Review of Odyssey

[Belinda]

Hi Richard,
Thanks for a great Review
I agree its superb.
In one of the radio interviews i have, Hayley said she chose the songs because she liked them not for their genre. she also mentions she would like to play piano on stage some day and have an album where about half the songs are her own.
I also can't wait to go buy my copy of Odyssey Uk version,On September 26th,
Any news of Hayley signing Cd's in store London on that day,I'm glad its released while i'm still in the UK.

[portia]

Belinda, oddly enough, the part about playing a piano onstage reminds me of Sarah Brightman. I have a feeling Hayley's going to be the next Sarah Brightman or something.

[emmettb]

Hi Richard,

Thanks for the great review. It really sounds a great album and the more of the reviews I read it gets me more excited waiting for it to arrive.

Good to see you were able to pick it up in HMV, was it only released now as an import?? I'm still waiting for my 2 copies from NZ. Bad Irish post


Emmett

[roger]

ODYSSEY

New Zealand Edition

Review


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.


Roger

[Belinda]

This should be a link to a cd Review of Odyssey
and the answer to the end bit is 5 Stars.

stuff.co.nz


Edit: I've hidden the full url to make the link work properly.
Richard

[kcuteus1]

thanks I would say that it is not a good review but it is not a bad one. But I would have to say I am one of those people that like my cds longs that is why I did not get Katanies jekins cd La diva.

[Dave]

Thanks Belinda, the review is a bit weird! He says it's either one star or five stars! I used to be indecisive too, but now I'm not so sure! (where have I seen that before, lol).

It looks like Hayley is starting to produce a "love her or hate her" split... always a good sign, I think! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Also, 51 minutes isn't a short CD - except for compilations. I'd say it's average. And the longest you can get on a standard CD isn't 81 minutes like he says... it's 74 minutes and a bit. He should get his facts right. I guess he's one of the "hate her" crowd if he's reduced to making stuff up like that.

PS... I have the debut CD by Nicola Benedetti - and that's 73 minutes and 8 seconds long. Maybe Hayley could do that on the UK edition of Odyssey to get it in the Classical charts? Then, she'd have to drop hardly any of the existing tracks!

[Richard]

Thank you for the link Belinda!

I've hidden the full url of the link on your post because the forum software throws a wobbly when it sees a comma!

I agree it is a rather strange review, but I think the press will always be undecided about Hayley and other singers with such eclectic style. I like the way they leave the rating to the readers, which proves something we've known all along:-

The fans know best! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Bye for now,

Richard

[Raymond]

Odyssey
Hong Kong Edition
Review

I have just bought my copy of 'Odyssey' today. The price is HK$99 (about British Pound 7.1, New Zealand Dollar 18.1, U.S. Dollar 12.7, Euro 10.4). I think it is very very good. It is very good to start the album with 'Prayer'. It is the beginning of 'Odyssey'. One song is followed by another, all is very good.

Hayley has improved a lot. I also think the choice of songs is very good. I have listened to the album for many times. I can't choose my favourites because all of them are very good. I especially like 'Dell' Amore Non Si Sa' and 'Never saw blue'. 'May it be' is also very good. I can't say Hayley's version beats Enya's version because Enya's version is also very good, but Hayley's version is very good too and it is better than the version on the DVD. This shows Hayley has improved a lot. 'Bachianas Brasileiras' also shows Hayley has improved a lot.

The booklet is also very good. It contains some beautiful pictures of Hayley. But it is even better if the lyrics are included.

This album is surely an ODYSSEY. Thank you, Hayley.


Cheers,
Raymond

[Richard]

emmettb said:

Good to see you were able to pick it up in HMV, was it only released now as an import?? I'm still waiting for my 2 copies from NZ. Bad Irish post

Hello Emmett!

Yes, the version on sale in HMV is imported from Australia. I'm not sure how many copies there are in the UK, but Denis has bought one in Manchester this morning. I'm hoping the import version won't affect sales of the UK version when it is released next month.

I hope your copies arrive from New Zealand soon.

See you again soon,

Richard

[Belinda]

Great to see so many have already had the opportunity to hear Odyssey.
Richard thanks for dealing with that url,
This i think should be my 100th post,
is the HMV store the only Cd store in London or just the most popular.?
Kcuteus1 from what you say does that mean you will not be getting Odyssey,that would be a shame,if you think its to short ,play it again.
Roger great review as always,How many times have you listened to it ,Yours will be one of the first autographed copies of Odyssey in the UK.

[Richard]

Hello again Belinda, and congratulations on your 100th post!

There are plenty of CD stores in London, but it appears the Australian version of "Odyssey" is only available as an import in selected branches of HMV. I bought mine on Monday at 362 Oxford Street, but I couldn't find it at 150 Oxford Street this morning. Denis bought his copy at HMV, Trafford Park near Manchester this morning, so there are copies available in the UK outside London. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

If I see any copies in other shops (e.g. Virgin Megastores or Borders), I'll let everybody know.

See you on 22nd September,

Richard

[Dave]

richnorri said:

emmettb said:

Good to see you were able to pick it up in HMV, was it only released now as an import?? I'm still waiting for my 2 copies from NZ. Bad Irish post

Hello Emmett!

Yes, the version on sale in HMV is imported from Australia. I'm not sure how many copies there are in the UK, but Denis has bought one in Manchester this morning. I'm hoping the import version won't affect sales of the UK version when it is released next month.

Hi Richard, would you believe it I've been thinking about the import situation too, in the UK.. But I don't think we need to worry. If Odyssey sold around 400 a week on import, that's only 2,000 in total before the UK release date. I think Odyssey will sell more than Pure in its first week over here, so that means over 20,000, a top ten placing - and a two thousand either way would only make a couple of chart places difference in the first week, after that no difference at all. But from what I've read so far, there won't be enough imported copies around to sell anywhere near 400 a week.

If I am completely wrong and HMV roll these imports out to all their stores, and it sells say twice that number, it would get into the top 200 pop chart - before the release date! That would cause such a buzz that the free publicity would probably improve its overall sales not harm them. I bet most people who would pay £18 for the imported version would also buy the UK version when it comes out so I think it's a win-win situation

There, I've convinced myself; I feel better now! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Cheers, Dave

[roger]

belinda said:

Great to see so many have already had the opportunity to hear Odyssey.
Richard thanks for dealing with that url,
This i think should be my 100th post,
is the HMV store the only Cd store in London or just the most popular.?
Kcuteus1 from what you say does that mean you will not be getting Odyssey,that would be a shame,if you think its to short ,play it again.
Roger great review as always,How many times have you listened to it ,Yours will be one of the first autographed copies of Odyssey in the UK.

Hi Belinda,

Indeed congratulations on your centenary!

Richard has indicated that there are other stores in London. I would add that there are numerous other branches of HMV in London as well as the two that frequently get a mention here. I don't know if this is true but I once read in Gramaphone Magazine that HMV in Oxford Street is the largest CD store in the whole of Europe. I never know which is which by the street numbers but it must be the one between Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road - the one I frequently visit!

I listened to Odyssey eight times yesterday (the day it arrived) and once this morning before going to work! Oh, I almost forgot, it's on again now! Well, there's a surprise!

Roger

[HWI]

At last, I have found that I can finally write my review of Odyssey. It has been difficult to do so because, every time I play it, I can hardly see the keyboard for the tears of joy, wonder, and sheer pleasure I am filled with.

It has been mentioned that Odyssey is a short album. It isn't, it's about average. I have a growing collection of CDs and, the shortest complete album I have is about 34 minutes. So, Odyssey is 50% longer than that.

Now down to my review:

Prayer This has a definite Celtic, Enya, feel to it. Apart from Enya, I have heard very few who can pull off this sound and, with this offering from Hayley, I would say "Enya watch out, your crown is in danger". This is such a peaceful and wistful piece. Very restful and yet impressing the listener immediately with the clarity and precision with which Hayley sings. This is a perfect example of how a great voice sounds - that purity of a bell-like tone.

Never Saw Blue This could not possibly have been anywhere else other than the second track. it is a perfect step up from the previous one. The listener is taken effortlessly up to the next level. A beautiful melody, a song of wonder, and a voice which gives it a fourth dimension - one which takes you into the song itself. This has got to be released as a single - and not just in Japan.

Dell' Amore Non Si Sa Hayley's opening verse on this, in English, is yet another natural progression, taking you up to the next level. The tune is much more dramatic in feel and, as we get to the end of the first verse, it almost has the feel of that famous effect - the Rossini Crescendo. Then we have Andrea Bocelli and this gives it an even bigger "wow factor". They sing alternately, with the tune just getting bigger as we go. Then it happens, both Hayley and Andrea at the same time. The effect makes the small hairs on my neck tingle with the sheer beauty of the whole thing. What a perfect duet partnership.

Ave Maria (Caccini) Hayley has sung several Ave Marias now, but that does not detract from this one in any way. I was first sent this one as a file attachment to an email by Hayley's manager 7 weeks ago. I listened and sat there open-mouthed all the way through. Thankfully there were no flies in the room. I couldn't believe what I had just heard, so I had to play it again immediately - and again, and again, and again. Until I finally stopped it nearly four hours later. Sorry I didn't share it folks but, I was asked not to so as not to spoil it for others when they finally heard the album. This has got to be one of the most beautiful Ave Marias ever.

Both Sides Now Joni Mitchell - yes, I am old enough to remember her. Of all the versions of this song I have heard over the years, I had heard none better than hers. Until now, that is. It takes a superstar to consistently produce cover versions of massive hits, which are better than any that have gone before. That is Hayley. Since I first got to know of Hayley way back in July 0f 2001, I have not known her fail to produce the very best from every one of them.

What You Never Know Hayley's first co-writing credit. And what a fabulous job she has done. So far, we have taken a natural step up to a higher level with each song. Now, we are sent a curve-ball as we are taken on a leap which is not only up, but sideways into a completely different realm. It just has to be heard to be believed. I have heard this now so many times I can't remember the count. And I still can't believe it - even though I am so familiar with Hayley's ability to do this. And to do so in such a completely effortless way.

May It Be This song just has so much going for it that it is hard to put into words. Another complete change of direction. Another masterly stroke. And, again, in my opinion, far superior to the original. I get a distinct prayer-like feel from this. Hayley's control is nothing short of brilliant. And, this just shows that the range of styles Hayley can fit into her fabulous voice has no limit. Vibrato level is absolutely perfect. Again, Hayley shows her artistry by knowing exactly how much vibrato to use in each and every song.

Quanta Qualia I found it difficult to think of a piece with any similar feel to this song. Then it hit me, The theme to the movie "The Mission" is not dissimilar. And this has the same kind of almost covert power to it. A definite religious anthem feel. And one which could not have been done better.

Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5 Aria (Cantilena) With a voice like Hayley's, who needs words? Apart from us, that is, when we try to explain to people just what we find in that complete universe which is Hayley's music. In this one, words would be superfluous. Music in itself is a universal language. And, here, Hayley sings all the words of all the languages in the world. Close your eyes and she takes you soaring away from this earth into a realm which is absloute paradise. I nearly said 'pure', but thought better of it.

She Moves Through The Fair I have waited for years to hear this done again by a top singer. To say that I am ecstatic that it has been done by someone I consider to be the best singer in the world today would be an understatement. This is real Celtic music. Very stirring, very deep. And Hayley's gift to us of this one gives it a quality beyond anything I could have imagined. If you can sense the feeling of iced water running down your back, this is it.

I Say Grace Different again. Another new dimension. Is there anything Hayley cannot do? Not that I have come across yet. She can sing gentle classical style, Celtic, Traditional, Maori, popular, religious, spiritual. She has proved she can not only sing swing, but she can really swing (Chattanooga Choo Choo). And she can do all of these, and much more besides, with total mastery. I also think of "Down By The River" here. Listening to Hayley produce all these different styles simply takes the listener on a rollercoaster ride of emotion. And this song is like riding "The Big One".

My Heart Belongs To You What a climax to the album! A perfect conclusion to a perfect album. But, the last one was perfect, so Hayley has shown yet again that she has this uncanny ability to improve on perfection time and time again.

If anything, the blend of songs on Odyssey has taken us all to ever greater heights. Hayley wafts us away on the wings of gentle songs, lifts our spirits and makes them soar with others, eases us down gently as she takes us away in a different direction, raises us up again, and then finishes on high, leaving us feeling elated. I love it. I love every second of it.

Thank you, Hayley, for yet another experience far beyond anything I could have ever hoped for.

Keith.