Lopez Blogs

Everyone and his dog will be writing today about that Judas video by whatsername or the forthcoming amazingness of the solo career of Nicola Roberts. I thought i'd deviate from this a little bit and examine one of the finest albums to be released - Super Trouper by Swedish sensation, Abba. And as happenstance would have it, it's being rereleased as a 2 disc deluxe edition with bonus DVD of rare and unseen performances. Magnifico. It got me thinking as to what it would be like if Abba were transported in time and their music was actually new and fresh today. Twitter would be all over them like a rash. The album prior to Super Trouper (Voulez Vous) would be hailed as a modern day classic. Agnetha would be a judge on X-Factor. Live shows and videos would be visually spectacular. An Abba musical wouldn't be a tale of a slutty woman with loose morals who could easily appear on Jeremy Kyle. Ah, future perfect. As it is they have left a fine musical legacy and Super Trouper is always worth a return visit...

SUPER TROUPER DELUXE:

The seventh studio album from Abba celebrates it's 31st birthday this year. It's getting old, but just as if it were using L'Oreal For Men (because I'm worth it to...) it's still fresh and lovely today. Not a single note, beat or second is squandered on this stunning set and amid the disco magic that Abba were known and loved for, there is a sombre overtone of a group reacting to the changes in their relationships. This is clearly evidenced on one of two #1 singles on the album - the bitter lament of The Winner Takes It All. It's a spinetingling track that is saturated in emotion and has quite rightly been voted as Britain's favourite Abba song - twice. It's poignant and stirring and it's original title (The Story of my Life) gives it an added pathos. Even the bouncy title track (and other #1 single) feels like the group celebrating the peak of their halcyon days with a heavy sigh. In typical Abba style, it feels happy and upbeat, yet is tinged with a sadness and yearning that's hard to ignore.

Fear not - it wasn't all heartbreak and longing. Lay All Your Love On Me remains a classic dance anthem (and an Erasure cover years later would prove how it could be adapted to a more modern musical setting) as does it's flip side of the single release, On and On and On. The latter is an absolutely bonkers o clock track that bounces along with perky glee - and is now a full length stereo mix (only available in monotone previously). It sounds magnificent. Pair these with upbeat magic like Me & I and the scottish instrument/latin lyric blend of The Piper and there's enough to get a party started.

It is the album's more reflective moments that create nuggets of elegance and beauty however. There's a foreshadowing in the laid back wisdom of Our Last Summer where singing of old loves and the memories shared are little bits of history repeating as the group approaches it's last days. Happy New Year is an absolute delight - I adore this song so much and the video (Abba round a piano) captures something so lovely about the group that Take That reuniting with Robbie have never been able to replicate. It's the (original) album's final moment that is rather heartening and optimistic - The Way Old Friends Do. It's a poignant diamond of a track - and I recall that on the vinyl copy my family had, the audience applause would play into the playout groove meaning it would repeat until the needle was taken off! All in all, it's a splendid album that showcased the vocal, musical and lyrical prowess of one of music's greatest legends.

Bonus wise, you get the b-side addition of Elaine, the rare track Put On Your White Sombrero and - *SQUEAL* - a brand new featurette, entitled Somewhere In The Crowd There’s You – On Location With ABBA. This featurette is a brand new production, compiling footage that was shot on the night when ABBA and their album designer, Rune Söderqvist, assembled a crowd of friends and circus performers to create the spectacular photograph featured on the Super Trouper album sleeve. This archive footage has been gathering dust in the archives for three decades without ever being made public – until now.*SQUEALS AGAIN* So empty your piggy banks and reinvest in a perfectly splendid and splendidly perfect album :)

My top ten Abba songs (in no particular order):

• Waterloo
• I've Been Waiting For You
• Dancing Queen
• When I Kissed The Teacher
• Summer Night City
• If It Wasn't For The Nights
• Kisses of Fire
• Happy New Year
• The Winner Takes It all
• The Visitors