Turning Back Time with Exquisite Craftsmanship: How Critics and Fans Welcomed ABBA's New Album

On Friday, November 5th, the new album of the Swedish group ABBA - Voyage was released.

It became the band's first disc in 40 years.

In 1981, the four released the album The Visitors, and in 1982 announced their disbandment.

The new disc includes ten new compositions, two of which were presented in September 2021.

ABBA fans have greeted the group's reunion warmly.

On Twitter, some users express their joy at the release of the disc and say that new songs made them cry, others share nostalgic memories associated with the work of the band.

“I feel like a little girl again listening to her parents singing Mamma Mia in karaoke,” writes one Twitter user.

“I enjoyed ABBA songs as a teenager.

It's nice to know that so many years later we will hear new material.

One of the first new songs made me feel nostalgic about their music from the times of my youth, ”reads another message.

Many listeners appreciate the new songs and agree that they are similar to classic ABBA works.

Some note that the "soulful lyrics" make the band sound "a little more mature."

“Overall 8/10.

Nothing revolutionary, just a return to (old -

) form for a stereotyped but very talented quartet.

I love ABBA! ”- writes one of the bloggers.

“70-year-olds (artists. -

) turn back the clock with exquisite skill,” another author echoes him.

One of the Twitter users was particularly impressed by the performance of vocal parts by Agneta Feltskog, which, according to the blogger, has not changed despite the long break in the group's work.

“Agneta's voice, as always, sounds amazing.

I can't fucking believe it sounds exactly the same.

I love her so much, ”says the author.

Some netizens take a closer look at the album and tell them which songs they especially liked.

Among the favorites was the composition Keep An Eye On Dan, which is a sad monologue of a divorced woman.

“Interesting song, the darkest on the whole album.

It's really damn dark ... it's the best song so far.

ABBA has always been able to deliver great melodrama, but in this composition the bar rises even higher, ”says one of the bloggers.

The listeners' complaints were caused by the songs I Can Be That Woman, No Doubt About It and Little Things.

Someone even called the latter the worst composition in the history of the group.

The opinion of music critics has largely coincided with the reaction of a wide audience.

At the same time, what many listeners consider to be the merits of the new album, experts describe mainly in a negative way.

In particular, they were unhappy with the fact that the cult group, which had not performed for 40 years, completely ignores modern trends in their new works.

“This album cannot be called cutting edge, it is not focused on trends and revelations.

It does not really surprise with anything, except for the fact of its existence, "writes the author of Attitude Darren Styles.

“They have released an album that sounds hopefully reminiscent of ABBA, albeit more reserved than what you might remember,” says NME's Nick Levine.

The Daily Mail author Adrian Trills notes that two extremes have always been traced in ABBA's work: incendiary songs like Waterloo and melancholic ballads like The Winner Takes It All and Slipping Through My Fingers.

In the new album, according to the journalist, the musicians remained true to traditions and presented similar works.

“They began to chase the trends of electronic music of that decade instead of being the trendsetters themselves, which they once were.

However, they claim to have worked on Voyage “completely without regard to trends,” which allowed Agnete Feltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Fried Lingstad to prove themselves in exactly what they have always been strong at, ”writes Trills.

He emphasizes that some of the songs did not suit his taste at all: Bumblebee turned out to be too sentimental, and the critic described No Doubt About It as a light version of Waterloo.

However, other works, according to Trills, are still interesting in some elements.

In particular - the vocals of Agneta Feltskog and Anni-Fried Lingstad.

He also liked the piano insert performed by Benny Andersson on the song Don't Shut Me Down.

The critic was also impressed by the final composition.

The Guardian author Jude Rogers also criticized the song When You Danced With Me.

The journalist considered her text irrelevant, since the heroine of the composition suffers, while her problems today are easily solved by means of railway transport or sending a text message.  

“Instead of piercing the past, a lot of the Voyage album seems hopelessly stuck in it,” notes Rogers.

In addition, she was unhappy with the introduction, which refers to the Celtic motives and reminiscent of ABBA's earlier experiments with folk music in songs such as Fernando and Chiquitita.

According to the author, "the overall effect is not folklore nostalgia, but mild nausea."

Nick Levine was also unpleasantly surprised with its lyrics by the song When You Danced With Me - in his opinion, not the best choice for the Swedish group, which reunited many years later.

The journalist also criticized the composition of Little Things.

“Next is Little Things, a sparkling Christmas song that is sugary and sugary even before the children's choir comes in.

Let's face it, it would have turned out even more sugary if it had not been for the soulful sound of the beautifully aged voices of Feltskog and Lingstad, ”reads the review.

Despite the shortcomings highlighted, some music experts have concluded that Voyage is noteworthy and will surely delight longtime ABBA fans.

“I am old enough to be considered a fan of the band from the very beginning of its journey, and the Voyage album makes me happy, even though the sound there, sometimes, strikes me as surely as the smell or glimpse of long-lost love, tearing out my heart and wielding it like a soccer ball.

This album evokes thoughts of the past, part of which is remembered with pain, ”writes Darren Styles.

Jude Rogers, however, believes that the Swedish four should have limited themselves to two songs released in September as part of their comeback.

The critic found them interesting and fresh, while the rest were outdated. 

“In the past, they were at their best when they changed the sound of their time in their own way, when they played glam, disco and electronic pop, but at the same time they were a little outside of these genres, when their peculiar manner of performance elevated them, and not belittled ”, - explains the expert.

ABBA's reunion will not be limited to one album.

The team is preparing the show Voyage: The Concert.

Its program will include 22 songs (mainly the main hits of the group), and holograms of the artists will "appear" on the stage.