text
stringlengths 0
3.86k
|
|---|
Around Gacko and Avtovac in the north , the day had been quiet . When the commander of the 2nd Company of the 7th Battalion at Gacko reported rebels gathering near the town , Prpić sent a truck @-@ mounted platoon with an ammunition resupply . The platoon was ambushed en route , with 14 Home Guardsmen being captured . Gacko was reinforced later in the day from troops in Avtovac . On the night of 26 June , the Nevesinje garrison was subjected to a sustained attack by the rebels , but held out .
|
The NDH authorities in Trebinje heard rumours that the Serbs could start an uprising there on 28 June , the feast day of Saint Vitus , and warned NDH forces in the region to be prepared for a revolt . As a result of these reports , the Poglavnik ( leader ) of the NDH , Ante Pavelić , issued orders threatening that anyone who spread these rumours would be court @-@ martialled . On the eve of the feast day , both the gendarmerie and Ustaše took several hostages in case the rumours were true . Later , the gendarmerie released their hostages , but the 19 hostages held by the Ustaše were killed . In contrast to the actions of the Ustaše , the Home Guard units in the area tried to calm the situation down .
|
= = = 27 – 28 June = = =
|
On the morning of 27 June , Prpić launched a three @-@ pronged assault to clear the routes to Nevesinje . Prohaska commanded the push east along the Mostar – Nevesinje road by a force close to two battalions , Francetić led his unit of Ustaše north from Berkovići through the mountains via Odžak to approach Nevesinje from the south , and two companies of the 11th Battalion thrust southwest along the road from Plužine . Once this task was complete , the NDH forces were to vigorously pursue the rebels and destroy them .
|
The Prohaska group deployed with one company on the road , and elements of the 17th Battalion and 70 Ustaše on the left flank . Their attack commenced about 10 : 00 , and although they faced strong resistance from the rebels , aided by strafing and bombing by ZNDH aircraft , they reached villages on the outskirts of Nevesinje after fighting that lasted until dawn on 28 June . One Home Guard battalion halted and took up a defensive stance , and the commander was threatened with dismissal by Prpić before he resumed the attack . Francetić 's Ustaše unit also faced heavy fighting , and had to call for ammunition resupply on two occasions . One of the resupply vehicles was ambushed by rebels between Stolac and Berkovići , and some ammunition was finally delivered by passenger car during the night . Elsewhere , rebels attacked Gacko and Avtovac , and one ZNDH aircraft was shot down by rebel machine gun fire near Avtovac . That night , Prpić telephoned Kvaternik and advised him that the imposition of martial law was necessary to restore order to Herzegovina . Army Chief of Staff General Vladimir Laxa was immediately appointed by Pavelić to control both Hum and Dubrava counties , which incorporated much of eastern Herzegovina .
|
On 28 June , Laxa became the overall commander of all NDH authorities in Hum and Dubrava counties , which included Ustaše , Home Guard , civil administration , gendarmerie and police . Military courts were established to deal with those resisting the NDH authorities . Armed guards were posted at the entrance to towns and villages , and any armed civilians were to be disarmed and brought to military authorities . Laxa issued an order that gave the rebels until 2 July to submit to the authorities . On that day , after the Prohaska group broke through to Nevesinje from Mostar , Prohaska sent a company of the 6th Battalion to Kifino Selo to meet the two companies of the 11th Battalion advancing from Plužine . Despite ZNDH air support , the company of the 6th Battalion was attacked by rebels near the entrance to Kifino Selo and the majority broke and ran . Prohaska had to send reserves to block the road between Nevesinje and Kifino Selo , and the companies from the 11th Battalion began to reconnoitre the rebel positions towards Odžak .
|
Also on that morning , the 200 Home Guard troops and about 50 armed locals in Avtovac were attacked from three directions by rebels . They recovered from their initial surprise and held the town during the day , but in the evening a renewed assault caused them to withdraw from Avtovac and retreat to the villages of Međuljići and Ključ . Upon capturing Avtovac , the rebels looted the village , burned down a large number of Muslim homes and killed 32 Muslim civilians , mostly women , children and the elderly . Gacko was also attacked by the rebels , with eight soldiers killed , and one officer and 12 soldiers wounded . Also on 28 June , two Italian Army trucks driving from Bileća to Avtovac were ambushed by rebels , who killed three soldiers and wounded 17 . Around 18 : 00 , the Italian command advised Kvaternik that they would be clearing the route from Bileća via Gacko to Nevesinje on an unspecified future date . During the fighting around Gacko , several ZNDH aircraft were forced to land due to pilot casualties and engine trouble . ZNDH air support operations were suspended due to lack of fuel and spares for the aircraft .
|
There was no improvement in the situation around Stolac , and an Ustaše unit made up of armed civilians proved to be of such low combat value that Laxa spoke to Francetić and criticised its performance . South of Bileća , rebels destroyed the gendarmerie post in a village , killing seven gendarmes . Dozens of gendarmes were sent from Trebinje to assist them , but they were stopped by rebels and withdrew into a village schoolhouse . In the afternoon a platoon of the 10th Home Guard Battalion was sent north from Trebinje to support the gendarmes , but they were attacked near the village of Mosko , and withdrew into a defensive position . They were reinforced by a second platoon during the night , and were given orders to clear the road from Trebinje to Bileća on the following morning ahead of the Italians .
|
= = = 29 – 30 June = = =
|
At dawn on 29 June , the rebels attacked the Ustaše in a village on the Mostar – Nevesinje road . Prohaska demanded help from Mostar , and planned to send a force from Nevesinje to assist . From Mostar , a company of the 21st Battalion was despatched to relieve the Ustaše , who had managed to hold off the rebels . The Home Guard company then took over the post from the Ustaše . The same day , two new battalions arrived in Mostar , the 23rd Battalion from Osijek and the 15th Battalion from Travnik . These reinforcements arrived just as Prpić received confirmation that Avtovac had been captured by the rebels . The remaining small garrison in Gacko , consisting of only 20 gendarmes and 30 Ustaše , were holding out but expecting more attacks by the rebels . In the morning , the attack by elements of the 10th Battalion stalled until the battalion commander , Lieutenant Colonel Julije Reš , personally took command of the operation , clearing the way for the Italians . The promised Italian intervention commenced about midday , and about 100 trucks of Italian soldiers arrived in Gacko about 17 : 00 . As they had passed through Avtovac , the rebels had left the town and withdrawn to villages to the east . About 18 : 00 , the 10th Battalion relieved the besieged gendarmes in the village schoolhouse . ZNDH aircraft from Mostar airfield flew reconnaissance sorties over the area and dropped leaflets over Stolac , Stepen , Avtovac , Gacko and Plužine .
|
After the garrison of Nevesinje had been relieved , Laxa directed his main effort towards the Gacko and Avtovac districts . Sensitive to the fact that the Italians had not respected the territorial borders of the NDH when they sent their column to Gacko , he considered it very important that Croatian military and political prestige be restored , otherwise the Italians might decide to remain in the area rather than withdraw to their garrison near the Adriatic coast . He planned to follow this consolidation by clearing the border areas with Montenegro then clearing the hinterland of any remaining rebels . For this last task he intended to deploy a yet @-@ to @-@ be @-@ formed special unit to be led by Lieutenant Colonel Josip Metzger . The task of re @-@ asserting NDH authority in the Gacko and Avtovac districts was allocated to Prohaska 's group , consisting of the 6th Battalion , one company of the 18th Battalion , two companies of the 17th Battalion , and the recently arrived 15th and 21st Battalions , which were to be sent to Nevesinje from Mostar . Prohaska was to act in concert with the 11th Battalion who were already in the vicinity of Plužine , just to the north of the Nevesinje – Gacko road . In preparation , the 15th Battalion was trucked to Nevesinje , and a company of the 17th Battalion conducted a coordinated attack with the 11th Battalion on rebel positions near Kifino Selo . This attack was defeated by the rebels , and a battalion commander was killed .
|
During the remainder of the day , the Italians collected the bodies of their dead from the rebel ambush on 28 June , and rescued some Home Guard troops that had escaped Avtovac , but then returned to Plana , just north of Bileća . The value of further operations in the Gacko and Avtovac areas was brought into question when the Italians reported that both towns had been burned to the ground , and all the inhabitants had been massacred . The Italians blamed Montenegrins attached to the rebels for the destruction and killings in the two towns . The Italian estimate of rebel strength was around 3 @,@ 000 armed with machine guns , artillery and anti @-@ aircraft guns . A German intelligence officer from Sarajevo arrived at Prpić 's headquarters in Mostar to receive a briefing on the situation . The small garrison of Gacko was anticipating an attack by rebels during the night , but in the afternoon 180 Home Guardsmen that had withdrawn from Avtovac arrived to bolster their position , and the night passed without incident .
|
= = = 1 – 7 July = = =
|
On 1 July , an Italian armoured unit arrived in Gacko to reinforce the garrison . An Ustaše operation to clear the insurgents from the Stolac district began on 3 July , meeting with success and opening of the road from Berkovci north to Odžak . The Ustaše did not go closer to Nevesinje as they were not in uniform , and were concerned that the Home Guards would mistake them for rebels . During this operation , three Ustaše were killed , including their commander , and the Ustaše fighters killed ten rebels and captured two . In the belongings of one of the captured rebels , the Ustaše located a report by the " National Movement for the Liberation of Nevesinje " ( Serbo @-@ Croatian : Narodni pokret za oslobođenje Nevesinja ) , which was apparently how the rebels referred to themselves . The report made it clear that the rebels were using military tactics and organisation , and hinted at co @-@ operation with the Italians . According to information gathered by the police , the local rebel leadership included former Mostar merchant Čedo Milić , the Bjelogrlić brothers from Avtovac , the Orthodox priest Father Mastilović from Nadinići , and a Captain Radović from Avtovac . Montenegrins involved in the leadership of the uprising included Colonel Bajo Stanišić , Major Minja Višnjić , and Radojica Nikčević from Nikšić .
|
Following the Italian intervention , Prpić was able to proceed with the task of clearing the wider area of Nevesinje from 3 July , ensuring NDH control of population centres and roads . On 5 July , he replaced his deputy Prohaska with Colonel Franjo Šimić , and assigned him a force consisting of the 6th , 11th , 15th and 17th Battalions , a company of the 18th Battalion and a troop of artillery . The force numbered 62 officers and 2 @,@ 062 men , with heavy weapons including four 100 mm Skoda houfnice vz 14 mountain howitzers , six heavy machine guns and twenty @-@ seven light machine guns . Šimić seized the crossroads near Kifino Selo and Plužine , securing it with one company of the 11th Battalion , then sent the 15th Battalion to Gacko and the 17th Battalion to Berkovići . A half company of the 21st Battalion secured the Mostar – Nevesinje road . Once this was completed , the major roads in eastern Herzegovina were secured . These operations proceeded without significant fighting , as some of the rebels retreated over the border with Montenegro , and others hid their weapons in the mountains and returned to their homes . By 7 July , NDH forces had regained full control over all the towns and transport routes in eastern Herzegovina .
|
= = Aftermath = =
|
Tomasevich states that the uprising was a " spontaneous , unorganised outburst " that was doomed to failure , and involved neither the Chetniks of Draža Mihailović nor the Communist Party of Yugoslavia ( Serbo @-@ Croatian : Komunistička partija Jugoslavije , KPJ ) . He contends that the uprising was the result of several factors , including the Ustaše persecutions , fear and hatred of the NDH authorities , a local tradition of rebellion against the Ottoman Empire , the poor economic conditions in eastern Herzegovina , and news of the launching of Operation Barbarossa against the Soviet Union . Hoare concurs with Tomasevich that the uprising was in the tradition of the Herzegovinian rebellions against the Ottoman Empire during the 19th century , such as the uprisings in 1875 – 77 . Edmund Glaise @-@ Horstenau , the German Plenipotentiary General in the NDH , believed that the Italians might have deliberately avoided interfering in the uprising . General Renzo Dalmazzo , the commander of the Italian 6th Army Corps , blamed the Ustaše and Muslims for stoking the revolt .
|
In eastern Herzegovina , the KPJ had little impact until mid @-@ August 1941 , well after the initial revolt had been suppressed . During the lead @-@ up to the mass uprising , the KPJ organisation in Herzegovina would not commit itself , as it was waiting for orders from the provincial organisation in Sarajevo , which was expecting direction from the KPJ Central Committee to launch a general uprising across Yugoslavia . Once they became aware of the German attack on the Soviet Union , the KPJ in Herzegovina voted to join the mass uprising , but this only occurred on 24 June , when the uprising was already in full swing . According to Milazzo , the rebels remained a threat throughout eastern Herzegovina well into July , although the uprising in Herzegovina did not advance until the Bosnia @-@ wide revolt occurred at the end of July , by which time the KPJ was ready for active involvement in the fighting .
|
= Crush ( video game ) =
|
Crush is a platformer @-@ puzzle video game developed by Kuju Entertainment 's Zoë Mode studio and published by Sega in 2007 for the PlayStation Portable . Its protagonist is Danny , a young man suffering from insomnia , who uses an experimental device to explore his mind and discover the cause of his sleeplessness . Each level of the game , representing events from Danny 's life and inspired by artists such as Tim Burton and M.C. Escher , requires the player to control Danny as he collects his " lost marbles " and other thoughts .
|
Crush 's primary gameplay feature involves manipulating each game level between 3D and 2D views , allowing the player to reach platforms and locations inaccessible from within a different view . This element was noted by critics to be similar to one in Super Paper Mario , also released in 2007 , though the Zoë Mode team had envisioned the concept five years prior . Crush received positive reviews upon release , with critics praising its incorporation of this dimension @-@ shifting component alongside other aspects of the game presentation . Though Crush won several gaming awards , including PSP game of the month , it failed to meet the developer 's sales expectations . A port of the game for the Nintendo 3DS called Crush 3D was announced on January 19 , 2011 and was made available on January 13 , 2012 in Europe and on March 6 , 2012 in North America .
|
= = Plot = =
|
While Crush and its Nintendo 3DS port Crush 3D retain the same gameplay mechanics and premise , the two versions feature different plots .
|
= = = PSP version = = =
|
( Note : The voice actors for the story are unknown at the moment as Zoë Mode never credited them )
|
The protagonist of the game , a young man named Danny , suffers from chronic insomnia caused by worry , stress , and repressed memories . He is admitted to a mental institution for it , where he consults a mad scientist , Dr. Reubens , who treats Danny with his Cognitive Regression Utilizing pSychiatric Heuristics ( C.R.U.S.H. ) device , which has a sentient female persona . The device 's helmet places Danny under hypnosis , during which he can regain control of his sanity by collecting his lost marbles , and facing his primal fears in the form of monsters ( i.e. cockroaches , slugs ) . Danny starts spilling the beans to Reubens about his city life ; moving into his first apartment and his suffering job as a chef ( because " the ladies love a man who can cook " ) . He heavily depends on Reubens for some serious help if he wants to get rid of his insomnia . Later , when C.R.U.S.H. projects the image of a bucket and shovel at the beach onto the helmet , he recalls his love life some few years ago with a girl named Tina Ash ( who Reubens mistakenly thought was Danny 's mother ) . Returning the next summer , Danny is jilted for a more handsome man . Devastated , Danny ends up sitting on the pier crying , inadvertently falling into the ocean below , but eventually rescued . Reubens claims Danny 's rejection made him " shy away from the fairer sex " , and tells him to get some rest . The next day , Dr. Reubens tunes up his machine to " match [ Danny 's ] abnormally low cognitive frequency . " Danny recommends he give them some time alone , but the word " alone " has Reubens allude to the time Danny was heavily abused as a young boy at a local funfair by three thugs , however , Danny discloses that he ditched his parents to go to the funfair alone , but they find and rescue him . He then promised his parents that he 'd " stay with them forever . " Dr. Reubens uses this evidence to come to a conclusion that homesickness is the cause of his insomnia , recommending that Danny moves back into his parents ' house , but his conclusion is proved wrong when Danny returns one more time . Dr. Reubens lashes out at Danny for wearing out his machine , demanding that Danny fess up to where he " buried [ his ] pain " and if he is merely " toying " with them . Pushing the limit , Reubens subjects Danny to regress all the way to his childhood , when he was only six years old , against Danny 's own will . Danny cries at the breaking point , dictating that Reubens stop " unlocking doors that should stay bolted , " but in the end , Danny mutters the words , " Come back , " implying that his parents went out on a date and left him at his house alone , with disturbing shadows of the night leaving Danny in psychological trauma . Danny discovers that his childhood fears at that time , principally being afraid of the dark , are the real cause his insomnia , sending him " spiraling back into [ his ] six @-@ year @-@ old self . " Reubens is full of disgust that his treatment was a complete waste and that Danny ruined his machine due to his nyctophobia , but tells Danny he 's cured . Right when Reubens begins to snap Danny out of hypnosis , C.R.U.S.H. , following suit in Reubens thoughts , goes over the edge and seems to attack Danny 's mind , with Reubens panicking and Danny 's life on the line while the screen fades to black at the start of the attempt .
|
= = = 3DS version = = =
|
Doctor ' Doc ' Doccerson ( instead of Reubens in the PSP version ) , is infuriated that all of his inventions failed , but today he ' shall surpass them all ' with his latest invention , C.R.U.S.H. He uses a tape recorder for his scientific narrative on the experiment . With the help of his best friend and protégé , Danny ( a running gag consists of him correcting Doc throughout the game ) , he enters his mind as his subject to C.R.U.S.H. , but after a few tests , Danny is trapped inside C.R.U.S.H. , where he can collect his lost marbles ( which will unlock new dressing gowns / robe designs ) and facing his fears in the form of monsters ( i.e. cockroaches , slugs ) . At one point , Doc tells Danny that C.R.U.S.H. will not let Danny out due to " unresolved feelings . " The two question that reasoning as they progress . Towards the end , C.R.U.S.H. interrupts contact between Danny and Doc , overly infatuated with Danny . Danny slowly admits to C.R.U.S.H. that she is simply a machine and compares it to " flirting with a parking meter . " C.R.U.S.H. , infuriated , sends Danny back to his childhood as a result . When Doc comes back into contact with Danny , Danny lashes out at Doc for building a machine " with the heart of a teenage girl " who " LOLd " at him . Doc , calming Danny down , explains how this " subconscious " is not really his , but old data , and suddenly Danny becomes shocked when he realizes he took the place of someone who underwent treatment with C.R.U.S.H. ( being the PSP Danny ) , but " she knows [ he 's ] not the same . " C.R.U.S.H. really wanted Danny to clear her head . In the ending , Danny finally escapes and is free out of C.R.U.S.H 's mind . He and Doc discuss C.R.U.S.H 's future , while Doc says that he 'll fix her . In a sudden plot twist , it turns out that they were not in the real world at all , but all the levels throughout the game are outside Doc 's lab . C.R.U.S.H. smiles and laughs into the camera , she winks and the screen cuts to black .
|
= = Gameplay = =
|
Crush contains ten levels in each of the four locations , all based on an event in Danny 's past . The levels represent Danny 's mind : a dark city landscape with many tall buildings and the occasional street lamp , a hotel resting aside a seaside location , a dark and mysterious funfair , and a haunted childhood bedroom . Levels are mostly composed of platforms formed by blocks . The player 's goal in each level is to collect marbles , which give the player points based on their color . The exit from the level is opened once a predetermined number of points have been collected . Danny can crawl into narrow areas and jump a small height .
|
The main gameplay feature of Crush is the ability to transpose the layout of a level between 2D and 3D representations to reach seemingly inaccessible areas and solve the game 's puzzles . The player can switch the third @-@ person camera between four directional side views and a top @-@ down view at any time while in 3D . When in these views , the player can have Danny " crush " the level , collapsing all 3D elements into 2D ; crushing from side views results in a 2D platformer @-@ like view , while crushing from the top @-@ down view provides a 2D top @-@ down perspective . Crushing can connect and merge platforms on the same visual plane in the 3D view but separated by a large distance , creating pathways across the level in the 2D view . The player can also " uncrush " the level at any time . Certain blocks , when crushed , become either obstacles through which Danny cannot pass , or ledges the player can use to reach other parts of the level . Attempts to crush a level in any manner that would harm Danny are thwarted . However , uncrushing can leave Danny in a helpless state , such as hanging in mid @-@ air .
|
Enemy monsters inhabit the levels , but the player can crush them by flattening impassable blocks against them . The player may also encounter timers in the form of alarm clocks that will begin to elapse when crushed for the first time and can only be stopped when Danny jumps on them . Danny wakes from his mental explorations if he falls off the level or too high of a surface , is touched by a monster , or fails to stop a timer , but the C.R.U.S.H. device reinserts him at the start of the level or the last checkpoint Danny passed .
|
Throughout the levels are scattered large spheres and cylinders , which the player can roll when crushed appropriately . These can then be used as platforms or to depress switches . Jigsaw pieces can be collected to reveal concept art and extras in the game 's menus . Some of Danny 's " thoughts " , represented by glowing neon icons on the walls of the level , are only activated when the level is crushed in a manner that does not obscure them . Some thoughts allow Danny to jump higher or stop time . Once the player completes each level , they are graded by the duration of Danny 's stay on the level , how many times Danny " woke up " , and a bonus for collecting all marbles , the jigsaw piece , and a hidden thought trophy . The thought trophy , once completed by crushing , unlocks a level 's special challenge mode for later play which requires time @-@ limited completion of the level with an allotted number of crushes .
|
= = Development = =
|
In an interview , Zoë Mode executive producer Paul Mottram claimed that the game concept was envisioned in 2002 , but work did not actually begin until 2006 . The initial concept was built on the crushing mechanism between 2D and 3D , and they only had to create appropriate obstacles to prevent players from simply " crushing " across the level . Mottram noted that during the development of Crush , the gameplay of Super Paper Mario had not yet been revealed , and thus the team was surprised to learn that it shared a similar feature .
|
Mottram stated that the crushing mechanism had been developed and refined for six months before developing the story and characters ; the development team wanted to have " a normal person in an impossible situation " . The art and level design were inspired by Tim Burton , Mike Mignola , and M.C. Escher . The plot was originally more morbid than in the final product , with Danny dying and the rest of the game told as flashbacks .
|
The game levels were developed on a level editor on the PlayStation Portable , but Zoë Mode were not able to refine the editor in time for shipping . Mottram said " It would be great to see user generated content and this is something we have been seriously thinking about for the future " and that downloadable content " would work perfectly with the Crush level structure and I am sure that fans of the game would be eager to see more levels . " Mottram has stated they would like to market a sequel based on the highly positive feedback they had received ; however , with other Zoë Mode projects such as SingStar and Play taking precedence , he does not know when this could be .
|
= = Reception = =
|
Crush received generally positive reviews , with aggregate scores of 83 out of 100 from Metacritic and 82 % from Game Rankings . The game was highly praised for its innovative approach to gameplay . Ryan Davis of GameSpot appreciated Crush for owing " very little of its novel concept to games that preceded it " . Nick Suttner of 1UP called the game a " cognitively rewarding , expertly designed puzzle experience that truly plays like nothing else " . Reviews were mixed on the game 's learning curve . IGN 's Jeremy Dunham praised the ordering of the puzzle elements , that new gaming elements are introduced at " an ideal pace " , and that most puzzles have solutions where the player must " think ' outside the box ' " . Eurogamer 's Dan Whitehead commented that the game introduces these elements too quickly and " doesn 't give you much time to put the basics into practice " . Some critics found that elements of the game detracted from the game 's uniqueness . X @-@ Play 's Greg Orlando , while stating that this was " one of the most novel games ever made " , noted that it was " simply not very fun " , as it lacked many player incentives beyond manipulating the world and collecting objects on each level . Reviewers noted that some puzzles were awkward due to the selection of the PlayStation Portable 's controls . Reviewers found the game 's story poor , but this was overcome by the gameplay elements ; Charles Harold of the New York Times said " the minimal story is as forgettable as its puzzles are ingenious " . GamesRadar included it in their list of the 100 most overlooked games of its generation . Editor Jason Fanelli stated that the ability to switch from 2D to 3D was " one of the most unique ( at the time ) features we ’ ve ever seen . "
|
IGN awarded Crush PSP Game of the Month for May 2007 . GameSpy called Crush the third best PlayStation Portable game and the " PSP Puzzle Game of the Year " for its Game of the Year 2007 awards . Similarly , IGN awarded Crush the " Best PSP Puzzle Game " , " Most Innovative PSP Game " , and " Best PSP Game No One Played " awards in their Game of the Year 2007 selections . Crush won the 2007 Develop Conference Industry Award for " Best New Handheld IP " . According to Paul Mottram , positive reception of the game did not translate into high sales , but the game " will hopefully stick around for a while and continue to shift units " .
|
= Odyssey Number Five =
|
Odyssey Number Five is the fourth studio album by the Australian rock band Powderfinger , produced by Nick DiDia and released on 4 September 2000 by Universal Music . It won the 2001 ARIA Music Award for Highest Selling Album , Best Group and Best Rock Album . The album was the band 's shortest yet , focusing on social , political , and emotional issues that had appeared in prior works , especially Internationalist .
|
The album produced four singles . The most successful , " My Happiness " , reached # 4 on the ARIA Singles Chart , won the 2001 ARIA Music Award for " Single of the Year " , and topped Triple J 's Hottest 100 in 2000 . The album also featured " These Days " , which topped Triple J 's Hottest 100 in 1999 . The album was also ranked at number 1 in Triple J 's Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time poll in 2011 .
|
Many critics lauded the album as Powderfinger 's best work ; one stated that the album was " the Finger 's Crowning Glory " , however , others were critical of the " imitation " contained in the album . Overall , the album won five ARIA Music Awards in 2001 and was certified platinum seven times , and earned an eighth in 2004 . Odyssey Number Five was Powderfinger 's first album to chart in the United States , and the band toured extensively around North America to promote its release .
|
= = Background , recording , and production = =
|
In a 1997 interview , Powderfinger bassist John Collins hinted that the group 's next album would be similar to their previous album , Internationalist , while frontman Bernard Fanning said in September 2000 that the lyrics on the album , like those on " Waiting for the Sun " , were his " most personal and direct yet " . Fanning said his lyrics were based on the " obstacles in the way of being in a relationship , especially in our work situation " .
|
Powderfinger worked with producer Nick DiDia on Odyssey Number Five , as they had done on Internationalist , finishing the album in August 2000 after six weeks of recording . The band spent this time ensuring higher quality songs than on Internationalist , which had featured out @-@ of @-@ tune guitars on " Passenger " .
|
Odyssey Number Five was Powderfinger 's shortest album when recorded , running for approximately 45 minutes . The focus of the album was on restraint , with more simplistic lyrics than previously , and with a plain and simple message intended . Fanning said of his songwriting ethic : " You try and make it something that ’ s got some substance , but also , you can never do that at the cost of it having relevance to what you ’ re singing . " Powderfinger manager Paul Piticco commented that " their ethos is to be pushing the limits of their songwriting ability " .
|
Like Powderfinger 's previous album Internationalist , Odyssey Number Five commented on social and political issues heavily , with the primary point of focus being Aboriginal affairs . The lyrics of " Like a Dog " attacked former Prime Minister of Australia John Howard 's Liberal government for its treatment of Indigenous Australians , and for breaking the " relaxed and comfortable " promise he made in the Australian federal election , 1996 . Lead singer Bernard Fanning related this to the band 's other ethical stances — refusing to appear on Hey Hey it 's Saturday , for its anti @-@ gay commentary , or not allowing Powderfinger songs to be used in jingles , amongst others — stating , " We 're not here to set an example . We just want to be happy with ourselves and not end up with a guilty conscience . " Fanning said that despite " Like a Dog " being about a political issue , it was not a political song , rather just Powderfinger " voicing our opinions " . The band worked with boxer Anthony Mundine on the song 's music video , whom Fanning praised as " the perfect lead , in terms of what the song is about and the fact that he ’ s prepared to speak up for what he believes in . "
|
As well as providing social commentary , Odyssey Number Five also discussed love , a recurring motif in Fanning 's songwriting . Fanning noted that one of the causes of this was his passion for soul and gospel music , stating that he " listen [ s ] to a lot of soul music that 's unashamedly about love and how good it makes you feel " . Lead guitarist Ian Haug agreed , and also noted that the band as a whole were fully committed to Fanning 's lyrics , stating " It 's really important for us to agree with what Bernard is singing . "
|
Odyssey Number Five marked Powderfinger 's first successful attempt to enter the United States market . Fanning told Billboard in a 2001 interview that the band were not taking anything for granted , however , stating , " In America , we haven 't really done any work yet to deserve any major popularity " , with the " vibes " on previous albums failing to reach the American mainstream . Powderfinger toured extensively around the country , performing in 22 cities . As a result of these efforts , " My Happiness " was briefly placed on rotation on KROQ @-@ FM and several other radio stations . The song ultimately peaked at # 23 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart . This success was assisted by the band appearing on the Late Show with David Letterman , and by supporting Coldplay on tour . Guitarist Darren Middleton summarised their work in the United States by stating " This year has been a bit of a blur . "
|
= = Album and single releases = =
|
Odyssey Number Five was released on 4 September 2000 , on the Grudge / Universal record labels . The album was released in the United Kingdom on Polydor , with 15 minutes of video and an additional track Nature Boy , at a later date . A sampler version was released in the United States in 2001 , containing five tracks .
|
Four singles were released from the album . " My Kind of Scene " was the first ; released as a promotional single in June 2000 . The track was written for the 2000 film Mission : Impossible II , and appeared on its soundtrack . Collins and Middleton recalled that the song was written and produced with photos of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman on the wall of the band 's studio " as inspiration " . They noted that the band made three songs in response to the Mission : Impossible II request , and that " My Kind of Scene " was chosen over " Up & Down & Back Again " and " Whatever Makes You Happy " .
|
The second single from the album was " My Happiness " , released on 14 August 2000 in Australia . " My Happiness " entered the ARIA Singles Chart at # 4 , and spent 24 weeks on the chart , making it Powderfinger 's highest charting single in Australia . It peaked at # 7 on the New Zealand singles chart , and spent 23 weeks in the top 50 . Furthermore , " My Happiness " was Powderfinger 's first single to chart in the USA , reaching # 23 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart .
|
" Like a Dog " was released as the third single on 15 January 2001 . The song was heavy in political sentiment , akin to " The Day You Come " on Internationalist . The riff for the song was written by Ian Haug , and the song 's music video featured Australian Aboriginal boxer Anthony Mundine , and was based on the 1980 Martin Scorsese film Raging Bull . Drummer Jon Coghill said the song revolved around the question of " why the hell won ’ t John Howard say sorry to the Aboriginal people ! " " Like a Dog " spent one week on the ARIA Singles Chart , at # 40 .
|
Two songs from the album , " The Metre " and " Waiting for the Sun " , were released as a double A @-@ side to form the final single . The single was released on 21 August 2001 , and included a cover of Iron Maiden 's " Number of the Beast " . " Waiting for the Sun " was written by Fanning as a devotional , gospel style song . He said of the song ; " It ’ s about being in a relationship and being really heavily happy with it . " " The Metre " spent one week on the ARIA Singles Chart , at # 31 .
|
= = Reception = =
|
Odyssey Number Five mostly gained positive reviews , and was more successful than its predecessor , Internationalist . Entertainment Weekly reviewer Marc Weingarten gave the album a B + . He stated that album entered new " terrain " in guitar rock , complimenting the " scratching and clawing guitars " , drawing comparisons to Travis ( " prim " ) and Oasis ( " mock @-@ grandiose " ) .
|
Allmusic reviewer Dean Carlson disliked the album , giving it a rating of one and a half stars . He described it as " little more than a slightly off @-@ base perspective into the world of mid @-@ 90s American grunge " , and described it as highly similar to Neil Young . Carlson 's only praise was for songs " Odyssey # 5 " and " My Happiness " , stating that " [ t ] oo often , Powderfinger is too earnest , a bit too careful in their career " . Carlson noted that despite his critique , the album achieved some success in the American market .
|
Devon Powers of PopMatters complimented Fanning 's vocals , and said the focus of the album was " meaty , rolling ballads " . Powers said that many of the songs on the album were " the kind of songs you put on repeat for hours , or days " . The main critique was for the " faster numbers " , stating that " Like a Dog " " sounds mostly a little bored " . The review concluded by noting that the best songs on Odyssey were those not available as " fleeting radio singles and background music " .
|
Odyssey Number Five won the 2001 ARIA Awards for " Album of the Year " , " Highest Selling Album " , " Best Rock Album " , " Best Cover Art " , and " Best Group " . " My Happiness " won the award for " Single of the Year " , while " Like a Dog " was nominated for " Highest Selling Single " and " Best Video " . At the 2002 ARIA Awards , " The Metre " was nominated for " Best Group " . The album was named " Album of the Year " by Rolling Stone Australia readers , with " My Happiness " taking out " Song of the Year " and Powderfinger receiving " Band of the Year " .
|
= = Charts and certifications = =
|
= = Awards and nominations = =
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.