Waterloo

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Customer reviews

review by: petersteward date: 2008-09-19 rating:
Still in the embryon stage
The title track has never been one of my favourite Abba songs and so that doesn't start this one on a solid footing, although there is no doubt that Abba are the best thing ever to come out of the Eurovision Song Contest apart from Secret Garden.

This has a similar feel to the first album, although the real hints of pop music writing genius are becoming evident in "Hasta Manana" one of their most endearing songs and a blueprint for so many pop songs that were to follow and "Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)". Sadly songs like "Sitting in the Palm Tree" and "King Kong Song" are dreadful and the kind of thing you would expect from trashy party groups like Black Lace. It's a tough call as to whether this is an improvement on Ring Ring. Perhaps it is a little more slick.

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review by: Kris date: 2007-09-22 rating:
The Beginning of a fantastic ABBA history!!!!!!!
'Waterloo' is a fantastic ABBA album. All of its songs are simply amazing. My favourites are 'Dance (While The Music Still Goes on)' and 'Gonna Sing You My lovesong.' Allthe others are simply superb as well. ABBA were heading for better success in the future, but still, a fantastically put-together ABBA album. 'Waterloo' is another brilliant masterpiece thats beginning to catch the true meaning of the world of the best pop group of all time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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review by: tony date: 2007-07-04 rating:
Words get in the way
I'll admit that I largely left this album to one side. Then the deluxe, remastered package (with the cute DVD) came along and I gave it another whirl. In listening to it again, I realised that my biggest problem with the "Waterloo" album was its often outrageously daft lyrics. While this album lacks much of the musical quality and sophisticated production of their later albums, it has charm in abundance.

Including the glittering title track and the super-catchy "Honey Honey", "Waterloo" is an album freighted with strong, catchy tunes. But a frustrating number of those great melodies are handicapped by truly silly lyrics: "Sitting In The Palm Tree", "King Kong Song" and, to a lesser extent, "What About Livingstone?" almost qualify as novelty tracks, for this reason. On the other hand, "Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)" and, my favourite, "Gonna Sing You My Lovesong" are great pop songs that show the maturity and class that was so evident on ABBA's later albums. In particular, "Gonna Sing You My Lovesong" showcases a soft and smoky leadvocal by Frida - a deft mix of soulfulness and restraint - and is almost comparable to Dusty Springfield's sublime "Breakfast In Bed." Definitely a hidden classic.

As a whole, the "Waterloo" album does not bear frequent playing but it deserves a place in the affections of ABBA's massive army of fans. It displays a lovely, naïve charm and heralds the emergence of a band whose talent and confidence would explode and show the world how pop really should be done. This deluxe package is beautifully done, especially given the dearth of bonus audio and video from that era.

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review by: I know how to set the charts alight again! date: 2007-06-22 rating:
ABBA`S best album. Yes, really!!
I`ve been meaning to write this review for sometime to set the record straight regarding ABBA`s greatest album debate.

It`s natural for a band to spend more and more time in the studio the longer they`ve been together and ABBA were no exception. But it`s often the early work recorded in less time that sounds fresher, more exciting and spontaneous. On `WATERLOO` you get to hear ABBA before they bought their super-douper new studio and made too many songs sound awash with keyboards and synthesizers. Listen to the guitar on `WATCH OUT` or the excellent bass on `MY MAMA SAID`. This is a band new and fresh and bursting with ideas.

There are so many great songs on this album and it all seems like good fun. Both couples are still together and happy. Later on it all got a bit too serious for me.

`DANCE WHILE THE MUSIC...`, `HASTA MANANA` and `HONEY, HONEY` are three of ABBA`s greatest tunes. No question. Even better is the superb ballad `GONNA SING YOU MY LOVESONG`. Still one of my favourite songs of all time.
But what about `SITTING IN THE PALMTREE` and `KING KONG SONG` I hear you cry! Well, o.k. I`ll admit they`re not in the same league as the other songs but they do lend the album variety and `quirkiness` which, for me adds to the albums charm.

So yes, I believe it`s their best. Better even than `ARRIVAL`. `WATERLOO` may contain `KING KONG SONG` but don`t forget on `ARRIVAL` you`ve got `DUM DUM DIDDLE`!. `ARRIVAL` is of course a great album but I feel side one (despite `DUM DUM DIDDLE`)is far superior to side two. `WATERLOO` is more consistent over the two sides of the album. That`s for those of you who remember vinyl! Talking of which, if you really want to hear this album at it`s best then it never sounded better than on good old vinyl. This format suits the sound of their earlier work whereas CD perhaps suits the latter albums better.

One more thing I`d like to mention about `WATERLOO`. Like the two albums which came out either side of it, `WATERLOO` has more lead vocals performed by Bjorn than on later albums. I thinks this helps to add variety to the proceedings. FLEETWOOD MAC and THE EAGLES are just two bands who have benefitted from using three or more lead vocalists. And yes, I`m well aware how good the two girls are. But don`t underestimate Bjorn. Just listen to him growl on `WATCH OUT`. Great stuff! GREAT ALBUM!


review by: date: 2006-06-22 rating:
A great introduction to ABBA
Unlike those of you in Europe, we here in the USA did not have the Eurovision Song Contest to give us our first exposure to ABBA. I first heard the song on Y100 (WHYI) in the summer of 1974, and it was probably the most requested song on the station. It blasted me away the first time I heard it, and I was hooked. This album also gives us the Swedish version, the studio version of how it was presented in Brighton in 1974. This remastered version brings out more of the detail in the sound. Awesome! The only thing that would make this, and the other reissued albums, better would to reissue them as hybrid SACD's with 5.1 surround sound. ABBA's music would be a natural for this type of treatment. Should this be done, I can only ask UMG to please do it right this time, not as was done with the Moody Blues reissues.

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