Odyssey - Fischerspooner > Reviews > The fishy spoons have done it again!!

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	More electro - rock at it's best !
Disadvantages:	Fans will get a shock when they first hear it

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

New York based duo, Fischerspooner return with their second album entitled "Odyssey".

Released in 2005, they've opted for a much more coherent approach this time. The songs have more emotion and expression, creating a rich, warm sound. It's definately a huge suprise for fans when they first hear this album as the expectation of more of the same is shattered with this new agenda. Huge hooks, great live drums and guitars, bouncy beats and extra catchy choruses are everywhere!!

Tracklist:

1. Just Let Go
2. Cloud
3. Never Win
4. A Kick In The Teeth
5. Everything To Gain
6. We Need A War
7. Get Confused
8. Wednesday
9. Happy
10. Ritz 107
11. All We Are
12. O

As before, I'll write a short piece about each track, so that you can get a feel for the album.

The first track "Just Let Go", introduces you gently to the new sound of Fischerspooner. In many ways the track is similar to the offerings on their previous album, #1. However, if you listen carefully you can hear that everything just seems that little bit neater. Great synths and bassline make this track a hit.

"Cloud" really suprised me when I first heard it. The track really felt like it had a purpose. It seemed like the duo were trying to tell us a story. I love this track. The synths are infectious, and it's probably my favourite on the whole album.

"Never Win" has a main hook that sounds a bit like an old disco track. In fact the whole track feels like it should be played at an old school disco. Catchy main hook, and large snare hit give it a happy, disco feel. Then the guitars kick in, and you're not quite sure what category to put the track in...but you'll love it anyway!

"A Kick In The Teeth" starts off with some spoken vocals, and then drops into a long rolling bassline. The track slowly builds up around the bassline, with the vocals leading to the beat dropping in. The chorus is really melodic and well written. I like this track a lot.

The fifth track on the album is "Everything To Gain". I think for me, this is the token, 'aaaaaaaargh i hate this' track. I don't like the offbeat and the awful notes that have been used. The notes clash on purpose, but to me it just sounds like a horrible noise. Not impressed with this one at all.

"We Need A War" feels like an old hip-hop track at the start. The intro bassline sounds like it could be from an early 90s hip hop track. It leads into the vocals, which although simple, are pretty catchy. This track is quite repetitive, but I think it just about does enough to not get boring!

"Get Confused" is a bit of a crazy track, synth wise. It sounds a bit muddled which tends to mess with your head. This is clearly planned and has been written very cleverly. Unfortunately it gave me a bit of a headache when I listened to it.

"Wednesday" is the eighth track on the album. It is mid-tempo and doesn't do too much. It is far more guitar led though and it does show off how much Fischerspooner have changed their sound.

"Happy" is a great upbeat track, which you'd hope for with a track entitled as such. This track heavily features vocals throughout, and quite a few main synths over a simple bassline. The more I listen to it, the more I like it.

"Ritz 107" is a bit of a random track. It feels almost like a soft old pop song that has been turned really electroey in places. I'm not sure whether I like this or REALLY like it. It's kinda inbetween for me. There are parts that sound really inspiring, and then they go and throw it away with something that sounds awful.

"All We Are" is the eleventh track on the album. This track is the one that most makes them sound like a band, instead of an electronic duo. I really like this and it's another fantastic example of their new sound. A strong drumbeat, with simple synths and a bass guitar make for a superb track.

The last track on the album is "O". It seems to be Fischerspooner's typical random ending track as it's rather bizarre and hard to categorise. Think electronic music, multiply it by super noise and you're almost at the point I am. I think this is a bit too noisy to be enjoyed, but it's amusing all the same.

----

It's so hard to compare this album to Fischerspooner's first album. Mainly because of the big difference in styles of the albums. This is a very different sound, and I think I'd just about say it was better than the first. The sound is certainly more polished, so for the general music fan, you'll definately find this to be easier to listen to.

This is a great step forward for Fischerspooner, and I eagerly await the future to see what they come up with next!!