Album 16 Repackaged!

If you've been perusing the various Odyssey fan sites lately, then you've probably seen the latest repack already. Here we see a unique twist on the cover for Album 16: Flights of Imagination, continuing the trend of replacing the original collage covers with an illustration of a scene from a specific episode. And in case I haven't expressed my appreciation for the new artwork enough -- yes, it's much better than the original. Note that Gary Locke has a cameo in this cover... can you guess who it is?



For an album that had such powerful episodes in "The Mortal Coil" and "It is Well," it's interesting that they decided to draw from Columbus: The Grand Voyage. Plus, Gary's depiction of Lawrence is more how I imagined Jimmy to look like. It's still another excellent cover, however, and I can't wait to get a copy when it releases this December!

Stay tuned for our latest podcast...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy thanksgiving, everyone!

Album 21 Repackaged!

As Focus continues to re-release its old albums with the updated layout, I am continually amazed by some of the artwork illustrator Gary Locke continues to produce. I realize there are those who prefer the original artwork, but these new designs seem way more vibrant than the previous ones. Gary's illustrations have the tendency to make the scenes stand out in the same way that a pop-up book makes simple drawings come to life. In Album 21: Wish You Were Here, we see one of our favorite Odyssey duos during their trip through California. I especially like how the truck appears to "jump out" of the picture... it really makes for a visually appealing cover. Much moreso than the original.



This latest repack is scheduled to release in December. Thoughts?

Novacom Boxed Set?

Back in early August, Jacob Isom over at the Odyssey Scoop announced his discovery of a new special boxed set album that will be released as the Novacom Saga. According to the production description, the album will contain 10 CDs, the first nine of which will includes the 28 episodes that comprise the Novacom Saga. The tenth CD will feature over an hour of behind-the-scenes audio material.



I was recently searching for various Odyssey related products and managed to stumble upon the product page for this particular set on Amazon. I'm not sure if this is the final cover, but it looks pretty spiffy. There's not much else to report, except for the fact that it will retail for approximately $30 when it is released in March 2009. I'm usually quite hesitant to purchase re-released products (unless I don't already own the originally released product), but that hour of bonus material is rather enticing. Your thoughts?

Odyssey News and Updates

While there may not be any new episodes until Fall 2009, that doesn't mean there isn't a ton of Odyssey news to discuss! First, they've come up with the repackaged version of Album 41: In Hot Pursuit. As is the case with albums 36-41, this one is merely a re-framed version of the original. It's definitely an interesting cover, although I'd never really stopped to consider its significance. Is it just me or does Mitch look a bit too... nerdy? Yes, I know he's supposed to be good with computers, but that doesn't mean the guy has to wear glasses. ;o)



As some of you may know by now, The Truth Chronicles is available for purchase... exclusively from Focus on the Family until mid-2009. You can buy a copy for $25 if you're an American resident. However, if you're fortunate enough to be Canadian, you can get it here for only $17.50. You can bet I'll be ordering my copy soon! If you're more of a try-before-you-buy kind of person, you can listen to the first episode of the Truth Chronicles by checking out WhitsEnd.org.

For those of you who are craving for more Odyssey-related content, there's more where that came from... starting, of course, with the Official Podcast. It just released its latest podcast earlier today, so go listen to it! But perhaps the most exciting thing that's out there, the proverbial "new kid" on the block, is the Ceiling Fan. It's a new podcast starring the biggest Odyssey fan, or so he claims. You should check it out. It's pretty sweet. And because I said so.

As far as the Unofficial Podcast goes, we'll be trying to get out an episode out sometime in early October. Stay tuned!

Reliving the Moments

It's now been a full month since the birthday bash took place and yet the memories still linger. I recall being incredibly excited when Paul McCusker came into the studio to record his segment with us for the Official Podcast. It was such an amazing experience meeting someone who has played such an instrumental role in Odyssey's development over the past two decades. I was left speechless... of course, who wouldn't be when Phillip Glossman is talking to you? ;o)


Recording with Paul McCusker in studio

As released on WhitsEnd.org last week, you can now stream the fifty-first Official podcast by clicking the play button below!

Running Time: 11:14

Unofficial Podcast Ep. 47

09.10.08. We're finally back! Although not in a way that you might expect. This podcast is loaded with fan interviews as well as thoughts on favorite moments from the live show. You won't want to miss this one!

I'd also like to take the opportunity to mention that we hit the 300 subscribers plateau yesterday. In addition, we made the iTunes top podcast list for the kids and family category! Our podcast is currently ranked 58th in Canada. We really appreciate all the support we've been getting and hope to continue providing more riveting discussion on Odyssey. ;)


Bob and Jesse from the Official Podcast

Right-click and save here to download.

Running Time: 20:13

Album 25 Repackaged!

Whenever people are asked to name their favorite collection of episodes, it is inevitable that the Blackgaard Saga will be mentioned. Not only did it bring to the forefront perhaps the most memorable villain in Odyssey history, it also brought one of the most cherished characters to Christ. All while centering around the place where it all started... Whit's End. It isn't hard to see, then, why Album 25: Darkness Before Dawn has been so highly touted by Odyssey fans.

Now the big question is whether or not the listeners will enjoy the redesign! For the record, I'm rather pleased with the updated cover art. But what do you think? :o)



The repackaged album is scheduled to release in November.

More Album Cover Art!

Although it's been nearly two weeks since the live show, I'm still getting over the thrill of being part of such an amazing event. Over the next little while, Sarah and I will be recapping and sharing some of our favorite moments from our time in Colorado Springs. If you have any questions you'd like to ask about the live show or anything else you think we could answer, feel free to drop us a comment on the blog or send us your queries to aiofanpodcast@hotmail.com.

Now back to some actual Odyssey news! The lastest album to receive a new, redesigned look is Album 30: Through Thick and Thin.



As an closet chess fanatic, I particularly appreciate this scene from Poor Loser, one of the more popular Bernard and Eugene episodes. This cover is definitely a significant upgrade from the rather uninteresting shot of Whit pulling Jared and Rodney out from a well. It's worth noting, of course, that Eugene appears to be left with only a pawn. What happened to his king? ;o)

The Unofficial and Official Podcast... United!

In case you haven't seen it already, the Official Podcast has uploaded their 50th episode. Check it out by going to WhitsEnd.org/podcast or stream it by hitting the play button below. You'll get a chance to hear fan reaction and even clips from the live show! And don't confuse those two new voices for vagabonds... it's really us.


Photographed by April B.

Running Time: 15:52