OdESSA - who the Sunday Star-Times called "The band that can make all of New Zealand stand up and dance" - will release their third album on 24 September. The Prize features songs that cover virtually every genre, from power ­pop to blues ­rock, country folk to the sexiest, sweat ­drenched funk jams anywhere. With cover artwork by Simon Morse, the Wellington-based band say it's the best thing they've ever done.OdESSA - who the Sunday Star-Times called "The band that can make all of New Zealand stand up and dance" - will release their third album on 24 September. The Prize features songs that cover virtually every genre, from power ­pop to blues ­rock, country folk to the sexiest, sweat ­drenched funk jams anywhere. With cover artwork by Simon Morse, the Wellington-based band say it's the best thing they've ever done.OdESSA have toured tirelessly over the past few years, opening the 2006 Big Day Out and playing more than 200 shows between 2005 and early 2007. Highlights for the band include the celebrated A Low Hum tour with The Ruby Suns; playing to thousands lining the streets of Wellington for the premiere of Peter Jackson's King Kong; performing at the 2007 bFM Summer Series; and appearances for the Surf Aid Charity held at the Capital's Town Hall alongside national luminaries such as Trinity Roots, The Phoenix Foundation and Opensouls.

The Prize features new guitarist Daniel Ryland, and was produced by David Long (The Muttonbirds). The group worked up new songs and arrangements and completed tracking in just two and a half days, and the results were engineered/mixed by Mike Gibson, who's worked with Hollie Smith and Steriogram.

Advance copies of The Prize are available on Thursday 20 September at the special live instore performance, 1pm at The CD Store Cuba Mall, Wellington.

18/9/07