Odessa: here to stay
by Michelle King
My first experience of the 70’s, garage style, pop-rock band, Odessa was in an overcrowded, sweaty, backroom bar in Auckland three years ago.
But with the recent release of their new album, The Prize, Odessa has come a long way.
If you were to close your eyes and listen to their music what you might imagine is a James Brown sounding, old-school funk, pop group.
But what you actually see is a highly caffeinated version of the soul brother.
Matt Pender, the lead singer is a dancing phenomenon. With his Michael Jackson moon walk and gyrating hips, you literally cannot stop watching him.
Odessa consists of four band members, Matt ‘Puba’ Swain on drums, Paul Mouncey on bass, Daniel Ryland the guitarist and singer/dancer Matt. On the surface these boys seem like your average, artistic, awkward-looking Wellingtonians, expect the boys all wear suits and Matt looks remarkably like a smaller version of 007.
The new album, The Prize, focuses on Matt’s vocals which are best described as a mix of Aretha Franklin and Jimmy Hendrix. This album has a very tight beats with a strong country/old-school soul sound.
With the blues influence this album has a unique flavour that easily transcends generations, for example your mum might like it.
While the album won’t disappoint, I recommend watching Odessa in action as Matt is a sight to behold with his seemly crotchless pants.
Matt’s stage performance is smoothly complimented by the well rehearsed sounds. Put simply: these boys know how to rock ‘n roll.
Bands with stage performances like Odessa run the risk that the lead singer’s on-stage antics could out do their musical talent or worse still cause the CD version to disappoint.
However, with over 200 live performances in three years, the release of their two albums Oak Park Avenue and The Prize, it seems like Odessa are here to stay.