POWDERFINGER
Odyssey Number Five
by Victoria Hannan

Recorded over a month at Melbourne’s famous Sing Sing studios, 'Odyssey Number Five' is set to be the most anticipated and talked about Australian release of 2000. And quite rightly so. The follow-up to 1998's award winning 'Internationalist' Powderfinger had to pull out the big guns to make an album that was not only commercially more successful than their last (in order to combat the ‘follow up album syndrome’ that seems to hurt a lot of Australian bands) but an album that is, in essence, better in every way.

‘Odyssey Number Five’ embraces everything that made 1996’s killer ‘Double Allergic’ and 1998’s ‘Internationalist’ albums so amazing and combines them into one heart-wrenchingly beautiful and brilliantly powerful epic. In its entirety, ‘Odyssey Number Five’ is a rounded package; a forty-five minute journey that takes you, as the title of one of the standout tracks suggests, ‘Up and Down and Back Again.’

Concentrating on their strengths (namely Bernard Fanning’s incredible voice) and showing no weaknesses (except maybe in their desire to put last years Hottest 100 topper ‘These Days’ on the album (though the reworking has made it a little fresher)), Powderfinger have released what will probably be the album of their career.

From the aforementioned ‘Up and Down and Back Again,’ another gem from the pen of guitarist Darren Middleton, to the soulful ‘Thrilloilogy,’ and finally to the gorgeously sublime ‘Whatever Makes You Happy,’ lyrically, Powderfinger have progressed to another level, musically moving to higher planes. Killer bass lines, detailed guitar work, beautiful vocals; can they do no wrong?

Already critically acclaimed, the five boys from Brisbane are aware that expectation can make or break a band, and aware of what it takes to reach and exceed expectation. After the release of the albums first single I was sceptical that this record could do, or more optimistically better for Powderfinger what ‘Internationalist' did, but as is always the case, they’ve blown me away. Already labelled the Australian release of the year, ‘Odyssey Number Five’ is proof of bags of talent combined with wisdom and experience. This is an album to fall in love to and an album that I’ve fallen in love with.