Ring Ring (1973) ***.5 (3.5)
Waterloo (1974) *** (3)
Abba (1975) ***.5
(3.5)
Greatest Hits (1975) **** (4)
Arrival (1976) **** (4)
The Album (1977) ****(4)
Voulez Vous (1979) ****.5 (4.5)
Greatest Hits Vol 2
(1979) **** (4)
Gracias Por La Musica
(1980) ***(3)
Super Trouper (1980) ****.5
(4.5)
The Visitors (1981) ***.5 (3.5)
The Singles: The
First 10 Years ****.5(4.5)
Abba Live (1986) *** (3)
Gold: Greatest Hits
(1992) ***** (5)
More Abba Gold (1993) ****(4)
Thank You For The
Music (1994) ***(3)
The Definitive
Collection (2001) *****(5)
The Essential
Collection (2012) **** (4)
Live at Wembley
(2014) ***.5
(3.5)
WHERE TO START: Gold Greatest Hits (1992)
OVERALL BEST ORIGINAL ALBUM: Super Trouper (1980)
OVERALL BEST COMPILATION: The Definitive Collection (2001)
For approximately an eight year
period, ABBA were the world’s most successful musical act. In the 1970s, they
brought more money into their home country of Sweden than anyone or anything
besides Volvo. Millions of albums sold, #1 singles and albums in nearly every
country in the world and sold-out tours. Such huge success almost invariably
leads to a backlash and by the mid-80s, ABBA had become an act hipsters made
fun of. Of course, the critics and the "serious" rock fans had always hated ABBA. Their
resurgence in the 1990s and a re-evaluation of their work has led to something
in the 2010s the act never had in their commercial heyday: critical respect!
And why not? These are some of the greatest, most melodic pop songs ever
constructed. Sure there's some corn, but if you can’t tolerate some cheese and schmaltz in your music,
you’re going to pass most of this by anyway.
ABBA were Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn and
Ani-Frida (better known as Frida). Yes, they were two couples and one can even
somewhat follow their relationships (including marriage and eventual
separation/divorces) through their music. But all that’s years down the road
from Ring Ring released in 1973. This
is by far their most ‘bubble-gum’ sounding record. Those familiar with their
more popular period will be surprised how many songs the boys sing lead on in
this debut. Highlights include “Another Town, Another Train” and “Disillusion.”
There are no hit songs on this collection, making its listen-ability perhaps
surprising. Yes, there are syrupy tunes such as “I Am Just a Girl” and “Me and
Bobby and Bobby’s Brother” but then there’s a slight 70s cheese in much of
ABBA’s work.
Waterloo
gave Abba their first taste of chart success as the jubilant title track
was a hit in numerous countries around the world. That song remains a classic
but most of the rest of the album is fairly forgettable. “Sitting in the Palm
Tree” passes the time nicely, but it’s unlikely you’ll remember a note of it
once the album’s over. And that’s true for most of the tracks here. “Honey
Honey” was the other (minor) hit single but “Hasta Manana” is probably the 2nd
best song on this collection.
Abba as we know them truly arrived
with their 1975 album, appropriately titled Abba.
Kicking off with ‘Mamma Mia”, this also includes ‘I Do I Do I Do…’ and ‘SOS”
which is more truly the blueprint for Abba’s career. A mixture of pathos and
joy that simply sounds fantastic, the booming chorus almost hides the fact that
this is a love-lost song. There are still some lesser moments on here though
such as “Rock Me” and “Intermezzo No” though it ends strongly with “Hasta
Manana”. Highlights from the 1st 3 albums can be found on Greatest Hits (1975) which may have
seemed a premature release but was an enormous success at the time, becoming
one of the best-selling albums of the 1970s. Regardless, it’s irrelevant now to
all but completists as superior hits compilations have appeared in the digital
age.
Arrival
is the best of Abba’s first batch of albums. Classics that hail from this
album include “Knowing Me, Knowing You” “Money Money Money” and perhaps their
most overall popular song “Dancing Queen.” And there’s further stong cuts “When
I Kissed the Teacher” “My Love My Life” and “That’s Me” – one of Agnetha’s
vocal highlights. Also of note is the maturation in the songwriting of Benny
and Bjorn – evident in “Knowing Me Knowing You” (which touches on divorce that
would soon dominate much of Abba’s music) and more.
The
Album contained one of their most successful US singles – “Take a Chance on
Me” – which soared all the way to the top three in 1977. “The Name of the Game”
and “Thank You For The Music” are the two other songs from this album that all
Abba fans know. They’ve set the bar very high by this time and for the 1st
time, the new Abba album wasn’t really any better than the last. That would
change with their next two albums – both of which can make an argument as
Abba’s greatest overall album.
Voulez
Vous arrived just as disco was beginning to die. While Abba’s music was
always more ‘pop’ than ‘disco’, there was no denying that dance floors across
the world had spun a lot of Abba music. The title track was probably Abba’s
purest disco moment with its repetitive beats and chorus and was also one of
the best disco singles of the decade. “As Good As New” kicked off the album in
glorious fashion, as if announcing this foursome still had a few wonderful
moments left in them. One of their most overwrought – yet undeniably appealing
– ballads was “I Have a Dream” which became a showstopper in Abba’s live shows.
“Does Your Mother Know” is the best song the guys ever sang lead on and may be
seen as the counterpoint to “Dancing Queen.” “AngelEyes” “The King Has Lost His
Crown” “Lovers (Live a Little Longer)” and “Chiquitita” round out this sterling
effort.
Super
Trouper starts off with two of their greatest singles: the title track and
the amazing “The Winner Takes It All”, which is one of their two overall
greatest songs. One noted critic once stated that we never expected Abba to
make us cry and then this song came along. Hyperbole aside, this is a powerful
song about the end of a relationship and as both the relationships in Abba were
dead or dying, it was hard not to see an autobiographical bent to the lyrics. “On
and On and On” is a clever celebrity visit to a party. “Andante Andante” is
another ballad that Abba were excelling with at this point in their careers. “Me
and I” is a pissed off little number, completely forgotten and overlooked among
the rest of the album, but nearly as good. “Happy New Year” was yet another
heartbreak song. In fact, a general sense that life had become almost pointless
permeated much of this album, even the more upbeat tracks (such as “On and On
and On”). Not generally realized, but this is one of the greatest depressing
albums ever made! “Our Last Summer” continued in that same vein. Perhaps the
one upbeat note (well, if paranoid and possessive jealousy can be upbeat) is
sounded in “Lay All Your Love On Me” that Erasure would cover so triumphantly
in the 1990s. The final track is “The
Way Old Friends Do” which sounds another sad note. Not sure how to comment on
“The Piper” so nothing shall be said.
The
Visitors, ABBA’s 8th and final studio album came out in 1981. By
this time, both couples had separated and divorced. The feel good pop of
earlier albums was missing. Instead, synths were prominent and songs of regret
and sorrow were the order of the day. Ironically, this album received the best
reviews ABBA had ever gotten from contemporary critics. Apparently, by being more
‘serious’, critics could see what had been right in front of them for years.
The album cover says everything about the state of ABBA – the four members all
stand or sit alone, aloof and apart from each other and everything in the room.
There are, however, some great songs on this final package – “One of Us” ranks
as one of their most bittersweet ballads. “Slipping Through My Fingers” grasped
at a childhood disappearing. Musically “The Visitors” was one of their most
unique tracks and both “Head Over Heels” and “When All Is Said and Done” kept
up the high standards. Not their greatest album, but more than one critic has
observed that it may be their most “interesting album”. It wasn’t actually
planned as their final album (which seems hard to believe now) and they
actually reconvened to record a follow up – but instead merely produced two
singles (originally released on The
Singles – The First 10 Years) but now added to nearly every edition of The Visitors and improve the track-listing
tremendously because they are both great songs. “Under Attack” and “The Day
Before You Came” became their final singles and in “The Day Before You Came”,
they found one of their two greatest songs.
“Day…” was not initially a big hit,
but it has grown in stature to where it places on top songs lists on a regular
basis. There’s even great discussions and debates about what this song is
about: the end of a relationship, the beginning of a relationship, murder,
hiding that murder, murder victim. It goes on and on. The song is certainly
amazing – both musically and lyrically - and it was a bold new direction for
Abba, had they been interested in following it up.
Those final singles were the 2 new
tracks on The Singles: The First 10 Years
a nearly flawless two record set running through all of Abba’s biggest hits
in chronological order. More pure pop pleasure can be found in its grooves than
any single artist has a right to. This once essential set has been replaced by The Definitive Collection in the CD era.
It was, however, a charming farewell gift to fans and even many of Abba’s
harshest critics had to admit to its glories.
Abba
Live was released during the great Abba slumber of the 1980s and went
virtually unnoticed. Abba were (by all accounts) a dynamic live act but this
album is really only for diehard fans. Everyone else is better off sticking to
the original studio recordings.
Gold:
Greatest Hits kicked off the Abba revival that has shown so signs of really
ever ending. This particular compilation has become one of the best-selling
albums of all time. It is an essential addition and has played at many a party
and will continue to do so for many years. It’s missing a few gems, which are collected on More Abba Gold but
the definitive collection is The
Definitive Collection released in 2001 and is the best overview of the act
ever released, covering all the hits and some choice album cuts too. Too long
by half, the box set Thank You For The
Music is for the devoted only. Sure, there’s a ton of great music onboard,
but at this point, a wiser investment is the individual albums – all of which
have been remastered and reissued in Deluxe Edition with bonus tracks and a
bonus DVD telling the visual side of the story.
There are other compilations
out there (Love Stories, 20th
Century Masters, Number Ones) but these are redundant repeating the same
tracks over and over again. In 2014, Abba Nation was surprised by Live From Wembley a never before
released complete concert that is an improvement on their previous live set
but, again, stick to the original studio versions until you’ve mastered them.
Abba is proof positive that sometimes the fans are right and their contemporary
critics are clueless. 40 years on, it all seems so obvious.
