Odyssey Reviews

• Spiritual and Beautiful

  
  By A3HJSPVQNTJB3H on 2005-10-20
  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.
  
  

• A Very Pretty Voice.

  
  By A386NVAVQV5WUO on 2005-11-08
  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.
  
  

• What an Odyssey

  
  By AQ0G6NLXAWAVF on 2005-10-27
  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.
  
  
  

• Have Yourself Tied to the Mast ...

  
  By AWQ5FF9SU6R0E on 2005-10-30
  ... 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 cambierá ... tutto rivivrá ... 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 ...
  
  

• Exceptional Effort

  
  By A2JIGX1POIC69B on 2005-10-24
  I became a fan of Hayley Westerna when she first released 'Pure'. She has a very nice voice, but like many others have said, it's untrained and very small. The album itself is very good, but I don't care for the song selection. They don't seem to have a unifying theme, and it's almost too Pop sounding to be what is now called 'classical' music. Not to mention there are only 12 on this version. I recommend the import version from the UK.
  
  
  
• A beautiful odyssey
  By A15R20PTF22II0 on 2005-10-28
  Listeners who are expecting to hear part #2 to Hayley's best-selling international debut, "Pure" will by quickly, if very pleasantly, disillusioned.
  
  Hayley is all grown up, her voice having matured at an incredibly fast rate and although she has not lost her trademark "pure" sound her voice now shimmers and soars.
  
  I recently had the privilege to hear Hayley perform some of her new pieces live and I sat in complete awe at the pure beauty and richness or her voice.
  
  An utter joy to listen to and a gorgeous album from start to finish...
  
  
• Truely amazing stuff!
  By A33I375TX6DVKZ on 2005-10-29
  After buying Pure last year, and listening to it non-stop. It was hard to believe it could get much better then that. All the tracks on Pure matched the name... pure. It was a 5 out of 5 in my eyes, though after reciently buying Odyssey last weekend, I didnt think it was possible, but it is alot better then anything I've heard! Every single track is amazing, and so far, I havent heard any songs that seem to be apart of my "skip" list, as I get to them, which unfortiently, occured every once & a while on Pure. As on Pure, I'm having a hard time picking a favorite song how ever, because I havent found a reason why any of them would be any worse then the others! Like before though, after a good 10-20 times of listening to the CD, I'm slowly finding which songs I'd much rather listen to, after so many times. Those of which include: Both Sides Now & My Heart Belongs To You.
  Now to get down to the niddy griddy of it all.
  Obviously the name of an album doesnt mean much, its the music inside that counts, like the name of a book. Though I still have a small comment over it. Odyssey is a beautiful name for a CD like this, the only problem is, unlike Pure, it doesnt really seem to fit in. I mean, why is the album actually named Odyssey? Looking up the meaning of Odyssey, it doesnt really seem to match any of the songs to my knowledge. Is there a hidden answer here? Not sure. As far as the entire theme of the album goes, I noticed the color Blue is the ideal theme. What do I have to say? Finally! Out of all colors, I dont think many match Hayley better then Blue, and I'm not just saying this because its on my list of favorite colors. Getting into the actual CD itself how ever, the track itself seemed slightly cut short, being only 12 songs on the USA version, is a slight disappointment, taking into concideration that there were 13 on Pure, and other versions of Odyssey, have more songs. Though in a way, its hard to complain at first, because the 12 songs included, live up to there name. Hayley truely has a way of singing almost any song, and having it come out beautifully!
  I was slightly disappointed to find that the CD didnt come with a small booklet including all the lyrics like in Pure though, because the first few times you listen to the CD. You find yourself synchronizing the words with the lyrics, and doing this off the internet is kind of clean cut, rather then sitting on the school bus, listening to the music on a CD player. Not a big deal, but something that will be missed the first few days.
  Overall, Hayleys voice maturing as she grows is truely making all the music she's singing, sound alot better, and I think thats why Odyssey excels where it does. And this is where I take my bow, leaving a 5 out of 5 stars.
  
  
• A successful bridging of the classical/popular divide
  By A2P03WXQ95GSH7 on 2005-12-09
  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.
  
  
• Excellent, a must have
  By A2RG1CBY3I1W9H on 2006-03-25
  Since I live in south america, I didn't actually stumble across Hayley until a couple months ago, while surfing my recommendations at Amazon, and I'm glad I did. I was back then looking for something a là Sarah Brightman, and even when what I found wasnt actually like her, what I found happened to be excellent.
  
  Odyssey, Hayley's second international album comes in two versions, australian and US, and both are really great. The album generally has a really light feeling, which makes it really easy to get into it and helps it to grow on you. Though it doesnt follow a single style, like Mrs. Brightman's albums do, Odyssey becomes a single piece really easily and fast, and you'll find yourself easily listening to it over and over. Here is a track-by-track review, comparing both versions:
  
  1-Prayer: A great opening, though it takes abit for it to grow into you. However, once it does you simply won't want to stop listening to it. Also, Hayley's angelical voice serves as a great intro to the album in this song. Not the best one in the album, but surely a really great one.
  
  2-Both Sides Now: Really great song, talks about life and experience. I couldn't love this song any less even if I wanted to.
  
  3-Never Saw Blue: Great song, a bit like Both Sides Now, Hayley shows her vocal strenght and beauty while singing sweet lyrics that could easily touch anyone's heart.
  
  4-Dell'Amore Non Si Sa (Duet with Andrea Bocelli): Another excellent song, Hayley sings softly the verses while Bocelli enters with the chorus, a great great song featuring 2 of the greatest crossover singers.
  
  5-What You Never Know (Won't Hurt you): An excellent song, a cover from Sarah Brightman's "What You Never Know" which indeed beats the original song. It has two versions, depending on the album you have. Though Hayley's voice is essencially the same in both, the arrangements are different:
  US: Nice composition, background music uses strings and soft music.
  AUS: Almost acapella, some echoes.
  I love them both, and personally couldnt choose only one of them.
  
  6-May It Be (From "The Fellowship Of The Ring"): Another cover, this time from Enya, it does really well with some strenght, and delivers an unique feeling of duty to the listener. I won't compare it with the original recording by enya simply because I do not own enya's "May It Be" single or the LOTR album, so it would not be fair. However, the song lives up to the standars of the original one, and fits really well on the album. Hayley here prooves her voice is not only high-pitched soprano, but can also be turned down to an alto tone.
  
  7-Quanta Qualia: I don't actually like this song, and it earns the price for the weakest song on the US album (Not on the AUS one). Its mainly a choir singing along with Hayley, and it becomes easily repetitive and boring.
  
  8-You Are Water [Only on the US release]: Excellent song, infact the song why I think the US release is better than the US one. It starts with some quiet acoustic strings, and then Hayley comes in with a soft voice, giving a great vibe to the song. Beautiful love song, possibly one of the best songs in the album. The AUS version also had its proper song, which is reviewed in the end of this review.
  
  9-She Moves Through The Fair: Beautiful song, originally an european folk song. It says a short tale, its pretty quiet yet its great, look for the bagpipes in it, they give a huge boost to the song. Not the best in the album, but worth it.
  
  10-My Heart Belongs To You: AUS version's final song, this one is probably the strongest love song I've heard in quite a while. Quiet verses, quickly followed with a slightly upbeat chorus, all of it sung with a really emotional tone. The version of the song differs between US/AUS, though both are really worth it:
  US version: More orchestal, the violins bend almost perfectly with the music, constantly overlapping it.
  AUS version: Less orchestal, though still an excellent one. Its more vocal driven, just as all the AUS version.
  
  11-Ave Maria: A classic song, not much to be said. Same in both versions of the album. Hayley does a great job, and the song has a great orchestation, but it simply can't stand against others in the album, specially since Hayley's voice isn't really classical-driven, in contrast to Sarah Brightman's. Not too good, not too bad, a song that simply exists.
  
  12-I Say Grace: a mainly vocal composition, it isn't bad though its clearly not the strongest song on the album, and a dissapointing way to end the US album, so I'd stay with the AUS track order, which had allthe same tracks but one (and also added an extra one not on the US version), and ended beautifully with "My Heart Belongs To You". Not a particularly good song, but not a bad one. Listenable and pleasant, but I can't really get used to its general beat.
  
  - Bachianas Brasileiras No.5 Aria (Cantilena)[AUS Version only]: In my opinion, the weakest track in the AUS version of the album (Which would explain why it got replaced for "You Are Water", an infinitely better track, in the US version). I've never got used to it, so this track is infact the one that could render the AUS version inferior to the US one, along with the price (US one is, naturally, much cheaper, not being an import).
  
  
• Bound For Stardom
  By A2J9WL26YG8EU0 on 2005-11-29
  If Hayley Westenra recorded "Pure" as a 16 year old, and now "Odyssey" as an 18 year old, I shudder to think what kind of incredible potential remains in those vocal chords. I still am not wild about the selection of about half the songs on each album, although there are some real gems on both. On "Pure", the track Wuthering Heights was a great showcase for her voice, and on "Odyssey", the first track, Prayer, just blew me away with its beauty. She also does a great job with Both Sides Now and, if you like that sort of thing, gives us a really beautiful version of Ave Maria. On some of the other tracks, however, she competes with overly ambitious instrumentals - and sometimes she gets drowned out. On another review of mine, I characterized Lara Fabian (her French albums only) as the "best voice on the planet" (if you want to know why, just listen to the track Addio del Passato on the album "En Toute Intimite". Or try her album "9". Both albums show why she's the world's premier female singer). In my humble opinion, Hayley Westenra is not there just yet, but she's only 18 and is sure closing in fast. If most of the world doesn't yet know who she is ..they sure will soon! But Hayley - improve the song selection!
  
  
• A Medley of Songs Sung by a Sweetheart's Voice
  By A1PGM42E5K0WSB on 2005-10-22
  Hayley Westenra combines songs of all kinds, from to opera to gospel to folk. Her voice is pure, angelic, and sweet to the point of breathlessness.
  
  My favorites among the twelve include Both Sides Now, Never Saw Blue, Dell'amore Non Si Sa, May it Be, You Are Water, Ave Maria, and I Say Grace.
  
  This album is my favorite for yoga and walking in the early mornings or evenings. It is so pleasurable falling asleep to the quiet, simple, and breathtaking voice of Hayley Westenra.
  
  
• A beautiful journey...
  By A3TT2SK564D8ED on 2005-10-28
  Okay this is quite possibly one of the best albums I own at the momment! I loved Hayley's first American effort Pure, but she was dangerously close to following in the earlier foot steps of Charlotte Church. Then she does a complete 180 and comes out with this amazing Sophmore effort!
  
  The duet with the great Andrea Bocelli is my favorite song off the album so far, but the last one is quickly moving up my top 10 List. The thing I enjoy most about this album, is although Hayley has an operatic style of music, her voice stands out. So many female opera singers sound the same and she just has that softness to her voice that makes you fall in love all over again.
  
  All-in-all I'd say this album was better then Pure. So if you enjoyed her first effort, then go out and purchase this one. It will be a beautiful journey!
  
  
• Hayley Shares A Soothing 'Odyssey'
  By A17EDUEF29OI4C on 2005-11-12
  Hayley Westenra reminds me a lot of Sarah Brightman before Brightman went off the deep end with "Harem". Crystalline. Angelic. Innocent. Hayley's debut cd "Pure" was a delight with some incredible highs (Benedictus) and unlistenable lows (Wuthering Heights). Her latest cd "Odyssey" is a much more polished, consistant and ethereal experience. Her age defies the ears. The disc also speaks to the wonder of a live full orchestra and their unquestionable ability to add emotion and chill to such a talented singer.
  
  For pure pop bliss, one can hardly beat "My Heart Belongs To You". Westenra also delivers a great "Both Sides Now" and sounds positively dreamy with Andrea Bocelli on "Dell'Amore Non Si Sa". She also gives "Ave Maria" its traditional solemnity and finishes up with an unexpected, bluesy and wonderful "I Say Grace". Kudos too for "May It Be" - Theme from 'Lord of the Rings'.
  
  Standouts: "Never Saw Blue" - haunting, simple, drenched in folk and "Quanta Qualia" - a highly spiritual and soaring rendition with a cathedral-like choir which will leave you breathless. Watch out for this girl.
  
  
• Hayley Westenra's Odyssey is a Journey to Paradise
  By AUMO5GY5FR9AJ on 2005-12-08
  
  This is a truly remarkable album, and it firmly establishes Hayley as the Queen of Classical Crossover, a genre that deserves much greater recognition, not only here in the UK but worldwide.
  
  To me the UK version of "Odyssey" leans heavily towards classical, more than "Pure" did, but there is also a strong folk music thread running through the album. As with the Australian version, the first song is "Prayer", a beautiful ballad which immediately introduces the listener to Hayley's gorgeous and steadily maturing voice. Next comes a duet with Andrea Bocelli, "Dell'Amore Non Si Sa", which has a semi-operatic feel to it. I like the combination of Italian and English lyrics, and although Andrea isn't one of my favourite singers, his voice does blend very nicely with Hayley's.
  
  The next track is "Never Saw Blue". This is one of my favourite tracks on the Australian version, and it sounds just as delightful here. It is followed by the first real classical track, Caccini's "Ave Maria", and Hayley's soaring vocals are amazing on this track!
  
  The next track is "What You Never Know (Won't Hurt You)", a gentle ballad that was co-written by Hayley. This is followed by "Quanta Qualia", a modern classical piece written by Patrick Hawes, again featuring Hayley's soaring vocals. Then come two well-known folk songs, Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and Enya's "May It Be" from Lord of the Rings. These two songs are quite different, and clearly demonstrate how Hayley can adapt her voice to suit many different musical styles.
  
  Now we return to the classical repertoire with "Bachianas Brasileiras No.5 Aria (Cantilena)", which features Hayley's soaring vocals with no words, and her voice really is a wonderful musical instrument on this track. This is followed by two more folk tracks, "Bridal Ballad" from the film "The Merchant Of Venice", and "The Mists Of Islay". Again Hayley's voice suits these songs perfectly.
  
  Now Hayley turns to opera, with a lovely version of Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro". Hayley's voice gives this aria a totally new, fresh sound. This is followed by Mozart's "Laudate Dominum", and Hayley sings this one so beautifully it is definitely one of my favourite tracks on the album. Almost without a break, Hayley then sings the delightful lullaby "Wiegenlied" in German, proving that language is no barrier for her.
  
  Next comes "She Moves Through The Fair", with a different arrangement from that on the Australian version. This one features the Irish whistle and augmented strings instead of the pipes, but it still has a strong Celtic feel.
  
  I strongly advise everybody to have a box of tissues handy before listening to the last track. It is "Dido's Lament", and Hayley sings this with great feeling and emotion. This is a very mature song for a teenager to sing, but Hayley makes a great job of it. A very dramatic end to a wonderful album.
  
  Hayley's voice is more beautiful than ever throughout this CD, and the running order produces a very well-balanced album. The sound quality is excellent, and I must congratulate Hayley and everybody involved with the production. "Odyssey" is a truly wonderful album which firmly establishes Hayley as one of the finest singers of the 21st century!
  
  Richard Norrington
  
  
• Exquisite!
  By A3KC79AMBX9IM4 on 2006-01-06
  I have long been a fan of particularly good female voices, and quite frankly, I think she may have the most pure voice on the planet. The highest and most purely sung notes I have ever heard on any recording, I heard on "Quanta Qualia." Absolutely mesmerizing. And then to follow that up with the much more soulful "You are Water" was a stroke of genius. With some friends, we sat and compared the "Ave Marias" of several female singers, including Celine, Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church, and a few others. I even pulled out the "Flower Duet" from Delibes' opera "Lakme". There was no comparison. While each has their own strengths, Hayley's purity and strength shone with amazing intensity. Wow! And while I like her CD "Pure", this CD shows a real maturity and great promise for the future. There is not a bad cut on this CD. Everyone I have introduced to this CD has gone out and purchased it, as well. If you are truly a fan of performances of virtuousity, I venture to say that you will not be disappointed.
  
  
• Angelic
  By A1XQE21T72QUEW on 2006-03-04
  You will not be disappointed! Once again Hayley holds true to her extraordinary gift. I have never heard any other artist with such perfect command of voice. From the first song of this CD through the last it's a listening state of bliss. The only disappointment is that there are not 20 more tracks!!!so we'll just have to wait for the next CD release...
  
  
• Anything Haley Sings Is Incredible
  By A3QETO61E0C6XS on 2005-10-19
  Haley's second album Odessy is really good, I don't think it tops her first album Pure, but Odessy still showcases Haley's amazing voice and talent. Her version of Joni Mitchels' Both Sides Now, I think is Brilliant, and Her Duet with Andrea Bocelli is outstanding, overall I like her first album better but to be honest Haley's voice is so captivating, she can sing almost anything and it would still be good.
  
  
• Building upon a Proven Surefire Success
  By A1YFAMWGNC1PF3 on 2005-12-05
  Hi!
  With the superb professionalism that has shone from the first of her public offerings, Hayley Westenra's Odyssey builds upon the established reputation of Pure, which sold over 2 million copies in its first year of release winning her umpteen platinum discs in her native New Zealand and elsewhere in the world.
  
  Already at Gold in the UK and New Zealand, in Odyssey, Hayley Westenra is careful to hold to a body of work of which her established fans will be familiar, while branching out in different ways with new challenges within the selection of songs. In Prayer she explores the subtleties her increasing range of options lends her and follows with the challenging rendition of Caccini's Ave Maria.
  
  Still only 17 when this CD was recorded, she adds her own creativity to 'What You Never Know' (and throughout the CD,)encouraging us to watch for future Westenra compositions.
  
  As she did with 'Wuthering Heights' in Pure, so she does with the Joni Mitchell song 'Both Sides Now': she delivers a rendition superior to the originls, in my view. Partly it is the voice, that singular unique tone that is hers and partly, in this second song it is her contribution to the arrangement as well.
  
  'The Lord of the Rings' 'May It Be' to me is far more hypnotic and emotional than the original film soundtrack. But most interestingly for me (I will refrain from just 'going on' through the numbers) is 'Wiegenleid'. I am not a linguist but I do know from those who heard a German audience respond to her that her German is excellent. She makes German gentler on the ear than I recall ever hearing it. In that I would like her to look at the songs of Schubert for some future offering.
  
  For now, this is a worthy sucessor to Pure and another layer of bricks to the foundations she is building for herself.
  
  
• Lovely voice, dull arrangements
  By ATEFLD2RHMCFO on 2005-12-15
  None of the songs on this album are actually bad, but there is nothing memorable either. Somehow the producer has managed to make a diversity of classical, pop and folk music sound almost exactly the same. By half way through I was willling it to end.
  
  On the plus side her voice has matured and she is clearly capable of attaining greatness.
  
  After the stunning Pure and her earlier New Zealand albums, this has been a let down, and she badly needs better producers and arrangers, and better guidance on song selection.
  
  
• Beautiful...A True Talent!
  By A8QG0IJ0C3MPB on 2006-01-03
  I was really surprised to read the less than stellar reviews on this CD. I think she is an extraordinary singer, and does an excellent job on "Odyssey". So what if she doesn't write her own songs! How many singers do?? What were you doing at 18!!
  
  It's a mellow CD, lots of love songs and beautiful music. My favorite is "May It Be"; I want to keep putting it on repeat, it's so mesmerizing and magical!
  If you want to just hear beautiful music from a true talent, then get this CD. I'm now going to buy the DVD to watch Hayley perform these songs.
  
  
• Boring
  By A3BT5NXVUB00O1 on 2005-12-08
  I was hoping this would be at least as good as Pure I loved so much but this is just a huge step backwards. Every song has a nasal sound to it. I wanted to cry it was so below average, so blase. My sister has a better voice.
  Each song was more boring than the next. It took effort, real effort just to listen to them. Im so depressed.
  I kinda liked Both Sides Now and even then she sorta butchered that one, to. It made me sad cause I know she had a good voice before. I dont know what happened to it as its not the same as it was on Pure.
  I like Hayley Westenra. I only wish I liked Odyssey. It is a major disappointment.
  Heres hoping the next one returns to the greatness of Pure.
  
  
  
• Her rendition of well known songs are just not up to par
  By A20VORHPDBFG72 on 2005-12-18
  This is the first CD I had from Hayley Westenra. Her voice is of course angelic, however falls flat and weak during the entire album. The biggest mistake of the arrangement is the encore of 3 songs people familiar with pop-classical/new age music already know well: Andrea Boceli's Dell'amore Non Si Sa, Sarah Brightman's What you never know and Enya's May it be, her rendition unfortunately doesn't have the power and emotion catch of the originals, which actually makes me crave for dusting up the CDs from Andrea, Sarah and Enya.
  To be fair, the other songs are generally smooth, good for easy listening.
  
  
• Better Than Il Divo
  By A1XNR23Q72N5I4 on 2006-03-02
  My wife dragged me kicking and screaming to the Il Divo concert in San Francisco, but when Hayley Westenra opened with "She Moves Through the Fair," my resistance had completely melted away. That song resonated throughout my soul. She also sang "Both Sides Now" and "May It Be" at the concert, along with a number of songs which are not on Odyssey." This 18-year-old has the ability to make me weep and make my knees grow weak with her "voice of an angel," it is so soft and pure and technically perfect.
  
  As Hayley continues to mature, she will find the perfect genre for her voice. Odyssey mixes styles from traditional Irish to Gospel to Joni Mitchell, and she does them all to perfection. But as a suggestion - and this not a criticism of the album - I would love to hear an album that is totally focused on the Celtic theme. Those are the songs that "grabbed" me the most.
  
  Thank you, Hayley!
  
  
  
• An Enchanting Voice
  By A32J48LYJ2BNNY on 2006-09-03
  Hayley Westenra, at only 18 years old, is an enchanting voice we should be hearing from for many years to come. This is an uplifting and at times, spiritual album that shows shades of greatness. Throughout, Westenra's voice is captivating, though the musical scores are at times, sub-par and do not equal the vocal talent.
  
  There was an advertising tag on this CD that stated "The female Josh Grobin", but I think a more accurate sentiment would be "a young Sarah Brightman". ODYSSEY is a fine mix of spiritual and operatic tunes, all of which match up well with Westenra's abilities. Bocelli fans will also appreciate the duet, Dell Amore Non Si Sa. They pair up for that one song, but the rest is all Westenra.
  
  This is smooth, soothing and easy listening. If you like Brightman, you will truly appreciate the voice of Westenra.
  
  
  
• Beautiful voice but disappointing album
  By A3S86URSK9BOSR on 2005-11-09
  This is disappointing following the release of Pure and the DVD concert which Hayley gave us. I can only enjoy 3 or 4 of the songs, but the album as a whole is too slow and mellow. I'm sure if they'd bought the rights to and reissued Hayley's self-titled 2001 CD and released it to the world, the music would have been much better than what was produced. This is not a criticism of Hayley, for she has one of the most beautiful voices in the world today, but rather of the producers who couldn't come up with a much better selection of songs and arrangements for her. I really do hope that her 2001 albums will be reissued for the world at a much more affordable price ($35-40 is a bit much...). I look forward to hear what albums Hayley will do in the future.
  
  
• A non syncophant and infinitely straight talk'en review
  By A28PQJ8GL50RA5 on 2005-12-04
  Some seem to be actually complaining that Hayley Westenra as not up to par with Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras. Heeheehe. Jealous schoolmates of her's from Burnside High in Christchurch i suppose. Pretty unfair comparisons. Let's get realistic about her age folks. She is only age 18. April 10th being her birthday. The newest album 'Odyssey' is a product of her 17th year, while 'Pure' was that of her 15th. Any younger and she would be in diapers. Heeheehe.
  
  Hayley's best album so far is 'Pure' and as i talk about 'Odyssey' i will clearly explain that opinion. Odyssey went the safe route and took no chances. And so the result was an unspectacular album this time in comparison to her very bold previous venture. Her music career in my opinion was ill-advized to go the ultra conservative route with this album. Why?? I have no idea. All i know is that she barely stretched her true potential on this disc on this spin around. However a couple songs on 'Odyssey' still surpass the lessor half of the songs on 'Pure'. So if 'Pure' was your cup of tea as they say in England, ...heeheehe, ...then by all means be confident in my opinion that you will find more easy listening pleasure with Hayley's latest ultra conservative music offering.
  
  In 10 years time she will still be a very young women yet. With another half dozen or so albums for us to listen too by then. Though i'd very much rather see the boldness of 'Pure' returning on the next album right away. Without wasting anymore momentum on more 'sung-a-million-times ' songs like 'Ave Maria'. Hey sorry if some like that song, but gosh i've heard Charlotte Church and others rehash some of these 'training grade' 'vocal lesson' songs ad nauseum ad infinitum. Heeheehe. Yes i can't stand most opera. It's about as cool as watching plants grow. "Snore." "ZZzzzzz". So i'm strongly biased towards much more interesting music. Like 'Both Sides Now' and 'What You Never Know'. Those two songs were adventurous and bold. For instance. When i go out in the wilderness i load up for bear by using all high-brass magnums with alot of firepower. No dudes. Heeheehe. It would be nice to have an ENTIRE album be like that, but i'm not going to get all in a bind about it like some other reviewers of 'Odyssey' have. 99-cent per song purchases solve everything. (snicker) No problem here with this ol' prospecter. I'll always find a few shiny nuggets. heeheehe.
  
  
• Bad Covers Honey!
  By on 2005-12-20
  Don't get me wrong, Hayley is alright. She has a pretty voice in all, but doing an album of almost all covers?? NO!! Sarah Brightman did a totally better job on "What You Never Know" & NOBODY can do covers of Joni Mitchell. Hayley, honey, WRITE YOUR OWN STUFF!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  
• Innocence with just a hint of seduction.
  By A3SUKS820JU8TJ on 2006-01-23
  I've never been to New Zealand, but hearing Hayley's singing makes me long to see the country that gave birth to such an incredible talent. The sweeping vista's and friendly spirit of that place are embodied in the voice of this marvelous woman. While she still exudes the innocence of a child, her voice has just enough depth and feeling to bring her into the mainstream classical-pop crossover world. The fact that many of these tracks are covers does nothing to detract from their enjoyment. Production values are superb. Each song is performed with beautiful arrangements and minimal backup singing to highlight the main event: Her Voice. "Never Saw Blue" is one of the most beautiful ballad recordings in recent memory. "You Are Water" shows grown-up Hayley in true form. I agree with several other reviewers that the Celtic edge on several songs is quite enjoyable. The real surprise is that more of us here in the states haven't yet heard of Haley Westenra. I first became aware of Hayley while watching a news piece about her working with special needs children through her music. I was so looking forward to seeing her live in-person this year. Unfortunately, it seems she hasn't garnered enough attention yet to tour in the states on her own (instead she's featured this spring on Il Divo's tour.) I just purchased her DVD instead of going to the concert. In any case, do buy Odyssey. Your spirit will thank you!
  
  
• ODYSSEY
  By A30SB3OW1UBABF on 2006-02-01
  This CD is a must. A good number of her songs, I heard last evening at the Chevrolet Theatre in Oakdalle, CT.,which are on this CD "Odyssey". She was the lead in for Il Diva last evening and she was unbelievable. Hayley is superior in her strong, captivating voice and personality. This is truely her best work thus far.
  
  
• Haunting. Angelic. Stunning.
  By ARTST8JB04TBC on 2006-02-09
  Haunting. Angelic. Here is a young New Zealander with a stunningly beautiful voice reminiscent of Charlotte Church and Loreena McKennitt, yet completely unique. Her style on this album ranges from Celtic to classical with a nice mix of pop standards. My favorites are the more Celtic flavored numbers, Prayer, May It Never (from "The Lord of the Rings"), and She Moves Through the Fair. I also enjoyed her cover of Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now, and her soulful rendition of I Say Grace.
  
  Three words keep coming to my mind: Haunting. Angelic. Stunning.
  
  Buy the CD. You'll thank me.
  
  Dr. Mike Kear
  
  
  

• Celtic Treasure
• Hayley Westenra - Live From New Zealand
• Lisa
• Celtic Woman - A New Journey: Live at Slane Castle, Ireland
• Walking in the Air