Agnetha Faltskog 'A' - Full Album Review

A fabulous review of Agnetha's new album by Gunnar Moe:

This is ”A”

The essence of the album – if you ask me; Why is love so hard to understand!

Things suddenly came flying my surprised way and I’ve had the wonderful privilege to listen to Agnetha Fältskogs totally faaaaabulous album “A”. I can tell that for all of us this will be the very pop-album of 2013 (and Agnethas best since ABBA if you ask me!)! Musically “A” has no surprises but presents our dear star back where she belongs; in pure pop-heaven for real songs – produced as we loved them in the seventies! And yes – it’s 2013 and this sounds so fresh and 2013 even if it sounds yesterday so to say!

“The One Who Loves You Now” – We do know this single! It’s absolutely brilliant!
“When You Really Loved Someone” – The first worldwide single – totally wonderfull!

Then… the rest of “A”….

“Perfume In The Breeze”: A mid-tempo pop-song theme love (of course) with a light breeze all over. Agnethas vocal is light and easy. When she starts singing you feel a split second that she is revisiting “I won’t be leaving you”. A song for sunny summerdays with cute whistling, harmonies and very recognisable Agnetha.

“I Was A Flower”: The first of the albums two fabulous drama-ballads! This one really grows on you. The mature Agnetha does this one just beautifully. “I was a flower – now look what you have done….” This will be a favourite to many fans I guess!

“I Should’ve Followed You Home” : There is a lot of expectations to this duet with Gary Barlow. Years ago the Agnetha-duet “Fly Like The Eagle” did maybe not create pop-history! There is – sorry to say – nothing outstanding with this Barlow-duet (if you ask me) - going from ballad to nicely radiofriendly midtempo in a way one has heard endlessly. It has a strong chorus and is produced very well. There are some nice echoing backing vocals here as well (by Agnetha I guess). Even if they were not recording together, their vocals blend very well together.

“Past forever” : Back to a wonderful and strong Agnetha ballad….

“Dance Your Pain Away” : The intro makes me think on german ESC; “Djengis Khan” or violins for Earth, Wind & Fire, Boney M or Baccara… hehe! Get ready for the disco!! Very seventies but I don’t get the ABBA-references mentioned to this one. Vocally the young Agnetha was maybe more powerfull for “As Good As New” or “Lay All Your Love On Me”. At the first listen through I felt this one lacked a bit more motivated vocals… that she should have given a bit more! Now I just adore it! In the chorus she sings lines such as; “Let there be rumours / Pay no attention…” With her vocal, Agnetha is the disco-queen of coolness! I imagine a dull coctailparty from 1977 that suddenly explodes into this track. At fifth time on repeat you just beg for another gin tonic before it all starts again. It’s for sure a real fun discoparty-thingy that grows on you for every listen and a perfect choice to be played at G-A-Y on May 4th.

“Bubble” : Another wonderful ballad in recognisable Agnetha-land! :)

“Back On Your Radio” : An irresistible suggarcute chorus in almost ABBA-sound (well it lacks Frida of course). It could have been even more up-tempo, but it is something very tempting about this one. I guess fans will either find it a bit sort of childish or love it. I LOVE it…hehe! Agnetha as a flirty teaser on the radio…couldn’t be better!

“I Keep Them On The Floor Beside My Bed” – with the line; “Why is love so hard to understand”. Agnetha's composition – a big ballad….. and what a fabulous composer she once again proves to be! I cried… at second listen! The torch song of the album… enough said… and yeah well – my favourite! The song sums up everything that is Agnetha Fältskog (as we know her)! Respect and thank you so much for this one Lady A!

I simply totally LOVE these songs!

Gunnar

Agnetha Faltskog New Documentary & DVD !

"This week Agnetha has recorded a TV special in Stockholm to support the release of ' A' The filmcrew from th BBC flew over to Stockholm to meet up with a stunning looking Agnetha.

The special is to be broadcasted in May and will be included in an upcoming ultimate DVD release 'Ultimately A'."

http://www.agnetha.com/news/bbc-behind-the-scenes/

 

 

Agnetha Faltskog On 'Today Tonight' In Australia - Video

ABBA comeback

 

http://au.news.yahoo.com/today-tonight/video/watch/9b2786a2-8fd2-37f3-8dbb-73dad3d921fb/abba-comeback/

 

April 18, 2013, 6:18 pm Lynda Kinkade Today Tonight

A member of the biggest pop group since the Beatles is making a comeback after turning her back on fame and fortune for a life of solitude.

 

Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha and Frida are four of the most successful singers of our time and in Australia they were bigger than the Beatles.
ABBA mania hit Melbourne's Myer Music Bowl; their success here helping launch their worldwide fame and fortune.
According to music commentator Glen A. Baker ABBA were 'the Beatles of the 70's'.

 

"There is no question about it and Australia played a huge role in it because Australia is where ABBA really broke and it was like this tsunami. They had five consecutive number one’s in Australia before the Americans largely had even like heard of them," said Baker.
The Swedish super-troupers stormed to the top of the charts time and time again.
Agnetha Faltskog was the quiet one; she was the pretty blonde with the crystal clear voice stood out in more ways than one.
"She was immensely talented. In fact, of the four who were all stars in their own right, she was the biggest star of all," Baker said.

 

When ABBA broke up in 1982, not even money could bring her and the band back together - $1 billion of it was offered and rejected by Faltskog.
The most elusive member who sang about Friday nights and the lights being low became a recluse; shunning the limelight.
"She was luminous blonde, beautiful and charismatic, but obviously a troubled soul. She felt uncomfortable about the adulation and fame," Baker said.
"I sort of went from a luxury suite to a dishpan and it was so nice," Faltskog said in an interview with Swedish Television.
Her white platform boots were packed away, along with her gold records.
"I've never been that kind of person to put up gold records and things on my wall. I'm a bit modest, I don't like putting these things on display," she said.

 

Faltskog described how she'd tried to live an ordinary life because the hysteria was too much.
"I get very anxious," she said.
Now the blonde is back. Despite saying she'd never sing again, the 62-year-old could not resist.
She was approached by a Grammy Award winning song-writer responsible for hits by Britney Spears, Céline Dion and Kelly Clarkson.
Faltskog now has a new single.
The album is entitled A while the other songs are yet to be released.
"I think it's so cool. One of the songs I've written myself and I thought it was going to be a lullaby for children but it didn't turn out like that," Faltskog said.
Music historian Bill Pennell believes the fans will be waiting to hear Faltskog's new single.
"It must be an exciting time for Agnetha because she hasn't done anything like this for a long time. She did a covers album in 2004 but that sort of got released almost in secret but this one I think will have a lot of attention. It's a really classy song and good luck to her for doing something now that she can probably do something without the pressure of being part of ABBA," Pennell added.
Fans Downunder were first to really embrace them and the love was mutual. Despite being discovered on Eurovision the Scandinavian pop quartet had many flops in the 18 months that followed, barely scrapping into the charts.
It was Australia that helped put the back on the road to success. Without the countdown, Mama Mia would not have been a single, let alone a highly successful musical and film. An ABBA special shown in Australia out-rated the landing on the moon.
Anticipated by millions of ABBA fans worldwide, Faltskog's brand new material will be snapped up on release by Michael Young.
"I've heard the single, I've seen the video for the single and I would describe it as a classy song, a classy production, a classy video. She looks amazing. Probably the best she's looked in a very, very long time. Her stylist is brilliant," Young said.
The ABBA fanatic started the ABBA fan club in Australia.
"I wrote to Sweden and got permission and away it went. They started sending me beautiful posters and records when they were released and all that sort of thing, so that was a great privilege," Young said.
“Now we have Agnetha releasing a new album which is just really exciting to get something new from any of them. But the person we least expect it from is Agnetha because she tends to keep to herself."
The last time Faltskog sang so passionately about love or rather lost love was shortly after her divorced Bjorn.
Faltskog’s new album is due to be released next month.

 

 

Agnetha Faltskog Thanks Everyone For Supporting Her New Album

A short video with Agnetha thanking everyone for supporting her new album release

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UIVT4XKUP2I

 

 

Agnetha Faltskog's New Album On Vinyl LP Too !

 

This fabulous new album will also be available on Vinyl LP !

How wonderful :)

 

You can pre-order this now at the ABBA Fanclub Shop for $38.00US

 

http://www.abbafanclubshop.com/cgi-bin/user/show_article.pl?item=400








Agnetha Faltskog 'A' .. Order The CD Now !

Here is a link for fellow Aussies to pre-order Anna's CD - a physical CD.

A bargain basement price too - $13.95

 

 

http://www.wowhd.com.au/CD/agnetha-faltskog-a/dp/32649305#bc=daf7

 

Check out my new page dedicated to this new album on my website ABBAfanatic:

http://www.abbafanatic.com/#/agnetha-a/4574745527

Abba's Agnetha Fältskog is causing a stir – with her first album in nine years

She's been silent for nearly a decade, but now 'the blonde one' from the hit Swedish group is back at the age of 62

The Guardian, Tuesday 12 March 2013 13.20 GMT

Age: 62.
 
Appearance: No-nonsense Scandinavian returning to work after a period in the wilderness.

I don't watch The Killing. This has nothing to do with The Killing. Agnetha isn't even Danish; she's Swedish.

I'm sure there's a difference, but I don't care what it is. Who is she? She's the blonde one from Abba.

I love Abba! What are they up to? They broke up in 1982.

Oh yeah. What's Agnetha been doing in the, um, interim? Keeping herself to herself, mostly.
She's sometimes described as a recluse, although "publicity-reluctant" might be more accurate.
But did you not say something earlier about her returning to work? Well spotted. Agnetha is about to release her first album in nine years.

What's it called? A.

A? A what? A as in Agnetha. Abba, you will recall, was an acronym formed from the band members' first names, so it's fair to assume she's reclaiming her initial.

Can she handle the spotlight without her famous band to back her up? Fältskog is a respected singer-songwriter in her own right, with 18 solo Swedish chart singles and a string of international hits dating from before, during and after her work with Abba.

What about all the tiresome publicity? Won't she balk at having to pretend to date Justin Bieber? In the past the famously private Fältskog has shied away from doing any promotion, but this time she has been kitted out with a website, a Facebook page and a Twitter account, @agnethaofficial.

Is her new record any good? We shall see – it's not out until May. On the plus side she worked with Grammy-nominated producer Jörgen Elofsson, with whom she co-wrote her first song in many years. On the minus side, it contains a duet with Gary Barlow.

Could its release be a sign that Abba are getting back together? No. Abba consisted of two married couples who subsequently divorced, so the split has always had an air of permanence. Fältskog herself is said to be dead set against a reunion.

Do say: "Thank you for the music, and the occasional Facebook status update."

Don't say: "That's Agnetha with an A, and Fältskog with an umlaut."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/mar/12/agnetha-faltskog-abba-releases-album

New Agnetha Faltskog Website !

It's all happening so fast now ! LOL

 

http://www.agnetha.com/home/

 

 

Agnetha Faltskog New Album Set For May Release ?

According to this Dutch site, Agnetha's new album is due for release on 10th May 2013.

 

Another teaser ?

 

The record label listed here is 'Island' - previous teasers have said the label is Verve - we still just wait and see :)

 

http://www.bol.com/nl/p/a/1000004013612218/