success"). However, I can't quite connect with the song, even though it's obviously well written. "My Kind of Scene" is also a deserted road song, that was featured on the "Mission: Impossible 2" soundtrack. But it's a bit too flat for me... you could even say, "it's not my kind of scene". And "We Should Be Together Now" is rock, with nothing particularly special about it.

Other tracks include "Waiting for the Sun" (a haunting and emotional piece of moderate rock), "Odyssey #5" (a small, dreamy little interlude, with the lyrics being a bit silly) and "Whatever Makes You Happy" (an acoustic piece that I've got on my "Songs For My Funeral" list - consider it for yours).

Overall, this is some of the best rock made in Australia, truly high quality. However, some of the tracks just can't keep me interested enough, and so I brought the mark out of 10 down from 9 to 8. But there are some tracks that one just can't go past. It's worthy for alternative and rock music collections.

http://thenorthernsound.cjb.net

Personally, I believe that Powderfinger is one of the best Australian bands out there. It is one of the albums in my collection that I can start up and listen from the first song to the last. Do not listen to any negative reviewers - 'Odyssey #5' has more than enough redeeming features to make any Powderfinger fan happy.

No, it wasn't the first two singles that turned me onto this group (though they are excellent). It was the hypnotic guitar-driven "We Should Be Together Now" that got me. I heard it on some subscription service through the satellite TV we get, and immediately wanted to know more. Later, hearing "Waiting for the Sun" and "My Happiness" getting airplay on the local college rock station, I knew I had to get this CD, and I wasn't disappointed. I can't think of a bad song, they all are fantastic. In addition to the three already mentioned, highlights include "Like a Dog" and "My Kind of Scene." I understand this is the band's fourth release (first American), and some people say the third album was better, much more edgy. I'll give that a listen if I can find it. Until then, I highly recommend Odyssey Number Five as a good American introduction to some awesome Aussie alternative rock.

This is a great album from a lesser known band. The music is a great blend of hard rock sounds and melodic lyrics.

a first listen to this fourth offering from the little-known australian quintet might cause one to relegate the band into the collective soul radio-friendly modern-rock heap. there's no denying the songs here are polished, and it's no coincidence that this is their first major release in america. however, there's something to be said about the band's charisma when they play together, that translates into the more adequate comparison to u2. in fact, one of the lead singles, "my happiness" sounds eerily like the irish band's '97 hit "staring at the sun". many of the album tracks have a similar, epic quality to them, mostly due to lead singer/guitarist bernard fanning's soaring voice and the various strings that haunt the background, especially on "these days", one of the standout album tracks. the best song here is most likely "my kind of scene", which was also included in the mi:2 soundtrack last summer. it'll catch you off-guard with its beauty and poetry and threatens to replay itself in your head for a few weeks. there is also a conspicuous neil young influence (the band is named after a song of his) throughout. in the end, it is that nagging feeling that powderfinger isn't breaking any new ground that keeps this album from becoming the masterpiece the band seems to have aimed for, given such a grandiose title. it often treads over the same arena-rock of pre-"kid a" radiohead or the slightly over-produced emotive balladry of live. that's not to say this is a poor effort - powderfinger is very good at what they do and there is more than enough material to merit a serious listen. but, to their credit, you get the feeling that they can do more than this. a little experimentation never hurt a great band, and it's about time these guys developed that kind of confidence in spite of their newfound international successes.

Australia hasn't had much success with alt-rock overseas, and Silverchair and Savage Garden aren't anything to go by. Australia definitely has the talent to be up there with the big boys, and Powderfinger are out to prove it.

From the minute this album takes off, there are some definite hits on the loose. From My Happiness, to My Kinda Scene and These Days, you begin to realise that Powderfinger have a great knack for creating something new with each song. While the highs don't soar as much as on their previous release, Internationist, the album doesn't contain one bad track. On repeat listens every song will work its way into your heart. And if you're still unsure, Bernard Fanning's vocals will be worth the cost of the CD itself. He's the most talented rock vocalist I've heard since Thom Yorke, and has a style all his own. So if you're looking for something fresh to add to your alternative rock collection, you won't be disappointed. My favourite album to come out in 2000.

This latest release by Australia's unsung heroes, Powderfinger is their slickest album to date. Concentrating on melody and mood, it starts out with "Waiting for the Sun" which, in my opinion, would have made a better single than "My Happiness." Personally, I prefer the more rocking numbers ("Like a Dog"), but the more I listen, the more I'm drawn to the slower tunes. This CD is an excellent follow-up to their Australian success story, "Internationalist" which showed them maturing as a band. The overwhelming theme on "Odyssey" is love and loss, though it's presented in such a way that it doesn't come off sappy in the least. Fans of Creed should give this a listen and see how it's really done! Australia has a lot to offer musically, and I can honestly say that "Odyssey" presses all the right buttons. Come to America, lads! We'd love to have you!