The band may be only three years old, but its music is just close to being at the top of the ladder. Odyssey, an up-and-coming band from Surat recently released its debut album No Hay Banda on its official website. Yogendra, Chaitanya, Anand, Gaurav and Himanshu are not professional musicians, but are said to have a decade of on-stage experience. As Anand puts it, music is more of an “extended hobby”. Any activity termed “hobby” is often overlooked, but Odyssey is not to be underestimated!
Since it was formed, the band has released a well-composed album and preformed around the country. Now, the music video for ‘B Flat Minor’, a single from its album, is being aired on channel Vh1. This feel-good song begins with a lullaby-like hymn that’s comforting, and gradually breaks into a jazzy slow-dancing tune towards the bridge. The video features mime actors Abhijit and Ulupi Patel. According to the band’s official website >www.odysseytheband.in , the video “tries to capture conflicts in relationships” in which Abhijit characterises a person “trapped within the walls of his ego” while dancer Ulupi plays the free spirit.
Odyssey is no stereotypical boy band singing of love and life. It likes to explore a variety of causes and is inspired by social issues too. Take ‘Bringing Back The Tigers’, for instance. While the title aims to raise awareness about the continuing threat to the national animal, the lyrics conveys a broad message about overusing what should be considered a privilege in life. The song subtly questions one’s social responsibility. It closes with a march and a hallow track giving the song a touch of patriotism. The video for this song is in the making, says Anand.
Was gaining popularity as a ‘Western’ band in a town such as Surat challenging? Surat has been developing in terms of trade and business, and welcomes Western culture better than before, says Anand.
Going places
But Surat is not all that the band is looking to impress. It has landed gigs in other cities lately, including Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune’s Hard Rock Café. What’s special about the band? Individuality, says Anand. The band does not restrict itself to a specific genre, although it could fall under alternative rock. The band also writes its own lyrics.
