The Album – ABBA****

Eagle/Take A Chance On Me/One Man One Woman/The Name Of The Game/Move On/Hole In Your Soul/Thank You For The Music/I Wonder (Departure)/I’m A Marionette

The Swedish pop group Abba reigned supreme in the UK singles charts during the late 1970s, although they were regarded as somewhat lightweight by rock critics. Features the UK No. 1 hits Take A Chance On Me and The Name Of The Game. (US:14 UK:1)

“This was likely the height of their creativity and a perfect demonstration of why they should be taken seriously as musicians. Just like the title infers, this is ‘The Album’ to own from the band.”

“If you are going to try an album from Abba, make it this one, there are no bad moments, only pure pleasure. This is without a doubt one of those albums that has held up with time, and is so rich that it should be hailed a classic.”

“In the second half of the seventies the songs of Björn and Benny had more depth and musical diversity than before. The vocal and instrumental sound of the Swedish pop band reached its peak.”

“This album is quite awesome. You get some really catchy singles on the first side that are wonderfully sung and full of simple yet superb rhythms. The second side contains tracks that, in my opinion, are even better. So why do hipsters hate this?”

“This was the album where Abba showed the world that they were a little more than just a pop band. Björn and Benny were the primary songwriters and here they display a knack for writing slightly more sophisticated numbers that cut down on the cheese.”

“It's unfortunate that Abba has such a questionable reputation because this is really timeless pop music. Beneath their shallow lyrics and glitzy veneer, there is some ridiculously well-crafted stuff here. The Name Of The Game is two complete songs in one, going through a typical verse to chorus build-up, only to suddenly meander off into a whole new bridge section before triumphantly returning to the chorus.”

“No other recording act has ever been able to write music like this. The melodies are unbeatable, full of hooks, a mixture of melancholy, sweetness, sadness, happiness and joy, sensuality, restraint and freedom. How can one write music any better?”