ABBA (1975)
1.
Mamma Mia - What a great song. This is an obvious classic, and a big step up from the past two albums. The piano and guitar meld together quite well in creating this happy little bop, led by the girls but also featuring one of the guys pop up before the chorus. Great song.
10/10
2.
Hey, Hey Helen - A drumbeat and tambourine open up this song because a guitar riff comes in, and it's great. The lyrics explore a woman going through divorce, asking if it was worth it or not... and they decide it is. It's a catchy and pretty mature song for ABBA. Very great.
10/10
3.
Tropical Loveland - A more simplistic song, this one. There are some great harmonies happening in the chorus, and overall I like this song. But well, y'know, it's not one of ABBA's most magical concoctions. Still good though.
8/10
4.
SOS - Y'know, it never really clicked with me before now that this isn't about a breakup, but rather feeling alone without the one you love and wanting them to come back to you. Regardless of meaning, it's another ABBA classic. All the instruments, vocals, lyrics, everything is just so good. Best song on the album.
10/10
5.
Man In The Middle - Another of the Björn-sung tracks, with the girls popping in for the chorus. It actually feels like a classic rock track. It's not bad, just not really... a very... "ABBA" sort of song. Solid, not too memorable.
7/10
6.
Bang-A-Boomerang - A very classic sounding ABBA track, although not quite a bona fide classic at the same time. There's a lot of good stuff going on through the song, but like "Tropical Loveland", it's just not one of their ultimate tracks, but still good.
8/10
7.
I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do - This one, however, is certainly a classic, although it's not really in the classic ABBA style. There's a lot of swing in their step, which makes it a very infectious number. Great song. Not one of my top songs maybe but it's up there. Very unique song for them.
9/10
8.
Rock Me - Björn and the ladies open up this song with the chorus, which is quite catchy, although the verses don't really knock anything out of the park. Unfortunately that does impact the rest of the song and brings it down slightly. Still, it's a solid enough song.
7/10
9.
Intermezzo No. 1 - Can't remember for sure but I think that this is the only instrumental in ABBA's discography, and what can I say? It's a good one. Sounds like something you could find in a ballet. Lot of great moments throughout.
9/10
10.
I've Been Waiting For You - What a lovely little song. The acoustic guitar and Agnetha's vocals are so good together. The vocal harmony on that chorus is great. Is this a hidden gem? I didn't remember how it went before it came on and I'm loving it a lot.
10/10
11.
So Long - What a bop. The verse is strong, the pre-chorus is awesome, and the chorus is catchy as hell. Maybe not as good as the four 10s on the album, but it's great all the same. What a good choice for a closer, too.
9/10
Definitely a far better album than the two that preceded it. The songs are much stronger, ABBA have been working on their style and it's a pretty great listen as a whole.
Rating:
88%