Odyssey

1	Prayer 4:21
2	Both Sides Now 3:43
3	Never Saw Blue Like That 4:37
4	Dell'amore Non Si Sa 3:45
5	What You Never Know (Won't Hurt You) 3:43
6	May It Be 3:39
7	Quanta Qualia 4:25
8	You Are Water 4:03
9	She Moves Through the Fair 4:35
10	My Heart Belongs to You 4:41
11	Ave Maria 3:44
12	I Say Grace 5:06

Barnes & Noble

Hayley Westenra was only 16 when her first album, Pure, topped the classical crossover charts and propelled the New Zealander into an instant sensation. Now 18, Westenra returns with her second U.S. release, Odyssey, and her fans will be pleased to know that while her fresh, angelic voice remains intact, she has also undeniably matured as an artist. Evidently, touring the world, singing for presidents and kings, and selling hundreds of thousands of CDs makes a young performer grow up fast. Like Pure, Odyssey takes in a wide range of styles, from classical to gospel, traditional folk, and pop. Several tracks have a reflective, new age feel, such as the covers of Secret Garden's "Prayer" and Enya's "May It Be" from The Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack (a song that holds an obvious attraction for the Kiwi, since the movie was filmed in her homeland). Others show off her classical leanings: Caccini's soothing "Ave Maria" and the high-flying "Quanta Quilia." Further numbers reveal the breadth of Westenra's eclectic tastes, from the traditional Irish "She Moves Through the Fair" (featuring a forlorn-sounding tin whistle) to Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and the gospel-tinged "I Say Grace," an anthem of thanksgiving. A special highlight is the duet with Andrea Bocelli, "Dell amore non si sa," a beautiful Italian song adapted from the mega-tenor's album Andrea. Tying it all together is the purity and unaffected naturalness of Westenra's lovely voice. Seems this teenager's Odyssey is only just beginning. EJ Johnson

All Music Guide

Originally released in September 2005, Hayley Westenra's second international album was re-released in April 2006 with only 14 instead of the original 16 tracks. Westenra sings a wide selection of pop-oriented compositions, including Joni Mitchell's "Both Side Now," Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarborough Fair," and "May It Be" (as featured in The Lord of the Rings), all with the minimum of backing music, mainly just a pure soprano voice beautifully soaring like a bird and leaving its cage behind. One can't help but think of the scene in The Shawshank Redemption when Andy locks himself in the library and plays some opera over a loudspeaker. "Quanta Qualia" has something of the quality of the Clannad hit "Theme from Harry's Game," while "Dell'amore Non Si Sa" is a duet with Andrea Bocelli. There are also a few new folk ballads: "What You Never Know (Won't Hurt You)," "The Mists of Islay," and "She Moves Through the Fair." Odyssey is the ideal album to chill out and relax to after a hard day's work. [This 12-track version of Odyssey does not include "Scarborough Fair" or "The Mists of Islay."] ~ Sharon Mawer, All Music Guide