147. Bee Gees | Odessa (1969)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

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. With All Nations (International Anthem)
14. I Laugh in Your Face
15. Never Say Never Again
16. First of May
17. The British Opera

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Odessa is a pretty album. Many of songs are melodic and have a big orchestral sound. The Gibb brothers have pleasing voices, but unfortunately their singing doesn't lend itself to singing along unless you can hit the high notes.

The album starts off strong, but peters out at the end. The three instrumentals right at the end are partly responsible for that. The Bee Gees play their instruments well, but the main reason for listening to the Bee Gees is for the singing. If it had been a single instead of a double album, it would be a strong effort from beginning to end.

Another problem is that it's a disorganized album which is a common problem with double albums. There's no coherent theme. Fortunately, the songs do sound good together.

I'm not sure the significance of this album with respect to the 1001 Albums list. It's a good album and I enjoy listening to it. I'd venture a guess that it's an early album heralding the soft rock genre that begins to develop during the early 1970s.

The stand out songs are Odessa (City on the Black Sea), You'll Never See My Face Again, Black Diamond, Marley Purt Drive, Edison, Melody Fair, Suddenly, Lamplight, I Laugh in Your Face and Never Say Never Again.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

131. The Zombies | Odessey And Oracle (1968)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Care of Cell 44
2. A Rose for Emily
3. Maybe After He's Gone
4. Beechwood Park
5. Brief Candles
6. Hung Up on a Dream
7. Changes
8. I Want Her, She Wants Me
9. This Will Be Our Year
10. Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)
11. Friends of Mine
12. Time of the Season

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Odessey And Oracle is a feel-good album. It's the musical equivalent of fluffy bunnies, rainbows and unicorns. The songs are mainly pop rock, but it's not the kind that leads to AOR hell. 

Everybody has heard Time of the Season which is a great song, but none of the other songs sound anything like it. It's easier to appreciate the other songs knowing that a priori. Furthermore, Time of the Season is out of place. Up to now, it's the only hit song that has disrupted the flow of an album. Fortunately, it's at the end.

I liked this album a lot which surprises me. When I first heard it, I didn't think I'd get through all the upbeat and positive music. I thought the songs were downright sappy. But while listening to it for the fourth time, I began to enjoy it. There's a lot of variety and the songs are really catchy.

This album is definitely worth listening to. I'd also think it would be an excellent addition to any collection. All the songs are great, but the stand outs are Care of Cell 44, A Rose for Emily, Beechwood Park, Brief Candles, Changes, Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914) and Time of the Season.

★★★★★★★★★☆

84. The Beau Brummels | Triangle (1967)

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Wikipedia Entry

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1. Are You Happy?
2. Only Dreaming Now
3. Painter of Women
4. The Keeper of Time
5. It Won't Get Better
6. Nine Pound Hammer
7. Magic Hollow
8. And I've Seen Her
9. Triangle
10. The Wolf of Velvet Fortune
11. Old Kentucky Home

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Triangle is a soothing album. The songs all have a pleasant melody. There are a lot of diverse instruments, making it a very sophisticated folk album. The lyrics of many of the songs tell colorful stories. The vocals sound just like how someone from the 19th Century would sing a rock album.


This album is consistent, big-sounding, adventurous and borders on the fantastical. The music really helps support and extend the imagery conveyed by the lyrics.


I had no expectations for this album, but it's pretty darn good. It is definitely a new favorite of mine. It is certainly worth listening to. There's not a bad song on this album. The stand out songs are Only Dreaming Now, Painter of Women, The Keeper of Time, Nine Pound Hammer, Triangle and The Wolf of Velvet Fortune.

★★★★★★★★★ ☆

67. The Mamas and the Papas | If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears (1966)

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Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Monday, Monday
2. Straight Shooter
3. Got a Feelin'
4. I Call Your Name
5. Do You Wanna Dance
6. Go Where You Wanna Go
7. California Dreamin'
8. Spanish Harlem
9. Somebody Groovy
10. Hey Girl
11. You Baby
12. The In Crowd

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If You Can Believe You Eyes and Ears is a feel-good album. There are light, fluffy pop songs and some heavier stuff. The singing is the main feature of this album. The music is good enough, while the lyrics are fluff.

I really liked this album, despite the lyrics and my strong desire not to like it. The album's strengths are the great singing and that the album remains consistent throughout. Aside from Monday, Monday and California Dreamin most of the songs are good, but forgettable. The "In" Crowd is the real surprise here. Cass Elliot has one hell of a voice. Other notable songs are: Straight Shooter, Go Where You Wanna Go, and Spanish Harlem.

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★★★★★★★★ ☆☆

61. The Beach Boys | Pet Sounds (1966)

Wikipedia Entry

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Tracks

1. Wouldn't It Be Nice
2. You Still Believe in Me
3. That's Not Me
4. Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)
5. I'm Waiting for the Day
6. Let's Go Away for Awhile
7. Sloop John B
8. God Only Knows
9. I Know There's an Answer
10. Here Today
11. I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
12. Pet Sounds
13. Caroline, No

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Pet Sounds is a beautifully-crafted album. The songs change from one to another so smoothly, musically as well as thematically. It's as if the album consists of one song. That's one aspect of the genius of this album.

There are so many things happening on each song. It's hard to keep track of all the sounds. The harmonizing vocals also add another layer of depth and complexity. That's another aspect of the genius of this album.

It's also pretty impressive that the Beach Boys were able to start pushing the rock and roll boundary so quickly. That's a third aspect of the genius of this album.

It's bad the Beach Boys couldn't stay at the cutting edge like Beatles were able to for a few more albums. It would have been great to have had a longer competition between to the two bands.

When I was first heard this album, I was confused by all the praise lavished on it. I think I was expecting an album that was sonically like the Beatles since I had heard that Rubber Soul had inspired Brian Wilson to write the perfect rock and roll album. And that demonstrates my naïvety. That this album doesn't sound anything like a Beatles album contributes to its brilliance. That's another aspect of the genius of this album.

This is certainly an album worth owning. All of the songs are great, but the ones I really like are: Wouldn't It Be Nice, Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder), I'm Waiting for the Day, Sloop John B, God Only Knows, I Know There's an Answer, Here Today and I Just Wasn't Made for These Times.  
★★★★★★★★★★