Fischerspooner Odyssey CD

Live Recording

Fischerspooner: Casey Spooner (vocals); Warren Fischer (piano, Wurlitzer organ, vibraslap, percussion, programming).
Additional personnel: Linda Perry, Lizzy Yoder (vocals); Slick Johnson (guitar, vibraslap); Mirwais Ahmadzaï, Tony Hoffer (guitar); Roger Manning (piano); Brian Reitzell (drums).
With the Scissor Sisters taking their campy rock revolution manifesto and running all the way up the charts with it, Fischerspooner returned in 2005 with surprisingly little hype, save that their sophomore release is "more organic" and "more rock." Odyssey is about as "rock" as New Order's synthier releases, but they're right when they say "more organic," in so much as Fischerspooner sound like a band here, one that's able to accommodate guests and deliver Linda Perry songs with conviction. Hitmaker Perry works with the duo on three breezy, "human" numbers here -- the hippy-trippy "Happy," the even more so "All We Are," and the widescreen road number "A Kick in the Teeth" -- and while they're all very pleasing, it's the handclapping funkster "Never Win" that helps the band overcome the sophomore jinx more than anything else on the album. It's the duo's "Get the Party Started," just a lot less brash and without Perry's help. If there's a "rock" influence to be found, it's in the record's pacing. Track one recalls the familiar ("Just Let Go" could be "Emerge"'s little brother), track two proves they're up to something different, track three pulls you back with an obvious hit, and then everything bounces between insular, reflective, and ambitious with spot-on pop about every third number. It feels incredibly comfortable for anyone who's enjoyed a classically constructed rock album, but the tones and temperament are still synth pop and no lover of the genre will feel betrayed. Add a cerebral set of lyrics from David Byrne for "Get Confused," a minimalist and wry poem from Susan Sontag for "We Need a War," call producer Mirwais for some help, and tack a clever Boredoms cover to the end and you've got a smart and totally successful way to follow up a "revolution or bust" debut. Odyssey is filled with vivid melodies, well-constructed soundscapes, and just the right amount of slick strangeness, but what really makes it great is that with an album so solid, it's hard to sneer at Fischerspooner. Their fabulous electro-clash revolution didn't wipe away mundane pop as promised, but Odyssey makes their transition from flag-waving fashionistas to serious, rewarding band smooth and entirely believable. ~ David Jeffries
After the tremendous response to the hit single "Emerge," Fischerspooner's 2001 debut album was re-worked and re-released in 2003 as #1. The duo delivered ODYSSEY in 2005. Group masterminds Casey Spooner and Warren Fischer still channel the spirit of early-1980s electronic pop by referencing Depeche Mode, Dead or Alive, Yaz, and Erasure. But while they come across as electro-pop traditionalists, they are firmly entrenched in the aesthetics of the DJ and '90s club culture. The sophistication of their stylistic brew and formidable studio skills is apparent throughout ODYSSEY.
In addition to their sleek, beautiful sonic surfaces, Fischerspooner construct mesmerizing synth patterns and melodic hooks that are immediately accessible. Sure to rival "Emerge" as the group's most popular dance anthem, "Just Let Go" rides along on a propulsive programmed drum beat, a winding synth-bass line, and an ecstatic chorus. "Cloud" is a dreamy reverie, contrasting with the electro-funk of "Never Win." Even when Fischerspooner gets political ("We Need a War"), their grip on pitch-perfect neo-New Wave never falters, making ODYSSEY an excellent listen from beginning to end.

Rolling Stone (p.72) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[T]his time around, the tunes are stronger and the arrangements are thicker."
Uncut (p.109) - 3 stars out of 5 - "ODYSSEY is a stronger record, boasting meatier, well-produced songs like 'Wednesday' and 'All We Are'....This is a daring album."
Mojo (Publisher) (p.95) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[I]ts many-coloured moods result in bankable Moroder moments, baroque ballads, and an ECG-blowing cover of Boredoms' 'O'."