Search - Bee Gees :: Idea (Dig)

Superb!

Michael A. Clark | Londonderry Northern Ireland | 03/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a hard core Bee Gees fan, I would think this item was excellent anyway. I have the original release and I was very surprised to hear this re-issue. It has the original album in both mono and stereo which makes for good listening. Although a very early Bee Gees release, this sounds just as fresh today as it did back then. I really loved the 2nd disc in this item. It has some alternate mixes and some unreleased tracks. Apparently the Bee Gees did a couple of Coke commercials which are included on the 2nd disc. If you're as big a Bee Gees fan as I am, then you will want to have this reissue."

Bee Gees History Part 3

Morten Vindberg | Denmark | 03/23/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Idea" is part three of the fine remastered re-issue series of the early Bee Gees albums. At this point the group was stil a five-piece with the three Gibb-brothers, guitarist Vince Melouney and drummer Colin Petersen.



According to the fine background story told in the booklet, Melouney was getting increasingly frustrated by the concept of the group, giving him only occasional chances to play real rock. Melouney would leave the group soon after the recordings of "Idea".



The big heavily orchestered ballads were always a big part of the group, but the simpler band approach of "Horizontal" is also continued here with songs like "Such a Shame", "Kitty Can", "Indian Gin and Whisky Dry", "Idea" and "Kilburn Towers". Apart from "Such a Shame", which is pretty ordinary, these songs are among the highlights of the album.



Once again two big hits are featured "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" and "I Started a Joke". Both good songs, but also played very often ( too often - some would say ).



The closing track "Swan Song" is one of their finest ballads, but the album as a whole suffers a little from some weak tracks - especially "I've Decided to Join the Airforce" which is outright stupid.



On the bonus-disc there are some real gems. Not least the double A-side single "Jumbo"/"The Singer Sang His Song".



Among the previously unreleased songs "Bridges Crossing Rivers" should have been included on the original album. "Completely Unoriginal" sounds like a fun-thing created in the studio - quite interesting. "Gena's Theme" is a nice instrumental. The alternate versions of "Idea" and "Kitty Can" are both great - though not radically different."