GOLD
EMI 7243 5 22144 2
Produced by: The Black Sweden
Released: OUT / Website
Closest Relative: ? :)
GENRE: Hard Rock
OVERALL: 99%
|
GOLD EMI 7243 5 22144 2 Produced by: The Black Sweden Released: OUT / Website Closest Relative: ? :) GENRE: Hard Rock |
OVERALL: 99%
| |||
|
I have had this album for nearly a year now (thanks Phil!) and have put off doing a review, due to the cult nature of the album and the fact that there always seemed something more pressing that needed the attention. But after putting up a soundbyte last week of the Enter Sandman track, and the unequivocally enthusiastically unanimous response, here is a full review of the album I describe as the ultimate cult classic. I can't fault a single aspect of this release and feel it is well worthy of the mark imposed upon it and will live up to your expectations, as long as you have a sense of humor and a sense of adventure! The Black Sweden are a group of top Swedish session musicians that masquerade as a band and play the odd summer festival and random gigs paying tribute to the ultimate in Swedish musical acts - Abba. Those responsible for this remain a mystery. Their names in the liner notes are there to put us off the scent - Dr A Force, Sir Richard Fireburn, Johnny Flash & Steve Speed. Only one name can be placed elsewhere. Steve Speed is the drummer for new Swedish rock Gods Kharma. Firstly a thought or two on Abba. There is no denying that the nucleus of that group, Benny and Bjorn wrote over many years, some of the best pop songs ever. I rate them as in the same bracket as Lennon/McCartney as far as their ability to be able to sculpture a great hook out of thin air. The band were also light years ahead of their time in their usage of studio technology, overdubs, harmony vocals and mutli-layered vocals. That knack has allowed the songs to endure over the decades to a point where they are still very relevant today and have not even dated. That's the pop angle covered. So how many of you rockers out there have been closet fans and have always wished to hear the same passion in those songs, yet with a hard edged guitar or pounding rhythm section added for good measure? | |||
|
Abba have been the subject of a thousand cover versions, including even Yngwie Malmsteen and a more recently released heavy metal tribute to them. But for us melodic rock heads, this is it. This is the mother of all tribute albums. This rocks hard. This album turns Abba songs into something that wouldn't sound out of place on a Van Halen or Night Ranger album. This is not you average tribute. You can't help but listen to this with a grin on your face. Plus every time I play it in public or to a mate, the reaction is always the same. What the *#@& is this??!! And - where can I get a copy? Why the such enthusiastic reaction? Well, with this tribute to Abba, there is a twist in the tale. These guys are classic rockers, and what better way to pay tribute to their rock peers as well as their countries best selling export, than to combine them in the one album. That's right, each track is not just a straight rocked up version of a Abba song. Each track is a combination of a classic hard rock song and one Abba song. This is where the brilliance of the album, the concept of it and indeed the guys playing this is found. The intro to every song is a classic rock song, before they break into the Abba track. But it doesn't end there. During instrumental breaks, chorus bridges, lead guitar solos and even at the end of some tracks, the guys break back into that classic rock song. Added to that, each Abba song is basically played out in the style, pace and rhythm of the original rock track. Brilliant! Genius! This review is getting way to long, so let's talk tracks... The album opens with the unmistakable riffs from Smoke On The Water. But it's hardly a minute before the harmonies of Mama Mia take over. I have never heard the song sung with such conviction and passion! Next victim and the second Deep Purple song of the album, Woman From Tokyo heads into a dark and heavy and more uptempo version of Does Your Mother Know. Next track starter Tush soon breaks into a fired up version of the very poppy and quite cheesy I Do I Do I Do. Just what the original deserves! One of the best tracks of the album is this one. The pounding beat of Enter Sandman intertwined with the harmonies of Take A Chance On Me. This version I have to say - rocks big time! The Winner Takes It All is the only track on the album that is played in a straight fashion. This is an acoustic driven rock ballad version of the song, in full serious heartfelt manner. It's the only track that doesn't take the piss. Next track they are right back into it. Kiss' God Of Thunder intro's into the classic hit SOS, sung as you have never heard it before. This is a personal favorite along with Enter Sandman / Take A Chance On Me. The raw vocal passion on this is sensational and the song is transformed into a dark moody rocker. Another unmistakable intro, this time from Ballroom Blitz leads into a 70's glam rock version of the cult classic Dancing Queen. Another of my personal favorites is an uptempo rocking version of Money Money Money, done with the intro to Van Halen's classic Ain't Talking About Love. The whole song features Eddie VH like guitar riffing and refrains from the track. Judas Priest's Breaking The Law is used briefly to introduce Ring Ring, which plays out as expected, just with an obviously harder rock edge. Led Zeppelin's Heartbreaker starts of a much darker and heavy rocking Knowing Me Knowing You. Another light pop song turned into a gut-wrenching dark rock track. Another classic! The final track is a softer totally unplugged version of The Winner Takes It All. Not sure why it has been repeated, but maybe this was launched as a single in Sweden. Either way it is a little bit of a disappointing way to end an otherwise totally flawless album. We'll take off one point for that.
| PRODUCTION: 99% | SONGS: 98% | VIBE: 99% | ATTITUDE: 100% | ESSENTIAL FOR: Every rock fan with a sense of humor and an ear for the classics |