Bee Gees - Odessa

Sophisticated pop opus brimming with extras

The scale and scope of the Gibb Brothers’ 1969 double-album was such that its making very nearly tore them apart for good. Studio conflicts between Barry and Robin led to the latter jumping ship for a solo career, only to return to the fold two years later. Had he stayed away, we might never have got Saturday Night Fever.

They may have been unlikely candidates to produce a concept album and, in truth, Odessa was salvaged from the wreckage of more grandiose ambitions (working titles included American Opera and Masterpeace), but the end result is a collection of elaborately-crafted, albeit unrelated, songs that rank among their best ever.

Give Your Best hints at the folky pop of Crosby, Stills & Nash, while Edison is an admirable venture towards a harder-edged rock sound. The orchestral flourishes are not dissimilar to Moody Blues records of the same era, but it’s the unmistakable blend of the Gibbs’ voices and the group’s unerring sense of melody that gives the work its signature.

Rhino | 8122798866 (3-CD)

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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