Tag Archives: Pop Rock

Music

54: ABBA (ABBA)

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Album: ABBA
Artist: ABBA
Year: 1975

1. Mamma Mia
2. Hey, Hey Helen
3. Tropical Loveland
4. SOS
5. Man in the Middle
6. Bang-A-Boomerang
7. I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
8. Rock Me
9. Intermezzo No. 1
10. I’ve Been Waiting For You
11. So Long

I was introduced to ABBA’s music as a kid and they were probably the first non-children’s band I ever sang along to. While many of their songs from a lyrical standpoint don’t rise above your run-of-the-mill pop band, they rose above it by having great harmonies and some excellent guitar and piano work by Benny and Bjorn.

The popular songs from their self-titled album are Mamma Mia, SOS, and Rock Me, which I remember singing out loud as a kid and still love to do now. Two of the pleasant surprises from this album are Hey, Hey Helen (about a women leaving her abusive husband) and Tropical Loveland about…a tropical loveland, but it’s a very catchy tune. But easily the hidden gem here is Intermezzo No 1, a rockin’ instrumental that really shows off Benny’s talents and makes me long for an Intermezzo No 2.

My favorite ABBA songs are on other albums (Knowing Me, Knowing You; Take a Chance on Me; One of Us) but their self-titled album is the most consistent from beginning to end.

Music

69: A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out (Panic! at the Disco)

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Album: A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out
Artist: Panic! at the Disco
Year: 2005

1. Introduction
2. The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is Press Coverage
3. London Beckoned Songs About Money Written by Machines
4. Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks
5. Camisado
6. Time to Dance
7. Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off
8. Intermission
9. But It’s Better If You Do
10. I Write Sins Not Tragedies
11. I Constantly Thank God for Esteban
12. There’s a Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven’t Thought of it Yet
13. Build God, Then We’ll Talk

Yes, I’m actually going to defend this album’s placement on the list, so shut up and listen to me complain about it for a second.

I didn’t realize until going to write this review that the band was in high school when they began working on this album, finishing it after graduation. It should have been obvious, if only for the fucking pretentious song titling. They have zilch to do with anything in any of the songs, so recalling which song title goes with which song is impossible. I actually had to listen to each song again to remember which ones I was going to give a hot rating to because I couldn’t place the title.

I’ll also admit that the lyrics, without exception, are completely insincere. They heavily discuss social issues such as marriage, adultery, alcoholism, and prostitution, yet at no point do you ever feel it coming through the music. They’re cleverly written, with some pretty sweet uses of rarely used words in songs (surreptitious!), but nothing is going to move you.

But I can’t deny that at least three or four times per year I listen to this album from start to finish, cranking it loud. It’s upbeat and energetic, great for driving. The verses and choruses are endlessly repeated, making them catchy (and since the lyrics are uninspiring, catchy is the way you gotta go). I enjoy their voices and think they harmonize well. And I love the production. The first half of the album uses synthesizers and drum machines, while the last half uses organs and accordions. As you can see, I prefer the last half of the album, but they both work with what they do.

I haven’t listened to anything else they’ve done. I’ve heard they went away from the stylings of this album, which was a smart move. While I appreciate the uniqueness of this record in my collection, it’s definitely something I have to be in a mood for, and two would not be better than one.