Abba
Ring Ring - Polar 1973
Tracks: 1. Ring Ring / 2. Another Town, Another Train / 3. Disillusion / 4. People Need Love / 5. I Saw It In The Mirror/ 6. Nina, Pretty Ballerina / 7. Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough) / 8. Me And Bobby And Bobby's Brother / 9. He Is Your Brother / 10. She's My Kind Of Girl / 11. I Am Just A Girl / 12. Rock'N'Roll Band / 13. Merry-Go-Round / 14. Santa Rosa / 15. Ring, Ring (In Swedish)
Comments:
"Ring Ring" was Abba's first album; released in 1973 a year before their international breakthrough with "Waterloo". Although the group at this point appear somewhat immature and without the sharp profile that would later characterize the group's sound, there are nonetheless several fine pop melodies on the album.
The stand-out track is without question the title track "Ring Ring", which sounds like a song that just as well as "Waterloo" could have been a breakthrough song.
In addition to this great pop-song, there are other nice pop-tunes, some of which suffer a little from slightly weak lyrics or uninpiring male vocals. On later albums the girls took the vast majority of the lead-vocals - a clever decision.
"Disillusion" is a fine ballad written and sung by Agnetha Fältskog."Another Town, Another Train" is also a fine people inspired ballad - I would have liked to have the lead vocals sung by one of the girls. "Nina, Pretty Ballerina" - is a little song in the tradition songs like Obladi-Oblada - quite enjoyable, but also rather forgettable.
All in all not a bad debut, though it does not measure up to later releases from the group.
Back to Band pages
|