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Odyssey | 
| Artist: Hayley Westenra
Creators: Giulio Caccini, Aldo Caporuscio, Enya, Mark J. Franzel Jeff / Kimmel Tom / Luna, Patrick Hawes, Fionnuala Lovland Rolf / Sherry, Andrea Malavasi Mauro / Leo Z / Sandri, Joni Mitchell, Stephan Moccio
Label: Decca
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $9.94
You Save: $9.04 (48%)
New (16) Used (14) Collectible (1) from $8.95
Rating:  70 reviews
Sales Rank: 19538
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 000544002
UPC: 028947571780
EAN: 0028947571780
ASIN: B000AXWHPI
Release Date: October 18, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Prayer | | • | Both Sides Now | | • | Never Saw Blue Like That | | • | Dell'amore Non Si Sa | | • | What You Never Know (Won't Hurt You) | | • | May It Be | | • | Quanta Qualia | | • | You Are Water | | • | She Moves Through the Fair | | • | My Heart Belongs to You | | • | Ave Maria | | • | I Say Grace |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
Hayley Westenra's new album Odyssey was always going to be a different proposition to Pure, the record-breaking 2003 collection which marked her international debut. A lot has happened to the young New Zealander over the past two or three years--and those changes are clearly reflected by a record which encapsulates her growth from a budding teenage prodigy into a mature young woman.Now, at 18, Hayley is ready to show the world how much she has grown up, both as an artist and as an individual. Fans of Pure will be pleasantly surprised by her new album. Her wonderful voice retains its crystal-clear purity, but Westenra's singing is now richer and more rounded than before. Touring the world and singing in some of its greatest concert venues, such as the Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, and Carnegie Hall, has worked wonders for her confidence. Suitably emboldened, she has embraced an even wider range of musical styles including classical, hymns, folk and pop."I was happy with Pure at the time, but I've moved on so much," says Hayley. "It's really exciting to have something new out there for people to listen to. I wanted to make a record that represented me as a person. And I think I've improved as a vocalist."Variety is certainly one of the keywords with Hayley's new album. When she first entered a recording studio in New Zealand as a 12-year-old, Westenra restricted herself to classical pieces and show tunes. Now, in addition to impressive takes on classical works, Hayley uses her new album to perform an inspired cover of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and has arranged and written much of the material. "I like to push myself, and I'm now confident enough to try different things. I have been much more involved behind the scenes with this album--I wanted to put my individual stamp on each song."With her career stretching out promisingly before her, Hayley is also keen to continue experimenting. She is still primarily a classical crossover artist but she also wants to keep broadening those musical horizons. Three years after her international debut CD, Hayley Westenra is still pure: she exudes pure quality and she remains pure class--but her musical journey continues with her new album Odyssey.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 65 more reviews...
 Spiritual and Beautiful October 20, 2005
James Tsai (Arcadia, CA)
79 out of 81 found this review helpful
Since purchasing her first major album Pure, I've been eagerly awaiting Odyssey. I am not disappointed at all. She retains her crystal-clear singing-style, but at the same time improved on her articulation and expression to the songs.
Among my favorite songs are "Both Sides Now", "What You Never Know", "May It Be", and "Never Saw Blue". I know, that's like a third of the album. :)
Overall, this album has a very spiritual feel to it. Even the blue colors on the album gives it a very contemplative feeling. It's great all-around listening and helps me relax, especially when I'm driving in southern CA traffic.
One last comment, I'm very impressed by Hayley's mature, intuitive, and realistic approach to her singing. She seems to really knows her strengths, and the songs she chooses to sing has a technical perfection to them. I just hope that her transition from a child prodigy to a international artist will be smooth and she will be able to share her gifts with us for a long time.
What an Odyssey October 27, 2005
Roger M (HWI) (UK)
42 out of 42 found this review helpful
This Odyssey - this second fantastic journey - for Hayley and for all of us is about to begin.....
'Prayer' opens with unaccompanied vocals from Hayley and the Conventus Choir and immediately conveys an atmosphere of peace and serenity. Members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra gradually fuse with the vocals, almost unnoticed.
The first-time listener might now expect an up-tempo number to contrast with the opening track but the fact that it doesn't happen is a stroke of genius. A second sublimely gentle song underlines the peaceful mood. Instead, the contrast is achieved by the fact that 'Never Saw Blue' begins with only piano accompaniment. I have never used this word to describe a song before but this is really pretty.
A dramatic but nevertheless fairly quiet introduction opens 'Dell Amore Non Si Sa'. The lead vocal builds towards the end of the first verse and, if you haven't read the cover notes, you may wonder where this will lead. Then suddenly, Hayley's voice gives way and that of Andrea Bocelli bursts forth. For this song, I cannot imagine a more perfect vocal partnership. Much of this song is soft and gentle (like its predecessors) but once or twice the crescendo effect is quite magnificent, especially when Hayley and Andrea sing in harmony.
Next comes Cacchini's 'Ave Maria'. For those two words to be repeated over and over again throughout the song may seem somewhat tedious. It is not. The expression and the sheer beauty of Hayley's voice carry this song to new heights within her classical repertoire.
Now comes a huge contrast. During the last two songs, we have moved gradually towards the classical genre but suddenly comes a song made popular by Joni Mitchell (and others) in the sixties - 'Both Sides Now'. The melody is simple and the somewhat fairy-tale lyric conveys an equally simple picture of clouds, of love and of life. It is the songs simplicity which makes it compelling especially when it is sung so beautifully.
'What You Never Know (Won't Hurt You)' is the long-awaited debut of Hayley as a songwriter. Although this was only co-written by her, it promises well for the future.
'May It Be' was surely always going to be a favourite. It proved highly popular on the DVD and sounds even more lovely here. The quality of Hayley's voice is outstanding. "...A promise lives within you now..." Absolutely heavenly.
'Quanta Qualia' continues the peaceful mood. The arrangement augments the natural beauty of the melody. During a brief instrumental, an oboe sounds enchanting before giving way to the more melodious sounding flute. But listen closer and it will become apparent that it is not a flute at all; it is Hayley's voice soaring blissfully into the heavens.
This is followed by 'Bachianas Brasileiras No 5 Aria (Cantilena)'. As I have indicated before, I just cannot appreciate this work. To me, the melody is fragmented and utilises many notes which do not belong to the key (which is what I meant when I previously described the melody as "unpredictable"). This causes a feeling of unrest within me. Having said that, Hayley's remarkable vocal skills are demonstrated here as well as anywhere. Every note is perfect and her lovely tone is utterly captivating.
We now come to a song that I have known for years but have never liked. Hayley has completely and immediately changed my view. 'She Moved Through the Fair', as performed here, is a truly magical work of art. From the very first note, it grabs you and does not let go! The tantalisingly beautiful combination of the Irish whistle and uilleann pipes is out of this world. It is pronounced "ill(y)an" by the way! A member of the bagpipe family, it is played with bellows beneath one arm (rather than by blowing) pushing air into the bag beneath the other which, in turn, is compressed to convey the air to the chanters. I always thought the uilleann pipes had no drone (unlike the highland pipes of Scotland, for example) but there is certainly one here.... or is it supplied by the double bass? Whatever, they have a hauntingly beautiful and unique sound which is used to such good effect.
'I Say Grace' is a gospel song which will inevitably be compared to 'Down By The River' by all those who have seen the DVD. I have to say that, for me, it doesn't compare well but that is only because the latter is exceptionally good. This song is sung with great feeling and somehow comes to life with an unexpected key change. Overall, it has a very laid-back feel which is sustained right through to the final shake of the tambourine - note the very effective rallentando.
To turn Odyssey from a remarkable and memorable album into a truly world-class masterpiece, we need a fitting but spectacular finale. We get it. 'My Heart Belongs To You' has everything. From Hayley's surprisingly low vocal opening to the peaceful but uplifting tempo; from the stunningly gorgeous harmony which Hayley provides to her own lead to the delightfully optimistic lyric; from the sound of the full orchestral backing to the closing flourish of the harp, this song is a perfect way to end this incredible journey.
May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home
from 'May It Be' by Enya
What an album. What a voice. What an Odyssey.
A Very Pretty Voice. November 8, 2005
Richard D. Cappetto (Moodus, CT United States)
46 out of 49 found this review helpful
Hayley Westenra's new CD ODYSSEY is a beautifully done Album of mostly covers. All the songs are done well and you will enjoy the whole CD. The CD starts off with a beautiful song called Prayer it has a Celtic flare as much of the album does. Hayley does nice renditions of Both Sides Now, Never Saw Blue, May it Be, You Are Water, She Moves through the fair, My Heart Belongs to You and Ave Maria. Hayley does a nice version of Andrea Bocelli's Song, Dell Amore non Si SA, Heylay sings the lines of the song in English and Bocelli sings the Chorus in Italian, and then at the end of the song Both Bocelli and Westernra sing in Italian together; It sounds wonderful. Then the Album closes with a Gospel song, which is a change up, called I Say Grace. A very good song. Overall a 5 star album and a must have for those who love beautiful singing.
Have Yourself Tied to the Mast ... October 30, 2005
Holger Wemmer (Altdorf, Germany)
26 out of 27 found this review helpful
... or else you will become totally bewitched by Hayley's sirenlike singing.
However, unlike those of the sea nymphs of ancient Greek mythology, Hayley's tunes will not prove lethal to the inclined listener but, on the contrary will put stressed-out nerves at soothing ease.
It has been said of Hayley that her vocals have a therapeutic effect, and if you listen to the opening Secret Garden-adaptation "Prayer" you will know why. Any feeling of unrest is allayed immediately when following a very calming guitar part Hayley tenderly sings: "Hush, lay down your troubled mind. The day has vanished and left us behind. And the wind, whispering soft lullabies, will soothe - so close your weary eyes." You have to listen to it to experience the full beauty of this piece.
"Dell'Amore Non Si Sa", featuring the perfectly matching talent of blind tenor Andrea Bocelli, is another highlight on Hayley's 5th album (counting in "Walking in the Air"). Their voices so ideally blend as did Andrea's and Sarah's (Brightman) on "Time to Say Good-Bye". "Tutto cambiera ... tutto rivivra ... con te," and you know what I mean.
Then, eventually on CD: "May It Be" (forgive me for my poor poetry). Being a great fan of Enya, I cannot tell you how much I delighted in listening to Hayley's cover version of this one. So entrancing, so captivating, you automatically close your eyes to be fully focused. I do miss the subsequent orchestral excerpt from Howard Shore's LOTR score, though, which was still included in the concert version of the DVD.
Finally, when you listen to Hayley's interpretations of the traditional "She Moved Through the Fair" as well as of Caccini's "Ave Maria," you can see why Hayley is hailed (or should I say hayleyed) as the "singing sensation". The clarity and purity of her voice makes you doubt that a human is singing here.
So whether you love beautiful voices or if you are simply looking for music that relaxes you after a demanding day, Hayley's ODYSSEY is for you. But beware, after listening to it you will want to buy her other albums as well including the JP- and UK-versions that differ in content as well as in arrangement. So better have yourself tied to the mast ...
 A successful bridging of the classical/popular divide December 9, 2005
Bron Mitchell (Melbourne, Australia)
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
I first heard about Hayley Westenra while visiting New Zealand in February this year. Given the enormous popularity she enjoys over in her home country, I was somewhat surprised that Australian audiences hadn't made such a fuss over her earlier albums. Upon listening to samples of 'Pure' in the store, I purchased it on the spot and was not disappointed. Hayley has a beautiful, soaring, and lyrical voice which can only get better as she matures.
'Odyssey' is a strong album which truly highlight's Hayley's musical virtuosity. The variety of songs on here demonstrate the way in which she can be equally at home singing a Joni Mitchell classic or an Italian duet, a gospel number or one of her own compositions. While some tracks are undoubtedly stronger than others (the gospel track 'I Say Grace' is probably one of the weaker pieces), I applaud Hayley's willingness to experiment with different styles. Since she is still so young, there is plenty of scope for her to explore new musical horizons.
I had a hard job choosing my favourite tracks on the album, but apart from the first song 'Prayer' which grabs you from the opening bars, they are the middle four songs (on the Australian version). First, there's Joni Mitchell's 'Both Sides Now', which I have always loved and I really enjoy her interpretation; then her own 'What You Never Know' which is deceptively simple in its melody but has the ability to transport you to another world entirely - the coda of 'I'm falling for you' sung several times feels like waves washing over, and it is one of the strongest pieces on the album. Hayley's rendition of 'May It Be' brings a tone and clarity that easily surpasses Enya's original; and 'Quanta Qualia' is like a luscious soundscape that starts small and grows in layers, with deliciously rich suspended chords sung by Conventus Choir and Hayley soaring above them. Conventus also appear on another couple of tracks.
If there is one area in which I think Hayley could improve, it's that she occasionally has a tendency to slip into vowel sounds that do not indicate the classical training she's had, and classical purists might find this slightly annoying (most noticeably she'll often sing 'ew' as opposed to 'oo'). It's not a 'nasal' or overly bright sound that you might get from some badly trained pop singers, and it's not even that out of place in the repertoire she's chosen, but I still find it distracting on what is otherwise a wonderful album. Hayley Westenra's odyssey is taking her places I'm sure she never dreamed she'd be, and I'm very glad she's letting us share the journey.
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