Bettye LaVette
Hayden James Gives ODESZA’s “The Last Goodbye” a Stunning House Makeover
This week ODESZA surprised fans by dropping an official remix of “The Last Goodbye,” the titular track from the duo’s Grammy-nominated album of the same, produced by none other than Australian house music virtuoso Hayden James. James’ upbeat rework of the soulful track is a funky re-imagination that sublimely reflects the intention and theme of ODESZA’s original. While “The Last Goodbye” is a powerful electronic record sampling Bettye LaVette’s 1965 song “Let Me Down Easy,” James transforms it into a decidedly house track—and a dancefloor filler. The Australian dance music star used a quicker tempo in his energetic, four-on-the-floor beat, producing staccato synths and a subdued drop with pulsing bass. James shrewdly leans on LaV...
ODESZA Share Behind-the-Scenes Footage of the Making of “The Last Goodbye”
“Honestly if you haven’t made music in a while, you have to, like, re-learn how to make music,” says ODESZA‘s Harrison Mills. When the duo released The Last Goodbye, their scintillating fourth studio album, it had been almost five years since their last LP. After all, it’s only natural to shake off some cobwebs, even for a Grammy-nominated act in the vanguard of electronic music. But after conceiving the direction of what would eventually materialize as the album’s titular track, it wasn’t long before ODESZA found their stride. And they went on to create perhaps their most inspired work yet. ODESZA today shared behind-the-scenes footage of the making of “The Last Goodbye.” The video features in interview with fabled Detro...
ODESZA’s “The Last Goodbye” Album Is a Deeply Personal Mosaic of Their Memories: Listen
They say you can’t connect the dots looking forward—you can only connect them looking backwards. And in the case of ODESZA‘s long-awaited fourth album, The Last Goodbye, memories are the key. There’s a reason why longtime fans find solace in ODESZA’s music. It has long functioned as a nostalgia machine which metaphysically makes us recall the last vestiges of the things that made us most happy. But what really makes ODESZA’s timeless music so special is its profound ability to nestle into the blueprints of our lives, tethering itself to the charts that dictate our growth. And in doing so, ODESZA and their fans mature in lockstep, like family members. The Last Goodbye is a testament to that familial bond. For far too long, touring musicians—especially DJs—...
They’re Back: ODESZA Release First New Music Since 2018, “The Last Goodbye”
It’s official: ODESZA are back. After torturing fans via a series of cryptic posts and leaks last week, the duo have finally released “The Last Goodbye,” their first new original music since 2018. The soulful electronic tune samples 1965’s “Let Me Down Easy” by fabled Detroit R&B singer Bettye LaVette, who is credited as a featured artist. “This song was born out of the concept of trying to bring these lasting, defining musical pieces like the 1965 release of ‘Let Me Down Easy’ by Bettye LaVette into a modern and contemporary electronic setting,” Odesza explained. “The idea of bringing two worlds together, that at first seem distant, has always been something we’ve been drawn to. It was an absolute honor to be able to work with ...
John Lennon Tribute Concert to Feature Patti Smith, Jackson Browne and More
The 40th Annual John Lennon Tribute, featuring previously unseen and newly recorded performances Jackson Browne, Patti Smith, Natalie Merchant, Taj Mahal, Rosanne Cash, Bettye LaVette and more can be viewed online beginning on the late Beatles’ birthday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. ET. It will be shown through Oct. 12 at Midnight and benefits the Theatre Within’s Real Love Fund. The program will include unreleased performances from previous Tributes, plus new performances of Lennon and, of course, Beatles classics. For more information, and to view the concert, go here. “For 40 years, Theatre Within has remembered John with its heartfelt annual tribute, while having a powerful positive impact with its John Lennon Real Love Project music program for those by impacted cancer. What a wonderful...
