Reviews (page 2 of 9)
ABBA – The Visitors (1981) On Day 248, I listened to my very first ABBA record and came away deeply impressed with their sound. It was lavish, incredibly rich pop music that still carried clear remnants of the legendary "Wall of Sound" style they built their name on prior to this release. The production complemented the vocal performances impeccably a complete 10/10 on the production front alone. Overall, an exceptional, highly mature record that completely delivered. An undisputed 5/5.
Tämä on ehdottomasti vähiten kuuntelemani ABBA-levy. Levyllä on ainoastaan yksi hyvä biisi: ”One of us” ja muut biisit on aika tusinatavaraa. Tämä olikin bändin viimeinen albumi neljäänkymmeneen vuoteen.
Head Over Heels is a great song I haven't heard before! In my opinion not the strongest abba album otherwise but that doesn't mean it's bad.
80s pop. Some lovely hits.
7.5/10 ABBA was always putting out some real bangers. It’s a little too theatrical at some parts of the album, which is the downfall of most of their work for me, but there are some undeniably awesome songs on here and absolutely worth your time. One of Us, head over heels, slipping through my fingers… all super cool songs
What another HUGE surprise. I literally sighed when I saw I had ABBA; I have no idea why though, this was bags of fun. Surprising moments of interesting harmony / melody too. Gotta love 80s synths. It maybe overstayed its welcome a tad, it’s a longer runtime than I’d expect from a pop release but still really great songs minus a couple I felt ‘meh’ about. I can’t believe I’m saying it but more ABBA pls🤞😁
I mean, sad euro-synth pop? ABBA as "serious"? When one picks up some ABBA, it's for the high energy hooks, escapist fantastic dance floor fun, and this is not that. I liked a few things--the weird spooky bits on The Visitors, the ubi sunt longing on Slipping Through My Fingers, the pivot to poppy hand claps in Under Attack--but this is not great, and way too long (CD era damage).
Weak stuff. Sounds like a B grade musical mixed with pure schlock.
Great album - loved revisiting this!
Felt Synthier than I remember. I don't get the hate for ABBA.
Visitor queens
Great production. Great vocals. I'm a little surprised at the selection - given that they had so many hits, and none are from this album. Just not a style of music I particularly enjoy.
ABBA is more of a greatest hits band to me ... they have 2 or 3 good nuggets on each album, but the rest is just ok.
Luckily, it came with a stop button.
4.7 “Slipping through my fingers” and “Like an Angel Passing through my room” are ok
(6/7) surprisingly fun and not too cheesy
Probably my favorite pop album on this list so far (800+ albums in). Incredibly varied, with fantastic melodies, beats, story-telling, production, etc. 5.0/5.0
another great outing from ABBA
Have never been that convinced by ABBA's popularity. I think they have some decent pop songs, but nothing that really compelled me to listen to a full album. This is decent, the production is lovely and the harmonies are beautiful, but it still leaves me just a little cold.
2.5
2.5 and honestly way better than the other ABBA album (a group I don’t particularly enjoy). The vocals are hit and miss but honestly the music is interesting enough with some tracks that couldn’t a light 3. This album could get better with time or simply be just a 2 or 2.5. Time will tell when I revisit it
Pretty good!
2.4 2x decent enough
My “I never cared for The Godfather” moment is that I hate “Dancing Queen.” I don’t think it’s all that catchy or fun. It’s weird that she’s “only seventeen.” It sounds like a dance song made by somebody who’s never had any fun dancing. I’ve never even had it stuck in my head before. That said, I don’t think “Dancing Queen” is a bad song, because it’s a pop song known by 99% of the population. If the whole world sings along, and it brings people together to have fun, then it has achieved The Ultimate Goal. Nothing else matters. The Visitors answers the question of: what would ABBA be without that fun? I can excuse war crimes if they come with a good synth hook, which is why I initially thought I’d like this. The opening two tracks have amazing synth hooks. “The Visitors” has one of the best drops I’ve ever heard. And “Head Over Heels” is even better, with the anxious choir vocals and dark cabaret feel. And then everything starts to…blur. It slows down a lot. “Soldier” was an attempt at a serious political song, I think. At least it’s catchy. Then the vocal harmonies start to grate. Sure, they’re complex and objectively interesting, but like I said before: nothing else matters. A song can throw in crazy time signatures or godlike guitar shredding or a singer hitting notes in the super-whistle range and still be boring. It also doesn’t help that I’ve always found both Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad’s voices rather stale (for some reason my computer isn't letting me type the accent mark onto the former's name.) So when ABBA aren’t catchy and fun and iconic, the cracks start to show. The lyrics are weak—much too weak for these dramatic ballads they’re attempting. While the production does have its excellent moments, such as in the bass lines of “Soldier” and “One of Us,” or the ticking clock and light arpeggios of “Like An Angel Passing Through My Room,” it can also be dated and generic. What’s with the random guitar noodling, with that awful tin-can tone that’s trying so hard to be dramatic rock n’ roll? (Somewhat unrelated, but the first three notes of “Two For the Price of One” sound almost exactly like the “Sweet Child O’ Mine” riff, and I jumped when I heard it.) The arrangements feel empty. I wish they had leaned farther into the aggressive synth and Broadway-esque aspects. If ABBA wants to be serious, they need to be serious in the way a musical is serious. The first two songs and the rest of the album feel like completely different entities. It’s like going to a restaurant and eating the best appetizer you’ve ever had, only to have your main course be a bland nothingburger. I’d say the three really good songs on this album are “The Visitors,” “Head Over Heels,” and “Like An Angel Passing Through My Room.” Then “Soldier” is memorable and pretty okay. The rest is…I don’t even remember. I listened to this record three times—including twice in the past hour and a half—and I don’t remember a thing except those god-awful vocal harmonies.
Mycket abba jag inte hört förut
I really do like ABBA. But none of these songs as I recall made it on to ABBA Gold, and you can see why. But obviously that compilation has several lifetimes worth of bangers. And this, even if they're not at their best, is still perfectly pleasant with some good moments. Just not memorable, but more than partly because they set the bar so high for themselves. I won't write it off forever. Might give it another go once I've seen ABBA Voyage.
"Slipping Through My Fingers" is doing A LOT of heavy lifting here on this album. This could've been shaved down and still showcased ABBA's charm.
Album felt like the end was near for ABBA. More synth but still some greats tracks with the devastatingly poignant Slipping Through My Fingers.
I don’t mind ABBA, they’ve got their place in pop history and certainly had plenty of bangers. I liked some of this but equally parts of it that felt like a bit of a drag to get through. A decent effort though.
Hard not to sing along to some of these well written songs. This one definitely has a bit of 80s influence and I can’t decide if that is a good or bad thing.
Given they are arguably the greatest pop act ever, this album had all their underlying quality and build up, but lacked their classic catchy choruses. Lacking a finisher basically [insert football club comparator of your liking].
Stayed too long
ABBA är ju som vanligt fantastiska. Text, musik och sång funkar så otroligt fint tillsammans på varenda jäkla låt. Det bästa som kommit från Sverige någonsin. Detta album är inte min favorit men det spelar liksom ingen roll för det är bra ändå. Man sjunger med, dansar lite, blir lite rörd (Slipping through my fingers, nej TikTok - låt bli) och så fortsätter det. One of us, The day before you came, Head over heels är mina favoriter men tro mig det finns fler. Älskar!
It starts off well enough. I thought, "wow, this is some pretty progressive pop, I'll probably give it a 4/5". Then it slowly descends into the ABBA everyone knows, probably a little too cliche for its own sake.
Great effort to move away from the disco sound Good pop songs
01) The Visitors - 9,5 02) Head Over Heels - 9,0 03) When All Is Said and Done - 9,5 04) Soldiers - 9,0 05) I Let the Music Speak - 9,0 06) One of Us - 10,0 07) Two for the Price of One - 9,0 08) Slipping Through My Fingers - 9,5 09) Like an Angel Passing Through My Room - 9,0 TOTAL: 9,28 (93/100) Current ranking: 36/1002
J'aime beaucoup trop ABBA quand c'est bon, et ça me fait grincer des dents quand ce ne l'est pas. Mais objectivement, c'est jamais vraiment mauvais.
ABBA ont une grande versatilité, ils sont capable du meilleur comme du pire.
Started off super strong and I just lost interest after the first songs. The pop just wasn’t there enough
Not nearly as good as classic ABBA
Un poco chill pero aprecio que aparezca algo no tan trillado de ABBA. Nota: 3.7
3.5
ABBA is just plain fun, and The Visitors doesn't disappoint.
This wasn't a group or an album that I expected to find on this list. It is certainly a change of direction from their earlier material and you can see how personal circumstances influenced some of the material. It is nice pop music, but ultimately not for me I think
A really good bit of work that I guess has gone unnoticed due to not having of The Hits on it. Really enjoyed the pqcing and production.
Certainly a more “adult” ABBA but still very much ABBA. Less catchy than earlier stuff.
not my favorite ABBA album but it’s still wonderful and you cannot overstate how great the songwriting is
Um, not sure why this is in the top 1001, it’s ok, but what’s the special factor??
nada que um divórcio coletivo não transforme numa pedrada amadurecida, num é? brabo demais
o álbum mais maduro deles, de longe. QUEM DIRIA QUE UM DIVÓRCIO DUPLO NA BANDA DEIXARIA AS MÚSICAS MAIS SÉRIAS?!?!?!? enfim, acho o disco mais sóbrio e direto deles, mas ainda super dançante. bão demais! sou mto fã de abba, mais do que é saudável. e, nos últimos anos, "the day before you came" tem sido a minha preferida deles. ela eh ótima, super banal e meio creepy. gosto mto. enfim, bandaça, discaço, dos maiores do mundo esse aqui!
A good album with multiple songs I'd not heard before. My favourites were Head Over Heels and Slipping Through My Fingers.
liked this more than i want to admit
The intro starts out so strong (and the first track in general) that I was prepared to really like this, and ended up feeling by the end that it was just OK. Some cool synth flourishes throughout like on Should I Laugh of Cry, but bogs down in the typical ABBA schmaltz at various points. Under Attack is kind of a cool closer, but ultimately ended up being a forgettable album despite a good start.
This kind of felt like I got trapped in the recording booth while they were laying vocal tracks for the next Disney princess movie. They are good at what they do, no doubt, but this blend of disco beats, pop synth and dramatic singing just really isn't my style. I think the choral, layered effect they use on the vocals specifically is the thing that wears me down the most, one hour of this was as much of this as I could handle. No disrespect to ABBA or their hoards of fans but this one just isn't for me.
Arrival is saccharine, danceable 70s disco music and the Visitor is darker, more complex 80s dance music. I enjoyed both more than I expected, but I still don’t think I’ll be returning to either of them.
I read some of the reviews of this album before listening and I have to admit I was looking forward to it. Many suggested that it is a swan song to a brilliant run of music and this album hits different as it’s the last and they were Fleetwood Macing it relationship wise but ultimately it’s Abba in it but without the ABBA magic I feel.
I've never been crazy about Abba - but this is a really mature pop album
My favourite pop band probably ever. If you haven’t been to ABBA Voyage - go. This is a slower album, more delicate less bolshy than others and certainly more downbeat but not without its charm. “Cassandra” is possibly the most “ABBA” track on the album. But I think it’s just all well produced, written they really were genius in their songwriting, able to take pop music and lead the way in how it’s done. It’s not you classic ABBA album if you were to imagine it, but it’s still great. With the typical beat, open chords to ring out with the harmonies they’re so famous for. Great album for my Friday morning.
Too long and I prefer the earlier albums
I’m not really an ABBA fan. I don’t generally tend to listen to radio stations that play them and if they do I usually turn over. I read some reviews before listening to this saying it’s not the usual ABBA fare, and they were right. It’s still not my cup of tea, but I didn’t actively seek to turn it off.
In the USA, ABBA was done by 1981 and Frida was about to go solo because the writing was on the wall. At first glance, the listener counts are super impressive for an album I've certainly never listened to. The music is tight and polished, the vocals, as expected, are finely tuned. 338M people listened to "Slipping Through My Fingers" (a lovely song, Snow White would have loved it) and 132M people have heard "One Of Us", that's a hit album considering every other song has 30M, 50M, 47M... but no fewer than 5M listens. "Under Attack" sounded like the ABBA my parents forced me to listen to. There's definitely an audience out there and I respect that. I wish there was an explanation by the author on what merits this album has to justify including it in a Top 1001 list. I feel ABBA had bigger, better albums with hits, diversity, and more influence on pop & culture. I didn't mind it, I just didn't drop my jaw or decide to listen to any song more than once. It had a bit of a Disney Soundtrack vibe, theater-ish songs that weren't quite pop radio friendly. So much of it sounded the same. 3 stars but I won't be throwing this one on at any point in the future. Now I know why Frida went solo ("I Know There's Something Going On" blew this entire album away, and it fit the 80's so much better).
Call me crazy, but ABBA belongs to an elite group of artists and bands with an immeasurable gift for creating memorable, timeless melodies and harmonies. When I think of melodies, names like Paul McCartney and Elton John come to mind—and ABBA follows right after. Everything on this album sounds perfect. The aforementioned harmonies and melodies (especially the vocals), the songs, the flawless production... In short, it’s ABBA. 5 stars.
Didn't do much for me. I guess I prefer the bubbly, bouncy, fun ABBA to the mature, politically conscious, romantically fractured ABBA. It wasn't quite a slog, but it really never grabbed me, either.
I have yet to hear ABBA the doesn't absolutely rule.
I was a little scared at the beginning of this album, because the first song was actually really terrible and amateurish-sounding. I am used to bangers from ABBA, so I withheld my judgement proceeded, and I'm glad I did because every other song was awesome, catchy, melodic, and even sometimes haunting (in a good way) -- as I expect from them. If not for the first track bombing, this would've been a 5, but because of that I give it four stars.
I was surprised to see ABBA on this list, since I always thought of them as a singles artist. I was even more surprised when I looked at the songs listed on this album and realized I don't recognize any of them. I would have expected something with several of their mega hits. Ok, let's see what this is all about... First song had a bunch of cheesy 80s pop synths. Seems like they were aiming for a vaguely new wavey sound - filtered through ABBA sensibilities. Not a great start. "I Let the Music Speak" - Sounds like some kind of Broadway show tune. Some others did too. Not good. I did manage to listen to this 2 times through. I'm not gonna want to listen to this again. I'm sure they are talented - this is just not my kind of thing. Liked songs on Spotify: 0/9 Rating: 1/5 (should be zero)
Good album
I really don't understand why this ABBA record in particular was on the list.
Never really listened to an album. Loved it, very enjoyable.
Ok...i think the one with the hits is probably better
some chill ABBA
slipping through my fingers is such a beautiful song, I can't stress this enough
Meh...
Very vibey
Not for me but a few of them are pretty catchy
Good album and not too much overplayed ABBA cheese.
Apparently, this, their eighth album, is more “complex and mature”. I was wondering what that meant, and it seems to mean “melancholy”. There’s none of the big hits on here, but musically it’s as great as always. I was going to say it’s not as good as their best selling singles, but, weirdly, the fact that it’s less frilly and in-your-face but more sad means I’m more likely to listen to it again!
Melancholy
Like everyone else who listened to the radio in the late 1970s, I knew ABBA’s hits well. I wasn’t especially eager to hear The Visitors, but I expected the familiar light, poppy ABBA sound. Instead I was disappointed, nothing was recognizable. It simply wasn’t the same ABBA, which may be why they didn’t release another album for forty years.
not rlly my shi
This was more consistently thematic and dare I say, dramatic, than other albums from them. I’ll take it.
A dark, mature pop album. Was quite dismissive when first heard this album ( not today) but the more I heard the better it became, one of my favourites of theirs. 5 Star
Speaks everything about how good ABBA is when I don’t know any of the songs in this album and they’re phenomenal entries to their already stacked discography
ABBA is better than I expected
I used to love ABBA before I grew up and saw the light. And by 'saw the light', I actually mean 'succumbed to peer pressure'. By 1981, I was into metal, and an ABBA patch on my denim jacket would have been a bit of a fashion faux pas — assuming the denim jacket wasn't already one. And anyway, Agnetha had acquired a dodgy perm, which also reduced my… ahem… interest. So, by the time The Visitors came out, I’d moved on and pretty much ignored it. What an idiot. This is a seriously good album. Maybe their best? It’s darker, more reflective and packed with brilliant songs, perfectly arranged. * The title track is an absolute cracker. It also opens the ABBA Voyage show in London, which has made it even more memorable for me. Dark, dramatic and instantly atmospheric — those ABBA boys knew exactly what they were doing. It turns out I hadn’t seen the light at all. I’d just been blinded by my peers and too much denim. * Provided you listen to the album as intended, rather than wading through the “bonus” bloat Spotify insists on stapling to everything. (Listens : 5 yes seriously 5!)
Fun
7.22.26 very good and fun Favorite Song: The Visitors Rating: 4/5
I think what surprised me most about this album was the range of topics their songs seemed to cover. I was always aware of ABBA, but this lets me see them in a new light. The Visitors, Let The Music Speak, and Slipping Through My Fingers are all great tracks. Looking forward to the other album of theirs on this list.
The real Abba 'best of'
Couldn't get on with this.
O tipo de álbum que eu queria que não acabasse nunca. A produção é ornamental, bem detalhada e muito caprichada, e sobre os vocais não há elogios suficientes. Certamente uma das vozes mais lindas e poderosas da história da música popular. Fico muito feliz que a banda toda acomoda tão bem esse powerhouse vocal. Pop amadurecido, atemporal, que se espelha no passado mas olha para o futuro brilhantemente. Não tem erros. Pode ouvir sem receio. Várias e várias vezes. 5/5
This was an okay album. Where are the hits tho?!
I guess I’m an ABBA fan.
This was okay. I'm realizing ABBA in general doesn't vibe with me the way it does for a lot of people.
Maybe good but not my music style ...
I don't know what to do with this
Under attack !
Ok another great ABBA album, 5 stars no notes.
The last ABBA album until Voyage, and I think this is great. I enjoyed this far more than Arrival. While maybe the songs are not as famous this album was cohesive and kept me engaged the whole way through. My favourite ABBA song (slipping through my fingers) is also on this album too. The songs from the deluxe addition also fit seamlessly on this album and I didn’t want to skip them to end the album early. Very welcome addition to my day
Masterpiece! How wrong was I to not expect that from ABBA?
Flyter fint (satser på at denne holdes skjult for skaperne, så slipper jeg bli arveløs)
This is a good album but I’m not sure why it’s here. ABBA helped define a generation of disco lovers with dance hall favorites and radio darlings. This album feels like the last hurrah at the end of the genre. Many of the songs sound like they were attempting to go New Wave Pop rather than sticking to what they knew, which they did on Under Attack. There are song good songs on here, such as the very New Wave Should I Laugh or Cry and I Let The Music Speak . I don’t know, maybe it’s just my long bias for a different ABBA….
Random thoughts: * This was an interesting choice of ABBA albums. Maybe this one was chosen due to it being the last ABBA album (if you ignore the comeback album in 2021). * I listened to this after dropping my daughter off at college and "Slipping Through My Fingers" hit pretty hard. * This didn't have the highs of the usual hits expected from ABBA but was a solid and well crafted album throughout. * ABBA was such a cultural phenomenon that has lasting impact still today. I'm not sure this is really essential listening but does showcase that ABBA was way more than the pop mega-hits we all know and love. I would just listen to the greatest hits as essential listening and this would be more of a deeper cuts exploration.
It is weird that I got two ABBA albums in a row. I enjoyed Arrival more then the visitors, but still a very easily consumed album.
Started off really well. I sort of lost interest part way through though. All new to me I think apart from The Day Before You Came, which I mainly know through the Blancmange cover.
Don't know his album as well as Arrival - but it's very good
They’ve only been a singles band for me. I was very impressed by this album. I understand it’s a bit of a departure from their other stuff.
Having read a number of reviews that described this as the experimental and dark abba album- I was a little surprised to hear a slightly more downbeat but still essentially sparkly abba album. No obvious bangers but very well crafted songs and great vocals. Also contains possibly the cheeriest song about a threesome.
After listening to the original 9-track release, I was feeling somewhat mixed toward this. The A-side had some good energy, but the B-side started wading deeper into drama theater. For my second playthrough, I listened to the 16-track deluxe version, and honestly, all the best material is within those deluxe bonus tracks (though I'd skip the last track - it's just a bizarro 9-minute demo medley of the weakest track from the original 9-track release). I guess I'll have to stick with a neutral 3 here since that's the actual album on the list. If they had done some better shuffling and cutting of these 16 tracks into the definitive 9-track album this should have been, I'd have easily given it a 4 (maybe even a 5 depending on my mood at the time), but if wishes were horses and all that...
A masterpiece only to be rivaled by one of ABBA’s other albums. The perfect band. A 5 is rating this too low.
Solid pop, some songs are a bore and others are vivid stories.
I can handle ABBA when they bring the bangers, I can't really take it serious when it's the sappy over-dramatic Eurovision-esque stuff. This album is full of the latter.
Ух ти))) Послухаємо)
Not as good as the other Abba album
This is real good and I suspect that it grow on me even more.
A surprisingly amazing album, "The Visitors", "Head Over Heels, "You Owe Me One", and "Under Attack" were cool!
They have a unique sound all their own. That being said their voices lack clarity as if they are singing thru something. Wondering if other LPs are similar. Gives an overall effect of similarity to their music.
Abba is always fun, and i don't think I have ever heard any of these songs before, so this was doubly pleasureable.
I thought I know all the ABBA songs but apparently not and I'm loving it
Better than expected
Lo sentimos bastante nostálgico, no tan pegajoso, pero bastante emocional y pionero, de alguna manera bastante influyente y fuerte
Not as stacked as our previous ABBA album but still a good hang!
I think some of the more beautiful songs from the ABBA catalogue found on this album, also interesting because I would say none of these are among their big hits and the few songs I knew (Slipping Through My Fingers, When All Is Said And Done) I had possibly only ever heard in Mamma Mia and never the original. I do think the arrangements of those songs and One of Us were lovely and quite moving, but the songs I loved the most were You Owe Me One and I Am The City, and their more experimental use of synths and more electronic based instrumentation. Some real underrated gems in the second half of the album Also I love that album cover
En zo luister je een hele ABBA plaat op de vroege maandagochtend. En gelukkig is het the Visitors en niet één van die happydepeppy mammamia platen die ze hiervoor uitbrachten. Dit is wat meer sophisticated en dus een 'serieuze' luistersessie. Blijft natuurlijk dat de stemmen van deze Zweden, met name de dames, wel erg associeert met de songfestival-abba. Maargoed, moet gezegd, dit is gewoon een interessante popplaat. Met variatie tussen de nummers en wel mooie arrangementen met synths en strijkers. Het is geen plaat die me qua muziek helemaal onverblaast maar opzicht verrast me de kwaliteit die ABBA aan het eind van hun eerste carrière hier op de mat legt. 6,5/10 Highlights One of us
uppity. happy. vocals. abba.
I feel sad but also content & relaxed. This is a heck of an album.
Abba is so middle of the road.
Passed me by a bit Being married to a swede means I’m more than familiar with ABBA, but haven’t heard any of these songs before. Makes sense because they’re not that memorable. It’s fine, just not great. Favourite track: soldiers
All the feels but upbeat too, sweet and happy
What makes the Visitors special is the sense of weariness and unease that's only slightly present on previous albums; the melancholy that people attempt to read on Dancing Queen is on full affect here on tracks such as The Day Before You Came, arguably the centrepiece of the album. An oddly tuneless song that works in its favour, with Agnetha's distant and matter-of-fact vocal performance helping convey the numbness of the final moments of ABBA's golden period. Elsewhere, tracks such as the title track and Under Attack are the most sonically and lyrically adventurous they've done today - I absolutely adore the legnthy instrumental start to the Visitors, slowly amping up and only getting to the (fantastic) hook around two minutes in. There is still some fluff and standard ABBA tracks that do stifle the impact of thr album (Two for the Price of One and When All Is Said and Done), but overall a defintie artistic high for ABBA.
Found this pretty boring for an Abba album
It's just not for me hey.
Beautiful music. As ever.
Hmm, grown-up ABBA aren't as much fun as the younger version.
Muy buen disco! Algo extraño desde su portada, mucho más conceptual cada track de lo que ABBA venía haciendo y en general un muy buen rato. No mal disco para cerrar la carrera de la banda (hasta 2022 que lanzaron uno nuevo).
pretty good
There’s something quite appalling that happens if you listen long enough. You start finding yourself tapping along occasionally, despite it being unconscionable drivel. It is at least a polished turd, in that it’s well produced and it’s catchy, of a kind. But it’s so bad. The idea of someone seeking this out to listen to is baffling. Also understand abba making it on because of their position in the musical zeitgeist, but why this album? Anyway, it’s done now - I never need to listen again and that’s a happy thought indeed.
This is so dull. The mature "advanced" ABBA with limited over the top gloss. Good news, you would think. NO just means you don't even get the involuntary foot tapping they usually conjure. Absolute dross. Is there actually any melody to the vocals too it's like a boring musical. The production is cold, sparse and just tedious to add to it (lots of crap synth). My bar was so low I was willing to accept that its possible that in a peak of their career something inspiring might have occurred. Turns out I don't like whatever this melancholy flog fest is either! I will continue my endeavor to avoid ABBA at all costs!
I simply do not get the appeal of ABBA. I can only think that most people that listen are only interested in "nice songs". The lyrics are in the style of the old crooners and the music is super simple, completely uninteresting saccharine pop-music. Music for people who go to gigs to sit down and clap along. It's like drinking over diluted Ribena.
🪩 This was almost a 4. I really liked it but I don’t know how much I’ll come back to it. And the more I right this the more I’m inclined to go 4. So I will leave full text here as evidence of the journey. 4 (not 3) it is.
Mama Mia that was a bit much 🤌🏼
It's not Mamma Mia, but it's definitely a vibe
I remember when the NY Times did a piece celebrating this album's 40th anniversary and now I understand why. This album has tons of complexity and interesting turns. I can see how influential it was to modern pop and indie rock. It's an album that makes you want to lean in and listen because there's so much you might miss if you don't pay attention.
The title track is a banger but otherwise they seemed to have peaked in the 70s for sure. That said, ABBA till I die so couldn’t bear anything lower than a 3 💃🪩
drunken theater nerd circus music. i guess they needed to get “serious” but this isn’t the ABBA for me
Solid album
they may be German but that doesn't mean I don't like them
Review - An ABBA album from the '80s, their eighth album? Surely this isn't the ABBA album that needs to be heard? Never been a fan of them but scrolled through the tracklist looking for the hits before listening and was disappointed. It's got that "One of is loooooonely" song that I remember thinking was good in one of the Mama Mias. Otherwise a mid album. Score - 4/10 Need to listen? NO
Not up to their v high standard
Sounds like a musical score rather than a simple album.
Hints of some truly great pop music but never becomes fully realized. None of the songs on this album are in at least the first 15 songs that you think of when listing off great ABBA songs.
I read that “There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love ABBA and those who pretend they don’t love ABBA.” Yeah, probably... I’m not pretending, sorry! Although I can understand their importance and why they’re on this list, this is the kind of music that should have stayed in the ’70s or ’80s and never seen the light of day again :-(
Not bad, not the ABBA I was expecting
Kinda bias bc I love ABBA
Typicke umele vytvorene zvuky, ale jinak fajnove
Surprisingly varied. Good and bad.
I came for Dancing Queen and stayed for Scandinavian divorce synth-pop. Thought it dragged, discovered I was listening to an hour of bonus tracks, and immediately issued a formal apology to ABBA.
It’s hard to dislike ABBA
When it comes to ABBA, I always think I’ll find their music cheesy or melodramatic, but having grown up listening to the Mamma Mia! soundtrack, I don’t think I could ever feel that way and I’m more than glad not to. This album’s so consistenly good all the way through. I can’t say it’s as good or packs as many heavy hitters as Arrival, but it’s so solid throughout. I listened to One of Us much later than their other songs, and it’s gotta be one of my favorite songs of all time now. Great album.
It's a band that's just been a joke my whole life, and they're amazing. One or two of these are a bit more boring, but my goodness these are some fun and interesting songs that are just....entrancing.
Not the best ABBA. Still very good
ÀBBA, but more world-wearied. Reflective and contemplative suits them.
ABBA doesn’t do it for me. I find their sound too bubble gum, too simple, too lacking in sexiness or knowing awareness. Just shiny ‘70s pop disco that does nothing much to grab me by the extra large lapels.
Sounds like 80s soundtrack music..
Reminiscent of Sarah Slean. Pretty good.
Judging on the music alone - this was a snooze fest. It sounded like a soundtrack to a movie or a play - to the point that I looked it up. Upon looking it up I learned that the album has much deeper undertones off commentary. Which is cool. But I still didn’t like the music.
Greatest hits band
I wasn’t expecting a dark, synth-heavy ABBA album on this list, yet here we are. The Visitors is a surprising departure from the disco-infused sound that defined much of their late-‘70s output, but it proved far more digestible than I anticipated. These aren’t songs destined for the dance floor, and the overall mood is noticeably more melancholy, but it’s an enjoyable listen nonetheless. Take that for what it’s worth. It’s still unmistakably an ABBA album, but with early-’80s musical influences woven throughout. For me, it landed miles ahead of Arrival.
Not bad. Oddly cohesive considering the state of the marriages at the time of recording.
sehr fun zum kochen
I think it’s impossible to not at least have fun with ABBA.
Had to skip Slipping Through My Fingers and The Day Before You Came, for reasons obvious to me, but otherwise I liked this album. Abba deep cuts!
Do you have ears and a heart? I do - so we all love this. It starts out strong, but I could have lived without songs like Head over Heels, I Let the Music Speak and btw: the bass player for ABBA, Rutger Gunnarsson, is a beast
Ambitious and empty.
I was a closet ABBA fan, since Waterloo. This album was billed as a departure from their pop sound…but, I LIKE their pop sound. This album is ok, but nothing memorable for me. I’ll give it a 3 for effort.
I just can't with these guys.
The melodies, harmonies, and exuberance… just pop perfection. 4.5 stars.
Didn't listen to all of it, but enjoyed what I did listen to far more than I anticipated!
I don't hate ABBA, I actually really enjoy their disco happy pop era stuff. This was them entering the 80's and at first it almost felt like an album full of lullabies, then they sort of entered back into their pop disco roots for Under Attack, but everything in the middle was just meh and blah. After a while the sickly sweetness of her voice just really drug on me and made me annoyed so not my jam. But I don't want to hate on it and give it too low because I feel like people really drag them, it was not unlistenable, just not something I would go to again.
This was obviously a departure from their lighter and airier ABBA-ness, but there was a beautiful depth to this album and it was a moving reflection of where their lives were at that point in time. The songs still felt very “them” as they started to wrap up the end of their original time together. Slipping Through My Fingers was a tear jerker!
listened to it with my bf and it was very good; ive never been too into abba but it surprised me for good. fav: slipping through my fingers
Me gustó mucho! ABBA simpre me pone de buneas.
Abba were a pop juggernaut at their best being light and fun this album is neither of those things. Feels like a sad attempt to remain relevant by have a "new wave" sound and missing the mark.
Despite the rave reviews I was unable to find anything in this album that stood out. Frida has a great voice and something about classified ads being cleverly worded, but otherwise this could be played again for me tomorrow and I would not recognize it.
Listened Before? N This album sounds like a musical theater soundtrack- and it possesses all the good and bad qualities of one. Very mid, with some standouts. I really liked Head Over Heels and One of Us. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Head Over Heels
This is a well written and crafted album and certainly surprisingly solid. I don't feel the need to hear it again as it's not my cup of tea necessarily. But it's a worthy entry. 3.5 rounded to 4.
IT was OK Abba. Their other albums were better
doesn't take much to make you sick of ABBA. there's a reason the popular ones are the popular ones
It was fine but didn’t really have a whole lot that grabbed me unfortunately.
This was most certainly an ABBA record. But it didn’t have any of the classic ABBA sing alongs.
Its always great when an established band tries something new instead of doing the same things over and over. Its really fun hearing Abba doing something that I haven't heard from them before. Its not my favorite album of theirs and the songs wont reach their top 10 songs for me but at the same time it isn't bad in any way. For this list its a perfect fit for me as something new that I can also see why it has its place on this list.
awh hell no. It just ain't for me man, 80's synth euro pop.
I listened to the original release, which had nine tracks. One of them was familiar to me, maybe from a greatest hits collection. This album has the standard Abba sound, but the songs were not especially peppy like their earlier music.
Yay, ABBA! A real live Eurovision band! I didn't realise they had so many albums (this is their 8th), although I guess that explains how they made so many Mamma Mia Movies (2 going on 3). The album cover looks like Clue, so I like that. The songs all sound the same, even if they're about different things. Which is good. I enjoyed it, which I guess passes for a 4 these days!
Easiest 5 I have given. What an achievement on their 8th album!
1981 you say? Hmmm... While I couldn't name an ABBA song off the top of my head listening to this record feels like I am hanging out with my step-mom. 3.5/5
How can you not have a good time with this stuff...
Good album full of pretty little ditties. Not your average karaoke ABBA songs.
Love ABBA. The melodies and harmony they used are always interesting and distinctive, and it’s no surprise they had so many hits derived of infectious ear worms. I didn’t know anything about this album, but enjoyed it and it felt fresh to me as a result.
Não é o top álbum, mas Head over heels é ótima
A song or two that stood out for me in an otherwise enjoyable album. Production and musicianship are great.
3 1/2 Stars: About what you'd expect from Abba. Great vocal blends and a pop flair that makes it easy to listen to. It just lacks the hits that makes their catalogue so great.
4/5
Not the abba I was expecting. One song early on kind of had something similar to what I expected but that went away. I think at one point it even started to sound like a circus. Perhaps my expectations were set in the wrong direction and I was just severely let down
Listen is it abbas best work no but like it’s abba isn’t never going to be bad
Genuinely the first album of ABBA’s I’ve heard that wasn’t just a compilation of their greatest hits. And this still hits at nearly the same magnitude. What else is there to say it’s ABBA innit
ABBA: really a group of singles. There's one stunning track here ("One of Us"), but yeah. Fairly dull fare outside of that. Harmonies and instrumentation are nice but nothing to write home about. "Slipping Through My Fingers" is a beautiful track, but, and I have no reservations, Meryl Streep / Amanda Seyfried did it better. Flat three, thank you!
Have to say I hear this as catchy and it seems pretty serious compared to what I know of the earlier, emptier pop. And personal, compared to, say, Fernando or the Dancing Queen. Too bad the pop isn't far enough away. I see them mostly staring away, shadow figures looming behind them. Shit sounds bad here! Cold as a stone? I feel my throat go dry? Under Attack? Damn.
I always prefer ABBA when they do maudlin. The day before you came is possibly my favourite song of theirs and it’s so emotionally heart wrenching. I’m not so into the rest of the tracks but appreciate the darker side.
Nice to hear this side of ABBA — ambitious, almost orchestral. Not saying I'm going to turn to this record as a regular spin, there's nothing here that appeals on a visceral level, but a step away from the Eurovision splendor.
Yeah, this was all right. I was unfamiliar with these songs but I appreciated their attempt at doing something different.
Bit odd this is on here instead of Voulez Vous, Super Trouper or The Album, isn't it? Still a great album though
i’m having fun and then i start listening to the lyrics
I enjoy the first track, it definitely feels very 80s! “Head Over Heels” is also great, I love the dramatic scales up during the pre chorus and down during the verses. It feels airy, but also intense at the same time. “When All Is Said and Done” feels like a song that would play at the end of an 80s movie about the cheesy and romantic happenings at the end of the main characters senior year. The chorus of “Soldier” really solidifies it as another stand out song for me. “I Let the Music Speak” has an amazing atmosphere that feels as if it was played in an open cobwebbed tower with a ghostly pianist and singer at the reins. I also enjoyed “Two for the Price of One”, which was less serious than the previous tracks, but still sounded like it belonged. This is a record that I would definitely add to my collection! I’ve never taken the time to listen to ABBA outside of hits before, so this was a pleasant surprise for me. Thank you ABBA for not giving me another dud album to regret on this journey.
There are many devoted Rush fans in Canada about my age. Then there’s me.
Good but ABBA is not my vibe
Never was a fan but is was ok
not my favorite ABBA album, still great tho <3
I saw ABBA pop up and was ready to rate it a 1 or maybe 2. I've never liked them, and I found out about them after I named my cat Fernando, which I'm sure didn't help. At any rate, this album was better than expected. It was a high 3/nearly 4 rating for the first half of the album, but then the second half got a little boring. Still better than I would have thought
Nothing exceptional and ordinary. Nice music.
This is considerably better than the other ABBA album I endured here but to me it underlines that they were a phenomenal singles band rather than an album band. The first song was great (and was released as a single...)
Really love ABBA,
Not my favorite ABBA album, but middle of the road ABBA is still a good listen. 3.4
More ABBA! Didn’t know any of these songs. Seemed less dancy and more emotional. Enjoyed it. 7/10 Quite Likeable
I am only mildly ashamed to admit I think ABBA is one of the all time greats. this album falls just short of the five because Two For The Price of One is a godawful song and, worst of all, a punchline song. There's never been a good punchline song! stop making them! otherwise this is a lovely album with beautiful vocal harmonies and fantastic instrumentation. I could listen to Agnetha and Anna-Frid sing together all day. ultimately I think this slot on the list should have gone to Voulez-Vouz or Super Trouper but it's fine, we love ABBA here, good four of an album
Musically uninteresting synth pop
Overall Rating - 3.35/5 (6.69/10). It's clearly obvious that this is ABBA. The harmonies and music are very distinctive. That said, this is a more sophisticated, darker, more melancholy feel than the ABBA I've heard before.
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: None I really couldn't care less about this. It's about 15 minutes too long. It didn't leave a lasting impression. None of the songs stood out. I didn't connect with any of the supposed themes of isolation, the Cold War or splitting up of the band (since the List doesn't respect any sort of chronological ordering of how you hear a band's different albums). Consequently, and because I have listened to virtually no ABBA, I have no frame of reference for why this album is supposedly more mature and less "pop"-y. The most interesting bits of the album came from the facts on the Wikipedia article - one of the first albums to be recorded and mixed digitally, and one of the earliest to be manufactured commercially for "Compact Disc" aka CD. Those are cool bits of information. Edit: I've changed my mind. I dislike this a lot less than Elvis Costello and the Attractions.
AB on yhteislaulua ja aikansa uutta edistyksellistä musiikkia rytmikästä ja tanssittavaa.
perfect. i'd never heard some of these songs before!
Abba is fun. I really do think they have a good sound. I don’t know their discography well enough to know where this stacks up, but I enjoyed the listen. There are a few good ones, some have this spooky thing going on which is kind of dope.
Unless it’s Mamma Mia I don’t want it
An Abba song every now and again is a guilty pleasure. A bit of fun. Too much is like too much candy or chocolate, you go into sugar shock. 2.51 rounded up. 3.
Talented as hell. Slower than my ABBA expectations, but beautiful
295/1089 about halfway through the album and i’ve saved 5 of 6 songs. otherwise, i’ve listened to Arrival and know their hits ofc and it just has me thinking that obviously music tastes are different and i understand this not being for some people but i just will never understand the people who go as far as to claim that they *hate* ABBA. surely you can at least appreciate that this is excellently executed pop Two For The Price Of One is incredible and following that with Slipping Through My Fingers is *chefs kiss* i think, where Arrival kinda suffered for having mega hits Dancing Queen and Money x3 overshadowing the rest, this feels a lot more well-rounded Lay All Your Love On Me remains the GOAT ABBA song though faves: Two for the price of one, The visitors, Soldiers, The day before you came 88/100
Es muy buen grupo, pero a mi parecer hay mejores discos, me pareció no muy diverrido el disco, Abba lo conozco por dancing queen, gimme gimme y mamma mia, este disco parece que son otro grupo, jo me gustó.
Mature, serious, sophisticated, so an opposite of the ABBA stereotype. Really like every song, even the bonus tracks.
Was only familiar with one song from this album before and I was wondering why the album is here because it doesn't exactly have ABBA's biggest bangers. But it's probably the best ABBA album I've heard? It feels like something fresh and interesting from them instead of the usual disco stuff 3/5
the thing about ABBA is that for as much as people dismissively deride them as "just pop", there's nobody else that even really comes close to capturing what makes them so good. they ARE the blueprint! every track on here is gold. it's not just the beauty of the arrangements that makes them so delightful because the impassioned angelic vocals and emotional depth of the lyrics. like this album is HEAVY when you sit down to soak it in for a minute!! you're getting that with gorgeous heavenly synths that make you feel like you're floating. to me what's especially remarkable is just how ahead of the times this feels. unreal that this is right at the start of the 80s when there's still nothing else that sounds like this.
Oh let's go. The Visitors was ABBA's final album before their breakup and represents easily their most mature and developed phase. It is probably my favorite Abba album, and I am a huge fan. Generally I see ABBA as more of singles band, shown by the fact that the by-far most popular ABBA album is Gold, the compilation album, but I think this works great as an album piece. So I'm going to highlight 3 of my absolute favorites. First: When All is Said and Done. Easily one of the most mature and interesting breakup songs due to its very unique choice to be about a romance that has fallen apart due to no fault of either person. I've experienced breakups like that and its often the most common breakup I've seen others experience too, and yet its so rarely sung about and the song does so much justice the concept. I also love Anni-Frid's voice so much. If I have one complaint about the album its that her voice can be sidelined a little especially because of the number of songs with only Agnetha singing. Second: Slipping through my fingers. A Lovely and incredibly sad song that I inexplicably connect to me coming out as trans. Really this is a song for parents, but the message is so melancholic that it makes me tear up a bit listening to it. Also one of my favorite songs from the musical. I've seen the movie in cinema 2 or 3 times (actually I've even been to the singalong version of the movie) as well as the musical twice. Third: The Day Before You Came. This is an almost 6 minute synth heavy song without a chorus absolutely propelled by Agnetha's beautiful singing that almost gives me a Tom's Diner vibe in the way in which it explores the mundanity of a day. I think this one has really grown on people, its one of those songs which so many fans think is underrated that it has become properly rated. ...Can you tell I like ABBA?
This version goes on a bit to long, but the original was only 37 mins, so I can't fault them for that. Instantly recognizable even if the big hits are not on this record, but damn, they are good songwriters... I also live the bass 😅
Love it
got jumpscared by slipping through my fingers. overall decent some misses in the middle however
5/10
Good album.
I'm a big fan of ABBA Gold (who isn't?) but I wasn't really digging this. I'm going to go with a generous 3 here.
Starts strong with an underlying darkness and then the cheese eventually took over.
80s slop
Every so often, a perfectly good silly pop act decides it's time to Get Serious. They'll always imagine themselves pivoting like the Beatles did with Revolver, and it'll basically never be as good as their more frivolous work. ABBA didn't come up with the next Revolver here either, but their play for credibility actually worked out decently well!
The visitors was Len Houmous’ nickname for his testicles 2.2 2/13 Head Over Heels
it’s abba, so not something i haven’t heard before. it’s decent pop music
Avoids being a 1 purely because of slipping through my fingers
Who doesn’t love ABBA?
I can take small doses of ABBA, but an entire album is just a bit too cloying. This wasn't bad though, it's different from their 70's work.
The extraordinary final act of the extraordinary ABBA. Every note, word and nuance lovingly crafted and perfectly delivered. And almost as an afterthought, The Day Before You Came, not even on the original album but quite possibly the finest song ever written.
Pretty great. Having grown up only listening to a Greatest Hits compilation (and attending many an Abba bottomless brunch at hen dos) I was unfamiliar with their back catalogue. It's great obviously, but feed me the hits 😋
The breakup album. Darker, still disco but transitioning into a sound that was more modern at the time. If you are looking for, "The Hits", there isn't much there, if you like ABBA this is a good release to listen to when in a more somber mood, though it is harder to listen to some of the mid lyrics without the infectious upbeat bubblegum POP to distract you.
I'll echo a lot of other comments here and say I was absolutely not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did, but as a lover of songcraft I couldn't help but sit back and admire the masterful work going on here.
Favorite songs: The Visitors, Head over Heels, Soldiers, One of Us
Best Track - "One Of Us"
Great pop album. It's ABBA. Can't go wrong with ABBA.
Як альбом в цілому, цей працює трохи краще, ніж попередній. Але в тому й більше суперхітів було. Це трієчка з ухилом в 2.5.
Ще менше сподобалось ніж попередній альбом Абби в цьому списку. 2.5
The Visitors finds ABBA in an introspective, melancholic mood that downplays the exuberance that propelled their best work. In place of that missing energy though, the band doesn't really introduce anything new into the mix, resulting in a halfhearted record that sounds like a collection of tracks that were too dour to make it onto the previous albums.
2,3/5
ABBA poppier stuff absolutely rips sometimes, but this was way more interesting and ambitious than I expected. Could circle back to this.
The last ABBA album had more of the hits and this is more of the show-tuney ABBA ness which isn't really my style. 4/10
Fun snappy, my people
Abba but they listened to Unknown Pleasures
2/10 horrible
Bloody ABBA. Incredible songwriters and producers. And this is an album that isn't quite so happy-sounding - et voilà, I actually enjoy this. I gave Arrival 3/5, and enjoy this more, so that has to make it a 4/5, but it does feel weird.
Easy listen
I like darker, latter-era ABBA though also respect their hit-writing chops too. One of Us is probably my favourite song but the title track was good too. The Day Before You Came is an interesting one too, is it a romantic entanglement or about a post-apocalyptic world?
ABBA brings it!
sounds like musical theatre which is not a genre i typically enjoy
What an interesting listen. Being an ABBA casual, this was much different than I expected. Kinda dark and orchestral. 3/5.
Do love Abba
As a Swede I believe I am contractually obliged to give this album a 5. I was initially surprised to find such a "late" abba album on the list. But the first track immediately impresses, it has far more interest than any of the classics.
Not a big ABBA fan. Or to put it better, not an ABBA fan at all. This album was no exception for me. Even though the sound was a bit different from what I grew to expect from them, it was not enough for me. Some outliers though: - The Visitors - Like An Angel Passing Through my Room - Should I Laugh or Cry
I feel like a middle-aged lady going through menopause and having nostalgia and heat flashes. At least this is not based on singles or hits and has the feel of a concise album. A sad and melancholy album by the way. Not for me but it's not your typical ABBA album..
There’s a song on here called “Let the Music Speak,” and they should have, because ABBA’s vocals are like absolute nails on a chalkboard to me, utterly intolerable. The title track and “Soldiers” are very good songs, however, and in fact it’s entirely possible some of the others are too, but I just can’t tell because of the horrendous vocals. Best track: “Soldiers”
6/10 Esta bueno, no es una locura, pero me gustó, ritmos más fuerte
Strong songs with lush and interesting arrangements
Not a big fan of ABBA. But I know the music is good, nay, even outstanding. It just isn’t my cuppa.
ABBA is always so fun and this record is no different. The sounds are bright and vibrant, welcoming to the ears. They really set an entertaining and engaging mood and it always sounds inviting. Disco was never my thing, but this is on the cusp of something different that is different enough.
Surprisingly good album.
Ok
really really liked. probs a 4.5 but will give 4
I’d never heard any of these before! I know why lol
Works as an album but I am not a big fan of Abba. 3 stars or C+.
ABBA generally just seems to know the right chords and melodies to make the dopamine in my brain go brr. This isn't their best outing though. A shame Voulez-vous and Super Trouper are not on the 1001 list, but I have to judge this album on its own merit. Faves: The Visitors, Head Over Heels, When All Is Said And Done, One Of Us
This is not a good album. There are some interesting songs here and there but overall, I think it’s a joke this is an album humanity needs to listen to.
Has some fun moments. Great basslines. Not the Abba album I would put on this list though.
This is slightly more interesting than you might expect from ABBA. It’s much more downbeat than their typical hits (you’ll probably only know One of Us), which shows of their range a bit more. The other slide of the coin is that there is the absence of any earworms to stick in your head. It all becomes quite samey, and that becomes even more evident on a longer album.
A decent album overall. The title track is really strong, with a slightly sombre, ominous atmosphere quite different from the familiar ABBA sound. The same is true of ‘Soldiers’, my other favourite track. Other songs sound a bit more typical, but this isn’t necessarily a criticism. I really liked the tango-inflected ‘Head Over Heels’, for example, and ‘One of Us’. However, ‘I Let the Music Speak’ and ‘Slipping Through My Fingers’ weren’t as much to my taste, sounding too much like songs from a musical for my liking. The remaining tracks were all fine, but nothing exceptional. Textbook 3 stars.
I didn't know many of the songs but had an enjoyable listen. ABBA has a way of just working. Talented people making interesting music that pop-polished for enjoyment.
What can I say? I like ABBA a lot. Even the songs of theirs that don't do a lot for me are still really well put together. The title track is a different sound for them, but wasn't a bad listen. Of the tracks that aren't in the musical, "Head Over Heels", "Soldiers", and "Should I Laugh or Cry" were the standouts.
This album raised me. Favourite tracks: One of Us, Slipping Through My Fingers, Should I Laugh or Cry
ABBA seems to exist in their own genre. Some soft rock, mixed with Broadway show tunes. Great songwriting and some good tunes on this. Not my usual genre, but I enjoyed it. Highlights: "When All is Said and Done", "I Am The City"
3/5