Search - Yngwie Malmsteen :: Odyssey

Joe Lynn Turner and sloppy soloing hurt this one...

GentleSouth | Nashville, TN | 07/18/2010

(2 out of 5 stars)

"After a horrible car accident in 1987 that left his right hand in shambles, Yngwie Malmsteen bravely recorded Odyssey with fresh singer Joe Lynn Turner. It all sounds great on paper: Yngwie returning from an injury, new songs with a slightly Pop-ier sound to them and another Rainbow front man to sing them (like Graham Bonnet in Alcatraz). But what looks good on paper doe not always transition sonically. While Yngwie bravely returns to form on solos on "Rising Force" and "Dreaming," a lot of errant notes and sloppy neoclassical runs happen every now and then. I don't blame the man - for he was recovering from nerve damage. But it doesn't make it any easier to hear the solos.

Joe Lynn Turner shines on the more Glam-AOR friendly numbers like "Dreaming" (which is a solid ballad) and the Poppy #2 track "Hold On" (where he shines vocally). "Deja-Vu" is another good number, a complex bit of riffing on the bass & guitar.

All in all, Yngwie's tone comes across a bit more metallic (if not shimmery) compared to his beautiful guitar tones from the Alcatraz days and on his first 2 solo albums. The loss in guitar sound obstructs some of the solo sections as well. I recommend: "Rising Force", "Dreaming", "Hold On" and "Crystal Ball" if you like Pop Metal. For a shredder - this is a weak offering. Avoid "Heaven Tonight" at all costs."