O - odessa, the prize (2007)

this weekend has been an exercise in nostalgia - a mini reunion tour of a band i spent many a fun year with, including one particularly wonderful summer. it was a beautiful carefree time and, as we observed this weekend, i wore a lot of flowy dresses then (less so the skinny jeans and biker boots).




flowy, happy ren. summer 2006/7

around the same time, odessa were touring their first album, 'oak park avenue', and i recall seeing their infectiously foot-tapping brand of funk live a few times in dunedin. a little later, they released 'the prize' and played a couple of shows with the band with whom i had spent the previous summer. 'the prize', as i recall, didn't receive critical acclaim, but i loved it then and i love it now. critical acclaim or otherwise, one thing these bands had in common was the ability to fill a dancefloor - with a high-energy, hardworking frontman, odessa groove, and they groove hard. funky tunes complemented by the soppier 'all your tears' and 'be patient with me' which are sweet at the best of times, but particularly at a time of happy reminscing.

odessa as we know them have sadly broken up, but their albums are still available for purchase, and they are excellent.