ODYSSEY

This is mostly dark, dreamy and experimental Jazz. I must admit I was disappointed with this one after being so impressed with "Whenever I Seem So Far Away". Guitar, trombone, sax, strings and organ lead the way, although bass and drums are prominant at times.The strings and organ really give this music it's spacey and dreamy flavour. Oh and it's slow paced too.

"Darkness Falls" opens with the crying guitar of Terje that goes on for 1 1/2 minutes as bass and drums sounds can be heard in the background. Trombone then takes over for the guitar briefly until the guitar returns before 2 1/2 minutes to end it. The guitar is mournful. "Midnite" opens with bass as light drums and organ come in. The same bass line is played over and over throughout the song. Sax after 2 minutes. The song just sort of drifts along until guitar comes in around 10 1/2 minutes. Organ is more prominant after 13 minutes. A sad, repetitive track that's as cold as Norway in the winter. "Adagio" is spacey to begin with as organ comes in waves, eventually joined by strings. This is quite haunting. Sax 5 minutes in is replaced by the guitar 7 minutes in. The guitar is crying out for the most part then screaming 11 minutes in. I must admit the guitar in the latter half of this song gets on my nerves at times. Not exactly background music. Haha.

"Better Off Without You" is again spacey as guitar soundscapes come and go while organ and light drums play on. It builds slowly. Some scorching guitar sounds 5 1/2 minutes in. "Over Birkerot" sounds interesting as guitar and drums lead the way as these deep sounds come and go. The tempo picks up 2 minutes in as Terje lets it rip on his guitar. Nice. "Fare Well" has this spacey and haunting intro. Eerie guitar a minute in cries out. Sax after 2 minutes. Guitar is back after 4 minutes joined by sax. This is dark and sad folks. Guitar is prominant again before 7 minutes with french horn joining in and strings. Sax returns as guitar stops. Guitar is crying out 9 1/2 minutes in. This is slow and melancholic. "Ballade" opens with organ as trombone, bass and light drums come in. The guitar starts to make some noise until it's dominating 2 1/2 minutes in with some scorching melodies. It stops 4 minutes in as organ and sax take over.

This one is more about painting bleak soundscapes than anything else.