The Odds

The Odds were one of the most successful power pop acts of the '90s, churning out hit after hit of catchy and crisp guitar pop, but their success in Canada never really translated to the U.S. (They had only two minor U.S. hits in the MTV favorite "Heterosexual Man" and "Someone Who's Cool"). It's unfortunate for those south of the border, but this import-only greatest-hits compilation thankfully collects some of the finest moments from the four Odds albums, including all of their hit singles and one new track. What made the Odds truly enjoyable was their buzz-saw sounding guitar; it's like Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top stopped in to jam with Fountains of Wayne. In fact, on the excellent "Jackhammer," Robert Quine, of Television and later Matthew Sweet fame, drops in to lay down thick layers of fuzzy riffage. The production throughout these 16 tracks is clean and even, and the arrangements, background vocals, and hooks are sharp. The sad part is that Singles: Individually Wrapped is a chronicle of a success that should have been. The band's friendship with the stars of Canadian variety show Kids in the Hall led to the cast starring in the video for "Heterosexual Man" and also for the excellent "Eat My Brain" to appear on the soundtrack to the movie Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy -- both moves that generated some buzz, but didn't turn them into a success. And it's evident that with songs like "Someone Who's Cool" (which was initially slated for the Friends 2 soundtrack, as stated in the liner notes) and the emotional "Wendy Under the Stars," the Odds had clearly found all the parts, but an audience hadn't quite found them. The only shortcomings of this compilation are that some essential album tracks are bypassed ("Little Death," "Oh Sorrow, Oh Shame") and the one new track ("Kings of Orient [We Three Kings]") is not quite up to par with the other material, though it's nice to have it here. Fans who are into this collection will want to grab all the Odds albums, but this is the place to start for any fan of power pop or just plain good rock & roll. ~ Jason Damas, All Music Guide