Sunday, February 25, 2007

ODYSSEY


Genre:
Electronic, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style:
Gospel, Soul, Disco



















ODYSSEY (1977)
Tracklist:

01 Native New Yorker
02 Ever Lovin' Sam
03 Weekend Lover
04 You Keep Me Dancin'
05 The Woman Behind The Man
06 Easy Come, Easy Go / Hold De Mota Down
07 Golden Hands
08 Thank You God For One More Day

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/17947948/odyssey_-_odyssey__1977__.rar.html

"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)
Tracklist:

01 Single Again / What Time Does The Balloon Go Up
02 Pride
03 You Wouldn't Know A Real Live True Love If It Walked Right Up, Kissed You On The Cheek And Said Hello Baby
04 Hey Bill
05 Lilly And Harvey, Late To The Party Again
06 Lucky Star
07 Comin' Back For More
08 I Dare Ya

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/17953289/odyssey_-_1978_-_hollywood_party_tonight_.rar.html

"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 shit! 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)
Tracklist:

01 Hang Together
02 Never Had It All
03 Don't Tell Me, Tell Her
04 Down Boy
05 Follow Me (Play Follow The Leader)
06 Use It Up And Wear It Out
07 If You're Lookin' For A Way Out
08 Rooster Loose In The Barnyard

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/17964936/odyssey_-_hang_together_.rar.html

"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)
Tracklist:

01 I Got The Melody
02 Roots Suite: Ajomora / Going Back To My Roots / Bawa Awa
03 I Can't Keep Holding Back My Love
04 Baby That's All I Want
05 It Will Be Alright
06 Oh No Not My Baby
07 Hold On To Your Love

Link to download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/17956209/odyssey__-I_Got_The_Melody_1981_.rar.html

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)

Tracklist:

01 Hang Together
02 Never Had It All
03 Don't Tell Me, Tell Her
04 Down Boy
05 Follow Me (Play Follow The Leader)
06 Use It Up And Wear It Out
07 If You're Lookin' For A Way Out
08 Rooster Loose In The Barnyard

Link to download:
"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! "




















NATIVE NEW YORKER GOLDEN CLASSICS (1989)

Tracklist:

01 Native New Yorker - (12" Version)
02 Weekend Lover - (12" Version)
03 Don't Tell Me, Tell Her
04 Going Back To My Roots
05 Inside Out - (12" Version)
06 Use It Up, Wear It Out - (12" Version)
07 Together - (12" Version)
08 Easy Come, Easy Go/Hold De Mota Down - (12" Version)
09 I Got The Melody
10 Hold On To Love

Link to download:
"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."

Biography:
Odyssey was a New York City based dance music band with a laid-back Caribbean styling, which evolved from ‘The Lopez Sisters’ (Lillian and Louise Lopez) from the Virgin Islands. When Tony Reynolds (from The Philippines) joined they changed their name to ‘Odyssey’. Though their best-known single is probably their December 1977 hit ‘Native New Yorker’ (#5 UK chart) their highest UK chart position was achieved by ‘Use It Up And Wear It Out’ (1980), which achieved the #1 spot. They released five UK chart albums between 1980 & 1987.
http://www.kinemagigz.com/

Formed in New York City, vocalists Lillian, Louise and Carmen Lopez were originally known as the Lopez Sisters. Their parents came from the Virgin Islands, but they were born and raised in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. Carmen left the group in 1968 and was replaced by Tony Reynolds (b. Manila), who, after the group's first album, was replaced by Bill McEachern. Odyssey's 1977 release, 'Native New Yorker', reached the US Top 20, but the song proved more popular in the UK where it peaked at number 5. It was not until 1980 that Odyssey appeared again in the UK chart with the first of several UK hits. 'Use It Up And Wear It Out' topped the chart in June of that year, while the beautiful, soulful ballad 'If You're Looking For A Way Out' gave them their third Top 10 hit. Two more effortless pop/soul offerings, 'Going Back To My Roots' (1981) and 'Inside Out' (1982), reached the Top 5. However, the lack of sustained success at home hampered the group's wider progress and they latterly broke up.
http://www.70disco.com/odyssey.htm
ALBUMS:
Odyssey (RCA 1977)
Hollywood Party Tonight (RCA 1978)
Hang Together (RCA 1980)
I Got The Melody (RCA 1981)
Happy Together (RCA 1982)
Joy (Hot Records 1985)

More info:

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for the amazing post. It's always great to hear some vintage disco.

There's one small problem, though - the file for HOLLYWOOD PARTY TONIGHT comes out corrupted when you download it - the 7th and 8th tracks are missing and the 6th can't be extracted from the archive. Just thought you should know...

1:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That was super fast! Thanks for taking care of that so quickly - and thanks as always for the great, danceable music.

5:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

For Beebs: Black Box "I Don't Know Anybody Else" U.S. CD Maxi Single. Tracks: 1 We Got Sal Soul Mix, 2 DJ Lelewel Mix, 3 Acapella, 4 Hurley's House Mix, 5 Hurley's House Dub, 6 Deep House Instrumental! Vocals by Martha Wash! CLASSIC!!

http://www.sendspace.com/file/3a0dhd

9:30 PM  
Blogger Disco Lover said...

Hi, I'm new to your blog and it has taken me some time to get to this post NATIVE NEW YORKER GOLDEN CLASSICS (1989) and of course the archive is quite old and the download file is no longer there. Is it possible to re-post? I have enjoyed reading your posting..a lot of facts that I didn't know about. Thanks.

7:59 PM  
Blogger stichis said...

That's just great. I really enjoed the Odyssey part. Thank you for it. But there is one problem. The download on rapidshare for the album "Odyssey - Hang Together 1980" does not work anymore. Would you be so kind and reactivate it again. Thank you in advance.

Greetings
Kusithekus

1:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

please reupload all archives oddyse
many are deleted.
tanks

8:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi,updated links (01.04.2008)!!

ODYSSEY (1977)
http://rapidshare.com/files/99764784/ody77.rar.html

HOLLYWOOD PARTY TONIGHT (1978)http://rapidshare.com/files/99759296/party_tonight.rar.html

HANG TOGETHER (1980)
http://rapidshare.com/files/99772203/hang_together.rar.html

I GOT THE MELODY (1981)
http://rapidshare.com/files/99771866/The_Melody_.rar.html

HAPPY TOGETHER (1982)
http://rapidshare.com/files/99745780/happy_together.rar.html

NATIVE NEW YORKER GOLDEN CLASSICS (1989)http://rapidshare.com/files/99764444/nativeny.rar.html

salty

5:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

AW MAn!! The scan of the first Odyssey album is BEAUTIFUL. Dang! That made my night! ThankYOU!!

11:22 PM  
Blogger djkoss said...

Thanks "the best song" Thanks

7:29 PM  
Blogger DJ Mista Reese said...

thanks for the re up on the odyssey posts .. i've ben all over trying to find them

12:06 PM  
Anonymous schezar5 said...

Hi,

Many thanks for that post, those albums are very hard to find on the Internet.

Unfortunately the rapidshare links are dead, could you please kindly re-upload them ?

I really wish to have these in my collection, thank you so much in advance,

Best,

1:59 PM  

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