ABBA's Arrival: Cheesy and affectionately flawed!

ABBA was a sensation in the seventies and rightfully so. Their gorgeous harmonies, almost always interesting arrangements and knack for creating an addictive hook is obvious to all. Of course, there will be the deniers who dismiss them as disco dance fluff and at times they are but it would be decidedly wrong to dismiss their musical abilities which are brilliant. Arrival isn't their best album but it's fun. There are some definite corny moments but my affection for this album is enough to overlook some of the hokey lyrics and heavy synthesizers.

The album begins with the slightly corny (well maybe be a bit more than slightly) "When I Kissed The Teacher". Hearing this song I now realize what the inspiration was for all those oddball Brady Bunch songs. Despite all of this the vocals are strong and pleasingly arranged as the girls sing about their crush on the teacher. Their most memorable hit is the elegant, swirly "Dancing Queen" which comes second on Arrival. Almost classical piano, a relentless tambourine, a choir of angelic pianos and rushing strings combine with a disco ball and the result is one of the most enduring pop songs of our time. "Dum Dum Diddle" has a bit of an Irish jig feel with it's synthesized fiddles. This song is pretty catchy and I remember dancing all around the living room to it when I was a kid.

The slow songs are often ABBA's weak spot. "My Love" is painstakingly boring and melodramatic and even though the harmonies are lush gorgeous the song just has no hook and drags on. If Celine Dion were big in the seventies she would have recorded this song without a doubt. I think a bit more in the arrangement would have made this song more powerful and interesting. "Knowing Me, Knowing You" is the perfect example of what I'm talking about. It's a ballad but it has a definitive hook and some interesting instrumentation. From the guys echoing underneath with soft but strong background vocals or the slightly groovy "uh-huh" that slides after the title is strongly stated, this song is rich with sounds and style.

Another memorable track off this album is the pulsing "Money Money Money" about the fact there is never enough money and the girls solution to this is to find a sugar daddy. It's maybe the predecessor of Madonna's "Material Girl" but Madonna never had the frantic synthesizers scattering underneath. "That's Me" is so bubbly and synthesized with these girly vocals floating over the top including harmonies that are pure perfection. "I'm Carrie, not the kind of girl you marry, that's me!" It is so affectionately seventies. "Tiger" is another pop gem with it's cotton candy sense of threat as the girls wail "I am behind you, I always find you I am the tiger." It's faux fierce and so much fun. The album ends with the instrumental "Arrival" and is decidedly Scottish flavored with majestic bagpipes and harmonies that sound like they are coming from the sky. It ties the end together nicely but doesn't stand alone as a track.

In the end, Arrival is a definite piece of nostalgia. It's seventies feel is apparent and dated, but in this case the dated is good. It's like being transported to another era. My personal favorite album is The Album and feel that showcases their talents in a much more musically appealing package but this album is entertaining and a big wad of chewy bubble gum. I say get it. We all need a little more fun in our lives.