Reviews (page 5 of 8)
ABBA! Great album and use of synthesizer off get go. Uniquely ABBA!
I think I know 1 ABBA song so I was surpassed to find that I quite enjoyed this.
I liked this less than Arrival. It’s not a bad album by any means, but it just didn’t really connect with me the same way.
Nothing offensive, a bit forgettable to me, nothing I was super into. Some nice poppy tunes throughout.
I didn’t recognize most of these songs, but it was undeniably ABBA.
Nydelige toner fra svenske ABBA.
A pleasant listen. Not the biggest ABBA fan but don't mind them.
It’s abba, so yes, but earlier work is more fun!
ABBA has a sound that they own. The performances are very good and the songs are fun sounding. The lyrics are kinda simple but they work.
I’ve never listened to much ABBA; probably this band is a little before my time to ever pay much attention. But I do generally enjoy pop music when it’s done well, and everyone seems to rave about ABBA as pop virtuosos, so maybe I’ve missed a trick. I’m not too far into this one, but two things are standing out. One, there are some pretty big pop hooks already. I don’t love (or hate, to be fair) the vocals, but I like the hooks. Two, I wish this band wasn’t so tied to the cheesy synths. I’m sad, cause I can imagine what this record might sound like with actual instrumentation, and I imagine it could be glorious. I hope there’s an ABBA record out there somewhere where they’re backed by a symphony, cause I bet that’s super fun. Anyway, this record is more fun than I anticipated, but the synths drive me a little nuts. 3.4/5
Good
A fun album, let down only slightly by the odd sound effects on some of the songs. Sounded like a mobile phone alarm.
It was okay, definitely not the best of ABBA.
Pleasantly surprised by this one compared to Arrival. Still a little bit of cheesiness but overall enjoyable.
I’m glad I made it through this album because I very much enjoyed my time with it. Not really my thing and probably won’t go back to it, but it was an enjoyable hour.
Meh I listened
It's a solid three from me, I wouldn't buy this album, but I didn't mind listening to it. A nice memory for me with the song I mentioned, but other than that, nothing spectacular.
Synthy moody ABBA. Great songwriting and some interesting twists and arrangements. Didn't wow me, but enjoyed exploring this one.
More enjoyable than I expected. I'm not really into pop as a general rule, but the songs are well put together. Some surprisingly fun bass lines in there, too.
hmm
This is one of the ABBA albums of all time
My first long exposure to ABBA. Each song has some hook or riff or melody that is really catchy. I like it but it's not an everyday type of album for me.
Perfectly nailed the skating-rink vibe…the glitter, the groove, the disco-ball magic.
Cool, meticulously layered arrangements built from icy synthesizers, restrained rhythms, subtle guitar lines, and clear yet emotionally guarded vocals about isolation, regret and seperation move this pop album like walking through a beautifully furnished house in winter—elegant and impeccably ordered, but filled with rooms that echo with quiet unease rather than warmth.
Clairement pas un des 1001 meilleurs albums ever
Kinda nice to not see any hits on this one. Seems like it was one of the darker albums because both couples were divorced. There were parts I really liked in this album (Slipping Through My Fingers, Should I Laugh or Cry) and then some songs that put me to sleep (Like an Angel Passing Through My Room) Overall this is shaping up to be a middle of the road 3.
Good album
I know ABBA to be a great band, but this album fell flat for me. None of these songs were bad, they none of them stood out to me.
Abba are strange in that they're interesting and incredibly uninteresting at the same time.
Interesting
Never heard this stuff before. Wasn’t disappointed
The essence of ABBA without the overplayed hits of ABBA
A good album with some well written songs
ABBA is very hit and miss for me but, when it slaps, it slaps.
It's got more depth and better songwriting than you'd expect from a Europop album. Feels like this was one of the pioneers for a more Art influenced piece of pop on the European continent. That said, I don't care for it much and I don't care for ABBA much. This doesn't really have any of the songs they are known for, so it gave me the opportunity to listen to it with new ears. I liked it but probably won't return. The title track was pretty good though.
This album is quite good. Although I'm not the biggest fan of musical theatre, abba seem to have perfected the format albeit in album form. Fabulous production adds a gloss to everything.
The Visitors delivers a true “album” experience. Despite having some stand outs (the title track, Head Over Heels and Two For the Price of One) it moves beyond feeling like more than a collection of singles. I found the album really motivating, fidgety and fun. There are moments, including the title track, which reminded me of Sparks! It sounds like they've really got the hang of synths and how to turn them into a bubbling symphony.
never really listened to abba in their entirety, but enjoy this! very different than the songs i've listened to before from them in comparison to the album's entirety. fun!
Album review 026 The Visitors by ABBA (1981) Rating 2.5/5 I find ABBA to be a band that are almost universally liked, but that most who like them never move beyond ABBA Gold (similar to Bob Marley with Legend, or Queen’s Greatest Hits, etc., etc.). Whilst this is in no way a criticism of others and how they “consume” music, I do feel that having The Best Of as the only go-to means, at the very least, the listener is missing out on so many excellent songs tucked away in studio albums. I mention this especially in regards ABBA as each of their studio albums generally has some nuggets that are on par with most of what’s on their BIG compilation. Unfortunately these nuggets are few and far between on The Visitors. Here, ABBA are sounding tired and regretful, and largely out of ideas and with Agnetha/Bjorn now divorced and Frida/Benny mid-divorce, it’s no surprise in retrospect that this was their final album (until their return 40-years later with 2021’s Voyage).
Two For the Price of One chorus is fire. Sounds like Everywhere era Fleetwood Mac. Most of the rest not doing much for me though. Fave Tracks: One of Us, Two for the Price of One 3/5
It's ABBA so I like it but there weren't many of the classic bangers on this one
Not heard this ABBA album before, it's a bit different to the rest of their stuff, interesting enough for another listen, not total dislike ⭐⭐⭐
7/10 the album is good and i see why it was really popular. my favorite song is definitely head over heels.
kindheitserinnerungen, jedenfalls die singles. sicher nicht das packendste ABBA-album.
Was ok
I seriously hope that this is not the only ABBA in this list, as this record is the most depressing one. No wonder, as the other couple had already divorced and the other couple was about to get divorced. The album is okay, but it’s not THE disco ABBA people appreciate.
I've heard plenty of ABBA, perhaps the most-requested band of all time for wedding DJs. But it's always been the same set of songs. So I was excited to listen to them in a new context, since I had never listened to a full ABBA album. The first couple tracks were very promising to me, wielding synths like Kraftwerk or Neu!, with Kate Bush-level theatrics, and riding the dangerous line of a Kenny Loggins-like twangy pop sensibility. The rest of the album was hit or miss for me, with excellent production throughout but sometimes favoring heart-wrenching vocal performances at the cost of a groove, or sometimes, even a hook!
Pre-listening reaction: Like everyone else in Europe I am subject to an overwhelming amount of ABBA. The music is ok. Just ok. But I end up fucking hating it for the overexposure and wonder why such utter 5/10ness is revered by an entire continent. It baffles me… Why have they sold eleventy billion albums? Why are they played in every shop/ sports event/ advert/ wedding/ birthday party/ works do. Just fuck off you boring bunch of c… Looking at this tracklist none of the usual ‘thank you for the music’ / ‘money money money’ shite is here. Expect I’ll still hate it all the same. Post-listening: Well this wasn’t nearly as horrible as I expected…I even found myself enjoying it at times. Still a bang average 3/5 but I’ve had many worse albums so far.
Me acerqué, con desconfianza a todo un LP de Abba. Conocía, como todos, sus grandes éxitos, pero se me escapaba este álbum de 1981. Pese a su sonido metálco y su producción ochentera, ya superada, consigue que sus melodías chicle se te peguen y acabes enganchado muy a tu pesar como rockero de pro.
Klart bättre än jag förväntade mig. Känner inte igen nån lät. Och överlag låter det inte som den Abba man känner igen sen tidigare. Men trots positiv överraskning så är det inte mer än ok, kanske lite mer än ok bitvis. Men jag går inte igång. Kommer aldrig lyssna mer.
Best Abba album indeed, yet it is a 5/3 for me
Lindo pop y cositas disco. Saben hacer el hit los tipos. La tapa es buenísima 6/10
This was an actual rock opera (light on "rock"). It's pleasant, but not extraordinary in any way. Not one of the big hitters from Abba's collection, but a decent change of pace. End of day, this is about as mediocre as it gets. Influence 2. Quality 4. Intangibles 3. Hits 2. I mean, I listened to the whole thing 3.
ABBA goes to the orchestra
Ye it's cool
as i have stated before, i believe it is impossible to be in a bad mood when listening to ABBA. the harmonies, impossibly upbeat.
This is very curious. It's a very different mood to the big tunes I know. I quite like some of it. "The Day Before You Came" has a nice mood to it, and I listened twice to "Cassandra" - very surprised to hear a song from ABBA with such a reference. It's surprisingly affecting. Three stars for an ABBA album - because while I enjoyed it all, only these two really stood out.
I didn’t know a song on this album, which surprised me when I saw it first come up. Really enjoyed this. Well written, well played and well produced with seemingly no pretentiousness, which, as their last album together could have been present in abundance. A positive, after a patchy week.
Fun and not what I expected, but yet again a good but not 1001 albums great.
I'll stay awhile.
Well produced. Beautiful harmonies, creative instrumentation. This bops along. No stand out tracks particularly but very consistent. Definitely darker than other efforts given everybody for divorced just before. It just doesn't do for me that peak abba does
Как-будто чуть более серьезная и зрелая ABBA. Но слишком сладкая для меня.
This is not the "happy go lucky" Swedish music that I was expecting, but despite this album being mostly about heartbreak and I Let The Music speak sounding like it came straight from Transylvania, it's still nice.
Clearly great quality, just not my thing.
6/10
Although no classics, this is still a fine demonstration of their appeal
Very good
Some great basslines
I liked it. 3.5 stars
Pretty ok, but not as exciting as the abba I already know. standout track: slipping through my fingers
Based on how I felt the first 3 or so songs, this was going to be a 4 or 5. The tempo slowed way down and wasn't near as much fun after that. Still, not bad. Not 4 either
No nawet nawet. Taka muzyka do kotleta na weselu, ale całkiem niezła.
Ni fu ni fa,perquè estic acostumat als grans exits de ABBA i son molt bons,un disc que esta bé i alguna de molt bona,no siguent el meu estil li posaria un 6.
> the Beatles
just what you expect from ABBA fine pop songs althought a bit darker with the dynamics of the band changing with the spilt up of B and F.
Þetta var bara mjög meðalalbúm fannst mér. Ekkert sem stóð upp úr en lögin samt fín. Aðeins rólegri en ég hefði búist við frá þeim en ég þekkti nokkur þeirra, aðallega vegna söngleiksins.
There's a good mix of upbeat and mellow tracks here. I think I enjoyed the latter in this record. Favourite Track(s): Slipping Through My Fingers, Should I Laugh Or Cry Least Favourite Track(s): Like An Angel Passing Through My Room, The Day Before You Came
There are better Abba albums, but it’s nice to have an Abba album with a bunch of deep cuts i’ve never heard before.
#723. I've heard more than one person describe Ghost as a "goth ABBA," and now that I've actually listened to an ABBA album, I can say that I don't disagree. Some of these songs have a quite weird juxtaposition of depressing lyrics and happy sounding poppy music. 3/5: decent
che ridere in realtà ho ascoltato un altro album prima e poi l'altro.
ABBA's cool and all, but does anyone on earth think of them as an "album artist" and not a "singles artist"? The Visitors did not convince me, though it's pleasant enough to listen to.
Keine Ahnung, warum, aber ABBA scheppert einfach. Vielleicht weil es die Lieblingsband meiner Mum ist und früher viel Zuhause lief, vielleicht auch einfach, weil die Tracks in die Legs (🥸) gehen.
Classic, but probably too old for my taste..
While ABBA is fun, I think they’re better listening to a greatest hits album.
The visitors is so long to not have a catchy part Head over heels is great, one of us is great, two for the price of one is goofily catchy But the ballads are plentiful and interchangeable 3 despite some bright spots
6/10… 70s pop
I haven't listened yet but I used to hate ABBA so much! Let's see if my tastes have changed. Didn't hate it but still didn't like much of their music and again, for me, it's the vocals. They sound like a choir or a chorus.
This is a strange album. Its the dying act of a band geared to making hits. Yet nearly all of their interesting songs are on this record. Like an angel passing through my room is easily a career highlight. The day before you came is very listenable too. If their albums were all like this they wouldn't be held in such reverance. More is the pity.
The iconic ABBA sound, but not the iconic ABBA songs
Like Queen, I've never rated Abba as highly as everyone else in the world. But I've never listened to an album. To my surprise the first recommendation contains not a single Abba song I know. It started well and started interesting. Then it got a bit samey and boring. A low 3.
It's a fun enough album with a bit more bite than I normally expect from ABBA. Favorite tracks: "Soldiers," "The Day Before You Came"
It's ABBA, you know what your going to get, and you get it. Good tunes played well. Good songs sung well, with great harmonies. I don't possess an ABBA album nor do I think I ever will. But theyve got to be worth a 3.
Not their best work
you know, i don't think i've ever listened to an ABBA album before. so this is exciting.
ABBA is a quintessential "singles" band- undoubtedly fantastic band but the album provides an overall good experience where a studio album cannot do them justice like a compilation can. Some of the stuff is really great- the odd time signatured "Soldiers" or hit single "One of Us," and nothing here is rough. It's just nothing more than pleasant as a record.
this was a different sound than I thought. I thought ABBA was super energetic. I don't remember the disco sound in this one. It was ok.
Good, but didn't get it's hooks in. I'll need to relisten to give it a fair shake.
It’s good, but not their best work for me 3/5
Weer een album om tegenaan te hikken. Ben al geen fan van die suikerzoete ABBA muziek. Is dit ook nog het album met dat verschrikkelijke One of Us... Maar eerlijk is eerlijk; dit album is een stuk minder zoet, juist iets volwassener. Alles is relatief natuurlijk. Het blijft onmiskenbaar ABBA. Maar ik kan dit album warempel nog wel makkelijk uitluisteren. Niet dat dat een kwalificatie mag zijn om in deze lijst te komen. Maar we weten inmiddels dat de samenstellers het maar wat leuk vinden om ons te laten horen wat de bekendste band voor of na hun hoogtepunt ook nog gemaakt hebben. Maak daar dan een andere lijst van. 1001 B-platen van A-artiesten bijvoorbeeld.
Surprisingly great
I love ABBA but I didn't know this album at all until they used One of Us and Slipping Through My Fingers in Mama Mia. The rest is okay but not my favorite.
3.5
I never knew ABBA had so much depth to their music. It was a roller coaster ride of rang of raw emotion and feeling.
znaš šta, dosta dobro. nisam očekivao
Not the biggest ABBA fan, but also not an ABBA hater. Decent listen, but it's nothing to write home about. "Slipping Through My Fingers" is an all time banger though.
Abba's final album in their 70s/80s career had a more mature sound than on their earlier albums. Their sound is instantly recognisable but there are no well known hits from it which is interesting. It's a consistent and good album, very precisely produced. The fatigure and tiredness can be felt throughout and it's often quite dark. It's a shame we didn't get to know what music they would have made in the 80s. But by the point this album was released, they were divorced and didn't want to continue working together. Perhaps it needs more relistens, for know it's a solid 3 stars.
A good supply of ABBA-pop, sometimes fun and bouncy, always sweet to the ears. It gets dragged down by feeling like too much of the same by the end, but ABBA's still great
This is very adult music. Lots of Divorce Ballads on this one. It’s kind of tired, and a bit dark. Deffo for people with bedtimes in the single digits. The music is complex at times- like adulthood! “One of Us” is amazing. This one needs a few listens. Good stuff. THREE STARS
3’5
Better than the other ABBA album on here seems influenced by Broadway musicals but lacks memorable moments.
I still love ABBA. I want to make that clear. But this is just an okay album in comparison to a lot of their bigger releases. There are some hits on here for sure but otherwise a lot of the songs feel self-indulgent. They’re softer and less danceable than a lot of the uber well known tracks. I think ABBA is a band that has more hidden gems than people realize, that being said, I also believe that the most popular songs are that popular for a reason. ABBA is a pop band after all. Some of the tracks were blatantly cheesy, with phone rings and ticking clocks and cloying lyrics. Some of the songs felt like they dragged on. Some of the lyrics felt like the worst parts of a time long gone. And yet I didn’t dislike my listening experience. I also didn’t feel anything more than general enjoyment. This album is the best example of trying too hard. And yet the visitors still gets a three solely because Head over Heels and Cassandra are criminally underrated and bring me immense joy. Plus I really do love ABBA, even at their worst.
This album was an interesting listen and a slight departure from the ABBA I'm familiar with. I recognized 1 or 2 songs. Seemed they were trying to incorporate some 80s synth. It was good.
3/5
3/5
I must admit I didn't love this album at first; I didn't hate it either. I could tell it had a different, more mature sound than previous ABBA albums. But I started to dig it after letting it play over and over. It was less campy than some of their other stuff, and had some cool, sophisticated synth and catchy guitar licks. The songs I really started to enjoy were the title track (especially once it hit the big tempo change at the 2min mark), When All Is Said and Done (one of their divorce songs), One of Us (another divorce song), and Like an Angel Passing Through My Room (very minimalist). Soldiers was kind of disappointing - supposed to be political commentary but all the pomp and pop in the choruses gives it the wrong tone. Head Over Heels was sort of fun - I chuckled at the lyrics. Hey, Fleetwood Mac turned a whole bunch of inter-band hanky panky and fallout into one of the greatest albums of all time (Rumours) and I think ABBA did a pretty good job channeling their similar turmoil into a credible album. Still, some of my favorites were non-album tracks added to later bonus releases. So not quite 3.5 for me. But better than whatever album Dancing Queen was on.
3.5
#115 - some bangers but overall standard.
There's none of the big ABBA hits on here, so The Visitors feels like an unusual addition to the list. It's perfectly pleasant pop, but nothing I'd go out of my way for.
Okay.
liked songs: Soldiers, I Let The Music Speak Not a bad album, just doesn't have many hits on it. 3.25
Another ABBA album. I guess I hate fun
Hieman epätasainen, mutta arvostan kokeellisempaa otetta. Vähän arvon kolmosen ja nelosen välillä, mutta olkoon nyt 3
Bye Bye ABBA!? Who knew? Actually went out with a bit of a different sound. Didn’t quite do it for me.
It sounds like an album by a Eurovision band that’s been listening to DEVO, Kate Bush, Kraftwerk, Madonna, show tunes and dinner cabaret, which might well have been the case. I hear the seeds of K-Pop in a song like “The Day Before You Came.” Not my cup of tea but it has its moments. Also: Did the album cover inspire the Cardigans’ own art on “Long Gone Before Daylight” two decades later?
Seeing as I haven't actually listened to a single ABBA album in its entirety before today (I know, I know, shame on me as a swede), I thought it'd make more sense to listen in chronological order rather than jump straight into this album. As such, I listened to Ring Ring, Waterloo, S/T, and Arrival today, instead.
3.5/5
Can’t take ABBA too seriously…
This was good, but it didn’t have the typical bangers that I would expect from ABBA
A solid 3
Great dance vibes
Tsja, duidelijk ABBA, maar zonder de grote hits. Prima muziek, niet denderend.
I've always been lukewarm about ABBA. I think it's because their vocal style is "choir" - multiple people singing the *same* melody (not enough harmony). Also because the vibe is kind of "bubble gum", even when the songs aren't happy. Overall the album is OK.
i thought it was kind of mid, i have listened before and kind of struggled to listen to it to be honest, however i love abba and i stand by that slipping through my fingers and cassandra are masterpieces
Pure catchy pop music. Nothing spectacular but no problem listening to it through a few times
"This has a more robust feel and tone than ""Arrival"". I read that this is a more mature album that previous ones and I would agree. It still sounds like them though "
Een ABBA album staat op deze lijst? Terecht wel denk ik, ik bedoel er is weinig muziek zo tijdloos als ABBA! Vraag dit maar aan elke wedding dj/ karaoke playlist. Of elk aftelmoment wat standaard eindigt met Happy New Year, of Bohemian Rapsody als iemand weer zo nodig de Top 2000 moet luisteren... Wat ik bedoel; ABBA is wereldberoemd, dus dit kan haast niet anders dan een middagje meezingen worden! Toch? Nou, blijkbaar zijn er nog best wel wat ABBA nummers die ik nog nooit hebt gehoord! Het begint best wel heel erg nice! Iets meer up tempo ofzo? Ook als ik het zo lees een meer 'volwassen' ABBA album? Dat klinkt heel interessant! Zo zonde dan ook om daarna toch best wel weer te vallen in het mierzoete standaard ABBA repertoire dat we kennen... Wel goud dat er een soort ABBA protest song bestaat over de koud oorlog. Toch best politiek geëngageerd, die Zweden! Al gaat dat nummer stiekem toch vooral weer over liefde en hoe lastig dat wel niet is. Ach, album is geinig, toch best wel typisch ABBA, maar dat is toch best wel prima. FAVO: The Visitors, Two for the price of one, Under Attack
Almost sounds more like a carpenter's record than the classic disco style tracks the group was known for. Doesn't have anything as immediate as they're greatest hits but there are some good sounding tunes otherwise.
There's some solid tracks on this, but also a lot of weak material
Not great not bad
So...it sounds like ABBA listened to Gary Numan for 3 months and then released this. ...although then they couldn't help themselves - by the 2nd song they're in full ABBA mode. YMMV - for me it's light nostalgia just hearing their harmonies and it's a fine enough listen - not entirely sure why it's essential though. A very light 3 here and moving on. 5/10 3 stars
They heavily influenced 80s synth pop and for that they deserve a rating. Some of the tunes were ok.
Fine, not their best work
Better than what I feared. Well produced.
ABBA, but for grown ups. Honestly, it's not bad at all - they all have an innate sense of how to sing and perform together that's pretty unteachable, but it doesn't quite have the fun factor of all the horrible nonsense they did in the 70s.
I never gave abba a chance. Great synth pop. Darker album. I might go back to it
I preferred Arrival to this one. This one tries to be a little more serious. It still has highlights. My favorite songs were The Visitors, Soldiers, Two For The Price Of One, and Slipping Through My Fingers.
abbadabbadoo
Cet un album étrange (comme son titre le laisse présumer): alors que tous les ingrédients de la pop efficace et irrésistible d'ABBA sont présents, il règne une sorte de froideur, de retenue, quelque chose de sombre. Je pense que c'est un album qui demande à être apprivoisé
Fine ABBA disco stuff. Didn’t jump out at me but wasn’t unpleasant.
Day459 - i was skeptical since it has none of the hits i know. i wouldn’t say i loved it but i made it thru
I didn't know Abba existed into the 80s but I guess this was the swan song until 2021 but damn. It's stuck between two worlds for me. Sometimes it sounds classic 70s Abba and sometimes it gets this weird 80s seeping in and it feels out of place. They still have good songs and alot of it here is good. It's just strange and off. Good writing and for them to gracefully just fade away rather than clawing for every second in the spotlight they can like alot of people. Class act that Abba. I'll have to check out their new album too
3/4
It’s not my jam - but it’s honestly not bad.
The first 4 songs are very good, but the rest is on the boring side. I don't know why they switched the style on the B-side, but if they continued doing the same they had been doing on the A-side, the album would've been much better. It's still fine, through, just disappointing.
Vocals and harmonies are great. Not quite as fun as some of their more famous songs. Still a pretty good album. 3/5 Might listen again
ABBA! I have sung to them, and danced to them, many times, but always when their music has "happened" to me, like when it was played in a bar or club or something. But would I ever choose to cue up an ABBA album and play it? Only for this project, and this album has done nothing to change that sentiment. I always think of theirs as music for everyone, but with no special appeal for anyone. Of course I know that's a deeply flawed assumption, but it works for me. I really enjoyed two tracks on this album... I Let the Music Speak, and The Day Before You Came (which is, in any case, a bonus track on the album version that I listened to). The rest just kind of washed over me in the way that ABBA's music typically does. I'm giving it three stars in recognition of the talent that made this group a household name for many years, to give it less would be conceited, but equally, I cannot give it more than that. After all, I have given most of the Beatles albums from this project four stars, and I don't like the Beatles very much, but I would still rather listen to a Beatles album than an ABBA one.
A little nuance and a touch of pathos while still solidly poppy. If I was a fan I would probably love it. But I'm not and this album didn't change that fact.
This was fine for walking around. Nothing overly exciting.
The Visitors // Head Over Heels // One Of Us // Two For The Price Of One // 3.5/5
I've always vocally hated ABBA but this actually kind of rules. The title track is fun and experimental, and on every song they're firing on all cylinders vocally and instrumentally, though that sort of slips into tacky phil collins territory after a while! i will say I can't see any track by this band having any significant replay value for me, as all of the tracks I've heard before struck me as sort of annoying - its strength is in its novelty i suppose! good album but really just not my thing... and i loathe the movie mamma mia so bad and i just needed to get that off my chest before concluding
Not as bad as I expected. And interesting the songs Spotify streamed after this album…
Good pop album but didn’t love it as much as I thought I would, no massive ABBA hits to bump it up either.
Not bad. Fun pop album Standout songs: The Visitors I Let the Music Speak Two for the Price of one
Typical ABBA album, what else can I say?
5/10
I have never been particularly fond of this band. In the past I’ve only heard their singles, which I found to be catchy, but nothing that I really loved, or on the other hand hated. I had similar feelings about this album. I really disliked the opening track, but found myself liking the album better as it went on. However It’s nothing that I want to listen to again. Another three star album for me.
ABBA is not my absolute favorite, but they are always a fun listen
This was edging onto a 4/5 for me, but I just started getting bored towards the end. Seems like the album could have lost 10-15 minutes and been a more complete piece. I did still enjoy it quite a bit
I love me some ABBA. We had the Gold: Greatest Hits album at home. But this wasn't good It was like a reject album. With like 2 good songs thrown in Giving it an extra star purely because the only good songs were so good 3 ⭐️
'70s Abba > '80s Abba
Muy buen álbum, el último de ABBA antes de su hiato de 40 años (!), que da buena cuenta de su madurez como grupo. El contexto del mismo me recuerda al de Rumours de Fleetwood Mac: los miembros, dos parejas, recién separadas o en proceso de separación, lo cual se refleja en la tónica general del álbum, un poco melancólica pero con la sensatez que da la experiencia. Y aunque ABBA no sea un grupo que me guste especialmente, hay que reconocer lo bien hechos que están sus álbumes y lo divertidos de escuchar que son, y The Visitors no es una excepción. Temas pegadizos, bien producidos, con sintetizadores y armonías muy ochenteras. Me ha gustado.
First time listening to a full ABBA album and I’m happy that most songs have a consistently high quality. Overall a pretty nice listen
Inte deras bästa album men det är fortfarande ABBA, välskrivna pop-låtar och väl framförda. Jag diggar. Någonstans mellan en 3a och en 4a för mig. Det får bli en 3a tror jag.
started really strong, but then tapered off in quality, first three songs ripped 5/5, then the rest were okay.
Good but not great in my opinion,
Didn't know Abba like this
pretty good- I think I like happy, poppier ABBA more though. Highlights include: "Head Over Heels" "One of Us" "Two For The Price Of One" "Slipping Through My Fingers"
ABBA are probably ostensibly a singles band and unfortunately this didn’t really have any standouts. One Of Us is not bad and maybe the only one I’d heard before, well it’s the only one in Mama Mia (2) anyway. Simpsons: Yes
Not an ABBA fan. Didn't know any of these songs already, which might have been a good thing. The album was alright.
when I looked at this, I didn't think I knew any of these tracks by ABBA but I recognised 'Slipping Through My Fingers' and 'One of Us' both of which are good songs but the rest are only ok.
3 i kinda like it because it's upbeat and it seems like good lyrics. It gives a summer vibe. 4 its sad but its a good song and good lyrics and i like how the backround music is quieter
What are they doing on the cover? "One of us" sounds nice. The instrumentation is great but the lyrics are sad. I thought "Slipping through my fingers" sounded very pretty. The music was gentle and not overpowering. I feel like this song may be about feeling like she is losing herself or her personality. Or maybe it's about losing a friend or family member as time goes, being afraid to grow apart. I liked "Head over heels" because it was more upbeat. The lyrics seem like their about someone who is inspiring but also kind of bossy and pushy. This person makes the singer feel like she isn't in charge. I wouldn't recommend this album.
At times thought I heard 'new wave' and a potential influence for Yazoo. Merely OK (3)
Delightfully silly. Hard not to have a soft spot for ABBA, even if it is not music that I go out of my way to listen to. 3.5/5.
Exactly what I expected from the first full-length Abba album I've ever listened to. Was a little disappointed that none of their massive hits were on this one, but overall it was a pleasant listening experience.
I was super excited for an ABBA album, but I don't think there's a single "fun" song on here. I guess it makes sense when you learn about all of the drama happening behind the scenes, but I go to Fleetwood Mac for that, not ABBA. The music is good, but the entire time I was wishing I was listening to another one of their albums. I feel almost bad leaving a review like this. It's like talking to your friend who is going through depression and telling them "You know, you're more fun to be around when you're not so sad all the time."
I love ABBA, but there wasn't a song on here that really got me or that I had heard before and liked. Probably my least favorite ABBA album that I've listened to, and it's between a 3 and a 4, but I'm feeling down right now, so I'll take it out on my favorite 70's Swedish EuroPop Band.
ABBA goes dark, moody synths are the order of the day here. Breaking free of the hyper pop 70s era, they're firmly in the 80s gloom here, and it would be their last album for a while.
Favorite Track: Under Attack
Slipping through my fingers is a top tier song and makes me cry
Theatrical, dramatic Pop vibe Like Olivia Rodrigo of their time
I thought I would recognize more abba songs
Wow, an Abba album my mom didn't listen to death. It's fine, didn't blow me away. Very similar to their other work, light Disco for people who don't listen to Disco.
Where is my Fernando? Where is Waterloo? This was nice and it probably has some incredible significance that I'm too foolish to know, but it's not my favorite ABBA record.
Sounded like a musical soundtrack, like it was telling a story.
Was it this album that inspired the karaoke sound?
Listened
3.5
Fine. 3.5
Enjoyable enough but kind of disappointing compared to their other album. 3.5
no pop bangers here, quite a subdued set of songs
Fun start. I liked it less as it progressed
Not my sort of thing but done well.
I'm surprised how much I liked this.
Had pretty high expectations but this ended up being pretty mediocre. Nothing was really bad, but not much stuck out besides slipping through my fingers
Wonderful! I'm familiar with ABBA, but had not gone back to listen to whole albums. This son was definitely a treat.
A peculiar & unexpected ABBA album to be on this list. I don't recall hearing any of these songs before. All things considered, I liked it, it has a darkness that I didn't expect from such a poppy band.
This album started of real strong for me. But slowly tapered off.
Perjantaina pre- ja hutikassa kuunneltuna sopi tunnelmaan. Nuuskan jälkeen parasta mitä Ruotsi on tuottanut.
++: Head Over Heels, I Let the Music Speak +: The Visitors, When All Is Said and Done, Soldiers, Two for the Price of One +-: One Of Us, Slipping Through My Fingers -: Like an Angel Passing Through My Room 6,7/10
This was the first ABBA album I've listened to. Very ethereal, not my style.
An ABBA album lacking really memorable hits. Quite a few okay deep cuts, but it needs some hits, and also ABBA is not really my thing, even though it is impossible to escape them when you are Scandinavian. 3 stars
classic abba
i like it but it doesn’t spark anything particular in me. it’s good but it’s just abba u know?
As performance art, it’s pretty good…as music it’s not good.
Okey to listen to. Prefer they're dancier hits.
nice to hear stuff that isn't the normal classics. Surprising amount of 'storytelling' tracks which was interesting.
Enjoyed the album
Enjoyed love abba cannot go wrong with them
Not a super big fan of ABBA but they do have some catchy songs and are decent songwriters. Great voices. Just not really my bag.
Enjoyed this so much more than I expected, a lot of abba sings I’d never heard of. Really good album deserves to be on the list, would I add it to my frequent rotation probably not only due to personal taste.
I always pretended I didn't like ABBA but let's face it everyone likes ABBA it's almost impossible not to. I hadn't heard this one before but had heard some of the songs of it and it may not have as many well known songs as other albums it's still pretty good all the songs are solid sometimes the lyrics are cheesy but the music is always good but I do prefer the other album on the list (Arrival) more.
I think I understand why people love ABBA... but it doesn't pull me. Don't mind the listen, but just doesn't hit like some of their others. Guess this one was a departure from the earlier norm, and it shows for me
Ok, it's maybe not the best of ABBA but it has its charm. 'The Visitors' sees the group becoming more mature, both musically and lyrically. You don't really expect Cold War lyrics in ABBA songs, but maybe we should have. The band was also undergoing two divorces among its members so it's kind of amazing that this album exists and it's as good as it is. But hey, it worked for Fleetwood Mac, right? There's more depth and emotion on this album than their previous works, though it's lacking the obvious singles. This was the final ABBA album before they finally made a new one 4 decades later. It's one of the first digitally recorded albums and one of the first issues on CD, which seems fitting.
Not the ABBA I was expecting. More mature and slightly darker than the usual hits. I wasn’t looking forward to it but ended up enjoying it. One Of Us is superb.
Gracias a su extraordinario éxito en los años 70 los ABBA influyeron en el sonido de la música pop durante décadas y se convirtieron también en todo un icono de la cultura pop. Editado en el 81, aquí estamos ante el último álbum de ABBA antes de su separación casi definitiva (en 2021 se reunieron para grabar un, hasta ahora, último disco). Me gusta mucho la canción que da título al álbum y en la que su pop pegadizo sirve para hablarnos de los disidentes de la extinta Unión Soviética. También destaca "When All Is Said and Done", una balada en la que el grupo vuelca su situación emocional, con Benny y Frida al borde del divorcio y, de alguna forma, la separación del grupo que está a punto de llegar: "Brindemos una vez más/y luego pagaremos la cuenta". Me gusta la broma lírica envuelta en ganchos pegadizos y bellos coros de "Two for the Price of One" cantada por Björn Ulvaeus. En ella un hombre responde a un anuncio pensando en que consigue una relación a tres (y así parece durante toda la canción) hasta que estalla la carcajada con el verso final: "Ella dijo: «Estoy segura de que debemos ser perfectos el uno para el otro/Y si lo dudas estarás seguro cuando conozcas a mi madre»". Y también merece una mención la nostálgica "Like an Angel Passing Through My Room", último tema del álbum original, en la que ABBA daba carpetazo al cuarteto aun cuando su intención era seguir juntos: "El amor fue un adiós prolongado/Y todo vuelve a mí esta noche/En la penumbra/Como un ángel que pasa por mi habitación".
There are some good elements to this album. But I'll be honest. I don't 'get' Abba. It's not for me.
3 theater kids
Vocals were pleasing. Songs were alright.
While this proves they’re more than just a pop disco band I prefer the pop disco. Sometimes I like to listen to European radio stations online. This is exactly what they all sound like.
2 or a 4 depending on what mood i’m in, hence the 3. best part of the album for me was “Cassandra” which is 100% about Cassandra from greek mythology so i enjoyed that, her story is so depressing so she really does deserve a song by Abba
Catchy . Layered. Really decent.
7/10
More introspective and coherent than what i expected from an ABBA album. Pleasantly Surprised.
Generally very fun album. Even their darker pop still feels quite light. The topics may be heavy, but the tracks overall still feel pretty light and danceable. Maybe not Slipping Through My Fingers, but you could probably still get a fairly melancholy twerk going to it.
Me toca escuchar por primera vez un disco completo de ABBA, banda de la que conozco sus singles hasta el hartazgo. Mucha radiodifusión y mucho sonar en alguna que otra juntada con amigos en plan baile. Primeramente, puedo decir que tiene un comienzo más oscuro, reflexivo, tal vez, en comparación a los sonidos bailables que conectaba con ABBA. Seguidamente, se mantiene en esa onda más chill, como un trabajo sólido, siempre con voces potentes y cálidas. Like it.
At this point in their careers ABBA had gone through some rough patches, notably within the group (getting romantically involved with your bandmates seems like a recipe for disaster...). They were coming off an immensely successful decade and probably had one last hurrah left in 'em at this time. This is not your standard ABBA mega-pop sound fare ala "Arrival" from a few years prior. Instead, we get an introspective, slower and more synth-laden ABBA sound here. The production and effort are still there, but I was left pining for the old ABBA midway through. "Fractured relationships" ABBA just doesn't hit the same as "happy-go-lucky" ABBA I guess. I just didn't find much of these songs memorable. Still a well-produced album, though.
I didn’t find myself blown away by this but it was fine
ABBA's The Visitors (1981) is a 3.5/5 album featuring a more mature sound with elements of synthpop and disco. Standout tracks include "One of Us," "When All Is Said and Done," and "Head Over Heels." The album showcases ABBA's evolving artistry but lacks the consistency of their earlier work, hinting at the group's impending breakup. While not their strongest effort, The Visitors still offers a few solid songs for ABBA fans to enjoy.
Decent pop
Group has a distinct sound of Euro-pop. Hard to dislike an individual cut or two, but sounded alike from track to track
Eh. It was okay. Better than the vast majority of 80s pop.
# Playlist track - The Visitors # Notes - Starts out energetic and fun, but doesn't keep up throughout. - It's still good quality pop, but it's a bit of a letdown, especially compared with other ABBA hits, including the title track of the album.
What I expected but not awful
Pretty good but abba doesn't really produce the beeps and boops of music that I enjoy. Low 3.
2.5
Abba doesn’t change much
I was not particularly expecting an ABBA album on this list, and I certainly wasn't expecting one that I didn't know any of the songs from. This album is okay. It was a change of direction for ABBA, but I really enjoy their pop stuff. 3/5
Not abbas best. Its cool some great songs but a bit too slow same tune and pitch throught the whole album. Nothing great but cool to sit down and cry. Pretty strong lyrics must have been the end cause you can feel the darkness and the hatred in the lyrics and voice inflections.
Hmm not bad but would not listen again.
Favourites: head over heels, when all is said and done, beginning of I let the music speak, one of us, slipping through my fingers even though it's sad. I liked it but it's not my favorite. 3/5
A good album, not the best but still decent Top tracks: Slipping Through My Fingers, One Of Us
Yep. This is ABBA. Not anything famous from ABBA, just plain ABBA.
This one feels a little more mature than the previous 1001 ABBA album but is a bit too nice and tbh sickly. It is bravely beyond pop at times.
I thought I would hate this because I’m not the biggest ABBA fan. But I enjoyed it so much! Especially because I know things like Muriel’s Wedding and Mamma Mia and playing Dancing Queen on everyone’s 17th birthday came from them.
Pure pop. It has the itch of my least favorite music that will soon take over the Top 40 for decades to come, but at least B&B use more than 4 chords.
Muaan tarina... Suomalainen kaveri.. kysyttiin jos rumpaliksi.. Heh.. Mihinkään svedu jengiin tule...
You can’t argue with ABBA. Good in parts
yopp
This is a really tough one to rate. In this album you can really hear the move into musical theatre, and there are a few really interesting songs. The whole time though I was wanting to hear their monster hits. I have to grade this on a curve considering all their other music. Musically ambitious, but nothing makes me want to keep listening to it.
3.5
Not my favorite abba album but still solid
I was raised on Abba gold and can sing along to most of the hits. I wouldn't choose to listen to it now l, but it's undeniably excellent pop music. Now this process gives me a chance to delve into their difficult break up album and see what it brings and on the whole it seems of a good standard. There is undeniable song writing mastery at work, coupled with heart breaking lyrics and beautiful singing. The darker synth sounds are interesting and it's a worthwhile addition to the list. However, I don't tend to return to their accessible stuff and this would be below that for me.
I don't know. I don't know. I couldn't get into this one. Cover is great, general vibe is hard to beat, but nothing broke through.
I've always found ABBA a little creepy. If the mannequins in an abandoned department store came to life, I imagine their music would be the soundtrack. It's the case here, too. At their best (title track) they're great pop melodists and slightly offbeat. At their worst, ABBA are either too sickly or unpleasantly weird ('Soldiers'). When they don't rely upon a soft disco throb, ABBA tend to fall back on fairly martial rhythms. I can hear their skill, that pure lambent beam of vocal harmony they specialise in - but sometimes they just sound like a female-fronted Pilot teetering on the brink of mania.
Pleasantly surprised. I’d only heard ABBA’s pop songs on the radio (that, and I saw Mamma Mia”) and, though well done, they never really interested me. I think maybe the darker tones (lyrically) of this album helped it appeal to me more. It wasn’t a bad listening experience at all. Quite pleasant actually.
A more mature sound for one of the most highly rated ABBA albums. Sounds like lyrically they were getting ready to write musicals. The Day Before We Came is the stand out song.
When it started, I thought it would be just another ABBA album without the greatest hits, but I found it very enjoyable despite all the ABBA cliches.
A few interesting tracks such as “When All is Said and Done”, but I found this album be mostly sterile and boring. The overall tone was very thin and with almost zero energy aside from a few interesting tracks. Most of the tracks felt almost completely emotionally flat to me.
Way more operatic than I expected, and wasn't really in line with the hits I know. I was impressed with the clean sound on all the instruments, and how different that feels compared to other music I consume.
🔊 COCAINE!!! 📣 It’s not too shabby. Some enjoyable tracks, may listen to more ABBA down the road but it’s pretty generic dance tracks and didn’t even finish the entire album.
Wasn't what I expected from an Abba album but it definitely wasn't bad. Some good tracks but probably a bit long for me. Fav tracks: - Head over heels
3-4
Pretty toe tappin
I'm not familiar with this particular ABBA album, but do really enjoy what I know from ABBA, so I'm excited to check this album out. This album is full of great pop songs, lots of fun to just groove to. 3/5
What a range, not what I was expecting at all! The visitors song felt like it was straight out of a dark opera, but should I laugh or cry was more what I expect from ABBA. Very interesting! I would say this was a 2.5 for me, but I’m rounding up to 3!
Its ABBA.
Experimental, but still abba
a standardish late 70s (technically 1981) pop album, has a few nice tunes on it but the one song that really stands out is one of us, being the lead single this makes sense and i get the historical relevance of this album being one of the first major digital recordings and abba's last release for 40 something years, but it's all a bit alriiiiight imo. an okay album.
It’s super fun. The ballads are a bit too broadway for me but the bops really bop. And actually even the ballads have some cool instrumentation. It’s like new wave with the goth/punk melancholy stripped out of it.
Not falling out of my chair for this one or anything. But ANBA is not a group I think of when I think of Bands Trying Something Different, and they do here, and is pretty cool/pretty good.
Vaihtelevasti musikaali-kappaleita ja kasaripoppia, perus-ABBA:a ja ihan ok kokonaisuus. Jostain biiseistä tuli mieleen peli-musiikki
Not as full of recognizable hits as I presume other albums are, but still a decent set.
I didn't find this album compelling.
Decent pop album as you’d expect from Abba
This album was more mellow than their famous songs, and I have to say I prefer their more upbeat stuff than this. Stand-out: Slipping Through My Fingers
Like maybe 99% of my generation, I’ve heard Dancing Queen and maybe one or two other singles so it was cool to check out a full album. Fun pop music singles and fun pop music album
Ik zie ABBA en in een flits ga ik in m'n hoofd alle 5 de fases van rouwverwerking heen. Het vorige ABBA album leverde me een wild kloppende ader op m'n voorhoofd op, dus ik was hier een beetje huiverig voor. Dit album bevalt echter een stuk beter. De mix bevat daadwerkelijk een basgedeelte en dat in combinatie met de gelikte disco pop ongein zorgt ervoor dat het best goed te doen is. Ik ben nog altijd geen fan van de koor-achtige samenzang stukjes en het meeste op dit album is ook echt wel flink gedateerd, maar ik wil nu in ieder geval niet meer twee gloeiende metalen poken door m'n buis van Eustachius rammen om de oorpijn te verlichten. Het zit voor mij tussen de 2 en de 3 sterren in. Ik zal een 3 doen omdat die andere ABBA een 1 kreeg.
3/5
Fine, but no hits and nothing special.
3.5/5
doorbell-induced panic wait until the tiktok neurodivergents find the soldiers chorus i let the music speak is beautiful omg, sounds like that song from anastasia one of us!! love this song rip freud u would've loved two for the price of one slipping through my fingers made me cry i miss my mom should've packed it up after that, everything else was a snoozefest
I've been listening and completely forgot about taking notes. Generally pleasant overall though. probably like 3.5/5 will round down to 3 i think tho i wasn't impressed enough to round up to 4
Title track is awesome. The rest was fine.
Best Song: Head Ove Heels. This has that catchy, singalong quality that I think ABBA can excel at. Worst Song: I Let The Music Speak. Honestly, feels like a song cut from Phantom of the Opera. Overall: This is probably on me, but I really expected more. Having not heard so much ABBA, I expected things to be a lot more fun and upbeat, but instead it was largely slow, theatrical, cheese-covered ballads.
Good album but a little dull
Perfectly pleasant in every way. Didn’t recognise any absolute snorters on here but then I was listening to it at work.
Melancholy and thoughtful.
Fun album. Some weird ass lyrics. Some songs drag.
Although I've never listened the album directly, every song seemed familiar. Underlines the impact they had on the pop genre. Good songs, although nothing I will listen to frequently I think.