ABBA

The Visitors

An undervalued treasure

Review Score:

(8/10)
In 1981, relations in the ABBA camp were strained by two divorces. The studio atmosphere was, reportedly, cool and according to Carl Magnus Palm in his excellent book 'ABBA - the Complete Recording Sessions', Bjorn and Benny were having a difficult time with some of the songs. All of which makes ABBA's final album an intriguing proposition. You can HEAR the struggles.

Although the album entered the UK chart at No.1 and spawned a Top 3 hit in the shape of 'One Of Us', the album remains one of ABBA's most underrated works. The production and vocal harmonies, though still magical, were sparser and the arrangements were more experimental. The album was something of a break from the traditional ABBA sound. The lead-off single, 'One Of Us' might have led fans to expect another poppy, 'Super Trouper' kind of album. However, opening with the harder-edged, other-worldly title track (with Frida in superb voice) the album was always going to challenge preconceptions. The non-pop approach to songs like 'I Let The Music Speak' (a show-tune without a show), the daftly Sgt. Pepper-ish 'Two For The Price Of One' and the wonderfully chilling 'Like An Angel Passing Through My Room' were a definite departure. While songs like 'Soldiers' and 'Head Over Heels' might have been more 'trademark ABBA', there was still an element of progress and experimentation evident in the arrangements.

Arguably, the US market got the better singles from this set. The first single, 'When All Is Said And Done', is probably ABBA's best 'bad-marriage' song and eschews self-pity in favour of dignity and strength (another spectacular vocal by Frida). The second single, 'The Visitors', became an air-pay hit on cutting-edge US college radio and deservedly garnered rave reviews and a modest Billboard chart placing. The UK singles, 'One Of Us' and 'Head Over Heels' were ostensibly much 'safer' bets. Although the latter's failure to reach the UK Top 20 would indicate that the yanks had the right idea....

Certainly, this album won't be what the casual CD buyer might expect from an ABBA album: it's low on kitsch and dance tunes. However, repeated listening pays dividends. This remastered version is augmented by 4 bonus tracks, including the wonderful 'The Day Before You Came', a song which would beautify any collection (the band's last ever recording, it was originally cut several months after this album's original release).

Which takes me to an important gripe... This re-masters series has been shoddily handled. Firstly, buyers should be warned that there is an inexplicable surge in volume mid-way through 'I Let The Music Speak'. The inclusion of the throwaway B-side 'You Owe Me One' does the album no favours and really should have been replaced by the other contemporary B-side, 'Cassandra', a quality song which suits the overall feel of the album much better. The artwork looks like it has been bootlegged and whoever designed the on-disc labels should be strung up. A terrific album has been marred by cheap re-marketing.

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