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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2019 10:52:10 GMT
Having missed out on the actual Megarate exercise(s) a few years ago, I'll post my track-by-track markings, album by album, over the coming weeks. Starting with 'Ring Ring', of course:
Ring Ring – 7
Very smart pop ditty, built around a nifty little riff; lacks the ‘smack in the face’ qualities of ‘Waterloo’ but, as a song, arguably at least its equal
Another Town, Another Train – 6
What is it about railway stations that evoke such wistful feelings? Cold and deserted, they can be pretty bleak places; jammed with strangers, they highlight how our lives are just one among many, and in constant motion. ATAT neatly captures some of that melancholy
Disillusion – 6
Nice, stage-musical type of song reminding us that Agnetha’s substantial songwriting potential would be stifled within ABBA’s confines
People Need Love – 6
Just a simple, effective pop song. Sounds like it took ten minutes to write and none the worse for that.
I Saw It in the Mirror – 6
I like the ‘Ring Ring’ album because it’s so experimental. Here’s a new band testing the water in multiple directions to see where their future may or may not lie. While being very ‘un-ABBA’, this song is a perfect example of that exploratory spirit. It’s a decent song of its type, lifted by excellent backing vocals. Björn’s ‘limited’ vocals work well too, adding to the song’s ‘realism’ and its frank, self-pitying vibe.
Nina, Pretty Ballerina – 5
Trains again. As throwaway as throwaway gets. I routinely used to hit 'fast forward' or 'skip' for this one, but have become more reconciled to it in recent years. Dumb song but irritatingly catchy. Can never work out whether it’d be better or worse without the crowd sound effects.
Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough) – 7
Catchy, quite well crafted song with a quirky edge. Neat blending of pure pop with some rockier elements – a hallmark of early/mid-period ABBA. One of the songs on this album that gives just a hint of the band’s potential. I’d give this a 6.5 if I were awarding half-marks.
Me and Bobby and Bobby's Brother – 3
The single redeeming feature about this one is that it’s by ABBA. Like a badly malfunctioning elevator, it fails to work on every level. Would get my ‘nul points’ if there weren’t worse to come on the ‘Waterloo’ album, where there are three or four heavyweight contenders for that doubtful accolade. That panpipe-type effect is horrible. The sort of song your (and my) granny would no doubt have liked back in the day.
He Is Your Brother – 8
This has got a nice bit of ‘swag’ to it. I love it when ABBA have a brush with rock, channeling a bit of its energy and attitude but without sacrificing singable choruses and catchy riffs. They lost much of this facet of their work later in their career and I, for one, mourned its passing. Gets an extra point because it works so well in ‘The Movie’.
She's My Kind of Girl – 5
Strange but intriguing one this. A real late-60s pastiche/’homage’. It jars a bit, not least due to its (deliberately?) dated sound. It even hints at the Beach Boys in places. Another great example of ABBA’s scattershot approach to this album. Tempted to give it a 6 but that would be going a bit too far.
I Am Just a Girl – 4
Another throwback, but unfortunately not as effective as SMKOG. This could be the unlistened-to b-side of any number of singles put out by any number of second-tier artists between 1967 and 1970. Ghastly bridge bit.
Rock 'N' Roll Band – 8
I bloomin’ love this one. The epitome of dumb fun, it’s the kind of 70s cod-rock-by-numbers that I never really tire of. Sounds like something from ‘Frampton Comes Alive’, but dialled down a bit. Great album closer. Did I mention that I bloomin’ love this one?
Plus:
Merry-Go-Round – 5
Self-pity heads off the chart. But the tunes are OK. I quite like the outro.
Santa Rosa – 5
Formulaic, highly derivative but fairly innocuous West-Coast-lite hokum. Desperately needs the girls in there to lift it. I quite like the twang of the electric piano, in its sub-‘Superstition’-type way.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2019 14:56:16 GMT
As the second part of a two-for-one starter pack, here's the second installment: 'Waterloo'.
Waterloo - 8
From first second to last, this songs slaps you round the chops and demands that you listen up and listen up good. Instrumentally and vocally, everything’s on point here. Very clever arrangement. Every line’s a hook. The smartness of the lyrics is also often underestimated. For me, it ranks as one of the greatest statements of intent in pop music and though its ubiquity means it’s all too easily undervalued, it’s one of those pieces that simply refuses to be ignored for long, by anyone. I nearly gave it a 9 but need to leave a bit of headroom for some of the mega-stuff to come. (There – got through that without mentioning ‘Eurovision’. Sort of.)
Sitting in the Palmtree – 4
I very rarely reach for the ‘Waterloo’ album and one of the key reasons is that the monumental title track is immediately followed by three massive clunkers. This is the first. As naff as naff gets, this song then compounds the problem by limping on for nearly four minutes that feel like about nine. I’ll give ABBA brownie points for experimenting with a semi-faux-reggae vibe, and because this song kind of presages some of Boney M’s work, but have nothing else that’s very positive to say about this one.
King Kong Song – 4
By rights, as a glam fan and a rock fan, I should find this reasonably tolerable. But it takes daftness beyond even ‘Sitting in the Palmtree’ levels and tries way too hard to be ‘kooky’. Sounds like Mud/Sweet/Suzi Quatro on a bad day. Sort of identikit bad glam. Might have got away with it as a ‘fun’ b-side, but nowhere near album calibre.
Hasta Mañana – 0
This is my least favourite ABBA song by a fair margin. I find it hackneyed and cloying on every level and in every respect, both lyrically and musically. The nadir is the ‘talky bit’ in the middle. There are some songs where a talky bit works quite well, but here it just compounds the triteness. And it’s one of those songs that, just when you think you’ve got rid of it, the chorus comes round yet again.
My Mama Said – 7
This one works quite well for me. It’s got a good, insistent groove to it and its simplicity is an asset. Simple but not over-simplistic, you could say. Neat bass holds it together and the Jan Akkerman-style jazzy/funky guitar touches elevate the chorus and the instrumental section. Whispered backing vocals are a nice touch too.
Dance (While the Music Still Goes On) – 6
Pretty solid pop song. Echoes of this one can be heard in multiple songs from later in their career. I like the classic 70s use of brackets in the song title, but there again I can be easily pleased.
Honey Honey – 5
A song with oodles of commercial potential, of course, but not really my bag at all. As I’ve stated before, I’m glad ABBA gave this one away as I fear that, had they released it as a single themselves and seen it break into the UK charts, they might have succumbed to the siren call of cotton-candy-pop and taken a very different musical path forward. I can’t abide the bridge and the string synth is a bit annoying.
Watch Out – 5
I always think of this one as a bit of a dry run for ‘Tiger’. Nice crunchy opening but the rest of the song can’t really live up to it and it sounds too much like a cut-and-shut of other songs that were around at the time. However, it’s got 1974 written all over it and that’s a plus point in my book. Some nice Gene Simmons-style bass touches also give it a lift.
What about Livingstone – 5
What about him, indeed. I’m sure there’s an important message in the song somewhere but I’ve never been sufficiently engaged with this inconsequential ditty to distill what it is. I’d classify this as ‘listenable’ but it’s archetypal album filler, instantly forgettable and doesn’t convey any sense of ABBA trying particularly hard.
Gonna Sing You My Lovesong – 6
Nothing extra-special but compared with a lot of the stuff on this album, this sounds like a mini-masterpiece. The guys deliver a decent chorus and Benny coaxes some interesting sounds out of his keyboards. I like the way the song swells as it unfolds, and how it shows ABBA beginning to see the path forward.
Suzy-Hang-Around – 4
Trust the ‘Waterloo’ album to have a sting in its tail and unleash another mahoosive clunker right at the end. The Byrds-like jingle-jangle saves it from complete catastrophe. I quite like the fade-out and the modestly spontaneous mini drum fills that lightly garnish it. But overall, these are three minutes that feel like eight.
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Post by foreverfan on Nov 5, 2019 16:32:33 GMT
Well done for starting and in a way you get hooked into completing... I enjoy reading what people think , and yes we are all different, for instance I’d never never have given Hasta Manana a 0 and in comparison King Kong Song a 4.. but this is what makes it interesting.. When I did my top 100 I was one of the few or might actually have been the only one not to justify my points or placing, apart from the occasional sentence, it was mainly a feeling for me.. so don’t let others be put of doing what they feel... As a point, if I remember correctly, out of curtesy we would let someone finish before someone else started, it helped not to get confused and had a continuing feel with the chart or marks.. but each to their own.. Hasta Manana ....0 rubbish..  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2019 16:57:46 GMT
Great - thanks very much for that. Basically, any record with 'ABBA' on the label isn't going to get anything less than a 2 from me, and that would probably be HM's real-world score. But applying the Megarate rules (if I've interpreted them correctly) means I need to give SOMETHING a big round zero...
Will post my verdict on the 'ABBA' album in a few days. Expect one or two mild surprises!
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Post by gary on Nov 5, 2019 18:51:55 GMT
Glad to see someone agrees with me about Hasta Manana. Sub-Tie A Yellow Ribbon tedium!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2019 13:18:43 GMT
On to my second-favourite ABBA album, 'ABBA':
Mamma Mia – 8
Quintessential early ABBA in three sparkling minutes. Everything locks together so well, and everything’s so well judged, confident and assured, that it’s hard to believe they’re only one album on from serving up pap like ‘King Kong Song’, ‘Sitting in the Palmtree’ and ‘Suzy-Hang-Around’. As an opening salvo, ‘Mamma Mia’ delivers an unambiguous warning that this album will be nothing short of a quantum leap forward for ABBA.
Hey Hey Helen – 9
The first time this album hit my turntable back in the high summer of ’78 and that glam-stomp beat thudded from the speakers, followed by those growling guitar chords, this song surprised and delighted me. I wasn’t expecting such full-on rocky stuff and it showed I’d definitely backed the right horse in terms of investing scant teenage financial resources in ABBA’s back catalogue. There’s a slight steeliness in its delivery that I find quite appealing and suits the song down to its big glam boots. The Stevie Wonder electric piano stylings are spot-on. Don’t think I’ve ever listened to this song over the last 41 years and not thoroughly adored it.
Tropical Loveland – 6
You could say ABBA entered dangerous territory here by revisiting the calypso/reggae-ish mood they’d toyed with pretty unsatisfactorily on ‘Sitting in the Palmtree’. But, despite the song’s ultra-naff title, I think they get away with it. I rather like its brightness, (tropical) breeziness and general languid positivity.
SOS – 9
I think it’s the ascending organ/keyboard run just before the chorus kicks in that really seals the deal on this song. A lovely touch that shows how B&B were masters at squeezing every jot of quality from top-notch material. The raspy synth line behind the “when you’re gone” bit is another supreme example. The organ backing behind the second verse reminds me of ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’, and that ringing resonance from the piano right at the very end concludes the song perfectly. Brilliance on a pop plate.
Man in the Middle – 7
I’ve never remotely had a problem with this one. The backing track has a kind of Starsky-and-Hutch-stakeout-music feel, which definitely makes this a period piece, while the electric piano, backing vocals, brass and insistent hi-hat all give this a good dollop of 70s sass. Björn’s semi-detached, semi-amused vocal delivery is perfect for this kind of third-party, social-commentary-type song.
Bang-a-Boomerang – 7
One of the great things about ABBA was their ability just to go straight down the middle every so often and deliver the purest of pure poppy pop songs, built round killer hooks and lyrics of staggering simplicity – songs that absolutely hit the spot but which, in lesser hands, could easily have sounded ever so slightly ludicrous. This is one such piece. The first ten seconds, in particular, are pure class, while the interplay between the shuffling drum beat and the bass guitar is a thing of beauty.
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do – 4
In a nightmare alternative reality somewhere in a parallel universe, ABBA release ‘Honey Honey’ as a UK single, have a modest-sized hit with it and, emboldened by that, fill their next album with twelve ‘I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do’s. This one sounds way too twee and lazy and is a completely unworthy reflection of their mighty songwriting, vocal and musical talents. Boy, those saxes are annoying, while that Fats Domino piano thing Benny plumps for really, REALLY grates after a bit. The bells are actually the best bit.
Rock Me – 8
As I mentioned earlier, I generally love it when ABBA flirt with rock and get a bit of a swag on, because they were so adept at balancing it with their innate feel for a great hook. I’ve always had a soft spot for ‘Rock Me’, not least because of its presence fairly early on in ‘The Movie’ where it shows that ABBA ‘live’ knew how to put on a bit of a rock show. The instrumentation’s great and the growly vocal works a treat. The backing vocals are a treat too (especially the “don’t stop the rock” bit). To my ears, a massive feel-good song and a highlight of this album.
Intermezzo No.1 – 9
Being dragged along to see ‘The Movie’ in 1978 (i.e. slightly against my will) was the event that turned me into a huge ABBA fan. Much of the music wasn’t what I expected to hear. Indeed, a lot of it was literally music to my rock-loving and even prog-rock-loving ears. One piece that stood out was “that instrumental bit Benny played near the beginning”. Was blown away by it but had no idea what it was. My researches eventually showed it was something called ‘Intermezzo No.1’. Rick Wakeman would have killed for this one (although he’d probably have mega-multilayered it, messed around with the time signature and added a full 90-piece orchestra, a choir and an ice rink). Emerson, Lake and Palmer would possibly have had a hit with it. Yes would have stuck some lyrics about a wizard called Olias over the top and put it on the ‘Relayer’ album. I, for one, always held out a faint hope that ‘Intermezzo No.2’ would appear at some point on a later ABBA album. A massively undervalued gem.
I've Been Waiting For You – 7
This ticks all the ballad boxes, doesn’t it? Maybe it (inevitably) loses a bit by inviting comparison with ‘SOS’ on side one, but it’s a damn fine effort. Any song that sticks in that many “na, na, na”s without becoming in the least bit irritating must be doing something right.
So Long – 9
Forged from molten iron poured into the ‘Waterloo’ mould, I actually prefer this to ABBA’s Eurovision winner. It ratchets up the energy and swag another notch and sounds like the band, while they were recording it, just KNEW it was going to be a hit. They were wrong, of course, but they left us with one of the great album-closers. That last 25 seconds in particular is absolutely magical and just shouts to me “play this song again – IMMEDIATELY!!!!” The way the guitar propels the chorus forward is quite magnificent and the girls’ vocals never sounded better together. I realise I haven’t mentioned the girls’ vocals much in my comments to
date, but that’s because you can pretty much rely on them always to be on point.
Plus:
Crazy World – 5
A bit naff but has a curious charm to it. A song that had the potential to be rather good with a bit more work.
Medley: Pick a Bale of Cotton/Old Smokey/Midnight Special – 6
Very much a game of three halves. ‘Cotton’ sounds superb. Excellent arrangement and some of the weird sounds on it could have come from an album by one of those fringe German bands of the mid-70s. Great through headphones and everything has real zip. ‘Smokey’, on the other hand, is really irritating and just a little bit of a cringe, though I can’t really explain why – probably just the lyrics. ‘Midnight Special’ is much more like it. Nothing extra-special, mind, but the girls chuck themselves at it with commendable gusto. Needs more all-round oomph at the end (Agnetha’s little yelp notwithstanding). If only they’d thumbed through their anthology of trad tunes a little longer and found a better bet than ‘Smokey’, and then revved up the end of ‘Midnight Special’, this medley could have been a cult classic.
More in a couple of days.
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Post by chron on Nov 8, 2019 15:46:01 GMT
None of your doing, of course, but you've come up against the problem we all came up against doing the original abbaforum Megarate - the scoring system adopted didn't/doesn't allow for a big enough range of scores to be able to string out the songs in a way that meaningfully reflects the 'distance' in quality one feels exists between bad, middling and good tracks. You're already dished out one-short-of-perfect-10s to So Long, Hey, Hey, Helen and Intermezzo (for which, with regard to the last, you need to seek help!), which is going to give you hardly any headroom for giving the best of their work marks that will accurately indicate the degree to which they're superior (I like Hey, Hey, Helen a lot, think it's an under-appreciated ABBA song, and gave it a good (over)score myself, probably a 7 or even an 8, but there's no way that songs of the quality of Dancing Queen or KMKY, say, can be considered only one or two points superior to HHH, even allowing for the vagaries of subjective judgement and all that - personal issues with The Winner Takes It All apart, in general terms the consensus view of the best of their work can be considered as good as objective). Scoring things out of ten is almost as daft as Amazon making people score things out of 5. Something like the Pitchfork method, which uses a decimal point to 'fine tune' grades, should've been adopted.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2019 18:24:13 GMT
TBH, I haven't found the scoring system too problematic, in terms of reflecting relative personal preferences. There's been the odd song where an extra half-mark might have been handy but that's about it. I've jotted down preliminary scores for every song and am now just fleshing them out with a few comments. None of my marks can claim to be objective in any way, shape or form. Every one is 100% subjective, undilutedly personal and merely reflects my own relative level of enjoyment of the songs. So yes, HHH, 'So Long' and 'Intermezzo No.1' completely warrant their scores of 9! There'll be two, maybe three 10s to come, plus one 11 of course. (I did an ABBA Top 100 six or so years ago on ABBA4Ever and both HHH and 'So Long' were ensconced in my Top 10.) Taste can be a strange old thing.
Anyway, while I'm here: 'ARRIVAL'.
When I Kissed the Teacher – 7
Nice touch not to lead off the album with a big single. Classy song that essentially provides a high-quality warm-up act for the one that follows. For me, it sounds like ABBA limbering up for the big one, flexing their muscles and peeling off their tracksuits. Still have waking nightmares about how it was butchered in Mamma Mia 2.
Dancing Queen – 9
Sometimes pop music begets an almost cosmic alignment: exactly the right song, by exactly the right band, at exactly the right time. DQ is a prime example. It’s a terrific song in and of itself, of course, but I think it’s easy to underestimate how the girls’ incredible vocals ratchet it up a couple more levels. It’s one of those songs that’s so overfamiliar, its quality is easily underestimated – until you hear it again. In releasing this and watching it fly, ABBA really had reached the top of Everest. I’ll bet the view was stunning.
My Love, My Life – 6
Phew. I think we all need a breather. And it comes in the form of this nicely judged ballad. A song I admire more than I truly love, in all honesty, but it must be quite a good ‘un to emerge not just unscathed but also, in an odd way, with its meaning augmented and amplified by its treatment in Mamma Mia 2.
Dum Dum Diddle – 7
Or Bang-a-Boomerang part 2. I always have and always will believe it’s about a bloke and his violin. No strings attached. This song pulls off ABBA’s old trick of delivering quite a melancholy song in the guise of quite a happy one. The classic Europop gambit! Great synth riff I’m sure the Human League had in the backs of their minds when they recorded ‘Fascination’.
Knowing Me, Knowing You – 10
Impossibly bold and brilliant song, impossibly boldly and brilliantly delivered. Arguably ABBA’s towering achievement. Before I summoned up the courage to abandon my principles and actually buy ABBA records, this was the one that I was most delighted to hear if it came on the radio. Those first six chords – the harbinger of brilliance! I don’t just throw scores of ‘10’ around, you know...
Money, Money, Money – 8
98% of albums ever released would die to have a song as clever and creative as this as their centrepiece. Yet, on ‘Arrival’, it’s only the third best track and often gets overlooked as a consequence. Possibly Frida’s definitive vocal performance. ABBA could bring a nicely cynical edge to their work when they needed to and Frida applies it perfectly here.
That's Me – 5
Just doesn’t do it for me. Notwithstanding the superior production, it sounds more akin to some of the less-than-stellar stuff on the first two albums and I totally understand why they hid it away in the depths of Side 2. I was surprised to learn that it was actually pretty highly regarded by ABBA fandom, but there you go. Personally, it sounds like a bit of album filler – nothing truly objectionable but not really adding anything to the overall weight and worth of such a fine album.
Why Did It Have To Be Me? - 8
The swag’s BACK! Another song that sounds like it was written in ten minutes and would have been ruined if it’d taken any longer, it retains its spontaneity and ‘jam’ feel through a simple, jaunty but perfectly judged arrangement and performance. A song with a nice Quo undercurrent, its cachet is reinforced in my mind by its appearance in ‘The Movie’ and the brilliant interplay between Frida and Björn. Hat and scarf on standby! Am I allowed to use the word ‘raunchy’? Does anyone use it anymore?
Tiger – 7
Oh, what might have been! All the ingredients are there for this song to have been a dyed-in-the-wool, universally known and widely revered five-star ABBA classic. Somehow, though, it doesn’t QUITE realise its full potential. I think it’s a bit too precise and ‘placed’ – the tiger needed to be let off the leash a bit more. A bit more power needed. Take a couple of risks too. Let the drums really pound and make a guitar wail. Agnetha’s scream at the end hints at the possibilities.
Arrival – 7
Feels more like a departure than an arrival. Indeed, it represents quite a bold departure from ABBA’s usual approach in general and the rest of this album in particular, so teases the listener into wondering where ABBA will head off to next, in terms of musical approach. The kind of tune that gives you a warm glow and, as an instrumental, it invites you to superimpose your own thoughts and feelings on it. A tune you can kind of wallow in.
Plus:
Fernando – 5
We had a teacher at school called Mr Ferdinando and would regularly wind him up by singing a bit of this one (with suitably adjusted lyric) as he walked into the dinner hall. But it’s just not my sort of song. I find that faux-firelight-mood thingy and the military whistle-and-drums vibe a bit irritating. Also, I usually love a hi-hat but it gets on my wick here.
Happy Hawaii – 6
I think the alternative lyrics/approach works pretty well, but the absence of the interplay between Frida and Björn takes it down a notch or two.
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Post by chron on Nov 8, 2019 23:28:53 GMT
HHH, 'So Long' and 'Intermezzo No.1' completely warrant their scores of 9! Intermezzo completely warrants something! Bjorn, Frida and Agnetha ought to have been put up for a Nobel Peace citation or a Noise Abatement Society Lifetime Achievement Award, for ensuring that a second instalment of Intermezzo has never seen the light of day. |
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Post by chron on Nov 9, 2019 1:37:24 GMT
My take on what must've transpired:
INT. A Stockholm recording studio, sometime in 1976. Benny Andersson is in the corner, fiddling about with the settings on one of his synths. Agnetha Fältskog approaches.
AGNETHA: Benny! Hur mår du? Får jag prata med dig ett ögonblick? [Benny! How are you diddlin'? Listen man, can I have a quick word?]
BENNY: Självklart, självklart! [Of course, of course!]
AGNETHA: Vi tre har pratat och vi har beslutat att om du någonsin lägger en hemsk, pompös, parfymerad monstositet som Intermezzo på ett ABBA-album, kommer vi att binda dig, sätta dig i en båt, röra dig ut till havet och skjuta du över sidan. Förstår du? [The thing is, me and the other two have been having a bit of a confab, and the upshot is: we've all decided that if you ever EVER try to sneak another of your execrable, prancing, pomander-waving, powdered wig-wearing keyboard extravaganzas onto an ABBA album, we're going to bind you up with Roebling cable, stick you in the bottom of a boat, row you out into the middle of the Baltic at night, and hoy you over the side. All right, mate?]
A blanched and silent Benny nods vigorously. Agnetha walks closer to him, pats his cheek a couple of times and winks at him.
AGNETHA: Mycket bra! Du måste komma ihåg: vi skapar den finaste Euro-popmusiken, vi är inte någon billig svensk tribute-akt som B. Bumble And The Stingers. Försök inte agera som Liberace. Tack. Jag lämnar dig för att rensa upp. [Nice one! Just remember: we're purveyors of imperious yet vulnerable Europop, we're not some Swedish knock-off B. Bumble And The Stingers, capisce? Leave all that grinning, galloping-up-and-down-the-keyboard stuff to the Liberace impersonators. Cheers, dude. I'll leave you to finish up here, yeah?]
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2019 9:14:50 GMT
Good work.
I'd like to believe this exchange will be re-enacted in Channel 5's forthcoming docu-drama 'The Dark Side of ABBA'.
The pomander bit's a little harsh, mind.
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Post by josef on Nov 9, 2019 9:32:36 GMT
We live in such a tinder-swipe, NEXT! world these days and it has even affected me. Me, who used to enjoy a good book, would savour a whole album, etc. So it's good to pause for a while. I have difficulty concentrating and seeing things through. I tend to listen to the same bloody songs recently, in such a rut. Reading these thoughts makes me think it might be time to give the ABBA albums, particularly the older ones, a new listen, like in the old days. See if I can appreciate things I didn't spot in my younger years.
Inclined to agree about Intermezzo. What a racket. Why is it even in The Movie? Benny's a genius, but this proves even geniuses have off days.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2019 10:23:32 GMT
Completely agree. (Not the bit about 'Intermezzo', though...). And it can be hard to listen to old stuff without prejudice, as they say.
But sometimes, for instance, listening to the same old song while you're in a completely different location can give you a new perspective on a piece. Personally, I tend to fall into the trap of listening to certain stuff, and certain types of stuff, at certain times of year. I've made a (reasonably) concerted attempt not to do that this year, and it's been quite liberating!!
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Post by HOMETIME on Nov 9, 2019 11:29:59 GMT
We live in such a tinder-swipe, NEXT! world these days and it has even affected me. Me, who used to enjoy a good book, would savour a whole album, etc. So it's good to pause for a while. I have difficulty concentrating and seeing things through. I tend to listen to the same bloody songs recently, in such a rut. Reading these thoughts makes me think it might be time to give the ABBA albums, particularly the older ones, a new listen, like in the old days. See if I can appreciate things I didn't spot in my younger years. Inclined to agree about Intermezzo. What a racket. Why is it even in The Movie? Benny's a genius, but this proves even geniuses have off days. I think streaming and, before that, iTunes playlists (which, let's face it, were fun to compile) shrank our attention spans. I have noticed that I'm returning to playing albums in full. The Visitors, Voulez-Vous, Shine and Chess get the complete-spin treatment the most, with Arrival and Djupa Andetag close behind. When I remind myself to do it, I always enjoy a complete spin of The Album and Wrap Your Arms Around Me. Other albums seem to need some effort, even albums I tend to describe as good: my itchy skip-button finger is surprisingly active on Super Trouper and A; busier still on ABBA, and a virtual blur when it comes to Waterloo and Ring Ring. I must dig out all the other releases and see how they fare. |
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Post by HOMETIME on Nov 9, 2019 11:40:36 GMT
None of your doing, of course, but you've come up against the problem we all came up against doing the original abbaforum Megarate - the scoring system adopted didn't/doesn't allow for a big enough range of scores to be able to string out the songs in a way that meaningfully reflects the 'distance' in quality one feels exists between bad, middling and good tracks. It's not a perfect solution by any means but might it be more helpful if the songs were ranked in order of preference (perhaps by album, to begin with), with no joint placings allowed? For the results to be "pure" the submissions would probably have to be done secretly, as with the original megarate. Another key question is whether anyone is masochistic enough to take such a project on., |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2019 9:02:28 GMT
THE ALBUM
Eagle – 10
The first ABBA record I ever bought was ‘The Album’ and this was the first song that greeted me once I’d smuggled the LP home, mildly petrified that I might get caught with it in my possession by one of my mates on the top deck of the bus. But if there was any lingering doubt about the prudence of me ‘selling out’ and ‘going pop’, the full-length version of this song banished it utterly. Soaring, sublime, sumptuous. Pick any (nice) word beginning with ‘s’ you choose. It perfectly embodies ABBA’s evolution to a more ‘adult’ approach on this album, building on the legacy of KMKY. I love the way ‘The Movie’ builds to the scene in the lift and the resolution of the dodgy DJ’s quest, and ‘Eagle’ is the perfect accompaniment to that moment. I’m also kind of glad it was never a single. It’s too good for that, if you know what I mean. Some jewels need to be kept locked away just a little. And that “I’m an eagle” backing vocal – what a superb touch. As for the slightly delayed “high!” in the later choruses – wow! If you had to argue that ABBA were, on some level, a prog band, you’d summon ‘Eagle’ as a key witness.
Take a Chance on Me – 9
Ridiculously clever song, this one. Superficially, it masquerades as a piece of throwaway pop but it is, of course, anything but. It’s highly sophisticated and quite daring, in terms of its approach, but – because it’s ABBA – it’s absolutely dripping in great hooks and hummable tunes. Some of the keyboard touches are off the chart – my favourite being the one at the end of the second chorus, which Kraftwerk would have been cock-a-hoop with.
One Man, One Woman – 7
If the standard set by the first two songs were maintained throughout the whole album, I think I’d need oxygen by the end of it. Fortunately (from a health perspective), things dampen down just a touch with this song. But it’s still a little cracker. Initially, I regarded this simply as a solid album track. But repeated listenings revealed it’s significantly better than that. The chorus has an anthemic, hold-up-your-ciggy-lighter quality and Frida is absolutely slap-bang in the middle of her comfort zone on songs like this – and delivers accordingly. A compelling slab of adult pop that flies under the radar and is all the better for it.
The Name Of The Game - 7
This is clearly a terrific song and the intro is one of ABBA’s smartest and most iconic. For some reason, though, it’s another of those numbers that I hugely admire but can’t claim to genuinely love. Maybe there’s a bit TOO much going on at times and a slightly simplified, stripped-down version would be more in step with the song’s sentiment. Overall, it has a certain ‘kitchen sink’ element – let’s add a bit of this here, let’s add a bit of that there, let’s add a touch of something else somewhere else. I think that detracts a little from the final result, but hey – what do I know??
Move On – 5
I struggle with this one. The opening sounds like Boney M on a bit of an off day and the chorus offers very little, lyrically or musically, in my opinion. Overall, this song’s something of a retrograde step and stands out like a sore, bland thumb on this particular album. I quite like the “la-la-la, la-la-la-la”s, which save it from getting a lower score. Would never have been a number one in the UK, by the way, even if the ill-judged talky bit had been expunged from the single edit.
Hole in Your Soul - 7
Side 2 really should have opened with this. It’s got side-opener written all over it. Bam! Again, ABBA flaunt their rock chops and, as they did more often than not, do it pretty well. As close to ABBA-off-the-leash as we ever got, it gives us just a glimpse of how comfortable B&B were in delivering slightly harder-edged material. In that sense, it provides a hint of a foretaste of some of the meatier material that would appear on ‘Chess’ and which remains some of my favourite stuff from that musical.
Thank You for the Music - 7
Speaking of musicals… Cheesy, schmaltzy, treacly. Yes, this song’s all those things and probably a few more besides. But I reckon it did exactly what B&B wanted it to do, especially in terms of its role in the mini-musical. As a stand-alone, it can soon outstay its welcome, but it’s not a song you can listen to and not appreciate that the group who wrote and performed it were absolutely brilliant at what they did.
I Wonder (Departure) – 8
Ironically, I think this works better as a stand-alone than TYFTM, even though every note yells “West End! West End!” to me. Almost Sondheim-esque at times, it’s full of lovely theatrical touches (“who the HELL am I…”) as well as gorgeous melodies and nicely judged lyrics. A hidden, overshadowed, pretty inspirational gem that basically remains in the fans’ secret drawer to this very day.
I'm a Marionette – 8
Absolutely devastating opening 30 seconds. Masterful. I’d drop the ‘King Kong’ reference, but have nothing else negative to say about this song. High-grade masterclass in how to convey menace and foreboding in musical form. Sticking in a minute-long guitar solo shows just how confident B&B were in evolving towards more ‘grown up’ music, clearly seeing little reason to compromise their approach, here at least. The way the synth fades away right at the end provides the perfect conclusion to an outstanding album that would, without the incongruous intrusion of ‘Move On’, be even more awesome.
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Post by josef on Nov 10, 2019 10:59:46 GMT
Cracking thoughts, there's nothing I disagree with. I like 'Move On' a little more, perhaps (not that I ever play it-I'm a bad ABBA fan).
How I wish I could express how I feel about the songs as well as people like yourself, orf and hometime do. I remember I wrote out my ABBA top 100 for the old abba4ever site but didn't get around to posting it and I've moved house in the meantime so God knows where it is. It was a laborious process. If only I'd TYPED it out! Silly me.
One thing: I love 'Tiger', too. I tend to play the version from The Movie. It's "rougher", more raw. I know it was doctored heavily in post-production but this kind of edgy, hardcore version works for me. It's got blood and sweat and is so thrilling to listen to. Maybe it's got something to do with the roar of the crowd and the almost palpable tension you can see on their faces as they prepare to go on stage. I wish they'd used more of this in the released version. It's still a belter of a track though.
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Post by HOMETIME on Nov 10, 2019 13:12:52 GMT
Lovely stuff. That made me play The Album in full.
Speaking of brilliant synth parts in TACOM, I have always loved the shimmering synth under "it's magic".
This album always makes me scratch my head about what the hell Atlantic and Polar were up to in 1978. They spent gajillions on promo, hauled the band across the globe for (by their standards) an extended stay and, having scored a number 3 with Take A Chance On Me, they sat on their hands. Nothing else released that year. Nada. Zip. Like WT actual F? I would have thought that One Man, One Woman would have made an obvious follow-up single there. Possibly followed by Eagle (I agree with your assessment that it's probably too good for single status). They were just as feckless decades later, when ABBA were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: that should have been seized as the opportunity to commission a proper, music-focused documentary and an album re-release event. But, as usual, I digress.
If you had to rank the album with no joint placings, how would you separate those 8s and 7s?
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Post by HOMETIME on Nov 10, 2019 13:23:15 GMT
On to my second-favourite ABBA album, 'ABBA': [...] Hey Hey Helen – 9 The first time this album hit my turntable back in the high summer of ’78 and that glam-stomp beat thudded from the speakers, followed by those growling guitar chords, this song surprised and delighted me. I wasn’t expecting such full-on rocky stuff and it showed I’d definitely backed the right horse in terms of investing scant teenage financial resources in ABBA’s back catalogue. There’s a slight steeliness in its delivery that I find quite appealing and suits the song down to its big glam boots. The Stevie Wonder electric piano stylings are spot-on. Don’t think I’ve ever listened to this song over the last 41 years and not thoroughly adored it. [...]
Plus: Crazy World – 5
A bit naff but has a curious charm to it. A song that had the potential to be rather good with a bit more work. Delighted that someone else shares my love for Hey, Hey, Helen. It has so much going on. The joint vocal is so tight that for years I was convinced it was a Frida lead. Those women were incredibly precise behind their microphones. They must have had to learn to breathe in synch. The gospel-style feel of the later choruses really lifts the song and that electric piano breakdown with Agnetha's "yes you do, yes you do" is gorgeous. A beefier snare would have made this perfect. I've never had much affection for Crazy World. It feels like something they might have included on the Lycka album. Given that they had commissioned English lyrics for the song Lycka around this time, it baffles me that they went with this lame duck and not the gorgeous To Live With You (Lycka). It would have added a little depth to this album. |
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Post by chron on Nov 10, 2019 13:27:58 GMT
Intermezzo. What a racket. Why is it even in The Movie? Benny's a genius, but this proves even geniuses have off days. I have a lot of time for Benny; I've always liked the way he comes across as a bloke, have a lot of admiration for him as composer, arranger and 'poptitian' and think he's got a better singing voice than Bjorn (whose voice is no doubt serviceable, but is practically incapable of inducing a deep or empathetic emotional response), but his piano playing might be the thing I like least about him. I find his touch unsubtle and lacking in 'feel'. The piano break in One Man, One Woman also grates somewhat for this reason - there's something of the dressage-horse clip-clop about it (lots of godawful new-age pianists seem to have the same sort of touch); if rose water-suffused fondant candies had a sound, it would be this. |
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Post by chron on Nov 10, 2019 13:44:13 GMT
Intermezzo [...] Why is it even in The Movie? To indicate musical breadth, depth and 'chops' (which I suppose it manages to do, in its frighten-the-horses way). It's squarely there to head-off the often received bias widely existing at that time which held that ABBA were just Eurovision pop-tart lightweights or glitter-rock wannabes. (Edit: that's probably why it was allowed a slot on the eponymous album as well; I can't think of another line of reasoning that would've persuaded the other three to agree to its inclusion.) |
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Post by chron on Nov 10, 2019 14:27:45 GMT
Delighted that someone else shares my love for Hey, Hey, Helen. It has so much going on. The joint vocal is so tight that for years I was convinced it was a Frida lead. Those women were incredibly precise behind their microphones. They must have had to learn to breathe in synch. The gospel-style feel of the later choruses really lifts the song and that electric piano breakdown with Agnetha's "yes you do, yes you do" is gorgeous. A beefier snare would have made this perfect. As I said above, I think I gave it a 7 or 8, which, within a tight scoring scheme, is a good mark (one of the only disappointments of Ginger Spice's original Megarate is the fact that he only published the top and bottom marks given to each track, so that someone's 8 or 9 didn't get revealed if someone else had waded in with a higher score). I still think HHH is an impressive track, both sound-wise and thematically - mature subject matter given a tough, grown-up treatment; that brassy glam-sound actually put to the service of a bit of sober social realism, rather than stuff about foxes on the run or tiger feet. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2019 21:16:15 GMT
Thanks for all the feedback and comments - much appreciated.
'Tiger' in 'The Movie' is awesome. A powerhouse performance. Having entered the cinema as a non-ABBA fan, that was perhaps the song (coming so early in the film) that first really made me sit up and think 'okaaaaay, this was NOT quite what I was expecting. We might be on to something here!' I left the cinema a major ABBA fan...
Ranking of songs on 'The Album':
Eagle
Take a Chance on Me
I'm a Marionette
I Wonder
One Man, One Woman
Hole in Your Soul
The Name of the Game
Thank You for the Music
Move On
In an odd way, I kind of like the fact that 'The Album' wasn't over-quarried for singles. It somehow makes it feel 'classier' and made ABBA seem like they were a more heavyweight act. That fleeting sense dissipated again in '79, of course, before being rekindled to an extent in 1980.
Mind you, if I'd been responsible for the record company's balance sheet, I'd have been sticking singles out in '78 like they were going out of fashion.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2019 11:11:02 GMT
VOULEZ-VOUS
As Good As New - 7
Delivering 10 seconds’ worth of Mozart-style strings before the light disco beat jumps in is a really neat way to start the album. Locking two styles together in the chorus is also a super-smart move. I also love the “ma..ma..ma..ma..ma..ma” bits and, indeed, the handclaps. All these cunning touches tend to mask the basic fact that this is actually a fairly lightweight, undemanding, though undoubtedly pretty catchy and highly enjoyable song. It confirms that ABBA have rowed back to the hyper-mainstream and this won’t be a particularly ‘serious’, ambitious, sometimes challenging album like its illustrious predecessor. No, for better or worse, it’s ‘79 and party time! (Sort of.) ABBA will embrace the zeitgeist! (Sort of.)
Voulez-Vous - 9
Before this album was released, I was seriously worried. Worried that ABBA had peaked. Worried that the songwriting had lost its edge and that, by clambering up on the ABBA bandwagon in ’78, I’d somehow jinxed them into slipping from the awesomely high standards they’d set themselves. First there was the relative disappointment of ‘Summer Night City’ and its UK chart placing. Then there was the relative disappointment of ‘If It Wasn’t for the Nights’ on the Mike Yarwood Christmas Show (see below). Then there was the relative disappointment of ‘Chiquitita’ (see below). Then there was the disappointment of some of the iffy-sounding new material showcased on the ‘ABBA in Switzerland’ special. I was almost dreading the new album coming out. Then, about three days before I got hold of a copy, Radio 1 played the title track – and I knew things were going to be (pretty much) OK. As soon as the riff kicked in, I breathed a mammoth sigh of relief. This was CLASS! This was EPIC! ABBA had gone disco but without sacrificing their distinctive hallmark. They’d absorbed disco but not been consumed by it. Then I felt guilty for doubting them (the way fans do!). I especially loved the “masters of the sea” line which I thought was very clever; my admiration was only partially eroded when I bought the record and found it was actually “scene”. Whatever. To this day, I still sing MY version in my head whenever I hear this fabulous song.
I Have A Dream - 7
Well, it was bound to happen. ABBA were bound to embrace a kids’ chorus at some point in their career. They were bound to go full-on ‘modern nursery rhyme’. But luckily they do it very well. It’s one of those songs I don’t especially look forward to listening to, or proactively seek out, but I invariably enjoy it much more than I think I will. It just works. Not sure why. It shouldn’t. But it does.
Angeleyes - 7
The excellent synth riff holds this one together and the 60s-lite vibe and “aah-aah-aahs” do the rest. Another quality pop song. By this stage of the album, though, I’m hoping for a little bit more depth. I’m not really going to get it.
The King Has Lost His Crown - 5
From that shimmering pretend-harp bit at the start, right through to the end, I get the feeling here that ABBA are following the pack rather than leading it. I find the chorus a bit leaden and all of the melodies pretty ‘meh’, in fact. From an instrumental point of view, this is a highly unusual ABBA track because I can’t find many of those interesting little touches and flourishes that are usually sprinkled liberally through their songs. For me, I’m afraid, it’s competent but uninspired stuff.
Does Your Mother Know - 5
This might (just) get a 6 if it hadn’t been a single. I think the decision to release it as a 45 didn’t do ABBA any favours and certainly didn’t help their credibility, which kind of prejudices me against the song a bit. Agnetha’s background cries of “chaaat! fliiirt! daaaance!” do save the day, though. Decent first 20 seconds too, to be fair. Chorus is decent by most standards, but third division by ABBA’s.
If It Wasn't For The Nights - 6
Solid track, perfectly likeable, a little bit bland, maybe a minute too long. A reliable album track, never a single. The sort of song Artificial Intelligence would probably generate if you programmed a ‘Write a song for ABBA’ instruction.
Chiquitita - 6
Spanish guitar alert! Sound the klaxon! ABBA are about to offer us a ‘Fernando’ re-tread! Well, actually, they aren’t. This is a better song, with the old 1-2 ‘boom boom’ after “you were always sure of yourself” just one of several nice touches. The verses are better than the chorus, though, which is a shame. I get the feeling B&B knew the song was lacking something, hence the decision to stick the long (very good) pub-piano-led outro on the end.
Lovers (Live A Little Longer) - 6
As with TKHLHC, the intro shows ABBA apeing trends rather than ploughing their own furrow. So do that Clapton-esque guitar line behind the verses and those irritatingly generic disco string lines throughout. Not a bad chorus, though – it’s got a nice bit of attitude and ‘attack’. And full marks to the girls for squeezing the very max out of the song. Just make those bloomin’ strings stop!
Kisses Of Fire - 7
Every album needs a strong closing track and this one delivers. A little bit stop-start, but the chorus is strong enough to blur those edges. And this track is one with an unexpected killer moment – when Björn comes in on backing vocals at the end. A real wild card, that, and a great idea as it adds a lovely sense of wistful vulnerability to the song, letting the album fade away on a nice, ambivalent note.
Plus:
Summer Night City - 7
Or ‘learning the art of disco on the job’, as it might be sub-titled. Inevitably, then, some things work brilliantly well, others sound quite heavy-handed. WAY too much hi-hat, for instance. The drummer must have worn out the pedal. The ‘problem’ is that, at heart, SNC isn’t (or shouldn’t be) a disco number. This song really should ROCK! That first blistering second – that POW! – delivers the very best sort of punch in the ear, doesn’t it?
Lovelight - 9
Now then. I love rock and I love a classic guitar riff, so this one has me right on-board from the get-go. Who let Ted Nugent in the studio? Again, that Björn backing vocal (“lovelight shining”) is an absolute masterstroke. Excellent chorus and the intervention of the piano just before the last choruses is exquisite. This song feels jam-packed with ideas, but none is too intrusive or feels forced. The punch-the-air moment, though, is suitably delayed till near the end – the big riff comes back, but this time it invades the chorus. Brilliant, brilliant move. A magical ABBA moment. Clever old sticks.
Gimme Gimme Gimme - 8
No better intro in the whole ABBA canon or possibly the whole of popular music, period. Those first 30-odd seconds. Incredible. No song could live up to that. And this one doesn’t. But it gives it a pretty good lash. Is it me, or does it feel like ABBA are having FUN in the studio? I’ve mentioned the ‘Trans Europe Express’ feel of the bridge on this forum before so that’s another plus. So why not a 9 or a 10? Well, for me, the overall sound could be a little fuller. Not enough guitar driving the verses. This is probably the track where the kitchen sink could and should have been deployed.
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Post by richard on Nov 12, 2019 13:38:37 GMT
I'm less interested in the score given to a song or it's final position in the poll as I am in the comments on the songs; and I find yours very interesting, indeed - even though I disagree with many of them.  It still fascinates me, after all these years, that although we're all fans of ABBA here, we have sometimes widely divergent opinions about this or that song of theirs! |
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Post by chron on Nov 12, 2019 15:49:44 GMT
I'm playing catch-up here, but wanted to say that two thumbs are being waved way up here re. the verdict on (and comments about) Eagle! Eagle and One Man, One Woman (in fact, the whole of the first side of The Album bar Take A Chance On Me, which always seemed somewhat ill-fitting and a bit of an inane regression) really signalled that ABBA had moved into a different phase in terms of vision and ability - they'd become 'an album band' (even that 'boring' album title is subtextually loaded). Until I'd heard The Album, I considered ABBA a band for kids like my sister - a couple of years younger than me, she sang along to the early stuff and had an ABBA poster and so on. Then she received Arrival and The Album as a birthday present, and I still remember the shock at how sophisticated and 'grown up' that first side of The Album, in particular, sounded, how it demolished my take on the band and forced me into an instant reassessment (I love it when art does that - it's about the closest I get to experiencing religious conversion!). From Eagle's opening sky-streaking swoosh and stately, patience-demanding lead-in, the awkward, wanting-to-please glitter-poppers were banished; the confidence and imperiousness of the new work would no longer allow the old view to stand (little things like the style of the band photos on the album cover, and Rune Söderqvist's superb 'Matisse cut-outs-esque' design work, the stark mask-like faces and silhouetted symbols, fed into this new feeling). My uncle has told me of going through a similar conversion with the Beatles: he was dismissive of the early mop-top material, considering it to be fodder for the screaming weenies, but when Rubber Soul and then Revolver happened, the evidence was too strong that they'd evolved into something substantially different and 'heavier' and amazing, his prejudices were steamrollered and he became a big fan.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2019 14:07:34 GMT
Great reminiscing! I love to hear about other people's 'Road to Damascus' moments where ABBA were concerned. As mentioned earlier, 'The Movie' did it for me. I went in with two mates "for a laugh", the scales fell from my eyes (and ears), and I emerged into the frosty February East London evening afire with the zeal of the convert. So did another of those two mates, in fact, but he soon jumped ship and enlisted as a naval rating on the HMS Kate Bush. (Not that the two were/are mutually exclusive, of course.)
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Post by foreverfan on Nov 13, 2019 15:41:04 GMT
Thanks for all your hard work and thoughts, it’s not easy to put into words how you feel about a particular track.
Obviously we are not going to agree , that’s the point in your marks. Over all though I have to agree about a couple of my favourites who have scored high . Hey Hey Helen, truly under rated , great little track, love the rockier side to ABBA.
Thank you for Lovelights high praise, a constant favourite of mine as well, so over looked as the “ B” side, so must be inferior, so far from the truth, a few of the other B sides would score high, Elaine, Should I Laugh Or Cry and Cassandra, But Lovelight always topped it for me.. you can keep That A side...lol...
as for disappointments in the last batch .. As Good As New and of course those that know me.. Kisses Of Fire... both 9 plus...lol
each to there own...
looking forward to the next batch...
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2019 16:06:47 GMT
Cheers for that feedback - very much appreciated. Yep, 'Lovelight' is an absolute snorter.
Anything that scores 7 (like KoF) I'd regard as quality. 8 is excellent, 9 is outstanding and 10 is perfect. 6 denotes a decent, solid, if unspectacular, track. 5 is mediocre - and anything below that really is in the danger zone! And of course my score of 11 is yet to be dished out...
Super Trouper tomorrow!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2019 10:34:25 GMT
SUPER TROUPER
Super Trouper - 8
Lovely intro, serving notice that the (slightly forced) party spirit of its predecessor has quietly been abandoned. There’s such an appealing and endearing world-weariness to this song, you almost forgive the old “it’s hard being famous” trope that stalks it. Delivering a killer chorus that somehow effortlessly combines vulnerability, zip and playfulness also helps. A classic ABBA exercise in happy sadness and a perfect pre-Christmas number one for those dark winter nights.
The Winner Takes It All - 8
Seriously, how much bloomin’ baggage can one little song be burdened with? Backstories, media goss, he-said/she-said, art imitating life, life imitating art etc etc etc. Stuff the lot of it! Just listen to that SONG! What I like about it (and I’m generally not massive on ballads) is that it’s actually not overwritten, even though it’s given an arrangement/production that can fool you into thinking it is. All the individual elements are pretty simple, but it locks together beautifully (composition-wise and performance-wise) – like a jigsaw puzzle that falls out of the box fully formed with not a single edge piece missing. For me (in terms of composition AND performance), like the title track, it’s a song that neatly shows this album’s focus on what ABBA felt, rather than perhaps on what they thought they ought to pretend to feel (compare and contrast with the ‘Voulez-Vous’ album).
On and On and On - 8
Dumb fun with a cynical twist. Sounds like something from the ‘ABBA’ album, but with an extra ingredient – another five years’ experience of living in the dubious, ambiguous world of fame and fortune, and of absolutely mastering the recording studio environment. Again, it’s all simple, simple, simple - but boy it’s smart, smart, smart in terms of how it all comes together. World-class, minimal opening synth splurge, then those drums and that half-pace Little Richard piano kick in – it’s a great set-up that provides the ideal platform for the girls to vamp it up a bit. Kudos too for the bass work – lovely, disciplined stuff with just a few added flourishes popped in here and there at exactly the right time. ABBA could knock out great tracks as easy as falling off a big Swedish log.
Andante, Andante - 7
Tends to feel like a bit of a ‘breather’ track, but that guitar melody is absolutely sublime on any day of the week and the last 45 seconds are ludicrously good. To some extent, this songs feels like another warm-up exercise in writing stage musicals – the exquisite “I am your music and I am your song” section certainly conveys that sense to me, at any rate.
Me and I - 9
Belter. Belter, belter, belter. I mentioned earlier that one thing I love about ABBA is their ability just to deliver a bloomin’ good pop song. This is just such a beast. But because it’s ABBA, it’s not only got any number of superb touches (like the treated “everyone’s a freak” vocal), it’s also got a twist. What other ‘pop’ band could drag us so effortlessly into the world of Freud, psychoanalysis and all that caper? GREAT vocal delivery, not least in the verses. MAJESTIC synth riffs everywhere you look (quite proggy, actually). Beautiful, economic bass. That tom-tom thud during the main riff – spot-on. Great, mini-chucking guitar (SHOULD HAVE USED THIS IN THE VERSES ON ‘GIMME! GIMME! GIMME!’…). Imperious outro. That last keyboard pattern lobbed in at the very end, just like it’s some kind of throwaway – wow! I could go on (and on and on). This song feels like B&B went into a shop selling brilliant pop motifs and spent half an hour in there, going “we’ll have one of those, and one of those, and one of those, and we’ll have one of those as well, and one of those, and one of those, and one of those…” until they needed a second trolley. Pop masters in dominant form.
Happy New Year - 8
I heard them playing this in our local pub last weekend. A bit premature, perhaps. But it reminded me that this song, if there were any justice, really should have become a ‘standard’ by now. It would immediately lift the quality of every bloomin’ Christmas album that clutters up the charts each year with grim inevitability. Having said that, do I really want Bublé and his ilk battering ABBA? Hands off! This is OUR seasonal classic, not yours! And because it’s ABBA, it’s not about Christmas. It’s about New Year, the post-seasonal ‘dip’ and incipient January blues. How very brilliant. How very ABBA! And that soulful “man is a fooooool…” – what a sumptuous moment.
Our Last Summer - 8
“Re-ma-a-ain”. I’ll say it again. “Re-ma-a-ain”. That oh-so-distant backing vocal at the end of the first chorus reprise – it’s one of my ten favourite ABBA moments. And that guitar scrape and big chord just before the reprise, cutting across the tail-end of “how dull it seems…”. Another of them! I love, love, love this chorus. Not so much the lyrics, which are a little saccharin. But, for me, it offers some of ABBA’s finest melody-making and an amazing sureness of musical touch. I’m also a big fan of the guitar solo, which provides a nicely abrasive contrast to the smoothness of the rest of the backing. One of those songs that can prompt a tear to come to my eye, if I’m in the right (or wrong?) mood.
The Piper - 7
The Latin language in songs. There’s just not enough of it. Steeleye Span did it on ‘Gaudete’, of course. And ABBA take a leaf straight out of the same book in that line “sub luna saltamus” that actually does sound very Steeleye-ish to me. Overall, the appeal of ‘The Piper’ is that it blends quite an array of styles and moods in just over three minutes. At times it feels straight-out folky, at times it sounds deeply spiritual, at times it sounds positively demonic and conjures up mental images of ‘The Wicker Man’ (a movie that first traumatised me the year before this album came out). Trust ABBA to lace a pop song with darker tints! Who else would give you Sigmund Freud and cultish messianism on the same ‘pop’ album? Not Dollar, I’ll tell you! It all helps my tentative thesis that ABBA were, in fact, a Scandi prog-rock band working undercover!
Lay All Your Love On Me - 8
Just when the album’s almost run its course, B&B decide to remind us that, when they put their mind to it, they really could master a dancefloor vibe – as long as they sloshed on top of it a liberal dose of Nordic noir. One of those songs that the casual listener would never really quarry the true meaning from, a bit like The Police’s ‘Every Breath You Take’. In lesser hands, this song might stick out like a bit of a sore thumb on ‘Super Trouper’. But it’s ABBA we’re talking about so it fits in absolutely perfectly, of course.
The Way Old Friends Do - 5
Yes, I know what they were trying to do – come up with a modern ‘Auld Lang Syne’. If it had truly worked, it would have been a perfect finale to this particular album. But the melodies just aren’t strong or distinctive enough. In fact, they don’t really sound like ABBA at all. A bit too generic. And I’m never sure that sticking a live track on the end of a studio album really works (regardless of whether it’s been tinkered with). It just jars a bit. I actually think, for all its limitations, the song might have got a 6 or (just conceivably) a 7 if they’d included a really nifty, full-fat studio version instead. As it is, it all feels like a bit of an anti-climax, a bit out of place and a bit limp – and this excellent album deserved a better ending.
Plus:
Elaine - 5
Not really album quality but listenable and inoffensive. I never find myself reaching for ‘repeat’, though.
Put On Your White Sombrero - 3
Probably much more fun to write/play/record/sing than listen to. Have you read Joseph Conrad’s ‘Nostromo’? For some stupid reason, I always think of that book when I listen to this song - which is very, very rarely, to be honest. Once every three or four years is more than ample. Don’t sign me up for ‘ABBA’s Mexican Adventure’.
Just one album to go – my favourite!
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