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Never meant as a swan song it ended up being, "The Visitors" found ABBA on the downturn of popularity (although "One Of Us" led the pop chart over Christmas 1981 in Germany), but at the top of creativity.Make no mistake - "Arrival" may be their best, "Super Trouper" their most accomplished and "The Album" their most popular and critically acclaimed, but this album is their most beautiful. Gone is the fun ABBA of old that used to put off some and you may be disappointed failing to find any "Mamma Mia's" here, but what's left is the pure pop music with excellent melodies and bitersweet lyrics.Track for track it's full of highlights - from the daring title track to perfectly off-beat "Head over Heels", nostalgic "When All Is Said And Done", through The-name-of-the-game-similar "Soldiers", showpiece-like "I Let The Music Speak" to "Sleeping Through My Fingers" and four excellent bonus tracks - including "Chiquitita"-similar "Cassandra" and "The Day Before You Came".With a bit of hyperbole, this is an ABBA album for those who don't like ABBA. They may be surprised at how good this is. Very accessible, it however does not even resemble any other pop music act - it's just ABBA.
This is for me the best and favorite ABBA album. Also, Frida's "When All Is Said And Done" was a switch for me because I heard the Pierce Brosnan version first so I didn't think it'd be like "The Winner Takes It All". I'm not even in my twenties but I can still appreciate the music which is more mature than the upbeat songs like "So Long", "Dancing Queen" and "Take A Chance on Me" and more songs like "SOS", "Money, Money, Money" and "Knowing Me, Knowing You". "One of Us" is the best track for me because who can't relate to how a relationship has ended and only one person wishes they were still together. "Under Attack" and the one that probably most mothers get emotional "Slipping Through My Fingers" are other favorites along with "Head Over Heels", the title track and "Should I Laugh or Cry". And with "I Let the Music Speak", which feels like it belongs in a musical, its almost foreshadowing the future of Bjorn and Benny.
"The Visitors" is an underrated album, filled with serious yet catchy songs. "When All Is Said And Done" could of been a chart hit, yet they instead released "Head Over Heels" (not the Tears for Fears song), which is catchy but not quite strong enough to be a hit. "Slipping Through My Fingers" is excellent, and features some of ABBA's best vocals. "Soldiers" it's a very interesting track both musically and lyrically, with it's combination of military-style drumming and some good guitar work (ABBA always had the best swedish musicians working with them).While this album certainly is downbeat, with the exception of the cherry "Two for the Price of One" (whose lyrics have to heard to be believed), ABBA still comes up with several beauty-filled album tracks.This re-issue also includes 4 bonus tracks, including their last single "Under Attack", as well as the gorgeous "Cassandra".
If those guys were trying to get rid of & bury Abba they succeeded with this album. I've read it was their last & it should have been. Cover is very dark & gloomy & the music doesn't have the joy that Abba had.I was very disappointed.
It's been said many times already that this album differs from your typical Abba but that doesn't make it inferior in any way. Sad and dark in places, the creativity never falters and as the last notes die away, you feel sad that such a fantastic talent such as Abba had to put their personal torments to music and call it quits. Quite the opposite. This is one of their most creative works almost exclusively motivated by their crumbling marriages and their fading interest in the world stage. I will always remember them as one of the best with never a bad song. Thank you for the music.
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