Disco de ABBA: “Waterloo (Digipak)”

Though occasionally derided for being a bunch of lightweights, Abba reigned supreme during the late 70s and early 80s as the world's most popular rock band since The Beatles. The reason was simple, they were capable of writing and performing great pop songs. Having said that, Abba was also first and foremost a singles band. Any of their various Greatest Hits and anthology collections are better buys for most fans that their original albums, which contain less than first rate filler material in between the hits.

"Waterloo" is actually one of their better original albums. The title track and "Honey Honey" are the big hits, but there are a number of solid less well known songs, including "Dance (While the Music Still Goes On," "What About Livingstone," "Gonna Sing You My Lovesong" and a decent regge attempt with "Sitting in a Palmtree." There are also a few out and out duds, particularly the silly "King Kong Song," a lame attempt at hard rock.

Overall, "Waterloo" is a good album for Abba fans, but I would recommend that casual listeners start with a Greatest Hits collection first.

Abba is the most important pop band of all time, and this CD is one of the best of the group. Their second album is full of beautiful melodies and a lot of amazing arrangements, in memorable songs like 'Hasta Mañana", "Dance (While The Music Still Goes On)", "Waterloo", and "My Mamma Said".

All the record is great, and you can hear and see how they were beyond the times, doing sometimes disco music in 1974, and without the motown influence, or some pre-discoteque kind of music. They were unique, very original, and this CD shows the begginig of the legend, a mature band in compositions, arrangements and ideas, even in this early stage of their career.

That is definitely "a must" to every fan of pop music and good music.

No matter what anyone tells you- ABBA was and still is the greatest band of ALL Time! They were ahead of their time in 1974, which is why they are MORE popular today, especially in the USA, than ever before. Their song compositions are multi-layered, and comlex; that is why critics who really don't know them call them simplistic ballads. That's because they're too complex in nature to be dissected. Just sit back, listen to their songs, and escape reality for a while. This CD and all of their others are masterpieces that will survive time.

Besides songs like Eurovision winner "Waterloo" and their second hit single "Honey, Honey" being favorites from Mamma Mia, I've discovered new ones. "Gonna Sing You My Love Song", "Hasta Manana" and "Dance (While the Music Still Goes On)" are highlights for me on this. Ones that feel out of place are the reggae-styled "Sitting in the Palm Tree", the rocking "Watch Out" and "King Kong Song" and these songs I couldn't find a category for: "My Mama Said" and "What About Livingstone".

Some reviewers want to say that this early album is simply formative and not that great. While it's true they had not quite gelled into their later "dance sheen", the fact is that this is among their best. If you are a true fan, you will find this album their most ecclectic, but full of all the things that made them great (which is why you will love it). The difference here is their doing so many different styles of music. But they all work. That's why they are Gods and Goddesses.