Album Review: ABBA - Arrival (1976)

I've always wanted to listen to one of ABBA's studio albums.  The problem being, of course, is that I simply couldn't be assed.  I mean, with Gold, you more or less have everything you really need to hear from the group, bar a couple of other tracks, such as "Super Trouper" or "Honey, Honey."  Finally, I can now be assed listening to an ABBA studio album.  And I'm now glad that I did, because Arrival isn't a bad album at all, except for the Australian/NZ version, which contains "Fernando", which is by far my least favorite ABBA song.  Personally, I think the very impressive opening track, "When I Kissed the Teacher", should've been on Gold.  It is vastly better than "Fernando", in my opinion.  The only time I think they really cocked up on this album is with "My Love, My Life."  Too soppy, methinks.  "Tiger", "Happy Hawaii" and "Arrival" are also worth listening to on a semi-regular basis.  And let's not forget about the staples here - "Dancing Queen", "Knowing Me, Knowing You" and "Money, Money, Money."  A better sounding album than what I was expecting.  A-

Album Review: ABBA - Gold: Greatest Hits (1992)

"Greatest Hits" and "Best Of" compilations are by default good, or very good, albums.  Very rarely, however, are they teetering on the edge of flawlessness.  Sometimes, they're all you need from a band or artist, either because they contain every good song on offer, or they contain all of the essential hits.  The phenomenally successful Gold: Greatest Hits by ABBA is of the former.  Well, sort of.  "Fernando" I don't like and have never liked, and thus would rather see the likes of "Super Trouper" or "Honey, Honey" on here instead. But everything else that is brilliant is on here, 17 classic gems from Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha and Anni-Frid ("Rock Me" isn't too hot either, in my opinion).  Bookended by "Dancing Queen" and "Waterloo", and featuring every big hit from "Knowing Me, Knowing You" to "S.O.S", you'll never go wrong buying this record, what with 30 million or so albums being sold to date.  In short, Bjorn and Benny are pop songwriting geniuses, and this record serves to verify that fact.  A+