The Album

by

ABBA

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By 1977, ABBA was one of the best selling bands world-wide. Both of their previous records; "Greatest Hits" and "Arrival" were world-wide smashes selling several million copies each. 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.

What in the HAY-ULL are you reviewers smoking? I cannot speak for the previous remaster series, but as for the box set, the sonics are so artificially bright as to be overwhelming. The current remaster series is the closest to the warm, calm, airy headspace of the original vinyl LPs. ABBA is already toppy enough without the spiked treble! Maybe y'all need some decent headphones..... Having dispensed with that, as far as ABBA- The Album itself goes, I have always found it a mixed lot. A handful of ABBA's most confident and sophisticated recordings are to be found here, including 'The Name Of The Game' and 'Take A Chance On Me'. 'Eagle' is a blast to listen to; it's probably ABBA's sole flirtation with stoner music. Frida really comes into her own, vocally speaking, on this album with two spinetingling performances, 'One Man One Woman' and 'I Wonder'. But the Wink Martindale-esque spoken intro to 'Move On' is misguided, 'I'm A Marionette' spins off into arch histrionics, and 'Hole In Your Soul' is just shrill, even for ABBA. For me, this LP has always represented ABBA's transition from a smiling, kid-friendly pop act to a more worldly, cosmopolitan group of superstars, and this duality on ABBA-The Album makes for a not-always-comfortable melange.