Odessa (Bee Gees album)

Odessa
Studio album by Bee Gees
Released	30 March 1969 13 January 2009 (reissue)
Recorded	12 July – December 1968 IBC Studios, London, Atlantic Studios, New York and Trident Studios, London[1]
Genre	Pop,[2] baroque pop[3]
Length	63:49
Label	Polydor Atco Records (US)
Producer	Robert Stigwood, Bee Gees
Bee Gees chronology
Idea (1968) Odessa (1969) Cucumber Castle (1970)
Singles from Odessa
"First of May" Released: January 1969

Odessa is the sixth studio album by the Bee Gees, originally released on 30 March 1969. Regarded as the most significant of the group's Sixties albums, it was released as a double vinyl record initially in an opulent red flocked cover with gold lettering. An ambitious project, originally intended as a concept album on the loss of a fictional ship in 1899, it created tension and disagreements in the band regarding the album's direction; finally, a dispute over which song to release as a single led to Robin Gibb temporarily leaving the group.^[4][5] The album was not well received by the public or the music press on release, and led to a decline in the group's fortunes until their disco period in the mid 1970s.

Released in March 1969 by Polydor Records in the UK and Atco Records in the US, it was the group's fourth album released internationally, their sixth overall, and their only double album of original music. Odessa would be the final album for the band's original incarnation, and this was the last album to include guitarist Vince Melouney. The album contains "First of May", "Lamplight", "Marley Purt Drive" and "Melody Fair".

The album was reissued as a single-disc in 1976 when interest was revived in the Bee Gees career, since when the album has gained increasing critical acclaim; it was reissued again in 2009 as a deluxe 3 disc set, and is included in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.^[6]

Origins and recording

The originally intended name for the album was An American Opera. This later became Masterpeace and finally Odessa.^[7]

Colin recalls about the country influence on Odessa. "It was my idea that we do that sort of thing, and Maurice is the one who will take more time out to listen to what I have to say, although within the group, the okay has to come from Barry". Their manager Robert Stigwood says, "Barry is the Bee Gees coordinator, I used the word advisedly, as there is no leader of the group as such. He has a tremendous feel for soul music a la his composing work for The Marbles, but he is also a fantastic solo singer in his own right".^[8]

The first song recorded for the album was "I Laugh in Your Face" on 12 July 1968, the same day the group recorded "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" (released from the American version of the group's fifth album Idea). After recording eight songs for the album, guitarist Vince Melouney left the group amicably and joined the group Fanny Adams, wanting to pursue a more bluesy direction.^[9]

A reel tape of mono mixes dated 24 November 1968 has "Odessa (City on the Black Sea)", "First of May" and "Melody Fair" called a "rough mix with orchestra". Therefore, about as soon as they returned to the studio, they were with Bill Shepherd arranging and conducting orchestral tracks to complete the album. This puts the re-make of "First of May" early in the November sessions, yet the song would be the last Bee Gees band session for the album. However, after recording "First of May", the instrumental tracks, "Seven Seas Symphony", "With All Nations" and "The British Opera" were recorded by Bill Shepherd. Also done somewhere around here are the final vocals for the New York songs and the added organ part for "Edison".^[1]

Release

Odessa was initially released on Atco Records in a red flocked cover with a gold lettering to the group's name and label symbol stamped in gold on the front and nothing but the flocking on the back. The gatefold has a large dotted image of people leaving a ship in a lifeboat. There are no photographs of the group and they are not named except as to all songs being written by B, R & M Gibb. Due to the high cost of production, as well as allergic reactions among workers during assembly, this design was discontinued.^[6]

Prior to release there were disagreements over which song was to be released as a single when the Robin led "Lamplight" lost out to "First of May" a Barry solo vocal. This ultimately led to Robin Gibb leaving the group in early 1969,^[10] though he would rejoin the group in August 1970. The split was a result of months of animosity, which concurred to the album's final mix. As Barry explained:

The last performances of the group including Robin were on early 1969, when they performed "First of May" (they also performed "I Started a Joke") on The Tom Jones Show (21 February^[11]) and Top of the Pops (6 March^[12]). Robin left the band in 15 March^[7] and made his decision public in 19 March.^[13] Robin told Mojo magazine in 2003 about his departure from the band after the release of Odessa saying "We had egos".^[14]

Maurice later described the album as 'heavy'. "People thought it was an in-depth album", he recalled, "like, 'What do they mean by those lyrics?' and 'What's this all about?' There's all sorts of different areas on it. It went up and down in places, but a lot of people regard it as our Sgt. Pepper. To us, I don't think it was the best album we made, but the main title 'Odessa' I loved". Barry responded to Maurice saying, "I guess I have strong personal feelings about it because it was a time when the group was splitting up".^[8]

In July 1969, "Marley Purt Drive" was released as a single, backed with "Melody Fair" only in South Africa.^[15]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[16]
Glorious Noise	(recommended)[17]
Pitchfork Media	(7.2/10)[18]
Rolling Stone	[3]
Tiny Mix Tapes	[19]

The album was not well received by the public or the music press on release, and led to a decline in the band's fortunes until their disco period in the mid 1970s.^[20][21] The album has since received positive critical attention, is regarded by many reviewers as their most significant Sixties release, and has been re-released in a deluxe three CD set.^[21][22]

Reissues

The album was reissued in 1976 as an edited single-disc album with a plain red cover on RSO Records. The 1976 single LP reissue deleted tracks 3, 5, 7–9, 12, and 17. Some early CD and cassette editions also omitted the track "With All Nations (International Anthem)". On 13 January 2009 Rhino released a deluxe remaster of the album containing three discs containing, respectively, the album in stereo, the album in mono and selected rarities. The third disc, entitled Sketches for Odessa featured demos of the songs plus a vocal take of With All Nations (International Anthem) and the previously unissued tracks Nobody's Someone and Pity. This edition restored the red flocking originally found on the LP.

Track listing

All tracks written and composed by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb.

Deluxe edition

On 13 January 2009, Reprise Records released a 3-CD set of Odessa, complete with remastered stereo and mono version of all 17 tracks, plus a bonus third disc with demos, alternate version, and three unreleased tracks. To date, Odessa was the last album to receive the deluxe remaster treatment with extensive sleeve notes, and the status of the re-release program is unknown.

Personnel

Bee Gees

• Barry Gibb – lead, harmony and background vocals; rhythm guitar
• Robin Gibb – lead, harmony and background vocals; organ, piano and Mellotron
• Maurice Gibb – harmony and background vocals; rhythm and bass guitars; piano and Mellotron; lead vocals on "Suddenly" and "Melody Fair"
• Vince Melouney – lead guitar on "Whisper, Whisper", "Marley Purt Drive", "Give Your Best", "Sound of Love", and "Edison"
• Colin Petersen – drums

Additional musicians and production

• Bill Keith – banjo on "Marley Purt Drive" and "Give Your Best"
• Tex Logan – fiddle on "Give Your Best"
• Paul Buckmaster – cello on "Odessa"
• Adrian Barber – sound engineer
• Robert Stigwood – producer

Charts

References