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Post by Henry on Oct 27, 2023 20:08:45 GMT
This might be my favorite soloalbum from Agnetha
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Post by johnny on Oct 28, 2023 8:32:09 GMT
A+ drops out of all UK charts.
In Sweden the #6 placing in Physical Chart doesn't help it in Main Chart where it drops from #8 to outside Top 60.
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Post by HOMETIME on Oct 28, 2023 10:32:19 GMT
Given how bonkers the album charts have become, it no longer seems unusual that an album should make such a fleeting visit. Didn't Rick Astley have just one week at No.2 before exiting the Top 100? Acts with huge followings like Jessie Ware are making lightning quick appearances too. And even Ed Sheeran seems to have lost his grip.
Looking at the recent posts, it's great to see people enjoying the album. And on its own terms, too. Charts be damned. I made the mistake of trying to make a hybrid playlist to replace the original set. It doesn't really work: the new version is more standalone that I'd imagined.
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Post by johnny on Oct 28, 2023 10:56:23 GMT
Yes, the charts are bonkers now. Of the top of my head I can think of 5 Top 3 albums,two #1's that left the Top 100 the following week.
That being said, always nicer to be successful than not. But the charts not the best way to measure success.
The emphasis on Streaming is keeping ABBA, Elton, and Fleetwood Mac in or near the Top 20 week after week.
On the A+ itself I haven't got round to listening to it. The original I just found so forgettable and wasn't impressed with the new song.
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Post by voyage2 on Oct 30, 2023 9:45:36 GMT
I bought the CD etc, but have to admit have not played it yet! Just heard snippets on you tube. Not sure what that tells me really, other than I liked the original and just not bothered what they have done with the re-imagined version?!? Have always preferred Agnetha's pre-ABBA solo records and adore MCB! Well done to Agnetha though for doing something different, fantastic to see and hear from her, which was a lovely surprise. But I guess I could live without it, judging by my lack of listening to it in full!
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Post by HOMETIME on Oct 30, 2023 11:24:37 GMT
[...] Have always preferred Agnetha's pre-ABBA solo records and adore MCB! Well done to Agnetha though for doing something different, fantastic to see and hear from her, which was a lovely surprise. [...] You've got me thinking, voyage2. It's interesting how their solo albums demonstrate how different as artists both Agnetha and Frida are - not just to each other, but to ABBA. Over the years, they've been set up for some unfair comparisons because of their success with ABBA, almost as if they somehow owe it to us - the fans, the public, the media - to deliver ABBAesque records. More people need to judge the releases on their own merits, rather than expect an "ABBA-lite" substitute. Is anyone ready to rank their favourites on A+ yet? Or rank the album among their favorite Agnetha albums? |
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Post by Michal on Oct 30, 2023 15:08:35 GMT
Is anyone ready to rank their favourites on A+ yet? Or rank the album among their favorite Agnetha albums? Quite unexpectedly I've been warming up to the album recently, even humming WDWGFH now and then. Still it's definitely my least favourite Agnetha's album, and since I heard it just once or twice, I'm not ready to rank the songs. As for the albums, I prefer her Swedish solo stuff too (at least from Som Jag Är onwards), so my favourites would go like this: 1. Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus 2. När En Vacker Tanke Blir En Sång 3. Som Jag Är 4. MCB 5. WYAAM 6. Eyes Of A Woman 7. I Stand Alone 8. AF Vol.2 9. AF 10. A 11. A+ The children albums would be at the very bottom. |
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Post by HOMETIME on Oct 30, 2023 17:15:20 GMT
I can only rank the English language albums, as the Swedish ones didn't gel with me. I think I'll need a little longer with A+ to give a fair ranking, as it wouldn't score very highly right now - but it might move up a little
I think that A and A+ probably suffer a little in my ranking because of the lyrics. I appreciate that Jorgen Elofsson tried to make the songs personal to Agnetha. It may be that his ambition collided with the language barrier and maybe I should be a bit more forgiving (certainly, I could never even dream of writing in Swedish). But the results are sometimes hard to digest. I sometimes wonder what the result might have been if A had been recorded in Swedish?
I was dubious about the new version of Past Forever at first, but it's growing on me. So A+ might yet end up surpassing A for me.
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Post by johnny on Oct 31, 2023 13:12:04 GMT
I haven't heard the Swedish solo albums or Frida's.
Regarding Agnetha's English language albums Eyes of a Woman, I Stand Alone and A are very bland and totally forgettable.
Wrap Your Arms Around Me has some good tunes as does My Colouring Book which covers 60s classics. Just those two albums for me. And even then quite average compared to an ABBA album.
In terms of fandom, I am not at the highest level for ABBA - or anyone.. I am not into most of the solo stuff nor special editions etc
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Post by Tinneke on Nov 1, 2023 6:20:38 GMT
new animation vid for Back on your radio today
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Post by joseph on Nov 2, 2023 19:20:59 GMT
"She does not have the interest that ABBA get."
-No s..t, Sherlock.
"Really 'A+' has been a 'Non Event'. Much fuss about nothing."
-Nothing? Seriously? Says you who barely even mentions anything about the actual songs or music and instead bangs on about chart stats.
"Hopefully, ABBA themselves will give us New Music, to get excited about,
in 2024. That would be far, far more exciting than 'Solo' Music."
-Oh really. Since when have you ever posted anything except numbers and charts stats as though that's the only measure of success.
Your post made ME cringe. Your arrogance at completely dismissing Agnetha's latest venture is shameful.
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Post by Alan on Nov 2, 2023 22:51:19 GMT
Was that really necessary, joseph? Colin doesn’t post much anymore, and he always has been more interested in charts than anything else. I thought we’d all accepted that. I don’t think there was anything that controversial in what he said. It’s not as if others (including myself) haven’t said similar. Your post made me cringe, to be frank, and I almost considered deleting it as I’m aware that Colin is quite sensitive and would be upset to see that. Such an attack was uncalled for. |
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Post by pixi on Nov 3, 2023 13:28:11 GMT
 The new animation / official lyric video for Back On Your Radio is available to view on YouTube  |
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Post by HOMETIME on Nov 4, 2023 22:14:44 GMT
I tried to do a Top 6 ranking. Unfortunately, I still couldn't settle on anything in the 3 - 6 positions. We have the same faves/least faves on the I Stand Alone album (I'd add the title tracks to faves, and Let It Shine to least faves). A and A+ are going to have to battle it out a little longer for me. As things stand, Eyes Of A Woman has taken a surprising lead on them.
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Post by Henry on Nov 10, 2023 6:26:33 GMT
I keep them on the floor beside my bed christmas edition (digital single) out now
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Post by Alan on Nov 10, 2023 7:18:35 GMT
And here it is:
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Post by foreverfan on Nov 10, 2023 10:02:18 GMT
It's only my opinion....
But come on , this is not " Christmas" a flickering candle and a few falling snowflakes, and jingle bells so distant in the background you can hardly hear them...
All subjective of course,
Even the theme doesn't work....
It always amazing me how a few little so called Christmas tweaks and voila you have a Christmas hit.... not...
Just my opinion of course.....
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Post by Henry on Nov 10, 2023 10:12:07 GMT
I agree...underwhelmed am I :-) TV special Agnetha 2013 is on the BBC tonight 9 pm
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Post by Alan on Nov 10, 2023 13:51:51 GMT
It is an odd thing to do, to try and make a Christmas record out of one that isn’t (especially one that was originally released in May so never had any association with the festive period).
I wonder if Jörgen had a Christmas song written for her but she wouldn’t do it, so he’s done this instead?
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Post by Henry on Nov 10, 2023 14:55:42 GMT
It's not odd...it's a remix.
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Post by Alan on Nov 10, 2023 16:15:23 GMT
It's not odd...it's a remix. That wasn’t what I meant. If you read my post, you’ll have seen that I said “it’s odd to try and make a Christmas song out of one that isn’t”. The fact it’s a remix is completely irrelevant. Even you said you were underwhelmed (which was a bit of a surprise!) |
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Post by HOMETIME on Nov 10, 2023 18:45:23 GMT
I heard the new version this morning and, the sleighbells aside, I think it might even be my favourite version of the song. The arrangement is spare and - best of all - there is no effing whistling on it. The gently fumbled barely-there guitar is so nicely done. The downside is that the vocal has been pushed through that singing-through-a-telephone filter all the way through: why not let the natural voice shine? If you could replace the sleighbells with a gently brushed snare, this would be almost perfect. As a single (by the standards we've been conditioned to expect) it is underwhelming, but I think it knocks both album versions into a cocked hat. I wasn't expecting that at all! The TV-show re-run might help shunt the album back into the chart next week... possibly? I agree...underwhelmed am I Who are you, and what have you done with Henry?  |
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Post by Henry on Nov 10, 2023 19:11:25 GMT
It's a me and I situation :-)
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Post by Henry on Nov 21, 2023 17:00:38 GMT
It's one of the strongest songs on A and A+ in my opinion.
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Post by Henry on Nov 30, 2023 13:18:20 GMT
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Post by welshboy on Dec 2, 2023 14:02:18 GMT
I have enjoyed this new LP very much. But I have kept from playing the record until Christmas Day. Something that I would not be able to do if I was still a kid. Then I had play it on the day I got it.
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Post by Henry on Dec 2, 2023 17:30:03 GMT
I love A+!
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Post by AdamDawson2003 on Dec 31, 2023 0:51:54 GMT
I treated myself to the A+ album while I do think its ok I much prefer the original A album its miles better than the new version of the album not keen on the remixed backing tracks at all I adore Where Do We Go From Here such a beautiful song.
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Post by Henry on Dec 31, 2023 8:14:49 GMT
The backing tracks are not remixed. I prefer A+.
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Post by ThomasBG on Dec 31, 2023 21:42:56 GMT
I'll still buy it and I'm intrigued to hear A+. I've listened to the song a couple of more times this morning and still I find myself somewhat torn. It doesn't 'tickle my ears' the way many of her songs still do. This is the first time this has happened to me! Taking album tracks out of the equation, I've always liked, loved even, every Agnetha single release. If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind still gives me 'ghost'bumps. I feel a tad sad about it and even slightly guilty, which is ridiculous. Am I a bad fan? Usually, I'd have any new song on repeat and be buzzing about it for ages. Maybe I'm just a jaded old fool. It's disappointing to me because I remember how utterly thrilled I was when My Colouring Book was released and when I first saw that picture of Agnetha and Frida on the carpet with Meryl Streep there were real tears! The same with the Voyage premiere on YouTube. I still feel emotional when Frida sings those first few lines of I Still Have Faith In You. I think I'm overthinking it all. It's ok to not rave about everything. It's not the end of the world. I was hoping I am not the only one who feels that way. The whole A+ album is a very big disappointment to me. Songs I have loved so much, arranged in a way that doesn't add anything, at least not anything positive to the original versions. Plus, time obviously takes its toll and I can feel Angetha struggling to articulate some words. It also seems that she has lost some English pronunciation skills and now I can feel a foreign language accent - something that has never been there even 50 years ago. It's a pity because not only ABBA is my favorite band, but Agnetha is my favorite ABBA member. |
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