Abba's Abba Gold (Thirty Three and a Third series)

Rating:
Summary: More an ABBA history that a critic's insights
Review: A hard one this - a series devoted to classic LPs tackles a "greatest hits" compilation as it's subject. As a result the quandary is how to approach given one is dealing with a group which used the single not LP as its main platform; the tracks cover 1974 to 1982 and this complilation itself was not released until 1992 when the group was clearly long dead but about to undergo a major revival and reassessment, helped by their old Polar label being acquired by Phonogram.

The approach of taking in order the tracks as they first appear on the compilation but then grouping with all other tracks on the compilation where they are all from (or at least were placed on) the same original LP, helps easier comparison but creates a very jump cut approach in chronology given Waterloo the first hit in time is last on the compilation and thus the book.

If you are a devout Abba fan one suspects much of the history given is well known but for those with little knowledge beyond the original records, the book is a pretty good coverage on each of the songs and helps place them in historical context as well as showing how contemporary and later events have helped the group become such a success despite their visual image being trapped in the 1970s. This success is not least because of the songs appeal to an international audience so displacing all the US/UK criticism at the time of their lyrics (given English was their second language)and from a country that had few global pop credentials in the early 1970s (yet interestingly only one of their hits was ever recorded outside Sweden).

Also the book seems to spend almost as much time commenting on the videos as the actual songs and recordings but fails to make the key connection that in a pre-MTV era this was key to their appeal esp in Europe (my memories of such videos on many "Top of the Pops" prime time viewing shows on UK BBC every Thursday evening ensured maximum exposure in promoting the records in the UK).

What is fascinating to me is how none of the songs ever had the title they ended up with and while the author is good on the facts where the book ultimately seems to go missing and struggles is in explaining how the songs came to be drafted and written and then in production became so well crafted that they have become timeless. This was clearly not a group that ever went into the studio and cut a song in under an hour or based it on improvised or hastily written on the spot lyrics.

A valiant effort but ultimately more a history lesson than an insightful critical review like the best books in this series to date.

Rating:
Summary: A compelling look at ABBA's biggest selling album
Review: ABBA GOLD by Elisabeth Vincentelli is a fascinating in-depth look at the phenomenally successful compilation CD ABBA GOLD, first released in 1992 and which to date has reportedly sold over 25 million copies worldwide. The author delves into the songs themselves, the original context of the songs and where they fit into the history of the group, the albums the songs originally appeared on, the creation of the ABBA GOLD CD and the ABBA revival that coincided with and was fed by its release. She also goes into great detail on why this compilation, rather than any of ABBA's eight studio albums, should qualify as a "classic" album. It's obvious from the text that Elisabeth is a fan of pop music in general and ABBA in particular - she declares 'SOS' to be her favourite song, ever. But it's not all blind praise - if negative critical comment is warranted, it's made, but in a constructive manner. The author justifies her arguments in a persuasive manner that the reader may not necessarily agree with, but can find little to argue about.

As a long-term ABBA fan, and contributor to the book, I found it an interesting and compelling read. ABBA GOLD played a huge part in the ABBA revival and the rehabilitation of ABBA in the eyes of the general public, and this book covers that in more detail than anything that's come before. All in all, something different in the ABBA bibliography. Highly recommended for ABBA fans or just fans of great music.

Rating:
Summary: an ABBA panorama
Review: I've read 5 other books in this series (Thirty Three and a Third) so far, and this book about Abba shares similar qualities with those: it's smart, well-written, interesting, likeable, and it made me think about what it is that makes music great, and what it means for something to be a 'classic' - oh how I hate that word! - album. Is it possible that some Abba fans are upset because Ms. Vincentelli chose to write about a 'Greatest Hits' record, as opposed to a 'real' Abba album? If so, I can understand that, but the sheer negativity of the two reviews on here so far astounds me. Her choice of album is an interesting one within the context of this series, and I'm amazed that ANY Abba album is being considered alongside such obvious 'album bands' as Pink Floyd, Joy Division, Hendrix, and others.

It looks to me as though the author has done a good deal of research for this short book, and her enthusiasm for the songs shines through. She even goes so far as to say that "SOS" is her favorite song of all time, encapsulating "everything that makes life worth living"! I'm not an Abba expert, so it's possible there are one or two factual errors in here, but I would definitely feel comfortable recommending this book to people.

I'm giving it 4 stars because I can see that if you are an obsessive fan of this band, there might not be much that's new in here for you. But for everybody else who's into Abba, this seems like a great little book to start with.

Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: This book is obviously written by a pop music lover, a huge ABBA fan and a knowledgeable rock critic. It strikes me that choosing a hugely popular band and their top selling complilation album as a subject for this particular series (or any for that matter) is not only daring, but extremely clever. If I had never listened to an ABBA song, knew nothing about the individual band members or what inspired them to write and perform some of the best pop music of all time, a quick read of this book would leave me satisfied. Aptly grouping the songs by the album on which they appear, Vincentelli carefully desconstructs each lyrical masterpiece by providing a delicate balance of historical fact, personal opinion and input from music experts together with avid fans to leave the reader with a better understanding of the band, their music and their come-back complilation album. As the author says "- you don't have to abide to commonly accepted definitions of hipness to be happy." And that for me, perfectly defines ABBA Gold.

Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: This book is obviously written by a pop music lover, a huge ABBA fan and a knowledgeable rock critic. It strikes me that choosing a hugely popular band and their top selling complilation album as a subject for this particular series (or any for that matter) is not only daring, but extremely clever. If I had never listened to an ABBA song, knew nothing about the individual band members or what inspired them to write and perform some of the best pop music of all time, a quick read of this book would leave me satisfied. Aptly grouping the songs by the album on which they appear, Vincentelli carefully desconstructs each lyrical masterpiece by providing a delicate balance of historical fact, personal opinion and input from music experts together with avid fans to leave the reader with a better understanding of the band, their music and their come-back complilation album. As the author says "- you don't have to abide to commonly accepted definitions of hipness to be happy." And that for me, perfectly defines ABBA Gold.

Rating:
Summary: an ABBA panorama
Review: This charming little book is packed with a rich array of facts and opinions, including a brief account of the historical context of the band's original work and (importantly) the way in which the release of ABBA GOLD revitalized the band's career while simultaneously changing the meaning of its work. (You hadn't stopped to think about that, now had you. That's one of the main topics of the book.)

Even better are Vincentelli's close readings of the songs, which increased my pleasure in them (no mean feat!). Best of all, perhaps, are her thoughts on the relationship between rock and pop, and the roles women tend to take, or are assigned, in each.

A real achievement. So! Is this book for everyone? Maybe not, as the sharp mix of negative and positive reviews here demonstrates. So here's the important question: Is it for you? I suggest you scroll up and read "From the inside flap," which is actually an excerpt from the book. The author is discussing the startling fact that "Dancing Queen" begins by launching straight into the chorus, the best part of the song, rather than building up to it. I've heard that song thousands of times, but I'd never even thought about that before. The effect is magical, and now I both understand it better and appreciate it more. If you enjoy that excerpt, grab the book. Otherwise, click elsewhere, and find something that pleases you more.

Rating:
Summary: what a dog of a book
Review: You may be an ABBA fan, and if so, don't bother with this book. Poorly written and a dull read. You can get most of the information presented anywhere on the web, and find it to be a better presentation. Occasionally she hits a high note with a few pieces of obsurity, but overall Ms. Vincentelli tries too hard and too often to high-brow her writing with toungue-in-cheek cliches that treat the reader with condescension. My advice - just browse the internet and find out what you want to know - there is nothing new here.