ABBA's American "Album"
Co-inspired by The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, songs like "Eagle", "One Man, One Woman" and the exquisitely charming "Move On" are refreshingly different from the previous ABBA. "The Album" followed the Swedish super-group's biggest smash "Arrival" in 1977, replacing it with a slate of songs that were, if not overall better than on Arrival, at least sporting the production and arrangement that showed a considerable leap forward. Their knack for hooks remained intact, as witnessed by the great hits "The Name of the Game", "Thank You For the Music" and "Take a Chance on Me" (ABBA's bestselling single in the US ever). The latter and "Hole in Your Soul" are the most typical ABBA songs here and overall the album is excellent. A great addition for any ABBA and pop music fan.
Good album...but bad re-mastering
Y. I agree with John (from N. ), these 24-bit re-masters of the Abba catalogue were a big letdown. In a side by side comparison, the original discs sounded much better than these. The originals were brighter and plenty full; just like the original album sounded.
On the other hand, these 24-bit discs sound slightly muddy and the high end (which includes acoustic guitars and cymbals) are flat or dead sounding thanks to the no-noise solution. My advice, is to save your money and keep your old discs. .
Abba's Glorious Achievement.
I loved SOS, Fernando, Dancing Queen and obscure album tracks like Tropical Loveland, That's Me, Intermezzo #1 and others. For me in the Seventies, Abba were always a guilty pleasure. They had too much synthesizer and an unreal plastic look, but thirty years on their songs have become pop standards. This album is definitely their peak. They were never more daring and it is a shame they never topped it with their subsequent albums. It is interesting to note that one of the co-writers on some of the songs, Stig Anderson never collaborated with them in writing songs after this album and I think the rest of their albums suffered because of this.
1. EAGLE (5. 51): I was wowed by this song when I first heard it and it is still very inventive today. An epic song which probably should have closed the album. It does conjure up images of soaring high in the skies. The production is amazing. Great shared vocals, great guitar work and the synthesizers are used to wondrous effect. Very atmospheric.
2. TAKE A CHANCE ON ME (4. 04): Very popular and deservedly so. Great pop song. Enough said!
3. ONE MAN ONE WOMAN (4. 31): Frida sings this song with a depressing start but ultimately ends in reconciliation. This would be a rather maudlin song but her vocals do sound full of vulnerability and then joy.
4. THE NAME OF THE GAME (4. 54): Probably my favourite single ever released by Abba. This is the full length version of the song with the second verse included. It is a long way from WATERLOO and RING RING. Very complex issues dealt with here but the sharing of vocals by Agnetha and Frida works very well and the chorus is sublime with all the members contributing exquisite harmnonies. Still one of my favourite songs from the Seventies and I am mainly a rock fan!
5. MOVE ON (4. 41). Not a bad song but the spoken intro by Bjorn is not necessary. Catchy chorus but the la la las in the chorus could also have benn left out.
6. HOLE IN YOUR SOUL (3. 39). More of a rocker. Lyrics are a little cliched but it is nice hear them belt it out. Again the chorus is very catchy.
7. THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC (3. 50). The first of three songs from the mini-musical THE GIRL WITH THE GOLDEN HAIR. One of my least favourite Abba songs. I really wish it was on another album of theirs. I know it was part of a musical but the lyrics are self indulgent and self glorifying. Have to admit I really hate this song. Technically I should only give this album 4 stars because of this song but I do enjoy the other eight tracks very much.
9. I WONDER (DEPARTURE) (4. 32). Sometimes we tend to miss the lyrics of their songs because the melodies are so memorable. I moved from Ireland to the USA in 1988 and this song does capture the mood I felt leaving a lot of familiar things behind for a new daunting life. Again Frida does a great job on vocal.
9. I'M A MARIONETTE (4. 03). A great way to end the album. It is a fast rocker with bitter, jaded lyrics but they pull it off very well. Includes a great guitar solo and great string arrangement. Powerful stuff!!
I know personal issues started to seep into the band at this time. It was predictable that this would take its toll on the members. They did go on to record some great songs like THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL, LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME, THE VISITORS and SLIPPING THROUGH MY FINGERS. But there were too many songs that were just sub-standard. The album VOULEZ VOUS has no brilliance to it at all and was just a second rate disco album. SUPER TROUPER was a hit and miss affair and the album THE VISITORS was an aural picture of four band members fed up with each other just waiting to go their separate ways ("And now they've come to take me, come to break me and yet it isn't unexpected"). ABBA-THE ALBUM showed their vocal, melodic and musical arrangement capabilities at their best. .
A True Pop Gem
Benny & Bjorn again handle all of the writing & arranging, setting up the pop landscapes for Agnetha & Frida to navigate through. Released in conjuction with the mock-documentary film of the same name, "The Album" by ABBA ranks as one of their most experimental & fun records of their career. It was stated that ABBA was very inspired by the California rock/pop of acts such as Steve Miller Band & Fleetwood Mac amongst others, & wanted to incorporate that sound into their own. Already the premiere pop group of the 1970's, it came as no surprise that they wanted to continue to add different sounds, & add they did.
The driving, hypontic "Eagle" opens the record on a very strong note, with beautiful blended harmonies from Agnetha & Frida. "Take A Chance On Me" takes its time with a chorus that will stick in your mind long after the song has finished. "The Name of the Game" probably ABBA's first stab at what could be called "soul" is a melancholic & melodically succesful number.
"Hole In Your Soul" is a an over-the-top ode to cheerfulness in the face of adversity, something the Beach Boys might've come up with. Here the synthesis of the "California sound" with the inescapable Swedish pop hooks, harmonies, & melody makes this cut one of the most successful songs on "The Album".
Also during this period, ABBA was working on the musical "The Girl With the Golden Hair", which featured "I Wonder (Departure)" & "I'm A Marionette", which fit in well with the theme of "The Album". The best song from these sessions, one that would become ABBA's theme & best loved song, "Thank You For the Music" was left off the original pressings of "The Album". It is included here on this record for the first time, along with the "Doris Day" version of that song. "Thank You For the Music" ranks as one of the best written songs about having passion for music today, in all its lovable schmaltz. Agnetha shines here vocally, proving that while Benny & Bjorn set the music up, it was Agnetha & Frida who captivated the audience with their unique vocal work.
From a remastering perspective, "The Album" is a great collector's piece. Released in digi-pak format, with exhaustive liner notes, & full color pictures, lyrics, added songs, & a sharper sound? An ABBA fan couldn't ask for more.
Either way, "The Album" is still one of the most well loved & accomplished records of ABBA's career. It would also be one of the last one's that was totally "carefree", since ABBA would begin to look inward for song inspiration, resulting in some of their most captivating, if dark, music ever. But "take a chance" on this one, it is pure pop perfection. Highly recommended!.
ABBA on Top of Their Form. One of Their Best Studio Albums.
Both of their previous records; "Greatest Hits" and "Arrival" were world-wide smashes selling several million copies each. By 1977, ABBA was one of the best selling bands world-wide. ABBA would repeat that phenomenal success with the release of "ABBA-The Movie" (which did well in Europe) and their 5th original album titled "ABBA-The Album".
By the time ABBA released their 3rd album in 1975, Bjorn and Benny had finally decided to let the 2 girls take centre stage since they were the better singers. This turned out to be a great move because a large part of the "ABBA sound" and their success was due to the combination of Agnetha's and Frida's contrasting voices. By 1976, Bjorn and Benny had perfected their sound, their technique and the use of their 2 most powerful weapons; Agnetha and Frida. The end result was one of their most polished original albums- "Arrival". "ABBA-The Album" takes it one step further. It pretty much follows the typical ABBA formula; beautiful melodies, strong harmony singing, and attention to detail but this time around the majority of the songs are longer with meaningful lyrics. The opening track is the under-rated "Eagle" which boasts a soaring melody, interesting lyrics, outstanding vocals and exquisite guitar work. This song has appeared on several other compilation albums but in edited form. This is one of the few albums where you can hear it the way it was intended- uncut. "Eagle" is followed by "Take a Chance on Me" which features yet again, extraordinary vocals and intricate harmonies (Agnetha is especially delightful during her 2 solos in this song). Frida is given her moments to shine as well in "One Man One Woman" and "I Wonder (Departure)". The latter song showcases her talents as a vocalist proving what us ABBA fans knew all along, that these women were more than just eye candy, they had great vocal talent. "I Wonder" doesn't sound like a typical pop song. It sounds more like a theatre piece and that's the way it was intended to sound since it was part of Bjorn and Benny's mini-musical "The Girl with the Golden Hair" which was performed during their 1977 concerts.
Pop soprano Agnetha takes the lead in the interesting, undeniably lovely "Move On" and "Thank You for the Music" (also from the mini-musical). "Move On" is an interesting piece because it has a brief introduction by Bjorn and the inspirational lyrics are very poetic. The song comes to life however, when Agnetha takes the lead in the verses and her "La-la-la-la-la-la-la's" during the song's climax is riveting. "Thank You for the Music" is another famous ABBA tune with a gorgeous melody that is enhanced by Agnetha's powerful voice.
Another major highlight in "The Album" is "The Name of the Game". This song may not grab the listener immediately like ABBA's earlier hits but repeated listening (with good quality earphones) will convince you this is one of the finest songs ABBA ever produced. Several have called it a "masterpiece". It offers beautiful vocals by the girls. They start off singing in unison then they branch off with Agnetha having the first solo in the song which perfectly showcases the texture and delicacy of her instrument. Then all members dig into the chorus in perfect harmony before Frida takes the lead. They adorn this part of the song with some creative orchestrations, vocal tricks and harmonies. This song also clearly showcases the differences between the 2 vocalists. Agnetha's solos are always in a much higher register since it's her upper notes that hold her magic while Frida's sultry lower register is her trademark. One of Bjorn and Benny biggest talents (aside from writing perfect pop songs) was how they skillfully used these womens instruments. They really knew how to display their vocal beauty.
"ABBA-The Album" was a commercial hit world-wide. The album reached #1 in the UK, the Top 10 in Canada and the Top 20 in the US achieving platinum status. The 2 singles that were released in these territories were also major hits. It has been said that "Dancing Queen" was ABBA's biggest selling single in the US since it was certified Gold and it reached #1 on the charts but it has since been stated that "Take a Chance on Me" actually sold more copies in America. Whether this is true or not it was still a big hit climbing to #3 and achieving Gold status in the US. The single also reached #1 in the UK and #7 in Canada. "The Name of the Game" reached #1 in the UK, #12 in the US and #15 in Canada. "Thank You for the Music" has always been regarded as one of ABBA's hits and it was even included in their "ABBA Gold" CD. The song was never released as a single in the UK until 1983 after the groups' breakup peaking just outside the Top Thirty.
"ABBA-The Album" was the turning point in ABBA's career. From this point forward, their albums would mature both musically and lyrically. They would become more sophisticated offering not just pretty melodies but emotional depth as well. Their wonderful sound, remarkable vocal harmonies and powerful ballads would continue to grace their future albums and immortalize their talents that went unrecognized during the groups' hey-day when they were considered by many as just a "flash in the pan". Several decades later the four Swedes' music continues to sell in the millions. To date they have sold between 360-400 million records world-wide (Only The Beatles and Elvis Presley have sold more). That only confirms that ABBA's music is more than just "bubble-gum". ABBA's musical legacy will continue to endure for years to come because music this perfectly crafted only gets better with age. We can now fully appreciate them for their beauty and brilliance and when hardened music critics jump on the ABBA band-wagon and admit the radiance of their tunes only solidifies our claims that several of these songs are masterpieces.
So for the uninitiated, forget about the platforms and those silly, form-fitting costumes. It's all about the music; the timeless melodies, the intricate harmonies, the wonderful sound created when combining Agnetha and Frida's glorious voices. All of these elements helped make ABBA's music transcendent. Enjoy.
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