Odyssey Number Five
Encyclopedia
Odyssey Number Five is the fourth studio album
by Australian rock band Powderfinger
, produced by Nick DiDia
and released on 4 September 2000. The album was the band's shortest yet, focusing on social, political, and emotional issues that had appeared in prior works, especially Internationalist
.
The album produced four singles
. The most successful, "My Happiness
", reached #4 on the ARIA Singles Chart, won the 2001 ARIA Music Award
for "Single of the Year", and topped Triple J's Hottest 100
in 2000. The album also featured "These Days
", which topped Triple J's Hottest 100
in 1999. The album was also ranked at number 1 in Triple J's Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time
poll in 2011.
Many critics lauded the album as Powderfinger's best work; one stated that the album was "the Finger's Crowning Glory", however, others were critical of the "imitation" contained in the album. Overall, the album won five ARIA Music Awards in 2001 and was certified platinum
seven times. Odyssey Number Five was Powderfinger's first album to chart in the United States, and the band toured extensively around North America to promote its release.
John Collins
hinted that the group's next album would be similar to their previous album, Internationalist
, while frontman Bernard Fanning
said in September 2000 that lyrics on the album, like those on "Waiting for the Sun
", were his "most personal and direct yet". Fanning said his lyrics were based on the "obstacles in the way of being in a relationship, especially in our work situation".
Powderfinger worked with producer
Nick DiDia
on Odyssey Number Five, as they had done on Internationalist, finishing the album in August 2000 after six weeks of recording. The band spent this time ensuring higher quality songs than on Internationalist, which had featured out-of-tune guitars on "Passenger
".
Odyssey Number Five was Powderfinger's shortest album when recorded, running for approximately 45 minutes. The focus of the album centered on restraint, with more simplistic lyrics than previously, and with a plain and simple message intended. Fanning said of his songwriting ethic: "You try and make it something that’s got some substance, but also, you can never do that at the cost of it having relevance to what you’re singing." Powderfinger manager Paul Piticco
commented that "their ethos is to be pushing the limits of their songwriting ability".
Like Powderfinger's previous album Internationalist, Odyssey Number Five commented on social
and political
issues heavily, with the primary point of focus being Aboriginal affairs. The lyrics of "Like a Dog" attacked former Prime Minister of Australia
John Howard
's Liberal
government for its treatment of Indigenous Australians
, and for breaking the "relaxed and comfortable" promise he made in the Australian federal election, 1996. Lead singer Bernard Fanning
related this to the band's other ethical stances—refusing to appear on Hey Hey it's Saturday
, for its anti-gay commentary, or not allowing Powderfinger songs to be used in jingle
s, amongst others—stating, "We're not here to set an example. We just want to be happy with ourselves and not end up with a guilty conscience." Fanning said that despite "Like a Dog" being about a political issue, it was not a political song, rather just Powderfinger "voicing our opinions". The band worked with boxer Anthony Mundine
on the song's music video, whom Fanning praised as "the perfect lead, in terms of what the song is about and the fact that he’s prepared to speak up for what he believes in."
As well as providing social commentary, Odyssey Number Five also discussed love, a recurring motif in Fanning's songwriting. Fanning noted that one of the causes of this was his passion for soul and gospel music
, stating that he "listen[s] to a lot of soul music that's unashamedly about love and how good it makes you feel". Lead guitarist Ian Haug
agreed, and also noted that the band as a whole were fully committed to Fanning's lyrics, stating "It's really important for us to agree with what Bernard is singing."
Odyssey Number Five marked Powderfinger's first successful attempt to enter the United States market. Fanning told Billboard in a 2001 interview that the band were not taking anything for granted, however, stating, "In America, we haven't really done any work yet to deserve any major popularity", with the "vibes" on previous albums failing to reach the American mainstream. Powderfinger toured extensively around the country, performing in 22 cities. As a result of these efforts, "My Happiness
" was briefly placed on rotation on KROQ-FM
and several other radio station
s. The song ultimately peaked at #23 on the Modern Rock Tracks
chart. This success was assisted by the band appearing on Late Night with David Letterman
, and by supporting Coldplay
on tour. Guitarist Darren Middleton
summarised their work in the United States by stating "This year has been a bit of a blur."
/Universal record labels. The album was released in the United Kingdom on Polydor, with 15 minutes of video and an additional track Nature Boy, at a later date. A sampler version was released in the United States in 2001, containing five tracks.
Four singles
were released from the album. "My Kind of Scene
" was the first; released as a promotional single in June 2000. The track was written for the 2000 film Mission: Impossible II
, and appeared on its soundtrack. Collins and Middleton recalled that the song was written and produced with photos of Tom Cruise
and Nicole Kidman
on the wall of the band's studio "as inspiration". They noted that the band made three songs in response to the Mission: Impossible II request, and that "My Kind of Scene" was chosen over "Up & Down & Back Again" and "Whatever Makes You Happy".
The second single from the album was "My Happiness
", released on 14 August 2000 in Australia. "My Happiness" entered the ARIA Singles Chart
at #4, and spent 24 weeks on the chart, making it Powderfinger's highest charting single in Australia. It peaked at #7 on the New Zealand singles chart, and spent 23 weeks in the top 50. Furthermore, "My Happiness" was Powderfinger's first single to chart in the USA, reaching #23 on the Modern Rock Tracks
chart.
"Like a Dog" was released as the third single on 15 January 2001. The song was heavy in political sentiment, akin to "The Day You Come
" on Internationalist. The riff
for the song was written by Ian Haug
, and the song's music video featured Australian Aboriginal boxer
Anthony Mundine
, and was based on the 1980 Martin Scorsese
film Raging Bull. Drummer
Jon Coghill
said the song revolved around the question of "why the hell won’t John Howard say sorry to the Aboriginal people!" "Like a Dog" spent one week on the ARIA Singles Chart, at #40.
Two songs from the album, "The Metre
" and "Waiting for the Sun
", were released as a double A-side to form the final single. The single was released on 21 August 2001, and included a cover of Iron Maiden
's "Number of the Beast
". "Waiting for the Sun" was written by Fanning as a devotional, gospel
style song. He said of the song; "It’s about being in a relationship and being really heavily happy with it." "The Metre" spent one week on the ARIA Singles Chart, at #31.
reviewer Marc Weingarten gave the album a B+. He stated that album entered new "terrain" in guitar rock, complimenting the "scratching and clawing guitars", drawing comparisons to Travis
("prim") and Oasis
("mock-grandiose").
Allmusic reviewer Dean Carlson disliked the album, giving it a rating of one and a half stars. He described it as "little more than a slightly off-base perspective into the world of mid-90s American grunge", and described it as highly similar to Neil Young
. Carlson's only praise was for songs "Odyssey #5" and "My Happiness
", stating that "[t]oo often, Powderfinger is too earnest, a bit too careful in their career". Carlson noted that despite his critique, the album achieved some success in the American market.
Devon Powers of PopMatters
complimented Fanning's vocals, and said the focus of the album was "meaty, rolling ballads". Powers said that many of the songs on the album were "the kind of songs you put on repeat for hours, or days". The main critique was for the "faster numbers", stating that "Like a Dog" "sounds mostly a little bored". The review concluded by noting that the best songs on Odyssey were those not available as "fleeting radio singles and background music".
Odyssey Number Five won the 2001
ARIA Awards for "Album of the Year", "Highest Selling Album", "Best Rock Album", "Best Cover Art", and "Best Group". "My Happiness" won the award for "Single of the Year", while "Like a Dog" was nominated for "Highest Selling Single" and "Best Video". At the 2002 ARIA Awards
, "The Metre" was nominated for "Best Group". The album was named "Album of the Year" by Rolling Stone Australia
readers, with "My Happiness" taking out "Song of the Year" and Powderfinger receiving "Band of the Year".
Production
Additional musicians
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Australian rock band Powderfinger
Powderfinger
Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....
, produced by Nick DiDia
Nick DiDia
Nick DiDia is an American record producer mostly known for his work with Australian rock group Powderfinger and American pop-rock group Nine Days...
and released on 4 September 2000. The album was the band's shortest yet, focusing on social, political, and emotional issues that had appeared in prior works, especially Internationalist
Internationalist (album)
Internationalist is the third studio album by Australian alternative rock band, Powderfinger. The album was released on 7 September 1998 and was often labelled Powderfinger's most adventurous work, with greater experimentation than in previous works....
.
The album produced four singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. The most successful, "My Happiness
My Happiness (song)
"My Happiness" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. It was released on record label Universal Music Australia on 21 August 2000 as the first single from the band's fourth album, Odyssey Number Five...
", reached #4 on the ARIA Singles Chart, won the 2001 ARIA Music Award
ARIA Music Awards of 2001
The 15th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 30 October 2001 at the Capitol Theatre.-Awards:...
for "Single of the Year", and topped Triple J's Hottest 100
Triple J Hottest 100, 2000
The 2000 Triple J Hottest 100, announced in January 2001, was the eighth such countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J. As in previous years, a CD featuring 37 songs was released...
in 2000. The album also featured "These Days
These Days (Powderfinger song)
"These Days" is an alternative rock song from Powderfinger's fourth studio album, Odyssey Number Five, which was released in 2000. The song was also released on Powderfinger's 2004 compilation album Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000....
", which topped Triple J's Hottest 100
Triple J Hottest 100, 2000
The 2000 Triple J Hottest 100, announced in January 2001, was the eighth such countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J. As in previous years, a CD featuring 37 songs was released...
in 1999. The album was also ranked at number 1 in Triple J's Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time
Triple J Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time, 2011
The Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time is a listener-voted countdown of albums run by Australian radio station Triple J in June and July 2011. In May 2011, Triple J music director Richard Kingsmill announced that the station would be conducting another special Triple J Hottest 100...
poll in 2011.
Many critics lauded the album as Powderfinger's best work; one stated that the album was "the Finger's Crowning Glory", however, others were critical of the "imitation" contained in the album. Overall, the album won five ARIA Music Awards in 2001 and was certified platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
seven times. Odyssey Number Five was Powderfinger's first album to chart in the United States, and the band toured extensively around North America to promote its release.
Background, recording, and production
In a 1999 interview, Powderfinger bassistBassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
John Collins
John Collins (Australian musician)
John Andrew Collins is the mainstay bass guitarst for Australian rock band Powderfinger since 1989. He is one of the founding members of the band, along with guitarist Ian Haug, forming at their high school, Brisbane Grammar School as a three piece. Powderfinger has released seven studio albums, a...
hinted that the group's next album would be similar to their previous album, Internationalist
Internationalist (album)
Internationalist is the third studio album by Australian alternative rock band, Powderfinger. The album was released on 7 September 1998 and was often labelled Powderfinger's most adventurous work, with greater experimentation than in previous works....
, while frontman Bernard Fanning
Bernard Fanning
Bernard Joseph Fanning is a musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and frontman of Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger from its formation in 1989 to its dissolution in 2010....
said in September 2000 that lyrics on the album, like those on "Waiting for the Sun
The Metre/Waiting for the Sun
"The Metre" and "Waiting for the Sun" are two songs released together as a double A-Side single by Powderfinger in support of their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five. It was released on 27 August 2001 and reached #31 on the Australian music chart. "The Metre" and "Waiting For The Sun" both...
", were his "most personal and direct yet". Fanning said his lyrics were based on the "obstacles in the way of being in a relationship, especially in our work situation".
Powderfinger worked with producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Nick DiDia
Nick DiDia
Nick DiDia is an American record producer mostly known for his work with Australian rock group Powderfinger and American pop-rock group Nine Days...
on Odyssey Number Five, as they had done on Internationalist, finishing the album in August 2000 after six weeks of recording. The band spent this time ensuring higher quality songs than on Internationalist, which had featured out-of-tune guitars on "Passenger
Passenger (Powderfinger song)
"Passenger" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. It was released as a single on 9 August 1999, and reached #30 on the Australian music chart. The single was nominated for Single of the year in 2000 at the Australian ARIA Music Awards...
".
Odyssey Number Five was Powderfinger's shortest album when recorded, running for approximately 45 minutes. The focus of the album centered on restraint, with more simplistic lyrics than previously, and with a plain and simple message intended. Fanning said of his songwriting ethic: "You try and make it something that’s got some substance, but also, you can never do that at the cost of it having relevance to what you’re singing." Powderfinger manager Paul Piticco
Paul Piticco
Paul Piticco is the founder of Secret Service Artist Management, a musician management company and live music organiser, as well as the director of Dew Process, an independent record label...
commented that "their ethos is to be pushing the limits of their songwriting ability".
Like Powderfinger's previous album Internationalist, Odyssey Number Five commented on social
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
issues heavily, with the primary point of focus being Aboriginal affairs. The lyrics of "Like a Dog" attacked former Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
's Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
government for its treatment of Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
, and for breaking the "relaxed and comfortable" promise he made in the Australian federal election, 1996. Lead singer Bernard Fanning
Bernard Fanning
Bernard Joseph Fanning is a musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and frontman of Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger from its formation in 1989 to its dissolution in 2010....
related this to the band's other ethical stances—refusing to appear on Hey Hey it's Saturday
Hey Hey It's Saturday
Hey Hey It's Saturday was a long-running variety television program on Australian television. It initially ran for 27 years , debuting on the Nine Network on 9 October 1971 and broadcasting its last episode on 20 November 1999. Its host throughout its entire run was Daryl Somers, who would later...
, for its anti-gay commentary, or not allowing Powderfinger songs to be used in jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s, amongst others—stating, "We're not here to set an example. We just want to be happy with ourselves and not end up with a guilty conscience." Fanning said that despite "Like a Dog" being about a political issue, it was not a political song, rather just Powderfinger "voicing our opinions". The band worked with boxer Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine is an Australian professional boxer and former rugby league footballer.He is the current interim WBA Light Middleweight Champion boxer, former two-time WBA Super Middleweight Champion, former IBO Middleweight Champion and New South Wales State of Origin representative footballer....
on the song's music video, whom Fanning praised as "the perfect lead, in terms of what the song is about and the fact that he’s prepared to speak up for what he believes in."
As well as providing social commentary, Odyssey Number Five also discussed love, a recurring motif in Fanning's songwriting. Fanning noted that one of the causes of this was his passion for soul and gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, stating that he "listen[s] to a lot of soul music that's unashamedly about love and how good it makes you feel". Lead guitarist Ian Haug
Ian Haug
Ian David Haug is a lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the Australian rock band Powderfinger. Mainstays Haug and bass guitarist John Collins formed the band in Brisbane in 1989. During a hiatus in Powderfinger's career, Haug worked on a side project, The Predators, with Collins and original...
agreed, and also noted that the band as a whole were fully committed to Fanning's lyrics, stating "It's really important for us to agree with what Bernard is singing."
Odyssey Number Five marked Powderfinger's first successful attempt to enter the United States market. Fanning told Billboard in a 2001 interview that the band were not taking anything for granted, however, stating, "In America, we haven't really done any work yet to deserve any major popularity", with the "vibes" on previous albums failing to reach the American mainstream. Powderfinger toured extensively around the country, performing in 22 cities. As a result of these efforts, "My Happiness
My Happiness (song)
"My Happiness" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. It was released on record label Universal Music Australia on 21 August 2000 as the first single from the band's fourth album, Odyssey Number Five...
" was briefly placed on rotation on KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
and several other radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s. The song ultimately peaked at #23 on the Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart. This success was assisted by the band appearing on Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
, and by supporting Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
on tour. Guitarist Darren Middleton
Darren Middleton
Darren Stuart Middleton is an Australian lead guitarist for alternative rock band Powderfinger. He is also the lead singer for Drag....
summarised their work in the United States by stating "This year has been a bit of a blur."
Album and single releases
Odyssey Number Five was released on 4 September 2000, on the GrudgeGrudge Records
Grudge Records is an Australian record label. Grudge is mostly known for its rock artists, most notably Grinspoon, Skunkhour and Powderfinger. Other artists include H-Block101 and Sean Ikin.-Artists:Current*Powderfinger*Sean Ikin*H-Block 101Previous...
/Universal record labels. The album was released in the United Kingdom on Polydor, with 15 minutes of video and an additional track Nature Boy, at a later date. A sampler version was released in the United States in 2001, containing five tracks.
Four singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
were released from the album. "My Kind of Scene
My Kind of Scene
"My Kind of Scene" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. the song was initially written for their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five however the band was requested to contribute a song to the soundtrack for the 2000 film Mission: Impossible 2...
" was the first; released as a promotional single in June 2000. The track was written for the 2000 film Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible II
Mission: Impossible II is a 2000 action film directed by John Woo, and starring Tom Cruise, who also served as the film's producer...
, and appeared on its soundtrack. Collins and Middleton recalled that the song was written and produced with photos of Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
and Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
on the wall of the band's studio "as inspiration". They noted that the band made three songs in response to the Mission: Impossible II request, and that "My Kind of Scene" was chosen over "Up & Down & Back Again" and "Whatever Makes You Happy".
The second single from the album was "My Happiness
My Happiness (song)
"My Happiness" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. It was released on record label Universal Music Australia on 21 August 2000 as the first single from the band's fourth album, Odyssey Number Five...
", released on 14 August 2000 in Australia. "My Happiness" entered the ARIA Singles Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
at #4, and spent 24 weeks on the chart, making it Powderfinger's highest charting single in Australia. It peaked at #7 on the New Zealand singles chart, and spent 23 weeks in the top 50. Furthermore, "My Happiness" was Powderfinger's first single to chart in the USA, reaching #23 on the Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart.
"Like a Dog" was released as the third single on 15 January 2001. The song was heavy in political sentiment, akin to "The Day You Come
The Day You Come
"The Day You Come" is a song from Powderfinger's third studio album Internationalist. It was released as a single on 10 August 1998.-History:...
" on Internationalist. The riff
RIFF
The Resource Interchange File Format is a generic file container format for storing data in tagged chunks. It is primarily used to store multimedia such as sound and video, though it may also be used to store any arbitrary data....
for the song was written by Ian Haug
Ian Haug
Ian David Haug is a lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the Australian rock band Powderfinger. Mainstays Haug and bass guitarist John Collins formed the band in Brisbane in 1989. During a hiatus in Powderfinger's career, Haug worked on a side project, The Predators, with Collins and original...
, and the song's music video featured Australian Aboriginal boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine is an Australian professional boxer and former rugby league footballer.He is the current interim WBA Light Middleweight Champion boxer, former two-time WBA Super Middleweight Champion, former IBO Middleweight Champion and New South Wales State of Origin representative footballer....
, and was based on the 1980 Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
film Raging Bull. Drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Jon Coghill
Jon Coghill
Jon Coghill is an Australian drummer best known for his work with Australian rock band, Powderfinger, although he has also toured with Regurgitator. Coghill replaced Powderfinger's original drummer Steven Bishop in 1991 when Bishop wanted to pursue further studies...
said the song revolved around the question of "why the hell won’t John Howard say sorry to the Aboriginal people!" "Like a Dog" spent one week on the ARIA Singles Chart, at #40.
Two songs from the album, "The Metre
The Metre/Waiting for the Sun
"The Metre" and "Waiting for the Sun" are two songs released together as a double A-Side single by Powderfinger in support of their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five. It was released on 27 August 2001 and reached #31 on the Australian music chart. "The Metre" and "Waiting For The Sun" both...
" and "Waiting for the Sun
The Metre/Waiting for the Sun
"The Metre" and "Waiting for the Sun" are two songs released together as a double A-Side single by Powderfinger in support of their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five. It was released on 27 August 2001 and reached #31 on the Australian music chart. "The Metre" and "Waiting For The Sun" both...
", were released as a double A-side to form the final single. The single was released on 21 August 2001, and included a cover of Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
's "Number of the Beast
The Number of the Beast (song)
"The Number of the Beast" is Iron Maiden's seventh single and the second single from Iron Maiden's 1982 album of the same name. The song is inspired by both a nightmare bandleader and bassist Steve Harris had after watching the movie Damien: Omen II, and the storyline of the poem Tam o' Shanter...
". "Waiting for the Sun" was written by Fanning as a devotional, gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
style song. He said of the song; "It’s about being in a relationship and being really heavily happy with it." "The Metre" spent one week on the ARIA Singles Chart, at #31.
Reception
Odyssey Number Five mostly gained positive reviews, and was more successful than its predecessor, Internationalist. Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
reviewer Marc Weingarten gave the album a B+. He stated that album entered new "terrain" in guitar rock, complimenting the "scratching and clawing guitars", drawing comparisons to Travis
Travis (band)
Travis are a post-Britpop band from Glasgow, Scotland, comprising Fran Healy , Dougie Payne , Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose...
("prim") and Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
("mock-grandiose").
Allmusic reviewer Dean Carlson disliked the album, giving it a rating of one and a half stars. He described it as "little more than a slightly off-base perspective into the world of mid-90s American grunge", and described it as highly similar to Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
. Carlson's only praise was for songs "Odyssey #5" and "My Happiness
My Happiness (song)
"My Happiness" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. It was released on record label Universal Music Australia on 21 August 2000 as the first single from the band's fourth album, Odyssey Number Five...
", stating that "[t]oo often, Powderfinger is too earnest, a bit too careful in their career". Carlson noted that despite his critique, the album achieved some success in the American market.
Devon Powers of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
complimented Fanning's vocals, and said the focus of the album was "meaty, rolling ballads". Powers said that many of the songs on the album were "the kind of songs you put on repeat for hours, or days". The main critique was for the "faster numbers", stating that "Like a Dog" "sounds mostly a little bored". The review concluded by noting that the best songs on Odyssey were those not available as "fleeting radio singles and background music".
Odyssey Number Five won the 2001
ARIA Music Awards of 2001
The 15th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 30 October 2001 at the Capitol Theatre.-Awards:...
ARIA Awards for "Album of the Year", "Highest Selling Album", "Best Rock Album", "Best Cover Art", and "Best Group". "My Happiness" won the award for "Single of the Year", while "Like a Dog" was nominated for "Highest Selling Single" and "Best Video". At the 2002 ARIA Awards
ARIA Music Awards of 2002
The 16th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 15 October 2002 at the Sydney SuperDome.-ARIA Awards:...
, "The Metre" was nominated for "Best Group". The album was named "Album of the Year" by Rolling Stone Australia
Rolling Stone Australia
Rolling Stone Australia is an Australian-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published monthly, it is the Australian edition of the United States' Rolling Stone. Rolling Stone was initially released in Melbourne in May 1970 as a supplement in Revolution, an...
readers, with "My Happiness" taking out "Song of the Year" and Powderfinger receiving "Band of the Year".
Charts and certifications
| Chart | Peak | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| ARIA Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
#1 | |
| RIANZ Albums Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
#15 | – |
| Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical... |
#35 | – |
ARIA Awards
| Year | Nominated work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 ARIA Music Awards of 2001 The 15th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 30 October 2001 at the Capitol Theatre.-Awards:... |
Odyssey Number Five | Album of the Year | Won |
| Highest Selling Album | Won | ||
| Best Rock Album | Won | ||
| Best Cover Art | Won | ||
| Best Group | Won | ||
| "My Happiness My Happiness (song) "My Happiness" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. It was released on record label Universal Music Australia on 21 August 2000 as the first single from the band's fourth album, Odyssey Number Five... " |
Single of the Year | Won | |
| "Like a Dog" | Highest Selling Single | Nominated | |
| Best Video | Nominated | ||
| 2002 ARIA Music Awards of 2002 The 16th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 15 October 2002 at the Sydney SuperDome.-ARIA Awards:... |
"The Metre The Metre/Waiting for the Sun "The Metre" and "Waiting for the Sun" are two songs released together as a double A-Side single by Powderfinger in support of their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five. It was released on 27 August 2001 and reached #31 on the Australian music chart. "The Metre" and "Waiting For The Sun" both... " |
Best Group | Nominated |
Other accolades
| Year | Provider | Nominated work | Accolade | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Triple J Hottest 100, 2000 The 2000 Triple J Hottest 100, announced in January 2001, was the eighth such countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J. As in previous years, a CD featuring 37 songs was released... |
Triple J Triple J triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation... |
"My Happiness My Happiness (song) "My Happiness" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. It was released on record label Universal Music Australia on 21 August 2000 as the first single from the band's fourth album, Odyssey Number Five... " |
Hottest 100 Inductee Triple J Hottest 100 The Triple J Hottest 100 is an annual music poll, based on the votes of national Australian radio station Triple J listeners, in order to determine their favourite song of the year. Voting is conducted by the internet and begins roughly two weeks prior to the new year for the previous year's songs... |
No. 1 |
| "My Kind of Scene My Kind of Scene "My Kind of Scene" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. the song was initially written for their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five however the band was requested to contribute a song to the soundtrack for the 2000 film Mission: Impossible 2... " |
Hottest 100 Inductee | No. 3 | ||
| 2001 | APRA Australasian Performing Right Association The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth... |
"My Happiness My Happiness (song) "My Happiness" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. It was released on record label Universal Music Australia on 21 August 2000 as the first single from the band's fourth album, Odyssey Number Five... " |
Song of the Year | Won |
| 2010 | John O'Donnell, Toby Creswell Toby Creswell Toby Creswell is an Australian music journalist and pop-culture writer. He was editor of Rolling Stone and a founding editor of Juice. In 1986 he co-wrote, with Martin Fabinyi, his first book Too Much Ain't Enough a biography of pub rocker and former Cold Chisel vocalist Jimmy Barnes... , Craig Mathieson Craig Mathieson Craig Mathieson is an Australian music journalist and writer. His books include, Hi Fi Days and The Sell-In .-Biography:... |
Odyssey Number Five | 100 Best Australian Albums 100 Best Australian Albums 100 Best Australian Albums is a compendium of rock and pop albums of the past 50 years as compiled by music journalists Toby Creswell, Craig Mathieson and John O'Donnell. The book was published on 25 October 2010 by Hardie Grant Books... |
No. 43 |
Track listing
All songs written by Powderfinger:- "Waiting for the SunThe Metre/Waiting for the Sun"The Metre" and "Waiting for the Sun" are two songs released together as a double A-Side single by Powderfinger in support of their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five. It was released on 27 August 2001 and reached #31 on the Australian music chart. "The Metre" and "Waiting For The Sun" both...
" – 3:54 - "My HappinessMy Happiness (song)"My Happiness" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. It was released on record label Universal Music Australia on 21 August 2000 as the first single from the band's fourth album, Odyssey Number Five...
" – 4:36 - "The MetreThe Metre/Waiting for the Sun"The Metre" and "Waiting for the Sun" are two songs released together as a double A-Side single by Powderfinger in support of their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five. It was released on 27 August 2001 and reached #31 on the Australian music chart. "The Metre" and "Waiting For The Sun" both...
" – 4:33 - "Like a Dog" – 4:20
- "Odyssey #5" – 1:44
- "Up & Down & Back Again" – 4:24
- "My Kind of SceneMy Kind of Scene"My Kind of Scene" is a song by Australian rock band Powderfinger. the song was initially written for their fourth studio album Odyssey Number Five however the band was requested to contribute a song to the soundtrack for the 2000 film Mission: Impossible 2...
" – 4:37 - "These DaysThese Days (Powderfinger song)"These Days" is an alternative rock song from Powderfinger's fourth studio album, Odyssey Number Five, which was released in 2000. The song was also released on Powderfinger's 2004 compilation album Fingerprints: The Best of Powderfinger, 1994-2000....
" – 4:58 - "We Should Be Together Now" – 3:42
- "Thrilloilogy" – 6:10
- "Whatever Makes You Happy" – 2:28
- "Nature Boy" (UK release) – 3:37
Personnel
Powderfinger- Bernard FanningBernard FanningBernard Joseph Fanning is a musician and singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer and frontman of Australian alternative rock band Powderfinger from its formation in 1989 to its dissolution in 2010....
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s and vocals - Darren MiddletonDarren MiddletonDarren Stuart Middleton is an Australian lead guitarist for alternative rock band Powderfinger. He is also the lead singer for Drag....
– guitars and backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Ian HaugIan HaugIan David Haug is a lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the Australian rock band Powderfinger. Mainstays Haug and bass guitarist John Collins formed the band in Brisbane in 1989. During a hiatus in Powderfinger's career, Haug worked on a side project, The Predators, with Collins and original...
– guitars - John CollinsJohn Collins (Australian musician)John Andrew Collins is the mainstay bass guitarst for Australian rock band Powderfinger since 1989. He is one of the founding members of the band, along with guitarist Ian Haug, forming at their high school, Brisbane Grammar School as a three piece. Powderfinger has released seven studio albums, a...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
s - Jon CoghillJon CoghillJon Coghill is an Australian drummer best known for his work with Australian rock band, Powderfinger, although he has also toured with Regurgitator. Coghill replaced Powderfinger's original drummer Steven Bishop in 1991 when Bishop wanted to pursue further studies...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Production
- Nick DiDia – productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, engineering and mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may... - Matt Voigt – assistant engineering
- Anton Hagop – assistant engineer
- Stewart Whitmore – digital editing
- Stephen Marcussen – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Anton Hagop – assistant production
- Kevin Wilkins – art direction and photography
Additional musicians
- Nick DiDia – percussion
- Alex Pertout – percussion
- Matt Murphy – HammondHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, WurlitzerWurlitzerThe Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to simply as Wurlitzer, was an American company that produced stringed instruments, woodwinds, brass instruments, theatre organs, band organs, orchestrions, electronic organs, electric pianos and jukeboxes....
and prophet synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones... - Daniel Denholm – stringString instrumentA string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
s - Jun Yi Ma – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Naomi Radom – violin
- Fiona Ziegler – violin
- Jacob Plooij – violin
- Mandy Murphy – violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Felicity Wyithe – viola
- Peter Morrison – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Maxime Bibeau – contrabass guitarContrabass guitarA contrabass guitar is a low-register plucked string instrument in the guitar family with six strings.-History:Musical instruments called contrabass guitars having existed at least since 1899, when a "Grand Concert Contra Bass Guitar" was listed in Mr. Joseph Bohmann's catalogue...
- Damien Bennett – backing vocals
- Tiddas
- Lou BennettTiddasTiddas are a three piece all-girl folk band from Victoria, Australia.-Biography:Originally the three women, Amy Saunders , Lou Bennett and Sally Dastey combined their vocal talents as backing singers for Aboriginal band Djaambi, led by Saunder's brother Richard Frankland in 1990...
– backing vocals - Sally DasteyTiddasTiddas are a three piece all-girl folk band from Victoria, Australia.-Biography:Originally the three women, Amy Saunders , Lou Bennett and Sally Dastey combined their vocal talents as backing singers for Aboriginal band Djaambi, led by Saunder's brother Richard Frankland in 1990...
– backing vocals - Amy SaundersTiddasTiddas are a three piece all-girl folk band from Victoria, Australia.-Biography:Originally the three women, Amy Saunders , Lou Bennett and Sally Dastey combined their vocal talents as backing singers for Aboriginal band Djaambi, led by Saunder's brother Richard Frankland in 1990...
– backing vocals
See also
Powderfinger albums- Full discographyPowderfinger discographyThe discography of Powderfinger, an Australian rock group, consists of seven studio albums, twenty-four singles, four extended plays, three live albums, one "best of" album and four video releases....