ABBA, Arrival  (1976)
I grew up at a time when you couldn’t really admit that you liked ABBA – well, thinking back now that’s how it seemed. And then there was that Abbasolutely compilation – which was cool. And then a bunch of movies played ABBA songs (some of them were good, some not so much). And to be honest it was things like that – covers of ABBA, placement of songs in movies that gave me an understanding of and appreciation for the music; sharp pop writing. I never really had an opinion on ABBA either way – of course I knew the big hits, many of them on this album – but I didn’t know them in the sense of actually living with them. Dancing Queen was just something that played on the tiny transistor radio in the doctor’s waiting room. ABBA Gold is really all I need – and I have that – and one or two other hits albums on vinyl too. But I also have a few of the studio albums. Including this. You find them all the time. Cheap. You get given them, you find them. I’ve never ever listened to this. Beyond the big hit singles is it actually any good?

Sample Track: Tiger

The Vinyl Countdown is a document of every LP I listen to, brand new discoveries and old-old favourites; extremely pre-loved, previously abandoned or with the shrink-wrap having just been removed it’s all here at The Vinyl Countdown