Odyssey Discography & Reviews

**Jimmy-Michaels** · May 24th, 2004, 07:51 PM

Odyssey (1977) - 3 stars: The debut LP from this R&b/Disco act spauned the international hit "Native New Yorker" and it's follow up single "Weekend Lover" which didnt do as well over in the USA. This LP is a basic experimental LP if ya ask me. Very creative but the majority is basicly pop/soul with the touch of disco here and there. Look out for the club hit "Easy Come Easy Go/Hold De Molta Down" also on this LP with its latin disco flavor.

Hollywood Party Tonight (1978) - 4 stars: The band's 2nd LP was a huge improvement from the debut. While replacing the guy that couldnt sing in the group with a new guy that could, the group was now complete and ready to begin makin some serious ****! This LP, a concept LP about a high class party and all the events and people there is a pure soulful jazz LP to the fullest with the occational hint of disco and funk mixed in. It takes a brief break from the basic genre of the LP for the UK top 40 pop hit "Lucky Star". All around 100% solid LP! Highly recomended for the late 70s jazz/soul fan!

Hang Together (1980) - 3 stars: This 3rd LP from the group was a full blast into the world of disco, R&B and even rock on one track! This LP's highlights for fame were the top club hit "Use It Up, Wear It Out" and the international pop ballad hit "If Your Lookin For A Way Out". In the USA the single didnt chart well, but was somewhat known. The other highlight for the deep disco fans is the morning music classic title track! The one song to avoid on this LP is "Down Boy" which is a total southern rock track. The sound of Lynard Skynard and early Eagles dont go too well with the gals of Odyssey singing LOL. The last track on the LP is a sort of X rated track called "Rooster Lost In The Barnyard". Listen close and you'll hear what its all about.

I Got The Melody (1981) - 3 1/2 stars: The 4th LP was the begining of a new decade. With the disco era coming to an end the group kinda took a new aproach. This LP going very much twards the typical soul sound of the early 80s with that sort of end of disco feel hanging on to the tracks. Tons of good stuff on this LP. Highlights are the club hit "Going Back To My Roots" and the title track which is my fave and was from what I understand a pop hit in the UK. Not really a bad track on the LP but a few are kinda soso but still good if ya get what I mean. They even take a regae approach on the track "Oh No Not My Baby".

Happy Together (1982) - 4 stars: The offical final domestic release from the group and I will say..they went out with a BANG! This is by far the best LP out of all of em and my fave! The LP kicks off with the track "Together" which was written and co produced by Nile Rogers & Bernard Edwards from Chic fame and has the total Chic sound. They even play the instruments on the track with the guy singer singin it. Then, the club hit "Inside Out" follows and Side A comes to a close with an awseome electro funk/late disco cover of the 60's bubble gum hit "Happy Together". Side B begins with the track "Happy People" which is a pure early 80s electro funk/disco track. Kinda in the style of Carl Carlton's "Bad Mamajama". Then comes the R&B ballad "When You Love Somebody". Then as the LP comes to a close we get "Love's Alright", a great morning music classic retaining that classic 1978 mellow disco sound and then ending the LP is "Magic Touch" which is a catchy upbeat typical 1982 danceable pop/rock track. When ya first hear it it may not agree with you but over time, it grows on ya!

Joy (1985) - 1 1/2 stars: Odyssey attempted to return after a few years off for the Euro fans (although an American group, their money was mainly made in Euro areas) with an LP released only in UK, France and surrounding areas. This has to be the biggest joke I ever heard or own in my life!!! Aside from the title track (which was the single), the rest of the LP is totaly crap and cheese from hell!! The singing is very lame and unproffesional, the instruments used sound like either a Casio 29 dollar keyboard or made with an Atari 2600! (not even good enough to be the 5200 LOL). Basicly..cruse ship kareoke would probably be the best way to describe it. I give this LP 1 1/2 stars instead of 0 stars cause of the title track and the 1985 remix of "Going Back To My Roots" which funny, is the last song on the LP. Probably there as a reminder that the group did have tallent at one time LOL. Although this LP is ultra rare, avoid unless your a fan like myself that collects it all!

Native New Yorker Golden Classics (1989) - 3 1/2 stars: USA Best Of compilation of various full length LP versions and 12'' versions of Odyssey's best known US club hits. I know there has been much better greatest hits compilations released in the UK in later years, but as for on CD. This out of print compilation is probably the only place you can get some full length versions of tracks on CD. I know for sure its the only place that "Together" and the full 10 min "Going Back To My Roots" was avalible on CD. Of corse, there was a double LP vinyl release too for this one which is even more rare than the CD or tape as vinyl was about dead by 89.

agree, disagree? lets hear some input!

**buckaroo** · May 25th, 2004, 04:35 AM

They were considered a might cheesy here in the UK, but had some decent hits in their time. "Native New Yorker" was a big smash in the '70s, and "Going back to my roots" did really well for them during the early summer of 1981. "If you're lookin' for a way", a great ballad that I recall well, reached the top five of the national chart in 1980, and their hit of 1982 "Inside Out" which sounded similar to Slave's "Watching You" (someone explain why please) really shook up some UK dancefloor's.
Although as you say, the hits dried up for them towards the middle 1980s, they did have a minor floor trembler with "Follow Me." and another choon which I think was called "Stop" or something like that. I'll have to check out the K-Tel best I bought years aback. :lol:

I know they were doing some comeback tours recently, but be aware that the members featured may not be the originals.

I liked 'em.

**Jimmy-Michaels** · May 25th, 2004, 12:25 PM

Didnt know "Follow Me" was a hit anywhere. It is a great track though! What LP is "Stop" off of? Thats not on any LP..or is there more that exsists I dont know of?

**SandraDee** · May 25th, 2004, 04:35 PM

'Inside Out' by Odyssey sounds like Slave's 'Watching You' probably because they were both produced by Jimmy Douglass; the intros on these 2 tracks are remarkably similar I must admit.

**Jimmy-Michaels** · May 25th, 2004, 04:48 PM

They both are actualy almost the same track with diff lyrics :lol:

**Bastian78** · May 27th, 2004, 12:34 PM

Anybody knows in what position Going back to my roots charted (Uk and UK)

also i want to find the full length version on CD , is it available anywhere ?

**Jimmy-Michaels** · May 27th, 2004, 02:32 PM

Look at my discography LOL...I mention where the only place the full version was issued on CD. May be hard to find beings its an out of print USA CD. I did see one on amazon.com a while back (one of the best places to find out of print CDs brand new and cheep). Do a search for "Odyssey Native New Yorker Golden Classics" under popular music and see if it's still there. Thats the CD, 1989 RCA.

**DISCODISK** · May 27th, 2004, 04:12 PM

Originally Written by Bastian78

Anybody knows in what position Going back to my roots charted (Uk and UK)

U.K [POP] #4

**Bastian78** · May 27th, 2004, 07:24 PM

Originally Written by DJ Jimmy M

Look at my discography LOL...I mention where the only place the full version was issued on CD. May be hard to find beings its an out of print USA CD. I did see one on amazon.com a while back (one of the best places to find out of print CDs brand new and cheep). Do a search for "Odyssey Native New Yorker Golden Classics" under popular music and see if it's still there. Thats the CD, 1989 RCA.

hi , i;ve seen the discography you made, thanks. But is there any other compilation or something ?

**Jimmy-Michaels** · May 27th, 2004, 07:27 PM

Nope, not that I know of. Unless something was released in the past year or so non US with the full version on it. Theres actualy not too many US compilations of any sort with that track on it in any format. Think I saw the 7'' version on some compilation a few years ago.

**Jimmy-Michaels** · May 27th, 2004, 07:32 PM

Amazon US
Amazon UK

They got 19 copys left over in total. They have the release date as 1994 which is way wrong LOL (beings I bought mine in 89 when it came out on vinyl, tape and CD).

**Bastian78** · May 27th, 2004, 07:37 PM

Originally Written by DJ Jimmy M

They got 19 copys left over in total. They have the release date as 1994 which is way wrong LOL (beings I bought mine in 89 when it came out on vinyl, tape and CD).

ow thank you.....i would love to buy it soon. I;ve seen that item before, but they didnt list Roots as 12", so i;m kinda hesitated.

btw i love Odyssey's version of roots more than Lamont Dozier's and Richie Havens'