Odyssey
Odyssey (2025 Vinyl Reissue)
Actual Gone/Mowest
Aug 07, 2025
Net Unique
In 1971, Motown Data began a California subsidiary meant to increase the label’s attain and set up a base on the West Coast. They titled the brand new enterprise Mowest. In the end, Mowest launched solely 10 albums and solely lasted a number of years, however the label’s Odyssey by the band of the identical identify, reissued by Actual Gone on good-looking blue-green swirly vinyl, stands out as certainly one of Motown’s most original albums.
Initially launched in 1972, Odyssey is a very beguiling mixture of funk, soul, and California ’70s Laurel Canyon sounds, with a smidge of jazz sprinkled in for good measure. The opening observe, “House of the Courageous” feels like The Doobie Brothers. The observe that instantly follows, “Georgia Track,” is a clean soul exercise. And the track instantly following that, “Nation Tune,” prominently options banjo, fiddle, and pedal metal. “Gossamer Wings” is a string-filled feminine falsetto-sung ballad. “Wondrous Castles” have teams of youngsters laughing and singing off key. “Battened Ships” is stuffed with horns.
Issues just about go on this style for the whole thing of Odyssey. It’s a exceptional, and remarkably odd, accomplishment. The instrumentation is spectacular all through. The songs are robust. However the range from observe to trace makes Odyssey a considerably schizophrenic pay attention. It’s arduous to get right into a groove with the report, because the types preserve altering. And the truth that it was launched by Motown makes it someway even stranger. Motown made a reputation for itself within the ’70s with its “psychedelic soul” sounds from a few of its extra established teams. Odyssey’s self-titled report is essentially the most psychedelically soulful of all of them. (www.realgonemusic.com)
Writer ranking: 7.5/10
