MOOPY ALBUM SYNC LISTENS #4 - ABBA - THE VISITORS - 8PM TUESDAY 28/04

My mother had this album. She bought all ABBA albums from Arrival onwards. As a result, they never really EXCITED me, as they were my mum's music.

I was far too busy getting into The Brotherhood Of Man, The Dooleys and Bucks Fizz. They were MINE.
 
I have always stanned Super Trouper as Peak ABBA, but I do enjoy a late-career flop artistic highpoint, so The Visitors has always been in second place for me.

The Visitors is so perfect. The way they adapted their sound to the early 80s was quite fabulous.
 
Oh, the Thompson Twins completely pilfered this! The verse is "We Are Detective!" Thieving gits!
 
Loufoque said:
I have always stanned Super Trouper as Peak ABBA, but I do enjoy a late-career flop artistic highpoint, so The Visitors has always been in second place for me.

The Visitors is so perfect. The way they adapted their sound to the early 80s was quite fabulous.
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They had the fucking studio to do it. Amazing production.
 
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The keyboards are about all that dates this - well, that and the audacious arrangement, something today's acts largely eschew.
 
That said, it just doesn't have the same kind of HITS on it. Under Attack, I believe, was a late addition, but for me it's the only song that screams ABBA-worthy single. Apart from One of Us, of course.
 
The lead vocals are shared well on this album. There are no shared leads which happened a lot earlier in their career. In track order of the original album it's Frida, Agnetha, Frida, Agnetha, Frida, Agnetha, Bjorn, Agnetha, Frida.
 
dmlaw said:
I love the sadness and resignation in these songs. It would almost ruin it if this hadn't been their last album.
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3 songs in, there's already a strong theme of conclusion. Even on an upbeat song like this, the lyrics make it plain that there simply couldn't be any more after this.
 
dmlaw said:
'When All Is Said And Done' feels like a classic Abba single for me. It's almost on the same level as 'Winner Takes It All' in terms of being a 'well done for getting your ex to sing this' kind of song.
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It's the first track to have *that* Abba sound (to my ears anyway).
 
Loufoque said:
That said, it just doesn't have the same kind of HITS on it. Under Attack, I believe, was a late addition, but for me it's the only song that screams ABBA-worthy single. Apart from One of Us, of course.
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I love that they waited until the end for their ARTPOP.
 
I do think When All Is Said And Done would have made a great lead single, or follow up to One Of Us. I mean they had the video in the bag but decided not to release it most places for whatever reason. And lyrically it's the perfect reply to One Of Us or The Winner Takes It All.
 
dmlaw said:
'When All Is Said And Done' feels like a classic Abba single for me. It's almost on the same level as 'Winner Takes It All' in terms of being a 'well done for getting your ex to sing this' kind of song.
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At least Frida doesn't sound like a victim, unlike Agnetha on Winner. And Should I Laugh Or Cry later goes a step further again.
 
Soldiers feels like it needs a couple of listens to bed in. I also have a thing against fretless bass, which I detect in here. I like the loping, off-centre rhythm - again, pushing the envelope.
 
@lolly what insights do we have about the recording sessions? I imagine as a fan they're almost too much to contend with.
 
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