Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Off to a solid start with the title track. Much less of the disco-vibe that I've come to associate with ABBA. This album is beautifully produced with a lot of neat electronic elements, satisfying vocal layering, and song structures that pay homage to traditional structures while innovating (e.g., Head Over Heels, I Let The Music Speak). I really enjoyed the experience and can't pick a single "bad" song out of the bunch. Slipping Through My Fingers is a solid song, and immediately made me think of Lana Del Rey. One of Us is also familiar, but I can't tell you where or when I last heard it. Surprisingly high 4 for me.
ABBA has an unmistakable sound. Hard to really complain unless you hate the bubbliness. Not the strongest of 4s, but it's just such an easy listener.
This is ABBA at their best. Much less poppy than their other albums, but no less enjoyable. It doesn’t have the immediacy of Arrival, and Two For the Price of One is insane, but I love the heavier, darker feel and the fairly complicated vocal lines. This is definitely an album you should hear before you die. You don’t have to like it, just hear it, because it’s sonically and emotionally so different from other ABBA albums.
Abba Rules. This album was weird AF and not as poppy as I was expecting more operatic. I don't think I'd heard a single song from this record before listening through this album for this.
12/31/25. Might be my favorite ABBA album that I've listened to, especially containing songs I'm not familiar with. Loved the incorporation of 80s style groove and a more mature sound compared to the sugar filled pop that I'm used to by them.
I've never listened to this album (79).
Consistently fantastic
perfect music for an early spring stroll through the park
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA My music <3 4.9 because i know what needs to get a 5
Master song craft - and even when I didn't know the song... I knew the sound.
7 - GOOD
Strange and unexpected, especially the title track, but in a good way. After reading the wiki article, I realize my impression wasn't far off the mark, as this album is known for being a bit darker and more experimental. Accidentally listened to the deluxe version, but the extra songs are good enough that I didn't mind the length. 3.5 rounded up, maybe even a legit 4.
Wow, eine riesen Band mit einem Super Album, wenn auch nicht ihr bestes.
Niet mijn favoriete album van ABBA maar zeker geen slecht album. Wel veel meer filmisch en verhaal dragend. I’m a sucker for Some good pop music 4/5
I'll admit that seeing an ABBA album pop up didn't fill me with joy. Imagine my surprise when this didn't turn out to be a bunch of corny wedding reception anthems. There are some A #1 grooves to be found in here. Favorite track: The Visitors
Not as good as Arrival but Abba is Abba
****A great album, easy listening
Inte hört en låt på denna sedan innan och får konstatera att jag helt klart föredrar detta synthiga och lite mörkare ABBA framför det glättiga och discodansiga ABBA. Även om det inte räcker till mer än en svagare fyra för mig så var det ändå en kul överraskning!
It's ABBA. It's impeccably written, performed and produced. This one's a little less bright and happy than their previous work. Worth a listen to gather a sense of their artistic abilities. 4/5
Pretty awesome, which surprised me!
ABBA really was a singles band weren't they. You can clearly hear them making a move to musicals but man when those singles hit they hit HARD. Probably the only band that I would prefer a greatest hits on this list. Beautiful wy to end an era, just wish the songs that weren't meant to be singles had more care.
There weren’t any real standout singles on this. But as a collection, it really works. Showed me a depth to ABBA I did not know existed.
As always, the vocals are good. A slightly more sophisticated composition than their previous albums makes for a more pleasant listen. Easy to round up.
3.5*, rounding up, as they're just lovely singers. The music's competent, even if it doesn't have the hooks of some of their big hits.
This was ABBA's last album until recent times. "The Vistors" doesn't have a lot of hits. However, it does have some of ABBA's best work. Those songs surpass a few of ABBA's most famous tracks. I hope I can keep my great album streak up, 4 stars for "The Visitors".
Todas las canciones me parecieron muy disfrutables de principio a fin
I reviewed ABBA’s Arrival a little over a year ago, and I thought it was fine. It had some solid pop songs on it, but nothing really blew me away. The reviews for this album mention that it’s a bit different than Arrival, and I’m not sure if that’s going to make it better or worse. I guess the only way to find out is to gimmie, gimmie, gimmie The Visitors. I enjoyed The Visitors quite a bit more than I did Arrival. This album, while a bit uneven, had some really incredible pop songs on it. The vocals were consistently fantastic throughout the album, and I really loved the synthesizer-heavy sound. The sound oscillated between lighter and darker tones, but the overall feeling was pretty consistent throughout the album. Right off the bat, I was hooked by “The Visitors.” The vocals were excellent, the synthesizers were fantastic, and that shift out of the introduction into the body of the song was amazing. I loved how the sound developed over the course of the song, and I’m amazed that this only peaked at number 63 in the U.S. What the hell were people doing in 1981? Do cocaine and stonewashed denim damage your eardrums? I was really worried that this album wouldn’t get any better than this lead off track, but those fears were laid to rest by “When All Is Said And Done.” This was an absolutely perfect pop song, and it gave me literal chills as the music washed over me. I loved the bright sounds, and the song just got better and better over the course of its runtime. When the bass and drums kicked in, it really started to cook. “Soldiers” had the best bass line on the whole album, and I really loved the dark synthesizer tones. “One of Us” had some fantastic vocals, and I loved the brighter sounding parts of the song. “Two For The Price Of One” felt a little out of place on this album, but it was a great song. I loved how the funny story unfolded, and the use of phone sounds worked really well. Overall, The Visitors was a really solid pop album. Some of the songs felt a bit like filler, and a few others felt out of place tonally, but the best parts of this album truly soared. This makes me want to check out more ABBA albums.
One of the most perfectly produced albums I’ve ever heard. Every instrument sounds pristine. The compositions are also great. Just wonderful pop music that doesn’t fall into simplicity like so much other pop music.
Not their best, but interesting none the less
surprising album
Another enjoyable listen from beginning to end. That one guy is right....there are two types of people, those who like ABBA and those who pretend not to.
Bittersweet divorce pop perfection
I owe you an apology ABBA, I wasn't familiar with your game
You either like ABBA or hate fun. 4/5
Its an ABBA record, of course its at least GOOD. This isnt my favorite of theirs but its great.
I liked this way more than I expected to! The only ABBA song I think I could name off the top of my head before this was "Dancing Queen" which I don't really care for, but this was good! "The Visitors" into "Head Over Heels" into "When All Is Said and Done" was a great run, and probably were my favorites on here!
Some surprisingly smutty tracks
Klassiseen ABBA-tyyliin albumiin mahtui pari hieman ärsyttävää biisiä ja pari jotka lauloi oikein tunteella mukana. Albumin kruunasi kuitenkin yksi kaikkien aikojen lempparibiiseistäni Slippin' Through my Fingers.
ABBA was better in their earlier albums but this is still good. Slipping through my fingers and When all is said and Done are great tracks.
Who knew sad Abba was something I needed? You listen to all their hits, they sound so happy and shiny, you see them smiling while they lipsync on old shows. Then you listen to ¨The Visitors¨ and it's all good-love-gone-wrong. I know there were two couples in Abba and they both got divorced. This album sounds like their ¨Rumours,¨ except instead of bitter and angry it's maudlin and wistful. Maudlin and wistful is just what the doctor ordered on a grey, wet Tuesday the morning after an existential fight about your relationship. No notes. Best songs: ¨When All Is Said and Done,¨ ¨Should I Laugh or Cry¨
Really fun, you will always have a good time with abba. 3.7 out of 5, given a four as it's closer to a four than a three. Enjoyed it a lot, just fun and catchy, perfectly accomplishes what it sets out to.
I know the classics, I can sing along, but I've never heard this album and I'm surprised how good it is. Id have to be in the mood for it, but I would listen to this again.
Surprising how much I enjoyed it. Felt so inventive and fresh.
7.5/10 i very well see why people complain about abba, and this a wholehearted product of it's time, but in a great way. it just has this happy feel that i can't in good faith say that i dislike. not to say that it's all good, as, while i love a good drum loop, i don't like how they're essentially the same in the first three tracks, especially when those tracks make up a third of the runtime. overall, none of the tracks stick out as extremely good or bad, just an extremely consistent and enjoyable listen. favourite - slipping through my fingers, 8.5/10 least favourite - none, extremely consistent
3,56 - Ein ABBA-Album ohne Hit, dafür aber mit einer schönen Gesamtstimmung und einem Hauch von Wehmut, dass es dann (vorerst) vorbei ist. Highlights: Head Over Heels, I Let the Music Speak
Honestly I was prepared to roll my eyes a bit at this but ABBA is so so good. Very pleasantly surprised
There’s never a bad time to listen to ABBA. So many bangers. Such good music.
Distinto a lo que estamos acostumbrados de abba pero con su esencia presente, The Visitors me parecio muy divertido de escuchar (como todo lo de estos suecos la verdad). No muy consistente pero con altos muy altos, asi que se gana mis 4 estrellitas. No tengo mucho mas que decir porque abba es tan iconico que es self explanatory. Favs: The Visitors, Head Over Heals, I Let the Music Speak, Slipping Through My Fingers, Cassandra
¿Te puedes creer que nunca había escuchado este album de Abba? Con lo que me gustan a mi los power rangers suecos. Como siempre, me suenan adelantados a su época y con un superpoder para hacer canciones catchy que no encuentro en ningún otro grupo que no sea Earth Wind and Fire. Le pongo un 4 porque seguramente en esta lista esté Voulez-Vous o Arrival y porque las lentas de esta gente nunca me gustan, suenan como una película infantil de animación 3D con bajo presupuesto del año 2008. Favs: The Visitors (menudo opener colega), Head Over Heels, Under Attack
No conocía esta faceta de ABBA. Osea sabía de sobra que tienen temazos a patadas pero desconocía su capacidad para estructurar y cohesionar un album que suene adelantado a su época de principio a fin. Canciones que cuentan historias a la vez que te sacan a la pista de baile. Verdaderamente un gusto escuchar ABBA siempre. Me parece que están infrautilizados en el cine eh, mucho Mamma Mia pero yo querría escucharles en más bandas sonoras. Se me han venido escenas a la cabeza escuchando algunos de los temas Favs: The Visitors, Head Over Heels, I Let the Music Speak, The Day Before You Came
ABBA me dejó sin palabras, llevo toda la vida pensando que son un grupo de singles y de repente me encuentro con un disco súper maduro y coherente. Tiene un comienzo muy fuerte con las primeras tres canciones, y aunque no mantenga el nivel sigue siendo una escucha muy interesante (sobre todo teniendo en cuenta todo lo anterior de ABBA, música menos "sombría" y más fácil de digerir). Por cierto, interesantísimo que hayan criticado a los soviéticos en The Visitors (específicamente haciendo referencia a reuniones para aprobar régimenes totalitarios en países aliados). Justo como a mi amigo michi-album-listens, muchísimos needle drops se me han venido a la cabeza. Utilicen más a ABBA en películas/series. Fun fact: este disco fue el primero de un artista tocho en salir en CD. Ya por eso me parece que es una escucha esencial. A la playlist: The Visitors, Head Over Heels, When All Is Said And Done, Slipping Through My Fingers, Under Attack.
Some cool pop, probably on the lower side of 4 stars but still just about qualifies for that
The beginning songs sounded so different and so good!!! The rest of the album was good, but very ABBA - fantastic but expected.
Muy electrónico. Sale de lo que conocía de Abba, pero me encanta. La canción de Pay one for two o algo así me encanta. Parece un disco más personal, como su cara más experimental
A pretty good pop album with a different direction to their previous work for sure. Under Attack at the end was great and very catchy.
Went into this one ice cold, think I emerged with increased respect for Abba. First three songs are great + Slipping Through My Fingers. Very story driven...very cinematic/operatic...strong melodies.
Yes this is fucking great. Perhaps not as good as Arrival, but man, really good. Really strong songs Just to get it out of the way, I don't love I Let The Music Speak, its fine, but it sticks out compared to the rest of the album, a bit too much like a rejected song from Fiddler. But they follow it with the best song on the album, the absolutely superb One of Us. The backing vocals are incredible on the chorus Two For The Price of One, is another really good good song, with awesome backing vocals Maybe it is as good as Arrival?
I literally looked up which ABBA albums made the list just yesterday and the algorithm gave me The Visitors as today's listen. Huh. My dad had a major ABBA obsession for a few years, so I know all the hits like the back of my hand. However, I had never given one of their proper studio albums a listen, so I was pretty excited to see what this LP had in store! Fortunately, The Visitors is a very good album. Yes, it's a brilliant display of vocal/songwriting/mixing/production talent, but it also comes with a whirlwind of emotions, effectively serving as both a breakup album for the band and a response to the divorces each member went through during the months prior. Admittedly, nostalgia does play a role in how much I enjoyed the album as a whole, but these songs hold up much better than other songs I enjoyed during my adolescence. This is the closest I've come to giving an album on this list five stars. However, if I'm going to give something a perfect score, the deep cuts need to speak to me just as much (if not, more) than the hits and that's just not the case here. Not to say songs like "I Let the Music Speak" and "Two for the Price of One" are bad, but they don't shine nearly as bright as the album's more known tracks. I even ran through the album again after sleeping on it and the chasm somehow seemed wider the second time through. Probably worth noting that the Spotify version has four bonus tracks compared to the original LP, though none of them feel out of place to me. I'd even say that the album is probably better with them included! "Under Attack" legitimately might be a top five ABBA tune for me – what an absolute earworm. Highlights: The Visitors, Head over Heels, When All Is Said and Done, One of Us, Slipping Through My Fingers
4.1
It's always a bit weird to review ABBA because clearly it's meant to be commercially successful pop music but it also feels like it has some character to it. Good sound and harmonies.
4.5/5?
Only know the ABBA hits which are great! Having never listened to an album in full this was a pleasant surprise.
Was skeptical based on the limited mostly pop-driven ABBA songs I knew, this was much better than expected
Dit is ook weer zoooo typisch voor deze snoblijst. Van alle albums van ABBA pakken ze uiteraard die éne zonder hit erop. Waarom? Deze is meer 'though-provoking' (lees: minder goed). De samenstellers van dit boek gaan er in feite vanuit dat wij als lezers al heeeeel veel muziek kennen, en dat al die goede muziek ons de neus uitkomt. Dáárom krijgen we in dit boek al die obscure shit op ons dak. Je zou met gemak een tweede boek kunnen samenstellen '1001 albums just must hear before you read 1001 albums you must hear before you die'. En dat zou veel meer luistergenot bevatten dan het snobboek dat we nu aan het doorakkeren zijn.
Not sure why anyone else bothered to make pop music in the 80s when ABBA had the genre covered by 1981. I admire their effort to move on from dance tunes; I'm giving it a 4 because I don't love them all, but I am looking forward to One of Us coming up on my kitchen playlist.
I love ABBA, and have listened to their poppier hits many times, but never this. A more mature album with the same ABBA charm and harmonies. 4* A more fun breakup album than Adele's 21 from last week. Highlights: let the music speak, one of us
Not surprised to see ABBA on this list, but kind of surprised to see this ABBA on the list. I'm mostly familiar with their previous efforts and hadn't spent time with this album aside from the fantastic "One Of Us." I had no idea what I was expecting, but it was not that. This was largely conceptual? And kind of weird? Made me think of space for some reason, but I also really dug it. I don't know how I feel about 5 minute ABBA songs, but I could get behind a lot of this. "The Visitors" and "Soldiers" were probably my favorite tracks besides "One Of Us," but there wasn't anything that stuck out in a bad way. I'd give this a 3.5 if I could, but I have to round up for the originality and creativity. Plus it was fun, which is all I really want from ABBA.
ABBA is always a blast! Starts off great with The Visitors, and never lets go. When All Is Said And Done was fun, I Let The Music Speak had a nice haunting quality to it, and Two For The Price Of One was interesting. One Of Us was the highlight, really a treat to hear. Best song: One Of Us
This is good but not as great as Arrival. ABBA is best when they kinda suck but you don’t care because they are just spitting out bops
This was a pretty good album! I enjoy Abba and I've never listened to this album before but I liked it!
This would be a 3.5 from me. I understand this is their opus, but I still think it falls below many other albums at the time, unless the listener is specifically looking for the soft-pop brand of ABBA. I don't think this is nearly as strong as other 4's I've given here, but it does feel bad giving it a 3, because I do think it is better than "fine"/"good" as there are some very good songs ("The Visitor" is my favorite) and some pure emotions and sincere songwriting.
I kind of prefer poppy Abba. Maybe they would have gone in an interesting direction post this, but this isn't that memorable.
Solid album. Not as fun and bubbly as their previous stiff. Maybe a more mature version of themselves.
First of all, as someone who does not generally enjoy pop music, I somewhat guiltily enjoyed Arrival for it's breezy, catchy pop magic. I already knew the title track of this album and absolutely love it, so had high hopes and was initially a bit underwhelmed by the lack of catchy hooks and obvious 𝘧𝘶𝘯. But on a second and third listen, I peeled back the layers on what turned out to be a mature yet frequently hilarious post-30s breakup album including songs about incestuous threesomes and being “Slightly worn, but dignified, and not too old for sex”? ABBA, as it turns out, have quite the knack for cynical humour and, writing about their respective breakups brought out a fresh authenticity to the songwriting. Maybe not as much fun as Dancing Queen or Mamma Mia but another great album with a legendary opener and well worth taking the time to get to know properly.
My wife likes ABBA more than I do (definitely). At first listen, I felt the material sounded a bit... dated. I likened it (in my mind) to some of the 80s demos where the production had not kicked in. One that stuck out for me was the Paris Sessions by Yes, from 1979. They are... just not good. But the thing is, I listened to the album a second time. And you know what? There is a lot of charm and craft to this. I found myself liking the album more and more. Songs like "Like An Angel Passing through My Room" had a lot of sincerity to it. The recording for this must have been difficult, since both couples were splitting up. I think that lends to its authenticity, particularly in songs like "One Of Us" and "When All Is Said And Done". So I felt that this was pretty well-crafted. I remember liking "Arrival" but commented that it sounded dated. This sounds a little better, in part because of the digital recording. I would probably listen to this more often than "Arrival", so since I gave that a 3, I would give this a 3.5, which rounds up to a 4. Top tracks: "Cassandra," "Head Over Heels," "The Day Before You Came"
Dark ABBA? I like it. Dramatic and varied (and much less poppy than their earlier material except perhaps for One of Us, although even that one is a sad song). The one misfire is Two for the Price of One - ugh to those lyrics. Favorite tracks: The Visitors (love the dark beginning), Head Over Heels (fun song with an interesting style), I Let the Music Speak (very dramatic - sounds like it's out of a musical. Guess it's unsurprising that Benny and Björn ended up writing musicals after this), Slipping Through My Fingers (schmaltzy, but since I have a daughter who is growing up too fast it makes me go <sniff>), Like an Angel Passing Through My Room (beautiful closing track).
Pretty good effort from Abba, all the flair and theatrical pop with an 80’s edge at times. On of the best opening songs on any recent album we’ve had, masterful elevation of tension and energy for a good 4 minutes. I’m a big fan of “I Let The Music Speak”, it reminds me of “Alejandro” by Lady Gaga, just so over-the-top dramatic that it goes beyond campy and just is its own thing (both really good songs too). Also worth mentioning is “Two For The Price Of One” for the full big circus band instrumental it’s got going on. Yeah it’s hard to see how you could hate Abba after an album like this. Even “Slipping Through My Fingers” which is pretty poppy for this project, is super well-written and thoughtfully performed. Let yourself have fun with this one (and all Abba albums). 4/5
Not an ABBA fan but this has in places really touches what it felt like in the eighties at the height of cold & nuclear war paranoia, I remember growing up thinking it was when not if WW3 would start and end the world
My feelings towards music have changed quite a bit over the course of the project. I started out just kind of acknowledging that I like what I like, then I started thinking more critically and thinking about how others feel about the music, and now I'm back to kind of just liking what I like. I've become a lot more... unapologetic with my taste in music. With that said, ABBA goes kind of crazy. I know that they're not the biggest critical darlings or whatever, but they've got some bops and this album is pretty cool! I listened to Arrival all the way back in my first 10 days of the album project. I think this is the longest gap I've had thus far between two albums of the same artist. How neat! Anyways, I kind of had more of a mentality of "This is just some silly pop music that's got good elements to it, but isn't complex enough for a high score." Too bad, past me! I happen to really enjoy ABBA after all! The Visitors is a good album. It might even be better than Arrival. I'm definitely giving it a higher score, but I also might need to revisit Arrival to possibly give IT a higher score than it does now. We'll see! But yeah, I like The Visitors. The album is a bit more complex from a lyrical standpoint. There's themes of things like regret and the end of a relationship, which is fitting given what was happening with the band's members at the time. I like that! Though I am more open to just having fun with music, I do still feel that complexity and maturity are valuable and underused in pop music, so to hear that come from this album is great. The singing is solid. The instrumentation is pretty great. The style here is a bit different from Arrival, which is good. The title track sets the stage excellently. I don't think any of the songs on The Visitors are better than Arrival's best song, that being the gem of music that is "Dancing Queen," but the overall album may very well be better. Who would've thought that ABBA would go all in on making a strong album experience rather than being just a singles band? So yeah, ABBA is cool. Light 4/5.
ABBA is one of those groups that I always seem to thoroughly enjoy but never consistently listen to. Maybe I should change that. Solid album and their talent comes through in every song.
Surprised how much I enjoyed this album. I’ve heard ABBA songs randomly forever but never listened to a full album. It was a great album all the way through.
I've always dismissed ABBA as being overly "poppy" but I was impressed with the depth of this album. A couple legitimate hits here, but with some real interesting music behind it too.
About what I'd expect from an ABBA album. Really cool songs that inexplicably work really well despite a lot of the weirdness and more out-there elements. Good all around listen, very soothing and fun. Top tracks: Head Over Heels, One Of Us, Slipping Through My Fingers
⭐️One of Us
Definitely not the ABBA I was expecting, but I like it! The second song, plus most of the others, are closer to what I expected. But still different from their usual over-the-top pop.
I don't recognize a single ergonomically precise song on this album, making it a weird 1001 choice for the world's most known band, but I'm into it. The opener had me hoping this was the ABBA Krautrock album I didn't know I needed. The stifled disco cabaret of "Head Over Heels" is delicious enough to belay the disappointment that it was not the Go-Go's tune - close your eyes and imagine that. I miss the full endorphin flood of what makes ABBA ABBA, and the soft rock leanings get a little cloying, but still.
This LP answers the thought experiment "what if ABBA had some great songs that weren't on Abba Gold that you'd only heard 3 times in your entire life and never got sick of from overexposure"?
I really liked this. It was very good.
Under attack ferda
Never really listened to ABBA but this album is pretty good!
Un abba diferente, pero mantiene su calidad, es difícil calificar esta camaleónica transformacion
More interesting production than I anticipated
Fun album, all songs were new to me.
I really like how much they matured on this album, with this one genuinely being one of their best. There are many elements that are much darker and really show off what else they are capable of outside of just bubblegum europop.
The end? At least for 20 years. Not quite the hits that they’re known for but still some fun tunes.
I love ABBA's music, and not just for the hits (of which there are many). They have this magical quality, this carefree likability, that hasn't been replicated with any other artist. And their later material (from ABBA: The Album onward) starts drenching their material in synths – but rather than this being detrimental, as seen with artists like Queen, it shifts their music to being more like early-80s Bowie or perhaps Kate Bush. Very common in The Visitors is the three-way combo of synth, acoustic guitar, and strings (violins), or at least two of the three harmonising with one another. Coupled with the singing, which is already pretty distinctive, ABBA's sound here is really memorable and you can't help but be intrigued, on the edge of your seat, waiting to hear what quirky tunes they deliver you. And man, for the most part, they deliver. There are a few songs here that are harder to latch onto due to a lack of hook, such as Like An Angel Passing Through My Room and I Let The Music Speak. You really start to feel the album's length during these songs. But then there are plenty of great tracks, usually with more driving rhythm sections and a chorus with an instantly singable melody. Slipping Through My Fingers, though a slower, semi-balladesque tune, is powerful and has a vocal/guitar melody that kicks butt. The title and opening track, The Visitors, is an excellent intro to this side of the band. It starts off slow and kind of cosmic, then transitions into a catchy disco number at around the 2 minute mark. One Of Us has such a ridiculously good melody (which the entire track is built around) that it could easily be a top 10 ABBA track, if not top 5. 4/5 Key tracks: The Visitors, One Of Us, Slipping Through My Fingers
It's definitely dated by now, but still very catchy, and their harmonies remain great no matter when you're listening
the harmonies oh the harmonies
Not ABBA's best, but what can I say? I fucking love ABBA. Even a so-so album of theirs is great
It's Abba, it's four stars, good stuff.
This set me on a journey exploring their music. Only knowing the hits and Gold coming into this, I was surprised by the tone (which upon further examination shouldn’t have been the case, their very first big hit was based on Napoleon’s defeat - darkness was always there). Knowing now of some of their folkier origins and the almost Carpenters nature of their first album (at least the first half - you kind of see ABBA born on Ring Ring), the sophistication here is also unsurprising. A beautiful send off for the band. Possibly their most accomplished album and honestly far more deserving of a place on this list than The Arrival (the other hit laden album represented)
Good
How is this so good??
I’m used to the very Mamma Miad version of ABBA so the first couple songs I had been pleasantly surprised. I actually really enjoyed this album!!! She has beautiful voice and they are good.
When I looked at the track list for this album and saw no recognisable titles, I was surprised it was considered to be an essential ABBA album. It turns out I was wrong, because I know One Of Us, but I was right about not knowing anything else. It is still a very fun, and very catchy album. It made me question how it was decided which ones were released as singles because there are no bad tracks here. As a side note, you could definitely add distorted guitars to almost any track here and it would be a Ghost song.
Now we're talking. Right off the bat i love the build up. The sound is pretty consistently solid throughout.
Very solid. Title track is outstanding. Everything is tight. 4.1
Not ABBA’s best but still awesome. Great music for running or dancing around in private.
Abba. What can I say. All good. Good vocals, good harmonies and overall, great album.
This didn’t make as big an impression as I expected - not as memorable as others but it’s still ABBA and Mr Stoat would be Disappointed if I gave it any less than 4!
wtf ABBA haha? Hvorfor så fed? Farligt tæt på en 5'er. Udover alle skilsmisserne skulle man næsten tro, at vores svenske kammerater oplevede lidt kold krigsangst i 80'erne
Føler lidt at Venn-diagrammet for progressive rock og disco var en cirkel i 1981. Hvis det her overhovedet er disco? Det er i hvert fald fed, nærmest wall-to-wall bangere
I like ABBA. I'll never admit it openly, but I do. This was a curious album of theirs to pick though. I enjoyed it, but this is not what I think of when I think of them. Still pretty good, but I don't know that I would suggest this one to someone else looking for that definitive ABBA sound.
Superior crafted pop. Ear candy.
never listened to anymore than the greatest hits. this was a surprise, a revelation really. Surprised how good it its and what a nice growth in sound
Love abba
Weird fun album. It sounds paranoid and it actually has lots of synth pop and new wave sounds underneath. I'd come back to this
Not my favorite ABBA album, but it is still great, just with slightly less bangers.
4-
Hmmmm I think these guys, are disco ish? All I know from them is Fernando. lol I guess these guys are Swedish. I can hear the swedish influences in some of these songs. I'm really liking 'I let the music speak' Overall I think the album was good. Very unique sound and several of the songs piqued my interest. I'll give it 4 stars.
ABBA ABBA ABBA! ABBA are great! You can never get too much ABBA. That being said, this is not my favorite record of theirs but I get the context around it with the band members divorcing each other and eventually the band itself also separating. As such, this is probably their saddest crop of songs, although that doesn't mean there aren't some upbeat bangers on here. And as always, these melodies and just incredible. Key tracks: The Visitors Head Over Heels One of Us Slipping Through My Fingers
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ABBA can't help but get groovy on even their more melodramatic approaches.
If you're not too cool to welcome these visiting Swedes, I believe you'll find this to be a collection of technically immaculate pop tunes with enough emotional undertones to keep things interesting.
ABBA songs are a guilty pleasure of mine, especially Dancing Queen. I didn't know any of the tracks on this album, though. It was pretty solid, all in all, though nothing really stood out in particular. It was good enough that I listened to the bonus tracks. I'll give it another listen when I'm done with the 1,001+ if I live that long.
Goodbye poppy Swedish bops. Hello melancholy
Good.
A very different, stripped down version of the ABBA that I know. Lower energy, but still maintaining those beautiful harmonies. Interesting listen today to hear a departure from the norm. Favourite songs: One of Us, The Visitors, Cassandra, Two For the Price of One, Head Over Heels, Soldiers, Slipping Through My Fingers Least favourite songs: Like an Angel Passing Through My Room 4/5
I loved the way this album opened. That first track blew me away. The album started to peter out for me by the back end but still a really enjoyable listen. Not what I expected from ABBA. Will definitely come back to this for some re listens.
4.5
I've worked on a few ABBA tributes in my time and I always enjoy it but it always feels a bit ironic. Like ABBA are a bit shit so if the tributes are shit it's fine, it's inkeeping. But ABBA were descent, I really enjoyed the whole of this album. Everything up to One of Us I really enjoyed, Two For The Price of One was a bit dull but Slipping Through My Fingers was honestly such a beautiful song that I've never properly listened to, I teared up a bit TBH. Fuck it, ABBA are actually good and I like them. Maybe I'm beaing generous but I miss Rozza driving me to work and us listening to ABBA Gold. Now that's a 5 star album.
Kind of unhinged. Love it.
This album was so much fun. It's not my favorite ABBA album, but even an ABBA album that isn't my favorite is still a delight. Slipping through my fingers will never not choke me up, and the visitors was a fun listen. Really enjoyed this one.
Do you want to listen to some music that has a nice beat? Well in One Of Us you can! I rate this ⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song. Do you want to listen to some music that has a lot of guitar? Well in Slipping Through My Fingers you can! I rate it ⭐⭐⭐. I kind of recommend it. Do you want to listen to some music that has a synthesizer? Well in Head Over Heels you can! I rate it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. I recommend this song.
Have you ever wanted to listen to an upbeat yet sad song? Well then this song is perfect for you. I like this album because it is sad which I like but it's not too sad to make you cry on the stop. Another reason why I like this song is because I like the way that there voices sound when it's tied with the instruments that are being used and the lyrics that are being said. I would recommend this album to someone else because I feel like someone else would like this and it's actually pretty good compared to the other albums that are on here and the other albums that you get when you listen to sad music. If I had to rate this album out of five stars I would definitely give it a solid 4 stars out of 5 stars. I gave it this rating because it's good but not that good.
This song one of us: is good I really the choir and the song had lyrics good beats and the echo on the voices are amazing. The lyrics are very dark like "One of us lonely one of us is only waiting for a call"The song called slipping through my fingers: I feel like this song is good becuase it has sad lyrics and choir on this is amazing too but its a very sad song if you pay attention to the lyrics.Head over heets song: its choir it super good multiple voices at once and other types of voices to the sides these songs are so good for people
Abba!
Hadn't heard any of these songs before. Very pleasantly surprised.
yeah abba is awesome. not as good as arrival though
Really liked it, some songs i recognised and they obviously have a very distinct sound
pretty good. too many ballads
I really really enjoyed this. In reading the description of the album before jumping in, the article was described as a "mature" Abba sound. And honestly, I agree with that sentiment. I'll admit I am not the largest Abba fan, but this definitely had a different sound than everything else I know/have heard. This album was still poppy, maybe not dance-floor-esque, but it still stuck to those core elements while heightening the lyrics, themes, and emotions. I really enjoyed this album, even throwing it on again as it finished.
Unfortunately no certified abba bangers on here but I still had a good time. Abbas songwriting abilities need to be studied by every upcoming musician. There’s a reason why so many abba songs have become popular again on TikTok and stuff. Their ability to make such catchy and inventive new sounds and melodies is unmatched by most of their contemporaries.
ABBA were great. I'm more of a casual fan, and never owned any albums (apart from ABBA Gold), and no others have popped up, so far, in this challenge. I was predisposed to take this seriously, because my husband has always loved ABBA completely, and with no sense of irony. To be honest, he's already pretty much persuaded me over the last 30+ years that they absolutely deserve to be taken seriously. So. Barring a few moments that were just *too* happy-sounding and/or stompy-sounding to appeal to my taste, I loved this. Wonderful arrangements and some lovely melodies. Some really moving moments which by far outweigh a couple of sillier ones. They're not afraid to tackle some heavy topics, too. They're also one band where I can forgive a bit of earnestness, because they just make you love them.
‘The Visitors’ is the Abba album for people who don’t like Abba. Underneath that shiny veneer, that pristine pop sheen, there’s a claustrophobia and a paranoia, a weariness and sadness to proceedings. It feels like the end of times, and it sounds like the end of an era. They saved their best for last though. Then there are the bonus tracks, which elevate this to God tier status. If I was rating based on the bonus tracks being included, this would be a 5/5. Rated based on the original album release though, it falls just short of perfection, but it’s still a very strong 4/5.
When it comes to pop, ABBA is the gold standard for me. My girlfriend at the time tormented me with it at first, but later she completely won me over. I still listen to ABBA regularly. Today's pop artists leave me completely cold. Maybe I'm too old for it, but it could also be that today's pop music is much too bad. If I had to bet, it would definitely be on the bad music.
Zdziwiłem się (choć nie wiem dlaczego, bo ich obecność jest oczywista), widząc Abbę na liście, ale jeszcze bardziej zdziwiłem się przeglądając listę utworów z tego albumu. Żadnego z największych hitów zespołu, nic powszechnie znanego. Jedyny kawałek, który jako tako kojarzyłem to "One Of Us", bo był na płycie coverowego zespołu "A-Teens", którego słuchałem we wczesnej podstawówce, ale był gdzieś na końcu albumu i zasadniczo średnio go lubiłem wtedy. I na dzień dobry dostaję "The Visitors", który mimo tego, że po wydłużonym intro przechodzi do dosyć lekkiej aranżacji, w swojej istocie jest mroczny i paranoiczny. Po tym, jak poleciało "When All Is Said And Done" nabrałem podejrzeń, że to musiał być późny album zespołu, być może nawet ostatni. I miałem rację. Ten album ma w sobie energię bardzo świadomego końca pewnej epoki. Nie wiem, czy od początku był planowany jako pożegnanie zespołu, ale to na pewno bardzo pasuje, że zaraz potem się rozpadli. Można kręcić nosem (i ja kręcę) na to euro-popowe brzmienie i instrumenty, które brzmią jak ze starych programów do zapisywania notacji muzycznych, jak Guitar Pro czy coś, ale jednak trudno odmówić Abbie zaszczytnego miejsca w historii muzyki. I wiele z tych utworów przebija się do mojej świadomości i zostaje w nich. Nawet "Slipping Through My Fingers", choć mam tyle wspólnego z rodzicielstwem i jego trudnościami, co z K-popem. Przeczytałem, że autorzy tekstów (Andersson i Ulvaeus, czyli ci faceci z zespołu) już wtedy coraz bardziej skłaniali się do tworzenia musicali i to w tę stronę poszli po rozpadzie zespołu. I zdecydowanie słyszę dosyć musicalowe aranżacje na tym albumie. Sporo z tych utworów brzmi jakby opowiadało fragment historii w teatrze. ABBA to nie jest do końca mój styl muzyczny (choć oczywiście lubię różne hity, które wypuszczali), ale z przyjemnością przesłuchałem całego tego albumu, nawet jeśli czasem warstwa muzyczna sprawiała, że cringe'owałem. Parę rzeczy mnie szczerze zainteresowało i zaskoczyło. Leciutko naciągane, ale 4.
ABBA is such a fun ride. Even more dark songs sound like eurovision finale and i love it. I have a feeling they wluld make a song about taking out trash entertaining. I guess there will be 1 or 2 more of their albums because all of the songs are less-known. Waiting for peak ABBA.
I really enjoy ABBA and this record is exactly what I expected them to do. But I somehow missed the happy melodies. I thought this is a very dark album.
I hate Dancing Queen so much its colored my entire perception of ABBA. This album was pretty good, I still dont like ABBA much, but there is a lot to love here. Its weirdly serious in much of its runtime, so hearing the band come together in a more serious effort comes across as unsettling, I guess? Overall its a solid 80's album, but I cant point to a particular song I like.
I'm not sure why this sounded soooo much like I was listening to the soundtrack to a musical, but then by the end i was regretting how much it sounded like the soundtrack to a musical. I kind of hate-loved this, I thought it was great but I also probably will never want to listen to it again.
Do I like ABBA? This is a fair question since I enjoyed "Arrival" and I liked this album too. I thought the keyboards were nice and I enjoyed the more darker version of the band, especially on "One of Us" and "The Visitors." I listened to the deluxe edition and even the added songs were worthy of a place on this album. Standout tracks for me were: The Visitors Head over Heels When All is Said and Done One of Us Slipping Through my Fingers The Day Before You Came Cassandra I enjoy ABBA albums and never would have expected that.
this had some great songs, can’t go wrong with abba
Idk if I ever listened to an ABBA album front to back despite liking them. Love their sound but some songs I would pass over on a relisten
I was born in the late 90s, so the way I was first exposed to the ABBA catalog was through the excruciating musical Mamma Mia! and its even worse film adaptation. thankfully, ABBA's actual studio output is nowhere near as dismal of an experience. although I'm now more familiar with their music via radio play and that one compilation that sold a bajillion copies, The Visitors was my first proper ABBA studio album experience, and one which pleasantly surprised me! I typically don't care much for ABBA's disco sound, which dominates most of their biggest songs. thankfully, this, the final album of the band's initial run, leans more into the future, with its synth-laden digital sound feeling a bit less dated and tacky than I'm used to. not only that, but these songs also deal with far more serious themes than most ABBA fare! political protest songs, songs about falling out of love, songs about watching your kids get older. something about bands made up of ex-married couples just gets the creative juices going, I guess: first Rumours and now The Visitors! strong 7/10.
Hoger gewaardeerd dan verwacht. Al vind ik ABBA doorgaans sowieso wel leuk. Vind de titeltrack vooral erg goed. Side B is wat minder indrukwekkend dus geef hem een 7.
Not necessarily my thing, but still enjoyable.
B+ The Visitors 3 Head Over Heels 5 When All Is Said And Done 3 Soldiers 3 I Let The Music Speak 5 One Of Us 4 Two For The Price Of One 3 Slipping Through My Fingers 4 Like An Angel Passing Through My Room 3 Head Over Heels and I Let The Music Speak immediately going into the rotation. All time favorite ABBA songs for sure. Great album. The kind of deep cut ABBA I was looking for in the last one.
Mamma Mia! 4/5 Highlights: The Visitors Head Over Heels Slipping Through My Fingers
Fun and different from the other ABBA albums over the years
Pure Abba. Respect. Happiness.
Not the first group of songs that one might think of when they hear ABBA but this was surprisingly good! Different vibe than the poppy jangly Mamma Mia songs
Abba is always a good time. I don think I'd heard anything on this one before either
I can't believe there is an ABBA album I had never heard a song off of before. So many times while listening to this, I heard echoes, saw ghosts, or otherwise experienced glimpses of other songs--ABBA songs but also so many songs to come after. The influence this band had.
I’m guessing Madonna got her sound from this album
Pretty much what I expected it to sound like. The songs after Slipping Through My Fingers were not as good. Low 4.
I like ABBA. I guess like who doesn’t. Mamma Mia is the first song I remember having as like my current fav song tho. My neighbor growing up had a little Barbie boombox and an abba cd and that was my shit. Slipping through my fingers all the time and a few others were good but other than that I feel like this had good musical qualities but the songs themselves weren’t super catchy.
7/10 - There were some absolute bangers, some songs that sound like generic ABBA and some songs that were really strange. I liked slipping through my fingers and head over heels. I let the music speak was interesting and extremely strange. Overall some pretty cool sounds.
Really solid album! Love me some Abba
81/100. With excellent songwriting and consistently good vocals, it stands as a worthy farewell to their original era.
ABBA is great, it's just easy poppy fun.
4.0
There's something about this melancholic nostalgic pop from before you was born. Or maybe it just caught me in the right state of mind
The last ABBA album before their first dissolution and it’s actually pretty solid. It’s not exactly loaded with fire and doesn’t have any iconic hits but there is still a lot of general yummy synthpoppy goodness and a super cool classy standout ballad towards the end with Slipping Through My Fingers. The title track opener is a great whirring bit of electrodisco about the secret police. Soldiers has a real bouncing infectious, almost prowling safari like groove. Head Over Heels is a kinda cheesy 80s game show theme however. One Of Us is the most poppiest normal thing on here and is technically on ABBA Gold which I forgot about. Favourite ones are possibly the B-sides/extra tracks not on here like Should I Laugh Or Cry and The Day Before You Came which are both brilliant productions. Light 4 stars.
They should have kept going. The maturity of this album is obvious.
It's a much chiller ABBA album, I really liked it. Not as many hits as the last ABBA album, I got, but pretty good.
This was good- sounded contemporary. Alot of fun.
Best Song: Head Over Heels Worst Song: Should I Laugh or Cry
I forgot about Head Over Heels. I like it. Shout out to Soldiers and Slipping Through My Fingers. ABBA's melodies sometimes give this nostalgic feeling, while some song are a little cheesy.
3.5
WOW this album starts off incredibly! 3 killer songs. Doesn't keep that same type of quality all the way through sadly but it was still a very enjoyable listen. Love the production on this as well
I love ABBA way more than I feel like I should. It’s distilled beautiful pop. They somehow always do the right thing to the point that you feel like you can guess where they’re going. It’s so simple you feel like you should have come up with it. But you didn’t. ABBA did.
Abba is like Cheese. You can put it on the pizza at the family dinner, you can put in the sandwich on a hike or you can put it on Nachos at a party. Or you eat it being alone at home.
No es un mal álbum pero creo que es más una rareza que un álbum que merezca está dentro de los seleccionados. No conocía ninguna canción así que fue una viaje interesante, el problema es que siento que abba tiene una forma muy estructurada y repetitiva de usar la voz dentro de sus canciones que hace que la fórmula se acabe demasiado rápido, me gustaría que hubieran jugado más con eso. Incluso en canciones más "oscuras" suena demasiado meloso. El uso de los instrumentos está muy bien.
To preface the review, I listened to the original album sequence without bonus tracks. First time I’ve listened to a full ABBA record. It contains all the trademarks they became synonymous with; catchy hooks, great musicianship and catchy pop-rock hooks that was the standard of this time. The vibes around this record do feel bittersweet, almost fitting and prophetic that it would be their last record for 40 years and before they disbanded. “When All is Said and Done” encapsulates the feeling of bittersweet nostalgia in the best way and is my favorite track. “Like an Angel Passing Through My Room” is an interesting way to close the record and is overall a pretty melancholic track by ABBA standards and is maybe one of the few weak spots of the album
Ethereal singing and crisp, earworm-y 80s electronics? Hell yeah, must be ABBA.
Brilliant!
The title track is a bop. Lets off the gas a little at the end, but all the songs are good.
ha,ha,ha poppy music from the old days; young kids liked it very much, dad staring at the legs of the Agnetha and Anni-Frid and mom, hm mom, hm ok then, not bad. But nevertheless good music.
Call me basic if you must but I love ABBA. I guess the production of their music can be seen as cheesy, but their vocals are killer. Plus, something that isn’t valued in pop music but that I respect is that they usually use perfect rhymes. As a stickler for that sort of thing I appreciate it. Anyway, fun album! 4.5/5
ABBA is great here once again, despite none of their massive hits being on this album. Vocals/harmonies are incredible, production is stellar. Nice easy listening. 4.25/5
Maybe ABBA doesn't suck as much as I thought.
I've been waiting for some ABBA, it's an interesting place to start though. This is ABBA's 8th album, and their final album before a 40-year hiatus (they released a 9th album in 2021). I didn't know much about ABBA, but it's two married couples, and this album came at a point where one of them was already broken up, and the other was in the process of it. Not particularly shocking, but this is a bit more dark and moody than the hits that I know of theirs, and definitely more synth-heavy of a sound (but still very much lighter '70s-'80s in the grand scheme of things). I really enjoyed this a lot. It wasn't quite what I was expecting given what I know about ABBA, but it managed to be both serious and fun at the same time. Like "Slipping Through My Fingers" is this emotional song about a mother feeling her daughter is growing up too fast, and "Two For The Price Of One" is this ridiculous but catchy song about a guy responding to an ad for two women. Completely goofy, but a fun beat and somewhat-needed comedic relief on this album. It also has some Cold War themes on here (definitely relevant for '80s Sweden). The album lacked a real standout song to me and there were a couple of meh tracks on a relatively short album (38 minute original release), but overall an enjoyable listen with a bit more depth than I expected for ABBA. Favorite song: One Of Us Other: The Visitors, Head Over Heels, When All Is Said And Done, Soldiers, Two For The Price Of One, Slipping Through My Fingers 9/28/24
not their greatest hits
I never really knew much ABBA beyond the hits but this list turned me onto The Album and then this album. I've enjoyed both albums a lot more than I anticipated and am coming around to being a fan.
80% Best: The Visitors; I Let the Music Speak; One Of Us; Slipping Through My Fingers Must-Hear? Sure
This is #day27 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... it's only my second album of theirs if we don't count Voyage, which was the very first ABBA album I fully listened to, aside from individual hits, of course. What always drew me in was the album cover. Dark and ominous, it starkly contrasts ABBA's upbeat pop music. This shift is reflected in the album itself; The Visitors marks a departure in both sound and emotional depth. The music is pensive and progressive, with poignant lyrics, though not always. There are many gems, such as the title track, "Head Over Heels," "When All Is Said And Done," and "I Let The Music Speak," each one a beautiful yet bittersweet example of the band's evolution. I'm giving it a solid 4 out of 5. This is truly an album you must hear before you die. Looking forward to #day28.
I guess I knew only the hits until now. This was unexpected and not too shabby!
Who doesn't like these classics?
guess i'm an abba person!
Not surprised to see this was their last studio album for nearly half a century, it's so mature compared to anything else i've heard from them. Songs feel fully fleshed out but still with the same beautiful performances they usually do. Top tier pop right here.
I didn't recognize any of the titles, but I definitely heard some of these songs before. This record is made very well. Almost too perfect. There's nothing really wrong with this album. Production is perfect. I just don't like the theatrical vibe that some of the songs have. But it makes sense. The Bs next project was the music Chess. Favorite song: Soldiers
Lovely beautifully produced album and shows what they can do beyond singles.
Svenskene kan noe ihvertfall
Rating: 7.5/10 Very good album overall. The vocal melodies and harmonies are so catchy, as well as the instrumentation. The synths are the highlight of the album, very melodic while also being quite creative. The production is also fantastic, the album is a bit too long and some songs are underwhelming but there are a lot of great songs on here. Favorite songs: The Visitors, Head Over Heels, When All Is Said And Done, I Let The Music Speak, One Of Us, Two For The Price Of One, Slipping Through My Fingers, Under Attack. Worst song: Like An Angel Passing Through My Room.
A beautiful album.
Not a huge ABBA fan but I like this.
The stand-out tracks are Head Over Heels, Slipping Through My Fingers, and The Day Before You Came, which I know from the Greatest Hits album. Can't say any of the other songs jumped out at me. Difficult to rate this album - I like the overall vibe, sort of moody and spooky, but it isn't classic ABBA. Nowhere near a 5, but a 3 feels harsh.
Great album. Almost a 5. Great lyrics Great vocals Love Abba
If you don't like ABBA you're tone deaf or a stick in the mud
I was happy to see this album this morning! I love ABBA although I guess I'm more of a greatest hits fan. I only recognized "One of Us" but I really enjoyed almost all the songs. I think there was a ballad that was a bit of a drag, but I'll be saving a few of these songs for my playlist. Would rate 4.5.
Impossible not to like them. Not my favourite genre (pop), but still really good. 4/5
coś innego, sympatyczne
abba always hits. they’re a weird band though because they have some MASSIVE MASSIVE hits and they go hard. but the rest of their discography is kind of weird. whether it be really electronic or have a full marching orchestra break. not always great weird too but sometimes
Très belle surprise, plus dark que les autres, le dernier "vrai" album de Abba. Coup de coeur pour Two for the price of one. et The visitors (qui sonne particulièrement moderne je trouve).
I liked this way more than I expected to. I'm a sucker for any type of 80s synthpop and to hear them building on their old sound and in turn bringing a more developed feel to it was actually pretty cool!
Really like this! Not like other ABBA songs I have heard before.
Surprised by how much I liked this
Not the early poppy Abba but nice atmosphere and some beautiful songs
Great ABBA album! actually the first ABBA album I've listened in full, surprisingly consistent. I'm also Swedish so there is absolutely some bias. 4/5
It's ABBA. It slaps.
Would be cool with guitar
If you don't think I like ABBA you don't know me at all.
Not their best album, but still enjoyed it
Sweet listening. No unpleasant moments.
This was surprisingly better than I thought it would be. Obviously keyboard driven, at least in my mind, it fairs well against other 4 star albums I’ve rated. I think starting off with a 6 minute song was ballsy but it has me going back to it. Soldiers kind of kills the appeal for me but it was short lived. The album seems to be best fit for Broadway . Most of the songs come off less disco’y than Dancing Queen. I really think this should be a 3.5 star album actually. It’s better than the 3 star albums I’ve dished out but not better than the 4 star. Choice cut: The Visitors
The visitors When All Is Said and Done Soldiers One of Us Slipping Through My Fingers Under Attack I’m not sure exactly why. But I live ABBA. Something about their sound just gets me up and moving. The first half of the album was feeling great but the second half kinda slowed down and threw it off for me. Still a great album
Nou, is goed
This album is amazing. In some cases, it shows ABBA’s new side very well, but at other times, some of the songs are too long. It’s good, though, and that’s why the album deserves an 87.7%, or an 4.35/5. Favorite: “Head Over Heels” Least Favorite: “I Let The Music Speak”
I love ABBA, but I was a bit bummed because this wasn’t an album I’ve ever listened to before. But what’s the point in the listening to the same 10 songs you always listen to? How are you supposed to grow as a person if you don’t try new things? This album is incredible. ABBA is one of the greatest bands ever. There’s no surprise they made two (are they working on a third?) movies based on their songs. One song I even knew because it was in Mamma Mia!
A little less bouncy than their previous albums but still definitely ABBA. I’d be happy to listen again, but probably wouldn’t choose it.
I was impressed that despite having none of their biggest biggest hits, this was still a solid album throughout, and I've heard many of these songs before despite them being deeper in Abba's body of work.
I had never considered ABBA to be great for their albums. If you're looking to listen to some ABBA then put on ABBA Gold and let the hits play. Nothing wrong with the hits, it's just that I was under the assumption that their best songs were spread out across mostly-mediocre albums. Well, turns out I was wrong to assume. The Visitors is ABBA's final album before disbanding. Not unlike Fleetwood Mac's Rumours being a product of tumultuous relationships, ABBA's The Visitors is distinctly a divorce album. With this change of mood comes a change of tone as well; the upbeat, dancing hits of the 7'0s have been changed out for more melancholy and introspection. The result is an album that carried more weight, and it's all the better for it. I had no idea that there was an album like this in ABBA. It's consistently mature, thoughtful, and well-assembled. I believe this was a great turn for ABBA, which is a shame because they would never make anything like this again. I can't say much about their solo material, but I will say that their 2021 album Voyage did not come close to what they achieved on The Visitors.
A nice poppy feel good album.
skemmtileg
ABBA songs to me are similar to Shakespeare where the tragedies are bops but the comedies are hit or miss. But man does ABBA rule at transitions (i do hate that they rely on the repeat and slow to fade endings tho). Fav songs Head over Heels, I let the music speak, slipping through my fingers, the visitors
I don't consider myself an Abba fan but boy they do make the most timeless '80s pop. And I think they proved it in it album more than they did with their other more popular ones.
Very enjoyable album to listen to. My first time listening to an ABBA album fully through, so probably good to go one that doesn't have a bunch of hits. Very listenable compared to some albums on this list
Not their best, but still a solid offering.
The production on their stuff is super good. Good catchy songs. Although not my style exactly, I can recognize it's very well made all around. Will I listen to again: 40%
Love ABBA and their ear candy.
Love me some Abba. It was nice to listen to an actual studio release and not just greatest hits. Very abba'y no songs I recognized, but good none the less
A good album. Did not have the usual songs we are used to (mama mia, take a chance on me) but overall great. The videos are kinda quirky..as usual for the time period.
Some very catchy songs. This will be my first ABBA album
Never heard any of the songs before but they're all pretty good. I like ABBA's sound. Kind of reminds me of ELO
Finally another album I can resonate with! ABBA is definitely over-commercialized — they're also simply really, really good. The kings and queens of pop-rock, actually. Agnetha is a great and super versatile vocalist. In addition, I appreciate how piano heavy the band is. I think keyboards are underrated in rock music. ABBA always keeps me in a good mood.
Not my favorite abba album but still a jam. It's quite an effective mood booster
An album this bleak shouldn't have two of the best pop songs of all time on it. Voulez-Vous is a better album, but this is still in the conversation
i love abba
I'm surprised how much I loved this album. it's almost a 5-star for me. I think it's just cause I don't have the Adele effect for this one where I've overheard most of the tracks like with the last ABBA album. great stuff.
I absolutely love abba. Cannot believe i haven’t actually sat down and listened to a full album of theirs before. Needless to say it did not disappoint. Sooooo good! I thought the first half was better than the second. But still loved it as a whole. Their sound is so iconic.
I feel like this album is little too long, they should finished after Slipping Throught My Fingers. Anyway it's very enjoyable, had a good time with it.
I don't know how, but I hadn't listened to this Abba record before, and it's a delight! It's very theatrical (for lack of a better word?) much more than other Abba records I have listened to.
Great opener. A fair few good songs on it. Enjoyed this.
It's such an easy listen. Most of the songs just hit on first listen. The harmonies, and the instrumentation have so much fun variety, the vocals are great and the melodies are just solid and sticky. It's a light 4.
Most of these songs are still seriously listenable pop,
Still not an ABBA fan but this album was better. Disappointed that we would get two albums of the same artist this early in the count.
ABBA is just great. The composition and construction of their songs is fantastic and the ladies singing is always a joy. Probably one of the weaker albums, in my opinion, but still a good time. Fav tracks: Head Over Heels, I Let The Music Speak, The Visitors, Under Attack
Dansant, rêveur. 4/5
You know, I cant hate abba. Theyre a really tight, well produced group and this is a good album. I dont know if there are other abba albums on this list, but if this is the only one then I'm completely ok with it. 4/5
My second ABBA album! The divorce album! Once again, all of these songs are perfectly structured pop crystals. There were some moments of new wave intrigue that made me wish they'd stuck together to get weird in the '80s. Today's faves: The Visitors, Soldiers, and The Day Before You Came
Can’t go wrong with ABBA!
Another favourite artist from my favourite artist (Steven Wilson). Unlike the Prince Album Sign 'O' The Times - this album was great. It wasn't disco as I always characterize ABBA to be. And it wasn't as light and poppy as other stuff. Still catchy as ABBA is a master at that. I sensed a real focus on lyricism. And I often thought "wow, that was a cool line" while listening to this record. Some dark imagery that I don't associate ABBA with. And I strongly welcomed it. When a band surprises me, it helps me be more engaged and excited to see what is next. Still synth heavy, which I don't strongly care for, but it suit what was being sold to me. I have heard a cover version of 'The Day Before You Came' from Steven Wilson's cover series (he did the same for Sign 'O' The Times) and hearing the original version was just as great. I really felt the sadness that came from the tone of the sign despite the lyrics not really being melancholic. I think this was ABBAs last LP (aside from the recent 2021 record) - I would have loved to see more of their music follow suite to this record. Or better yet, had evovled from this record. I have a feeling this is my favorite ABBA record. Not having heard previous records in their entirety. Just singles. Prove me wrong. But this record was great.
ABBA sounds like your typical musical music. Almost felt like I was listening to the Mamma Mia! soundtrack. I like musicals, so it works with my taste but I could see how others might not enjoy it. 7/10
So many solid albums back to back to back. Another great band that contently released bangers back in their day. This isn't their best or even 2nd best album but a good departure from the usual pop sounding ABBA with more of an emphasis on soft rock. Slipping through my fingers is probably the standout track here that's been used as a melancholic song in recent media. Great album that pops up on my playlists all the time. 8/10
A pop album that really stretches the genres sound. Melancholic ballads to upbeat sad happy songs. Really nice singing backed by solid instrumentals. It’s pretty weird. It’s really weird. It’s borderline bizarre a few times. I only have ever heard “Dancing Queen” so this was quite shocking to hear how different their music is from their mega hit. There were a few songs I really enjoyed and a few I didn’t really care for. 7/10
Different from earlier Abba albums, but quite pleasant - I liked it. For me, the stand-out track was their hit "One Of Us".
ABBA is always a jam
#500 not mad at it, some classics
Really solid the whole way through with a couple great tracks. Only problem is comparing this to the high bar they’ve set themselves. Rating: 3.9
Very interesting and not what I was expecting, was expecting upbeat pop tunes but this mas a complex and layered album, very much enjoyed 4.3
искренне насладилась за утренним мытьем посуды этим прекрасным поп альбомом, который слушается легко и свежо спустя 40 лет.
Nice!
Some gems but not my favorite abba album right now
An album of isolation and sadness. It’s refreshing to see an Artist or Group pull of a change in tone swapping the light and infectiously fun side of pop for a darker and more mature side, reflecting ABBA’s (then) current state of affairs with the collapse of both couples marriages. The B- Sides to the singles should also not be missed out!
Best ABBA I've heard
This was great. I usually only listen to the hits for ABBA but it was good to listen to an actual album in full. That opening track was a banger!
Best song - Slipping Through My Fingers
Very different than the usual ABBA songs but I really really like it.
Head over heels is a banger. I also like two for the price of one. A lot of the songs seem more deep than their typical shallow pop hits. I like the underlying message of the day before you came.
Pretty damn good
This record doesn’t contain any of the hits but man is it a good record. Sublime songwriting permeates this album yet it’s rather dark - especially considering the saccharine disco pop they ABBA are normally associated with. The synths and the delivery product, dare I say, a bit of a post apocalyptic mood to the proceedings - and listening to this will running in post USSR Batumi certainly helped. Loved this record - it’s a serious piece of art.
ABBA’S final album (for forty years anyway) and a darker, more melancholy take on their signature sound. Surprisingly effective!
I guess since I hadn’t heard as much of this it didn’t sound tired and over played like a lot of their stuff.
abbaouté
76/100
The best way I can describe ABBA is if Halloween music had class. They had their own vibe for sure and it's not bad at all but it is very 80s intro movie esq.
Was wondering when I saw this album had none of their hits on it but it was a solid album.
ABBAsourdis
I turned my nose up when I saw it was a lesser known ABBA album. I was surprised that I really liked it. There’s some really catchy moments and groovy bass lines. Some of the stage musical sounding songs were a bit much but I enjoyed it overall.
A solid album with some really solid synth work and bobs.
Not my sort of music but undeniably very good
Always listened to the extended version with extra 5 star singles such as the day before you came and then you get a 5 star album. The original is a bit too inconsistent, but still my favouritr ABBA album: 8/10
Didn't think I would give four stars to ABBA. This sounds a bit more sophisticated than their greatest hits.
Наверно Arrival мой более любимый альбом (включая великие хиты), но и этот звучит по-прежнему светло и мило. Поставлю 4, чтобы чисто разграничить альбомы Алкоальбом: маргарита с лимоном
ну учитывая все истории, получилось норм
Fuckin love abba. It was very good. Very alieny
This review was written and edited by Dr. Kaitlyn Forney: I personally, would give this album 5 stars. As someone with a poor attention span, I value good production as well as songs all sounding unique. Unlike Bryce Mattson, I do not enjoy when albums have songs that all start to blend together. Even though I listened to most of this album through Bryce’s bluetooth speaker while hiking up a mountain (strenuous) I could tell that each song had its own unique sound and each one could stand out on its own. I would actually listen to this album again which is unusual for someone as mentally challenged as myself. Thank you Bryce for letting me collaborate with you on this review.
Pretty consistently good. The music can get pretty theatrical at times and those are probably my least favorite moments, but it’s ABBA so it has to be expected. I also can’t stop listening to Two For The Price Of One. The bassline when that chorus hits is TOO FIRE. Overall a pretty fun listen. “I let the music play” and “like an angel…” are the only skips here for me. 7/9 with one standout great track is good enough for a 4. Best: two for the price of one, head over heels, slipping through my fingers Best: IF YOU DREAM OF THE GIRL FOR YOU THEN CALL US AND GET TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE
Really enjoyed this. Originally thought this would be way too much pop for me, however I really enjoyed. 4/5