The Album (studio album) by ABBA

"Hole in Your Soul" is a masterpiece. Just perfect pop music in its most assertive form. Overall their strongest album. It's opulent from the point of view of its sonics, and their only one to show proper Ambition (capital A). I still have my quibbles with the songwriting, but that's probably just me being a dick. Terrific record anyway. Better than Arrival.

'Eagle' is one of ABBA's very best tracks with its dreamy, atmospheric sound and wonderful guitar work. Other highlights are 'Move On' and 'The Name of The Game'. The only slightly weak track is 'Hole In Your Soul'.

Definitely an improvement over Arrival, although they're still not at their peak. This album is at is best when the songs try to push the boundaries of pop music, and falters when the songs begin to sound too theatrical. The end result is inconsistent, but enjoyable, and definitely among the best of their later work.

Best songs: Eagle, The Name of the Game, Hole in Your Soul

From Tamthebam 08/19/2015 08:45

Given the pop perfection that is Arrival I was disappointed in 1977 when I received this album. It doesn't hold a candle to that album I found Side 1(Tracks 1-4) much stronger than Side 2 in fact it got to the stage I only played Side 1 and the first track on Side 2. The rest of the album doesn't work for me.

"The Album" was released while Abba was at the height of their career in 1977. The musical and artistic development which the group had gone through since their debut album until the excellent "Arrival" continued to a certain degree on "The Album" although it comes out somewhat more uneven than the previuos albums.

Of the two big hits "Take a Chance on Me" and "The Name of the Game", the latter was always my favorite; especially the chorus is for me a highlight.

There is something very beautiful and magnificent on the opening track "The Eagle" with fine guitar playing by Janne Schaffer; but with its six minutes it may at times seem a little too long.

"One Man, One Woman" is cute little popballad, while "Move On" is a song that does not make any big impression. "Hole in Your Soul" is rock ala Abba - not particularly interesting either.

"The Album" ends with the mini-musical "The Girl with the Golden Hair" - really pretty classic musical songwriting. Quite nice actually, but only "Thank You for the Music" really sticks in my mind.

So all in all for me not one of Abba's most successful albums.

Abba - love them or loathe them?

I love them.. And this is a brilliant album! I have the fondest memories I of dancing round our back room to 'I'm a Marionette'!

Abba was maturing in their sound and in their lyrics. At the age of 12 I wasn't quite ready for that. And it was also really uncool to like anymore. So this album didn't get very many listens. But over time I have really come to appreciate it. Classics: Eagles, Take A Chance on Me, What's The Name of the Game and Thank You For The Music. Other favourite is I Wonder.

Melodic pop at its best this album saw the group come of age with some classic tracks and more variety than most of their releases. 'Eagle' is superb.

From johnner 01/02/2012 19:29

The soundtrack to the movie, by now ABBA could do no wrong and were pissing genius meisterworks such as Take a Chance On Me, The Name of the Game, and Thank You For The Music. However, they're growing disilluisonment with the music industry was becoming more and more apparent (see I'm a Marionette) as was their longing for escape (I Wonder(Departure)). Also including the proto-shoegazing of Eagle, The Album really is the ONLY album you need.

Is there anything more beautiful in this world than a woman's voice? If we agree then this album is a grand exposition of female vocalising on a level that can enchant even the most skeptical listener. With Eagle Agnetha and Frida arrive from the heavens it seems bearing tidings of profound optimism in a world grown old and cold and weary. However their stories are not all happy. They represent life as it is. Love is strange and success has its price, but its in the music itself that the beauty of living is made most apparent.
Musically this is ABBA's most artistic album. In attempting to break into the American market, they began to incorporate some american sounds onto what has been up until then a decidely european template. What could be a risk, works perfectly and as a listening experience you are carried on a journey from the magestic opening of Eagle on through a variety of styles that instead of hindering actually make the journey more interesting. The biggest risk of all is the Mini-musical of three songs, which will test the sensibilities of even the most tolerant of critics, until you see that below the "broadway" you uncover brilliantly composed and executed music. If Rock is about going against the grain and giving the two fingers while moving your soul, then this album accomplishes exactly that perfectly and as a thing of beauty.