Many pop groups make their debut energetically, quickly reach their top and then bleed to death. Looking at the charts, this was also the case with Abba. The latest singles from the Swedish band were less and less successful. The same applied to the last studio album The Visitors from 1981; the stretch looked a bit out. Still, it felt like a step forward for the group. Despite Abba suffering from
… the aftermath of two stranded marriages (Benny and Frida even divorced just before shooting), the quartet was vital enough to take a new direction. At The Visitors, Abba did this in a technological and artistic field. The Visitors was one of the first albums ever to be digitally recorded and mixed. The lyrics were deeper than before with personal, social and even political statements. In addition, the well-known complex tape sound was replaced by an introspective variant. This re-release (including a variety of non-album singles) shows a relatively unknown Abba. An Abba who, judging by this music, could have developed very well, but never did that again after this record. (JE)more