odimusic’s blog

So I think we can safely say summer’s finally arrived, time to chuck out the woolly jumpers and hot water bottles and in with the flip flops, sun-creams and bikinis, well maybe that’s pushing it a bit but I’m feeling positive today so why the hell not! In fact, every day should be a flip-flop day in more ways than one! Hmm, I might just write a song about it, will get back to you on that one, or maybe not!

Right then, enough gibberish, what’s happening I hear you ask? Well, we’re just finalising the next Ep cover in all it’s Supermanlyness and getting it ready to send off to the ears of the nation. I hope you’ll like it and add it to your ODi CD collection!

Track listing will be:

(i)                 A Superman

(ii)               What You Deserve

(iii)             Tears & Wine

(iv)             Crawl (Acoustic)

(v)               Leaving My Love In New York (Acoustic)

It’ll be available for download and in actual CD format so whatever your preference there’ll be no excuses not to get your mitts on a copy or two or even a few!

Talking about downloads and free ones at that, get yourselves over to www.wovenwheatwhispers.co.uk and check out the featured releases section. Here you will find Various Artists - Showcase Sessions 1: Songsmiths which is a selection of singer/songwriter tunes put together for you to enjoy for free! It also includes the recent ‘Crawl’ b-side ‘Don’t Let Me Fall’, so what you waiting for, give it a click!

On another folky note, ‘What You Deserve’ is currently ‘MP3 of the week’ on The Durbervilles BBC Leeds Radio Show which you can listen to until Sunday on the BBC Leeds website. A big thanks goes out to the lads for the mention!

Next up to mention are gigs, gigs and more gigs! This month we will be hitting the following places so if any are in your town, do come down and show some love or even a handshake!

8 May 2008 The Racket @The Old Queens Head, London

10 May 2008 Acosutic Revolution @ Whitelocks, Ma Gamps Bar, Leeds

18 May 2008 The Lounge, Leeds

23 May 2008 Eden Lodge, Isle Of Arran

26 May 2008 Feed The Monkey @ jrink soho, London

31 May 2008 Night & Day Cafe (Hide & Seek Festival), Manchester

Lastly, a quick mention of our recent trip to the Isle of Arran (see pic). We hopped over to a fundraising concert to help raise some pennies for a new hospice on Arran. Unfortunately as it has made front page news in The Arran Voice paper, we will be wearing heavy shades and big hats on our next Arran visit, along with an Alsation body guard in tow, well maybe just a ginger Jack Russel who think’s she’s an Alsation, which is just as scary when she wants a chew!

Arran

RIghtyo, thats enough talking from me for this month, enjoy yourselves in the sun, stay happy and see you soon!

Odi xxx

Greetings earthlings!

Yes the time is fast approaching when 'A Superman' will be coming soon to a town near you, so you better have those red pants at the ready to wear them loud and proud! The official release date for the E.P. will be July 25th in Ireland but tour followers will have the exclusive chance to get their hands on it prior to this. Preparations are underway as we speak to hit Ireland in July/August followed by the UK in September.

But before all the madness begins we will be playing a few gigs this month starting with a 'Cool Acoustics' gig at Royal Park Cellars on the 17th with Rachel Cook+Jen Armstrong+Sam&Anna. £3. Then we head down south again on the 20th for a gig at The Gardening Club (Covent Garden) who told us they would be giving out free muffins, so if you're feeling peckish Sunday afternoon at around 3.45pm, you know where to go! Other acts on the afternoon will be Andy Moore + Andrew Foster + Rosie Doonan + Lester Clayton + Gary Stewart + The Cellar Door Sound. Finally this month we will be live on the air, ie East Leeds FM to be exact on Sunday 27th (check out www.elfm.co.uk for more details).

Lastly, here's a recent review of the single from 'The Music Review'!

'What You Deserve'

REVIEW

Odi (short for Claire Odium fact finders) is an ex-pat Irish girl now based in the UK. She is a singer/songwriter who manages to blend elements of Joan Armatrading's pathos, Beth Orton's eye for the quirky and deep with a touch of Dido's bedsit romance. She has released a new single, 'What You Deserve' a slow, soulful slice of folk/indie cross-over. Odi has a distinctive raw and in equal measure, fragile voice that is magnetic and immensely listenable. The single reminds me of 'Love and Affection' by the aforementioned Joan Armatrading and oozes warmth and intimacy. All this talent and good looks too - so why isn't she signed? Well with the raft of gigs coming up in  the UK and Ireland and the quality of the single, you'd think it wasn't far off.

Review by Drumhead

Rank: ***** 5 out of 6

Ok folks! Here it is, a little snippet of whats to come this summer from the ODi camp! 'A Superman' will be the lead track from the forthcoming E.P. Its hot off the....erm... decks so let us know what you think. Also another review in last issue's HOTPRESS magazine from our recent gig supporting Michele-Ann Kelly at the Civic Theatre in Tallaght.

Superman Final Mix

ODi

6 comments

Civic Theatre Dec 07 supporting Michele Ann Kelly

The Civic is an excellent venue for an intimate rock gig, with a clear sound and a sense that no matter where you sit you can still nearly check the artist’s heartbeat. ODi kicked off with a rendition of ‘Don’t Let Me Fall’ and ‘A Superman’ that captivated the audience immediately. Claire Odlum’s voice seems to have been magically liberated and an upsurge in gigs in Ireland and England have brought an added confidence. She has a natural onstage persona, possibly the woman with least attitude on the current scene. Her next single ‘What You Deserve’ followed, a haunting song with a simple but infectious guitar riff supplied by her guitar and harmonica-wielding sidekick Dave Redfearn. ‘You Win But You Lose’, a perfect anthem for fans of Leeds United is lighter, and they finished with the fine ‘Mariposa’. A short, tight and effective set, put across with grace and easy passion, Odi are moving in the right direction.

First cuts words Jackie Hayden (HOTPRESS)

Heh, check us out in the gossip page at the back too, whoohoo, we've made it!!!

Hotpress

Toodeloo!

Odi x

Hello peeps!

Well here it is, finally, in all it's mellowness! The second single
 'What You Deserve' is out today as a digital download from itunes and all
 major online stores. Hope you like it, bit of a tangent to 'Crawl' but
 we like keeping you on your toes! If for some peculiar reason you're
 having doubts or hesitations of getting yourself fairly pronto over to
 the nearest digital download site then please read on and let Mr. Petch
 from those Music Guru chiefs (http://www.themusicguru.co.uk/)persuade you to do
 otherwise as he kindly reviews it today on the front page of their
 website. Check it out.....

"Female singer/songwriters seem in vogue just at present.  What with
 Kate Nash, Laura Marling, Ami McDonald and, of course, Leeds’ own Corinne
 Bailey-Rae all in contention. So it’s just wonderful to see another
 talent just waiting to shine amongst them in the form of the Leeds and
 County Wexford based ODi. 

'What You Deserve', ODi’s second single, comes as close to perfection as
 you can get.  In fact, the whole thing seems effortless, which is a
 good sign and usually means that what we have here is a group of major
 talented professionals on our hands in terms of vocal excellence and
 musicianship of the highest calibre.  The single is beautifully produced by
 Karl Odlum (Fionn Regan, The Frames and Gemma Hayes) and the song just
 sweeps over you with a serenity all its own.  I just love the way it
 weaves in and out, almost dreamlike in its execution. 

2007 saw ODi supporting Seth Lakeman at the Beverley Folk Festival.
  She’s also been compared to the likes of Suzanne Vega, Natalie Merchant
 and even a female Damien Rice, which, when you weigh it all up, is
 certainly not a bad thing at all. 

If ODi keeps on this path – and there are no reasons why she shouldn’t
 - then 2008 might just be her year. "

Kevin Petch 

http://www.myspace.com/odimusic  
http://www.myspace.com/littlestmojo 

'Whohooo', lets hope the rest of the reviews are just as positive! Thanks
 to all for your words of encouragement and lovely messages. Also, if any
 of ye are in the Leeds (UK) vicinity on the 16th Feb we're having a soiree
 at Verve Bar (next to Mojos) with lots of special guests joining in so
 bring a tamborine or whatever else you fancy giving a shake and come
 down to join in the fun and merriment (from 8pm)! Until then, be good to yourselves 
 and all that jazz!

Muchos love and happiness!

Odi xx
 
P.S. Gig List: 
3 Feb 2008 Stamps Bar - Liverpool
5 Feb 2008 BBC Radio Leeds - The Russell Walker Late Show 
16 Feb 2008 Verve - Single Launch Party! Leeds
23 Feb 2008 Norwich Arts Centre 
26 Feb 2008 Balconytv.com - Dublin
27 Feb 2008 Thomas Reads - Dublin
28 Feb 2008 On The Verge Live Radio Show (Dublin South FM )
4 Mar 2008 The Mustard Lounge - Norwich
7 Mar 2008 M19 Bar (Acousticfest for Manchester Irish Music Festival) 
8 Mar 2008 Sanctuary - Sheffield
10 Mar 2008 Feed The Monkey @ jrink soho - London
21 Mar 2008 Rio’s Basement (Alto Rumore CLub) - Leeds
5 Apr 2008 Isle Of Arran (Breast Cancer Care Fundraiser) 
12 Apr 2008 The Primrose (Cancer Fundraiser) - Leeds
17 Apr 2008 Royal Park Cellars - Leeds
30 Apr 2008 PAINT THE WALLS @ THE LIBRARY - Leeds
10 May 2008 Acosutic Revolution @ Whitelocks, Ma Gamps Bar – Leeds

A very Happy New Year to you all from the ODi camp! We hope you are looking forward to 2008 as much as we are. We have big plans afoot! So without further ado….. If you are sitting comfortably….let us begin..

NEW ODi SINGLE

We are pleased to announce that the brand new ODi single “What You Deserve” will be released on 01/02/08. Available through Littlest Mojo Recordings the track was produced by the talented and very lovely Mr Karl Odlum (Fionn Regan, The Frames, Gemma Hayes).

You will be able to download “What You Deserve” all over the world from itunes and all other major online stores. So for just 79p, 99c or the equivalent small amount of coinage in your neck of the woods you can listen to the track till your heart is content, after all it’s What You Deserve!......... (Sorry couldn’t resist!)

NEW ODi GIGS

After playing over 100 gigs across the UK and Ireland in 2007 we have recharged the batteries over the festive period and are back out on the road very soon in support of the “What You Deserve” release!

Full tour dates are available by visiting www.myspace.com/odimusic but will put a little update up here in the next week or so as more dates are being finalised as we speak.

NEW ODi RECORDINGS

Before all the single madness ensues we head out to County Wicklow next week for a recording session with Irish Producer Ken McHugh. We will be laying down “A Superman” a song that a lot of people have said very nice things about. So keep your eyes peeled and your ears open as “A Superman” EP is on the horizon!

That`s all for the mo folks, until next time, be good to yourselves and one another,……Its What You Deserve!........(Every opportunity for a plug!!)

Lots of love

All at ODi HQ

01 Tears and Wine

ODi

5 comments

ODi Newsletter November 2007

This is the  News!!

 Hello, Good Evening and welcome! This is November's news brought to you from the ODi camp.

THE HEADLINES

New Single finished and set for release 1^st Feb 2008.… National Tour Before Christmas….Big Leeds gig this week with Full Band!

NEW SINGLE!

 We have spent the last few days in sunny Wexford, Ireland recording with fab producer Mr Karl Odlum. He's a bit of a legend to us really having recorded the likes of The Frames, Fionn Regan and Gemma Hayes. After much fun and some hard work of course we have a brand spanking new single!!

"What You Deserve"  will be released on 1^st February 2008 (plenty of time to save up yor pennies!) through our own Littlest Mojo Recordings label. It will be available all over the world from all major download stores (itunes etc etc.) We are also planning a limited edition CD release with lots of goodies on…….Details to follow! And of course UK and Irish tours around the single release!

TOUR DATES BEFORE CHRISTMAS

 
Here is all the info on where you can catch ODi live before Christmas, we will be stopping off in lots of cool places including Glasgow, Dublin, London, Leeds and our old haunt Otley!

6 Nov 2007   The Light Dragoon (The Processed Pea) BEVERLEY

10 Nov 2007 Josephs Well (Supporting the Aftermath)  LEEDS

14 Nov 2007 Harrogate Blues Bar (Supporting The Aftermath)  HARROGATE

16 Nov 2007 Tron Theatre (supporting Eoghan Colgan)  GLASGOW

18 Nov 2007 Lethean Bar  PORT LAOIS

28 Nov 2007 The Bedford  LONDON

29 Nov 2007 Henry Boons  WAKEFIELD

6 Dec 2007 Stripped @ The Wellington Inn  HULL

11 Dec 2007 The Civic Theatre, Tallaght  DUBLIN

12 Dec 2007 The Basement - The Alto Rumour Club! YORK

14 Dec 2007 Otley Courthouse Court in Session OTLEY

JOSEPH`S WELL LEEDS THIS SAT 10^TH NOV

 
Be Great to see you down at Joseph`s Well Leeds next Saturday night, should be a great night of music we will be playing alongside The Aftermath, The Paradimes and Eoghan Colghan in a night promoting new music of Irish origin! Great music and great craic of course! We will also be joined by Mr Kog and Mr Phil Hicks on bass and drums as we give the full band sound a whirl!! 8pm only £4

AND FINALLY……….

In other Odi news…..Dave has added to his Rock n Roll reputation by becoming addicted to  Maccado buiscuits….he will be forced to withdraw on return to the UK! Unless he can smuggle a stash through Hollyhead!…. And Odi is in high level talks to collaborate with local Tipperary rap sensation "Slim Sheedy". She is said to be very excited by the prospect…..!

All for now xx

Greetings friends around the globe!!!

Hope all is fine and dandy wherever you may be!

As the leaves start to fall from the trees and we leave the little summer sun we had behind us things are very busy in the ODi camp as we head towards the end of the year.

ODi RECORDING NEW SINGLE!!

 We finally head back into the studio at the end of October to record the follow up to Debut Single "Crawl" (Which is still available to order from www.myspace.com/odimusic or download it from itunes or other major online stores!)  Also it`s available from RADISH in Chapel Allerton Leeds and will soon be making its way into Crash and Jumbo Records, the two main Indie record shops in Leeds.

 We will be setting sail back to the Emerald Isle for a recording session in Wexford, (Claire's home town) with Mr Karl Odlum on production duties. We've been looking forward to working with Karl for a while now, He's a good guy and has worked with many artists who we both respect and admire from Fionn Regan to The Frames and Gemma Hayes to Kila and has just finished work with our good friends the Aftermath on their Debut album.

 We will be concentrating on laying down "What You Deserve" a song which has been really well received on our travels over the last 6months. As soon as we get the results we will bring them to your ears!!!

NATIONWIDE RADIO TOUR OF IRELAND

 Hot off the heels of being in the studio we head out around the beautiful Country of Ireland for a national Radio Tour.  We will be visiting various stations around the country to play live sessions and have a chat to some old friends and supporters…We will keep you up to date with all the details! And hopefully we will throw in a few suprises along the way!!!.

 HOT PRESS DEMO OF THE FORTNIGHT

 The Idea of the Radio tour actually came about after having the pleasure of meeting Irish Music Guru Jackie Hayden,  Jackie is a well respected figure in the Irish Music Scene he is one of the main Forces behind HOT PRESS (Irelands main music magazine) and actually signed U2 to their first record deal!

These are his words…

HOTPRESS Sept 2007

I first came across Wexford singer-songwriter ODi as part of the HOTPRESS first cuts series of gigs at the Wexford Arts Centre. She has a winning voice, ranging from Beth Orton to Sheryl Crow, and an unaffected presence. 'A Superman' allows her silky voice to twist its way around a beguiling melody. 'What You Deserve' ups the tempo. It has a neat hook line and fills, and proves that her performance on track one was no fluke. 'You Win But You Lose' is another winning performance. ODi proves that an artist delivering musical honesty can say more with her voice and guitar (plus a few subtle fills from Dave) than an orchestra with a bank of synthesisers. What she needs now is to build on her undoubted vocal skills and develop her own unique style. The world awaits.

 First cuts words Jackie Hayden

It's great to have such support from someone like Jackie as he continues to support Irish Musicians from grass routes level upwards.

GIGS

 On the gig front things will be a little quieter in October due to recording.  But we  will be back in full swing with  two  extra  members at Joseph's Well, Leeds on Sat 10^th Nov as we share a gig with old pals The Aftermath in the middle of The Leeds Irish festival. Will be a great night and as we speak we are working with Drummer and bassist to bring a fuller band sound to your ears!

NEW SONGS AND TEAM ODi

 I'll finish up now as I think I've said far too much already!! OH before we go……. Lots of new songs and demos are knocking about in the ODi camp as we start the process of recording a Debut Album!! The Best way to get you hands on these is to Join Team ODi on My Space  http://www.myspace.com/teamodi . Loads of stuff going on here over the coming months and you can help us by telling people in your part of the World about ODi! So if you`ve got a my space account come and say hello!!

 
All For Now
Loads of  Love
All @ ODI HQ