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Post by hejiranyc on Aug 12, 2022 19:08:38 GMT
I read about this some weeks ago and I also found it to be odd on so many levels. My theory is that, yes, this was done for tax purposes. Florida is one of 6 or 7 states in the US that does not impose state income taxes and, upon taking office in 1981, President Reagan lowered the top marginal federal income tax brackets by half (amidst accusations of promoting "trickle-down" economics). As such, the US, and Florida specifically, was now considered to be an attractive place to claim residence for tax purposes. In reality, I suspect the members of the band *may* have visited a handful of times (not together) in order to maintain their stake in the ground. All that being said, Tampa is an ODD choice. Tampa is not exactly a world-class destination like, say, Miami Beach. It is lovely and all... but even today, Tampa is still considered to be somewhat of a backwater; I can only imagine how it was 40 years ago. Here is the official listing: www.zillow.com/homes/873-2nd-Ave-S-Tierra-Verde,-FL-33715_rb/47134592_zpid/?
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Post by hejiranyc on Jun 5, 2022 19:48:58 GMT
Here's a nice melancholic cover of Super Trouper without all the irritating 'super-per trouper-per' bits! OMG, this is literally the worst thing I have ever heard. Unfortunately I cannot unhear it.
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Post by hejiranyc on May 31, 2022 1:26:12 GMT
I do not understand the hate for "Super Trouper" at all. It's definitely a bop and it's one of the relatively rare ABBA tunes featuring the guys' voices prominently. And it's a song that is literally about a spotlight, and the entire Voyage show is basically one big light show; it's kind of a missed opportunity to do something really cool with spotlights.
It seems that not a single person has lamented the exclusion of "I Have a Dream." LOL
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Post by hejiranyc on Dec 23, 2021 14:59:59 GMT
The way I understand it, Record of the Year goes to the performers and producers of a song. Song of the Year goes to the songwriter. The album of the year is, indeed, the grand dame of Grammys, although there are separate best album categories within each genre.
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Post by hejiranyc on Nov 30, 2021 17:23:02 GMT
I too am a bit confused about the old/new vocals issue with the ABBA Voyage shows. I recall Bjorn stating that vocal tracks from concerts and the studio would be used. But I also recall Bjorn stating that the Abbatars vocals would sound different due to their current lower vocal ranges (paraphrasing). I also recall seeing mentioned numerous times in articles that ABBA "performed every song to perfection over five weeks," which could be interpreted in many ways depending on how you interpret the word "performed." I would personally LOVE to hear their current voices re-interpreting their old songs, even if it meant lowering the keys and changing vocal arrangements. It would give us a whole flip side of "new" ABBA material to explore and dissect.
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Post by hejiranyc on Nov 24, 2021 0:15:35 GMT
Their first Grammy nomination?! Perfect song for it. This is incredible news and so richly deserving. I suspect that this isn't the end, since "Voyage" was released after the cutoff date for the 2022 awards. Perhaps "Voyage" will get album nods at the following Grammys ceremony.
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Post by hejiranyc on Nov 18, 2021 14:15:27 GMT
That jumper is FUGLY, which is why I want it!
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Post by hejiranyc on Nov 13, 2021 14:59:02 GMT
I'm not quite sure what everyone was expecting from Zoe Ball. Of course she's not going to hit Frida with hard-hitting questions! I would imagine that Frida's publicist sent a dossier of off-limits subject matter and conditions in exchange for this exclusive, rare interview. In fact, it would not have surprised me in the least if the questions were already prepared and Zoe just had to make them sound contemporaneous.
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Post by hejiranyc on Nov 10, 2021 17:48:52 GMT
Voyage is more consistent though as you say needs time to get into it. The frustrating thing about ABBA's earlier albums is the fact that they have classic, iconic tracks sandwiched in between fun but schlocky fluff (I'm looking at you, "That's Me"). I do believe that DSMD is "Gold"-tier excellent. But even if the other tracks on "Voyage" fall a bit short of that mark, it is one of the most consistently strong albums of their career. Every track on "Voyage" is an earworm and stands on its own.
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Post by hejiranyc on Nov 10, 2021 2:48:00 GMT
Okay... now that we've had the chance to marinate in "Voyage" for a bit, is it too soon to rank it compared to their other albums? I have to admit that my initial reaction to the "other 7" new tracks was kinda "meh." But after forcing myself to listen to it on repeat, it has crept into my soul. When I first heard "Ode to Freedom," I thought it was such a strange, depressing dirge. But after reading the lyrics and listening again carefully to the layered vocals and orchestration, I am just in awe that ABBA still had it in them to create such a beautiful, meaningful work of ART. The whole album is full of moments like this. Sure, there are a few nods to their initial run of albums here and there, but I love the fact that although it sounds like quintessential ABBA, they took musical risks and zigged when everyone expected them to zag. Benny and Bjorn never shied away from the corny and twee in the past and "Voyage" is no exception, but it is done with such heart, finesse and sincerity. Bjorn's idiosyncratic, non-native English verbosity is still intact and that makes him such a gift to the world - nobody else writes lyrics like his, and nobody can interpret them like the girls.
Anyway, I'll take the first stab at ranking Voyage among all of their albums (from best to worst):
1. The Visitors (deluxe edition) 2. Voulez Vous (deluxe edition) 3. Voyage 4. Super Trouper (deluxe edition) 5. The Album (deluxe edition) 6. Arrival 7. ABBA 8. Waterloo 9. Ring Ring
...which places "Voyage" in the top third of their body of work for me. That is a phenomenal achievement after 40 years of not working together. I don't think there is another artist or band who has managed to get better and better with age like ABBA.
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Post by hejiranyc on Nov 2, 2021 18:19:48 GMT
I quite like the deep space visual campaign around ABBA's Voyage era; it works on so many different levels. Most obviously it underscores the science fiction/futuristic direction taken with the Abbatars project. But it also underscores the sheer improbability of this reunion even happening in the first place- as if it was as rare as the harmonic convergence of planets lining up in the same plane, or as rare as a full solar eclipse. But the planetary imagery also leaves me feeling mournful... that these are planets in our rear view, as if ABBA is saying "It's been great to know you, see you in the next life. Bon voyage!"
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Post by hejiranyc on Oct 27, 2021 16:24:10 GMT
^^Lovely new picture of them. Does anyone else find it odd that the exes are paired with each other in almost all post-divorce group photos? Perhaps it's just coincidence and it just happens to be the way they presented themselves on stage?
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Post by hejiranyc on Oct 23, 2021 16:37:46 GMT
OMG, that's dreadful! LOL. I think JAN is perfect the way it is. In the theatre of my mind, I envision Benny wearing a kerchief around his neck and banging on an upright piano in a Texas dancehall/saloon and the girls, wearing stetson hats and cowboy boots, start singing. Next, the whole place is line dancing. It's just that fun, "it's Saturday night" kind of vibe.
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Post by hejiranyc on Oct 22, 2021 16:19:29 GMT
You’re right, all four of them are on it according to YouTube. I always thought Björn was on it. Just curious... is there a legit explanation for why Bjorn does not play any instruments on ABBA recordings?
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Post by hejiranyc on Oct 20, 2021 18:44:45 GMT
Having listened to this 1978/2021 "mash-up" I'm more convinced than ever that it's an entirely new recording with new vocals. Unless ABBA themselves confirm/deny it, I think this will be the debate that lives on for eternity: old vs. new vocals. Based on the 2 new tracks released in September, the vocals on JAN to me are clearly from an earlier time. While I love Agnetha's vocals on the 2 new tracks, you can clearly hear the patina of age in her voice - a slight rasp, a slight wobbliness here and there, etc. But most telling is the fact that Agnetha does not do any belt singing. Even during the big choruses of ISHFIY, Agnetha seems to be singing falsetto or passagio. On DSMD, even her most strident line "I'm fired up, I'm hot, don't shut me down!" sounds very soft. By contrast, JAN is classic Agnetha using all parts of her crystalline voice, including her powerful belt singing. I'm not saying that 2017-2021 Agentha is incapable of singing like this, but based on what we've heard so far, I would say it's highly improbable.
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Post by hejiranyc on Oct 14, 2021 20:30:51 GMT
What is a "slosh?" LOL I tend to agree that modern music has been kind of stuck in amber for quite a while. But you can pretty much say the same about fashion, architecture and art as well. I suspect this has something to do with the hyper-connectedness we are dealing with; nobody dares to do anything bold and daring for fear of getting roasted in the comments. Anyway, the 70s/80s were wacky decades. Sure, they certainly had their own iconic fashion trends. But there were also some headscratchers. The 50s were made trendy again in the mid 70s, probably thanks to "Happy Days," "American Graffiti," "Sha Na Na" and variety shows that revived the careers of washed up actors/musicians from that era. I assume this directly impacted ABBA's sound at the time. For example, you can hear the DNA of Fats Domnino's "Blueberry Hill" in "I Do I Do I Do." WDIHTBM follows very closely in that vein. JAN sounds like a Beach Boys single from the early 60s, which makes it a smidge more modern, but, yeah... it's a date sound. And I'm okay with that! I would be disappointed if they rendered a 2021-sounding version of JAN.
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Post by hejiranyc on Oct 14, 2021 19:10:47 GMT
I didn't think DSMD sounded date at all. Sure, it had some classic ABBA flourishes in it, but its overall sound is solidly contemporary. If anything, the only real concession to retro in this track is the fact that it is a complex song with key changes, a bridge and counter-melodies - all things that have become largely stripped from modern music.
I actually hope JAN is fully, shamelessly retro with jangly guitars, plonky piano and a chugging swing beat punctuated by saxophones. That would be a fitting nod to their pre-Arrival rock sound. It seems that ABBA is known for just their disco/pop era when in actuality they were a pretty kickass rock n roll act before the superstardom.
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Post by hejiranyc on Oct 14, 2021 19:01:36 GMT
I’m assuming they think Agnetha’s voice doesn’t sound powerful or clear on the two other songs. Just A Notion would have been recorded on analog tape, whereas the new album is surely a digital recording. Could they marry-up the two in one song? Raises a lot of questions. I’m slightly disappointed if this is true. Using 43-year-old vocals on an album that is otherwise only four-years-old at its maximum seems an odd thing to do. Still, it leaves seven completely new songs still to be heard. I can kinda understand what he/she is saying. Agnetha was quite the belter back in the day and she had a sharp, reedy tone that cut through whatever else was going on around her musically. While the new songs are lovely, her vocals are soft and don't quite have that bright, punchy quality of yore. I would be shocked if Agnetha today can belt out the high harmony of JAN like she did in the old demo.
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Post by hejiranyc on Sept 22, 2021 3:14:04 GMT
Abba sound engineer Bernard was interviewed in Sweden this week. He said 2 songs were recorded in 2017, a few more in 2019 and the rest this year. More songs than on the album we're recorded, but the group were not happy with them so will not be released. He also says on some songs the girls sound as young as ever and little things, the Christmas song is a ballad. This post popped back into my head earlier. Given the timeline that is mentioned, I wonder whether we'd have had an album if the project hadn't been delayed by the technical issues and Covid? If the two songs had just been released on schedule, would we be looking forward to anything more? That's an interesting question! Clearly they were not planning on recording an album at the outset. Based on the timeline above, it seems plausible that they considered themselves finished after the first two songs (which is why they did no recording in 2018). So, yeah... if the show was staged in 2019 as planned, they probably would not have seen the point of working on more new material. Everything happens for a reason!
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Post by hejiranyc on Sept 22, 2021 2:54:01 GMT
Interview with Bjorn. Final part is interesting. He says regarding the tour they may sound different as Agnetha and Frida sing in a lower key now. He explained that the concert will feature a mixture of live music and pre-recorded elements, with a live band augmenting the "Abba avatars" on stage. "Some of the songs may sound different - singers Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad now sing "one tone lower than they used to" - but he said the group "laughed all the time" during rehearsals." www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-58643787.ampInteresting! So I guess this means we are getting all new vocals, which makes me hopeful that they may release a "live" album at some point in the future. Even back in their prime they lowered the keys of some songs in concert, so it shouldn't be too jarring. My mind reels at how 70-year-old Agnetha sounds on a really range-y, demanding melody like "Chiquitita."
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Post by hejiranyc on Sept 8, 2021 19:26:07 GMT
I doubt that they re-recorded vocals. That quote suggests they were recording their movements. I am not sure what to think about the quote that they "performed each song to perfection." I am inclined to believe they were miming to a recorded track. However, the article mentioned that the crew members started getting emotional or awe-struck occasionally. I could only imagine that kind of reaction could only be elicited by a musical performance rather than a bunch of septuagenarians in leotards miming on a soundstage. I dunno... I guess we will find out sooner or later, although my strong preference would be all-new vocals. I don't care if their current voices are not perfect; I do not go to "live" concerts to hear perfection.
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Post by hejiranyc on Sept 5, 2021 16:53:27 GMT
Surprisingly I never even got the early access pre-sale code even though I preordered the album, but it's alright since I wasn't really planning on buying tickets since I don't have a way of getting to the UK right now. Someday in the future though, I will definitely go! I suppose the thing to remember about this is that it’s an ongoing show and could be there for years and years. According to the ticket receipt I got, the venue is even called “ABBA Arena” and assuming it’s a permanent structure, won’t be going anywhere. It’s not like a touring act where you only have a few chances to see them. This does beg the question though - will they be able to tour this or set it up in multiple countries at the same time? It’s a long way for many people in the world to go. Think of the Australians and New Zealanders! It’s a pity they can’t/won’t show it in cinemas or anything. I doubt they’ll ever release it on blu-ray or DVD as it would affect ticket sales. I’m about 144 miles from the venue, which is nothing really, I’m lucky, but for many it’s a very long way to travel for a pre-recorded show. Based on the promo interview with Benny, it seems rather improbable that it would be a touring show. I mean, think about it... it would have been much less expensive to rent out an existing venue on the West End in perpetuity vs. building a new arena from the ground up. This seems to have gone from merely a stage show to a fully immersive light/laser/screen experience that would be nearly impossible to retrofit into an existing venue without basically rebuilding the innards of the venue. London is the perfect spot for this, as it is essentially the center of gravity of ABBA fandom and it's the prime gateway into Europe from the rest of the world. Sure, I suppose they could build additional ABBA arenas in other locations around the world, but it is doubtful that it would make sense financially. For example, I don't think a sufficient fanbase exists in America to support a purpose-built ABBA theater in, say, New York City. That being said, Australia may be a different story... I've flown from NYC to London to catch shows in the past (Kate Bush, Fleetwood Mac), so I fully intend to see the Abbatars at some point. I will basically use any excuse to justify a London trip!
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Post by hejiranyc on Sept 4, 2021 17:18:18 GMT
Just to add my $0.02 regarding the new tracks... I, like probably many of you, was a bit overwhelmed when they debuted the music video for ISHFIY during the broadcast. It was emotional but also a bit shocking. I may be in the minority here, but I felt that it sounded nothing like classic ABBA; I can't think of a single song of theirs that I can compare it to. And Frida hits some gorgeous, cello-like low notes that we have never heard on an ABBA recording. Given their extreme self-consciousness about the appearance of being old, I was also shocked that Frida's vocals were not pitched or somehow digitally manipulated to sound like her 1970s voice. Other than just a tiny bit of autotune at the end, I just hear full-frontal Frida with her beautifully mellowed voice, and all its imperfections and wobbly vibrato, and it just complements the subject matter of the song so perfectly. It reminds us of our own mortality and the passage of time, but also assures us that we all have that majestic Second Act within us just when we think it's all over. I initially found the song to be a bit sappy and bombastic at first, but I think it would not have been as impactful if it just flatlined after the first chorus. I don't think Benny has it "within him" to just leave well enough alone.
By contrast, DSMD is an instant classic. It slaps. It is just everything I love about ABBA in a neat, 4-minute nugget. The verbose lyrics. The catchy melody and musical counterpoints. The low-high-low dynamics. The glissando. The key changes. The lush wall-of-sound arrangements. And then the girls, who create a sound that nobody else on earth can replicate. And Agnetha has not lost a step since "The Day Before You Came." I love the fact that the lyrics can be interpreted as a woman coming back to an old flame as a new, improved person, as well as the ABBAtars themselves, who are "now and then combined" and are figments of computers/software ("And now you see another me, I've been reloaded... I'm not the same this time around"). I am just stunned that ABBA can hit this hard in the winter of their lives.
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Post by hejiranyc on Sept 2, 2021 13:27:32 GMT
I think we are about to witness the future of pop music. Through the aid of computers, musicians in their 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond can look and sound like they did in their prime, and this will be the new normal. I would not be surprised to see Britney Spears gyrating with a snake on stage, virtually, in 25 years. On the one hand, I am thrilled by the prospect of new ABBA music. On the other... I find all of this digitization to be dystopian - like something from a bad sci fi novel. That image of the ABBAtars on the billboard really struck home how weird all of this really is.
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Post by hejiranyc on Aug 31, 2021 20:07:26 GMT
As Matt says, Pop Justice has not long ago Posted this. I'm just telling you what the Post says - I've no idea if it is true. Here it is. I'm just telling you. I've written it exactly as he has. No idea if it is true, but it was Posted by an, (alleged), Music Industry Employee. EPK means Electronic Press Kit). A lot of UK etc. Music Sites, have Members who are Journalists, and who also work in the Global Music Industry. 'I just got a sneak peek at the Press kit for this and: - The album will include 10 NEW SONGS. 2 of which will be in the hologram show. - We got a music video for 'I Still Have Faith In You'. (not sure what it's gonna be but the press kit includes pictures of ABBA in motion capture suits.) - The album campaign runs from Sep to Dec so I guess they're targeting a December release date. - Only B&B appeared in the EPK video.Wow. Just wow. Not sure what to think. On the one hand, I am inclined to disregard this as yet another unsubstantiated rumor. On the other hand, a journalist/website is staking their reputation on reporting credible information, so this is not to be taken lightly. If this is indeed the case, HOLY AMAZEBALLS! Also... I find it peculiar that only B&B (in their actual personas) will be appearing in the EPK video. I know Agnetha is notoriously reclusive... so I wonder if she is adamant about staying completely out of the spotlight throughout the promotion of this project. I don't need to see her getting interviewed everywhere, but it would be good to see her make a one-time press appearance, if for no other reason than to let us see that she is happy, healthy and doing well.
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Post by hejiranyc on Aug 31, 2021 19:55:52 GMT
I can't say I have much to add to this thread since I can't think of 20 ABBA songs that I dislike that intensely. That being said, I was listening to Super Trouper recently and I had a visceral reaction when "I Have a Dream" came on: Ugh! There, that is the one ABBA song that I just do not like. It is corny, repetitive and goes on and on without going anywhere. After reading through this thread, I am heartened that I am not alone in my dislike of this grating song.
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Post by hejiranyc on Aug 20, 2021 13:07:10 GMT
Regarding how 'Dated' some of the 'New' ABBA Songs, may sound... ABBA never really tried to 'Fit In', with their Singles and Albums. They just created Songs and Productions, that were the best they could - at the time. Then they Released them. This is absolutely not true. ABBA were 100% of-their-time. In fact, their discography reads like a like a history of popular music styles of the 1970s and early 1980s. From the neo-hippie folk of "People Need Love" to the Philly soul-inspired "My Mama Said" to the glam rock of "Does Your Mother Know" to the disco of "Gimme Gimme Gimme" to the California rock of "King Has Lost His Crown" to the prog-rock of "Intermezzo No. 1" to the Europop of "The Day Before You Came" to the synthesized 80s sheen of "The Visitors." They fully embraced the textures, sounds and vibes of each era and each genre. All that being said, they stamped the ABBA brand on everything they did with their complex vocal arrangements, the highly dynamic arrangements and the phenomenal production values. The only other band I can think of that compared to ABBA's intense level of studio perfection (self-titled album, onwards) was Steely Dan. I think it would be foolish to try and predict what ABBA will release in 2021. Forty years is a really long time, so we really cannot use the past as a point of reference. Nobody is the same after 40 years. But being the fool that I am, I would venture to guess that the new songs will be somewhat in the same lane as The Wknd and P!nk, and maybe even Lana del Rey - performers who create polished, 80s-inspired pop but with modern sounds. It goes without saying that autotune will be heavily featured in ABBA's new songs, not because A and A cannot stay in tune, rather, because it is just the sound of the moment.
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Post by hejiranyc on Jul 18, 2021 17:33:00 GMT
Ok a word of caution for those wanting hit singles.... Firstly i hope that the release(s) will be massive on all formats , I really don't see the point otherwise, last roll of the dice to get a 10th plus number one single in the UK for instance. Of course i guess we are all hoping for a new album... which i think we will get... The caution bit... We have talked about EPs, personally i dont think this format will happen... however and yes not as popular now, The Spice Girls have just released an EP of Wannabee.. etc remixes early versions it has failed to hit the top 100 UK Single or albums charts.... and it was well hyped and published everywhere, sank without trace.. That said I cant see this happening with ABBA , the publicity will be huge.....but it will all be down to streaming for longevity in the charts, otherwise it could be in the charts at number 1 and disappear within a few weeks... Interesting times are ahead..... I can assure you that old people (ABBA's primary base) are not streaming. The new music will have to be released on some kind of physical medium in order to sustain any longevity. A CD release is a no-brainer. Ironically, I believe this new music would become their first new music ever to be released in CD format at inception. Their hiatus has essentially outlasted the CD era!
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Post by hejiranyc on Apr 20, 2021 15:42:17 GMT
This Abbatars project is progressing at a glacial pace. I was resolutely against paying money to see this. But the little details dropped in these recent articles are intriguing. As mentioned above, I suspect that the writer of the article may have erroneously suggested that the entire show consists of newly recorded vocals. But if this is actually the case, I am really excited to hear these new interpretations. Plus, I had assumed that the Abbatars would be based entirely on old concert footage that had somehow been rendered into 3-D holograms. But now it sounds like the Abbatars will be created from scratch, which opens a world of interesting possibilities. I am now sorta kinda interested in seeing this.
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Post by hejiranyc on Aug 6, 2019 3:18:01 GMT
Perspective, people. Of course the Abbatars and the new songs are linked. Did you think that the four of them were sitting in their separate summer cottages thinking about new song ideas and reforming ABBA just for fun and companionship? Of course not. I hate the idea of Abbatars as much as anyone, but thank Buddah that Simon Fuller is as persuasive as he is greedy and he convinced them that getting back together and recording new music was a good idea. ABBA could have very well left their legacy intact and they would have remained iconic enigmas forever. Instead, they risk flushing this legacy away with the Abbatars, so every note and pixel needs to be perfect. As frustrated as I am with the delays, I 100% understand why they are fretting over every fine detail. My theory is that they are basically finished with the technical aspects of the Abbatars show, but they realized that it just wasn't particularly entertaining or was lacking the oomph needed to keep dazzle a live audience. I wouldn't be surprised if they recorded new arrangements for some songs, hence, Benny's comment about "recycling." And if this is the case, this could be the foundation for a "new" ABBA album featuring these new Abbatar arrangements in addition to the two new songs.
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