BEE GEES

Odessa (Deluxe Edition)

$39.98 CD

 “ODESSA's all-embracing theme is the Bee Gees' boundless creativity. Simple acoustic songs mix with orchestral overtures; humble tales of love and friendship sit alongside complex stories of fantasy and the forgotten. The end result is a collection that grows richer with every play.”
 - from new liner notes by Andrew Sandoval 

 Originally released as a 2-LP set in 1969, ODESSA marked an early and extraordinary creative peak in the legendary career of the Brothers Gibb - Barry, Maurice and Robin. Their only double studio album, the Bee Gees' pop masterpiece drew comparisons to the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in its depth, vision and spectacular production. Reprise revisits this classic work on the occasion of its 40th anniversary with a three-disc ODESSA: DELUXE EDITION, featuring the original stereo and mono mixes as well as a full disc of previously unreleased material. The set, a milestone in the ongoing restoration of the Bee Gees historic catalog, is presented in packaging that reproduces the '69 release's lavish red-flocked cover.  

 Disc One of the DELUXE EDITION features the original stereo mixes of ODESSA's 17 songs. Classic tracks include the acoustic-based “Marley Purt Drive,” the orchestral “First Of May” and the epic title track, “Odessa (City On The Black Sea).” 

 Disc Two of the collection marks the U.S. debut of the original mono mixes of the original 17-song track listing (in 1969, the mono versions were released worldwide, but not in North America). 

 Disc Three introduces 22 previously unissued tracks, including demos or alternate takes for all but one cut from ODESSA, as well as two songs from the original sessions that weren't on the album - “Pity” and “Nobody's Fool.” Also featured is a rare 30-second spot promoting the release. Highlights include a demo and an alternate take on “Melody Fair” (the latter revealing Maurice Gibb's Mellotron artistry) and the demo for “Odessa.” 

 ODESSA: DELUXE EDITION contains new liner notes and track-by-track commentary from music historian, author, and musician Andrew Sandoval. His overview sheds light on the making of the album, which was mostly recorded during one week at the legendary Atlantic Recording Studios in New York City in 1968. Encouraged by their manager/mentor Robert Stigwood to pursue a more expansive work, further sessions in London resulted in the Bee Gee's only double studio album, a work that dramatically spotlights their genius. 

Selection # 516159

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