Every Tuesday, the Analog Kid blog goes back in time and features some of the best groovy R&B/soul songs from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Sometimes you’ll hear songs from individual artists or from a specific year, and other times you’ll get an entire full-length classic LP ripped directly from the Analog Kid’s vast vinyl vault. Warning: by R&B/soul, I also mean disco. I could go all Anita Ward on your ass at any given moment, so just be ready!
Odyssey’s classic self-titled debut album featured “Native New Yorker,” the band’s only real Top 40 hit in the United States. “Native New Yorker” was a Top 10 smash on both the Billboard Dance and R&B charts in 1977, and the single even managed to make it up to #21 on the pop charts. The three-member band (originally made up of sisters Lillian and Louise Lopez and bassist/vocalist Tony Reynolds) never again experienced that level of success in their native country, but they did have a string of Top 10 hits in the U.K. 1980’s “Use It Up And Wear It Out” was a #1 single across the pond, and “Going Back To My Roots” (from 1981) was also a Top 5 hit overseas. Lillian Lopez passed away in 2012, but her son Steven now leads the band that she started back in New York in the mid-’70s.
Odyssey’s debut record was finally released on CD a few years ago, but some things are simply meant to be heard on vinyl (especially when you have a nice new preamp and turntable that you want to test out!). I created the mp3s below from my original LP copy of Odyssey earlier today, and so far it has indeed been a very Groovy Tuesday in the Analog Kid’s basement!
Odyssey: Odyssey
RCA Records, 1977
Vinyl rip courtesy of the Analog Kid
1. “Native New Yorker” (Linzer/Randell)
2. “Ever Lovin’ Sam” (Linzer/Kotkow)
3. “Weekend Lover” (Linzer/Randell)
4. “You Keep Me Dancin'” (Linzer/Randell)
5. “The Woman Behind The Man” (Linzer/Randell)
6. “Easy Come, Easy Go/Hold De Mota Down” (Linzer/Randell)
Easy Come, Easy Go/Hold De Mota Down
7. “Golden Hands” (Linzer/Kotkow)
8. “Thank You God For One More Day” (Linzer/Randell)
Thank You God For One More Day
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Bonus Tracks!
The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.
Odyssey: “Use It Up And Wear It Out” (Linzer/Brown)
From the album Hang Together
RCA Records, 1980
Odyssey: “Going Back To My Roots” (Dozier)
From the album I Got The Melody
RCA Records, 1981
Odyssey: “Native New Yorker [Disco Version]” (Linzer/Randell)
From the 12″ single Native New Yorker
RCA Records, 1977
The Analog Kid 
I always thought the lead singer had such a unique voice.