Tracks: 1. I Still Have Faith In You / 2. When You Danced With Me / 3. Little Things / 4. Dont Shut Me Down / 5. Just A Notion / 6. I Can Be That Woman / 7. Keep An Eye On Dan / 8. Bumble Bee / 9. No Doubt About It / 10. Ode To Freedom

Comments:

I have now listened through the album 6-7 times and I am certainly not disappointed - as you easily become when groups reunite. In many ways, the music and arrangements are an immediate extension of the predecessors "Super Trouper" and "The Visitors" from 1980 and 1981 - Yes, despite the forty years that have passed. It's almost as if they've never were away. Vocally, the girls are still in great shape and as for the songwriting there’s not much to object to. Incidentally, a song has vocals sung in 1978 during the “Voulez Vous” sessions. The album has a nice playing length of close to 40 minutes; I'm not a fan of overly long albums, especially not when the quality for this is not there.

The album opens with the single "I Still Have Faith in You" with lead vocals from Anni-Frid. It's a magnificent ballad with a great build up and a nice refrain, "Do I Have it in Me?" - It is hardly too daring to predict a new classic here, on a par with many of the greatest songs from 1970-1981. On "When you Danced with me" we find tones based on Irish folk music; including bagpipe sounds. The melody is catchy and the lyrics nostalgic / melancholy - actually quite moving. "Little Things" is a quiet Christmas song - as far as I know the group's first Christmas release. Nice melody with vocals from both girls. We will probably hear it during the Christmas month for many years to come. "Don't Shut Me Down" has also been out as a single, and has jumped to the top in several places. After a subdued intro, a captivating beat begins and a new very melodic and well-turned verse begins. The chorus goes straight in and we are witnessing another new classic. The verses are sung by Agnetha with harmony from Anni-Frid; mostly on the chorus. An absolute highlight.

"Just a Notion" is the aforementioned song that originates from the "Voulez Vous" sessions. You can actually well sense it; especially in the music, it is very much 1970s pop - a happy up-beat song. “I Can Be That Woman” is a magnificent ballad sung by Agnetha; the melody sounds like something Bryan Adams might well have written; really nice. "Keep an Eye on Dan" is one of the songs where you can hear that you are not in the 1980s anymore. A more modern sound, but unmistakably Abba. On the subdued "Bumble Bee" we again meet tones based on the folkish tradition. A little comment on our environment that is suffering badly these years. "No Doubt About It" is an upbeat dance song. Classic Abba and a probable radio hit; sung by Anni-Frid. The album ends with the magnificent anthem "Ode to Freedom", which puts a nice full-stop to a surprisingly well-laid and successful comeback album.