Visitors

visitors

Track Listings
1. Dies Irae
2. L'Extra-Aventure De Villas-Boas
3. Terre-Larbour
4. Flatwoods Story
5. Nous
6. Visitors
7. Le Retour Des Dieux

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
A dream come true ! Here is one of the most underrated French albums, but also one of the most sought after, finally reissued by Musea. VISITORS was actually a one-shot band gathered around producer Jean-Pierre MASSIERA, and including about twenty musicians. Besides the rhythm section, the stress was here put on the keyboards (Hammond organ & Mini-Moog) and on choirs that remind of VANILLA FUDGE. The band performs a sophisticated music based on numerous breaks and refined developments. Let's also mention beautiful parts by Didier LOCKWOOD's violin, who was here playing for the first time on an album. The music goes from a YES kind of Progressive rock to elaborated Seventies British bands (CRESSIDA, GRACIOUS !...) and to the beginnings of jazz-rock. To be urgently rediscovered !

Visitors,Visitors,Musea

Visitors
Menotti: Amahl and the Night Visitors
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • My favorite Christmas music
  • An unsung genius
  • Amahl and the Night Visitors made our Christmas very precious!
  • Mother, Mother, Mother Come With Me...
  • A must have
 Menotti: Amahl and the Night Visitors
Gian Carlo Menotti , Thomas Schippers , Rosemary Kuhlmann Chet Allen , and Andrew McKinley, David Aiken Leon Lishner
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Amahl and the Night Visitors: Vocal Score (Vocal Score Series)
  2. Amahl and the Night Visitors
  3. Menotti - Amahl and the Night Visitors
  4. Amahl and the Night Visitors: Easy Piano Solo
  5. The John Rutter Christmas Album

ASIN: B000003EPE
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Amahl! Amahl!
  2. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Oh, Mother, You Should Go Out And See!
  3. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Stop Bothering Me!
  4. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Poor Amahl!
  5. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Don't Cry, Mother Dear
  6. Amahl And The Night Visitors: From Far Away We Come
  7. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Amahl...Yes, Mother?
  8. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Good Evening! Good Evening!
  9. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Come In, Come In!
  10. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Are You A Real King?
  11. Amahl And The Night Visitors: This Is My Box
  12. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Amahl, I Told You Not To Be A Nuisance!
  13. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Oh, These Beautiful Things
  14. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Have You Seen A Child
  15. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Shepherds! Shepherdesses!
  16. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Emily, Emily
  17. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Olives and Quinces
  18. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Shepherds' Dance
  19. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Thank You, Good Friends
  20. Amahl And The Night Visitors: All That Gold!
  21. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Thief! Thief!
  22. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Don't You Dare!
  23. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Oh, Woman, You Can KeepThe Gold
  24. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Oh, No, Wait
  25. Amahl And The Night Visitors: I Walk, Mother
  26. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Do You Really Want To Go?
  27. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Shepherds, Arise!

Amazon.com

Back in the days when the forces that controlled television actually cared about art, it was perfectly normal to see original plays and live musical performances right in your living room. In 1950, Menotti was commissioned to write an opera for television, and on Christmas Eve, 1951, Amahl and the Night Visitors was performed by the NBC Television Theater. This recording, under the composer's personal direction, was made a few days later, and it remains the definitive version, even though the sound is very dated and rough in places. This story of a poor shepherd boy's encounter with three kings and the miraculous healing of his crippled leg when he offers his crutch as a gift has captured audiences around the world ever since its premiere. Its charming mix of tuneful melody, dancing rhythms, delightful choruses, humor and poignancy, and an English text makes this work immediately accessible to audiences of all ages and musical tastes. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars My favorite Christmas music.......2007-05-13

Having seen the original TV production of Amahl as a kid, I have very fond and tender memories of this story, and I find the music to be absolutely delightful - profound but in a very accessible and somewhat playful way. This recording brings back the spirit of Christmas to me instantly!

5 out of 5 stars An unsung genius.......2007-04-10

Giancarlo Menotti slipped peacefully to his rewards recently after having composed some of the finest music of the last century. Although an Italian native, his ability to place English words in his vocal works in exactly the right places to allow singers their best production, he is still not performed often. His story lines are always poignant, whether for opera or ballet and his orchestral works strike at the emotional heart of the listener while giving the performers great opportunities to shine. His Christmas opera, "Amahl and the Night Visitors" was first telecast with a brilliant, wonderfully cast and directed group of singers and dancers and was an immediate success, scheduled to be repeated the following season. Only one copy of the tape was stored and, incredibly, was "accidentally" erased, before the second telecast. It was necessarily recast in the role of Amahl, since the first young boy's voice had changed. This is the result of that recasting, with the rest of the amazing singers and new boy recreating a blessed and beautiful masterpiece. I regret that the same care was not given to the visual aspects in the second, hastily produced telecast.
In my opinion, this creation should be lovingly produced every year!
I am a grateful singer of his works.

5 out of 5 stars Amahl and the Night Visitors made our Christmas very precious!.......2007-01-20

I grew up listening to this operetta and it was so exciting to find it again and make it a part of my family's traditions. This is an excellent recording.

4 out of 5 stars Mother, Mother, Mother Come With Me..........2007-01-13

It's as good as I remember from my own childhood, and I was AMAZED when my 5 year old son DEMANDED to hear it over and over on our recent trip to Minnesota. Now, weeks after we've packed away our Christmas CD's, my son STILL sings out from the other room "Mother! Mother! Mother come with me, I want to be sure that you see what I see!" whenever he wants to show me something. I'm glad that such a wonderful piece of our culture has been woven into the consciousness of yet another generation.

5 out of 5 stars A must have.......2007-01-10

My earliest childhood memories of Christmas always include Amahl. My parents saw this the first year they were married and it became a tradition to listen to it after that.

It has become the cornerstone of my families holiday celebrations.
The Visitors
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Abba's Magnum Opus
  • Great album...but poor re-mastering
  • wonderful
  • ABBA gets creepy, grown up, and very good.
  • In A Class By itself
 The Visitors
ABBA
Manufacturer: Polydor / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005CDNK
Release Date: 2001-10-16

Tracks:

  1. The Visitors
  2. Head Over Heels
  3. When All Is Said And Done
  4. Soldiers
  5. I Let The Music Speak
  6. One Of Us
  7. Two For The Price Of One
  8. Slipping Through My Fingers
  9. Like An Angel Passing Through My Room
  10. Should I Laugh Or Cry
  11. The Day Before You Came
  12. Cassandra
  13. Under Attack

Amazon.com

Abba's 1981 swan song is appropriately touched by intimations of loss; The Visitors certainly contains nothing as breezy as "Does Your Mother Know." Far from the listless meanderings of a group on its way out, however, the album is alive with emotion and creativity. The title track fuses a melody reminiscent of the Beatles Indian explorations with a smartly done synthesizer arrangement typical of the disc as a whole. (They could've been the Human League!) Similarly moody cuts like "Soldiers" and "One of Us" help make this that rare thing, an Abba record suited for lonely late nights. This 24-bit remaster boasts four bonus cuts, including the final singles "The Day Before You Came" and "Under Attack," in addition to improved sound quality. --Rickey Wright

Album Description

Exclusive import limited edition digipak is remastered, has extensive line notes and lyrics, and includes four bonus songs, 'Should I Laugh Or Cry', 'The Day Before You Came', 'Cassandra' and 'Under Attack'. 13 tracks in all.

Album Details

24-bit digital remaster with new liner notes, complete lyrics and bonus tracks: 'Should I Laugh or Cry', 'The Day Before You Came', 'Cassandra' and 'Under Attack'.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Abba's Magnum Opus.......2007-06-10

Abba had become better and better over the years. I think this album is one of the best released in the 1980s. The strange blend of happiness and sadness that is present on the previous ABBA records is still there, although this record's undertone is really sad. Perhaps that is why it is so beautiful.

1 out of 5 stars Great album...but poor re-mastering.......2007-04-30

I agree with John (from N.Y.), these 24-bit re-masters of the Abba catalogue were a big letdown. In a side by side comparison, the original discs sounded much better than these. The originals were brighter and plenty full; just like the original album sounded.

On the other hand, these 24-bit discs sound slightly muddy and the high end (which includes acoustic guitars and cymbals) are flat or dead sounding thanks to the no-noise solution. My advice, is to save your money and keep your old discs.

5 out of 5 stars wonderful.......2007-04-04

I first listened to this album back in the 80s when I was a teen, now I bought the remastered version and I am in my 40s and I think this album is excellent! When I was 18 or 20 I didnt realized what a wonderful material it was, and now I cannot believe it. Frida shows she is an excelllent singer. I strongly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars ABBA gets creepy, grown up, and very good........2007-01-17

ABBA's final studio album is truly in a class by itself. The title track is about someone alone in their apartment -- which has been surrounded by the secret police -- awaiting their fate for being a political dissident in a communist country. Creepy and brilliant.

This album isn't about disco dancing and teenage crushes, it's about tyranny, watching your children grow up, ending relationships, and war.

If you are an ABBA fan, and you are hesitant to buy this disc because you don't see any charting hits on it, just go ahead and buy it. It's sad that this is the their last album, because I think they could have succeeded with this sould through the decade of the 1980's. They proved that they could change and reinvent themselves.

How many bands have "last albums" that are as great as this one?

5 out of 5 stars In A Class By itself.......2007-01-05

If you're a hardcore ABBA fan like me, you know the history of this album so I won't bore you.

After listing to the album for the umteenth time I have concluded that this is ABBA at their very best. The content of the tracks show an artistic maturity not seen in any previous release. This is ABBA at their finest and I would highly recommend this album to anyone, ABBA fan or not.

I have a lot of albums by a lot of artists, but I would accord "The Visitors" almost a mythical quality. I would willingly part with 99% of my music before i would let this one go.

Buy it, you'll like it! Trust me.
Amahl and the Night Visitors
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Amahl and The Night Visitors
  • Amahl
  • Amahl
  • Very disappointing
  • The best recording of Amahl
 Amahl and the Night Visitors
Lorna Haywood , James Rainbird , David Syrus , and Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House - Covent Garden
Manufacturer: Jay Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Modern & 20th CenturyModern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
EnglishEnglish | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
OperettasOperettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Menotti: Amahl and the Night Visitors
  2. Amahl and the Night Visitors: Vocal Score (Vocal Score Series)
  3. Menotti - Amahl and the Night Visitors
  4. Amahl and the Night Visitors: Easy Piano Solo
  5. Menotti: The Unicorn, the Gorgon and the Manticore

ASIN: B00000C2I7
Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

  1. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Prelude - Opening
  2. Amahl And The Night Visitors: What Was Keeping You Outside
  3. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Don't Cry Mother Dear
  4. Amahl And The Night Visitors: From Far Away We Come
  5. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Amahl, Go See Who's Knocking
  6. Amahl And The Night Visitors: It's Nice Here
  7. Amahl And The Night Visitors: I Was A Shepherd
  8. Amahl And The Night Visitors: This Is My Box
  9. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Have You Seen A Child
  10. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Shepherds, Shepherds
  11. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Dance
  12. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Thank You Good Friends
  13. Amahl And The Night Visitors: All That Food
  14. Amahl And The Night Visitors: Thief! Thief!
  15. Amahl And The Night Visitors: I Walk Mother
  16. Amahl And The Night Visitors: What To Do With Your Crutch?

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Amahl and The Night Visitors.......2007-01-10

This recording (produced in 1986), directed with the help of the composer, Gian Carl Menotti, is the most perfect piece of music I have encountered in many years. Amahl's (James Rainbird)voice is of such sweet clarity and nuance that it brings me to tears. The orchestra (Covent Garden Symphony) is beautiful and multi-layered. Each time I listen to it, I discover some other little piece of phrasing by another instrument that adds to the complex tapestry of the over all musical score. I have purchased several copies of it for friends. I have listened to other versions of Amahl for over 50 years, and this is, by far, the best I have ever heard. For pure listening pleasure of a treasured Christmas classic, I cannot recommend it highly enough. I even listen to it throughout the year, regardless of the season. I simply do not understand other people's criticism of it. Perhaps I am musically naive, perhaps they are musical snobs. It is pure musical bliss in my book, and I can't get enough of it.

1 out of 5 stars Amahl.......2006-12-16

If you know the opera by heart, have performed it countless times, then you know that no recording is as good as the orginal 1951 recording. I find it difficult to listen to any other. I wish that it would be released again!

2 out of 5 stars Amahl.......2003-01-25

Gee - sorry to those who like this modern recording but I like the 1951 recording the best.I have both the LP which is quite scratched by now and the CD which is quite good except for the pauses between tracks. I recommend the 1951 version available from Amazon (or at least it was in 2001).

1 out of 5 stars Very disappointing.......2002-10-16

I'm currently studying the role of Amahl's mother, and I got this recording by the luck of the draw. Kaspar is horribly flat throughout, which is a shame. It was a difficult recording to listen to once, I dread bearing it the number of times I will need to over the next two months.

I'm going to try to return it this afternoon.

5 out of 5 stars The best recording of Amahl.......2002-10-13

I am also a singer and I find this recording much superior in every respect to the other old mono recording. Yes there are a few occasional questionable tuning but it has much less bad tuning when compared to the other recording, which in addition has inferior old mono sound. The performances in this recording are vivid, dramatic and musical, obviously much helped by the presence and direction of the composer, Menotti. If you want a recording of Amahl, this is the only and best recording of Amahl to get.
Super Trouper/The Visitors
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Super Trouper/The Visitors
    ABBA
    Manufacturer: Universal
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000MV92UG
    Release Date: 2007-04-02
    Visitors
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Automatic Man Severely Neglected
    • Impressive Sophomore Effort!!
    		 Visitors
    Automatic Man
    Manufacturer: Lemon Records UK
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    Similar Items:
    1. Automatic Man
    2. Complete Go Sessions
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    ASIN: B00093UQGG
    Release Date: 2005-05-23

    Tracks:

    1. Give It to Me
    2. Live Wire
    3. So You Wanna Be
    4. Y-2-Me
    5. Visitors
    6. Here I Am Now
    7. Daughter of Neptune
    8. What's Done

    Album Details

    Digitally Remastered Edition of Automatic Man's Second Full Length Album, a Blend of Funk, Fusion and Classic Rock that was Perfectly Executed on this Uplifting Eight Track Record. The Lineup Includes "Bayete" (Aka Todd Cochrane, Founder of the Group) and Bay Area Guitarist Pat Thrall. This Deep Catalog Title Appears on CD for the First Time on the Lemon Label and Includes all the Original Artwork plus Bonus Sleevenotes!

    Customer Reviews:

    3 out of 5 stars Automatic Man Severely Neglected.......2006-07-15

    I know that this take on the Automatic Man story will likely irritate some of those familiar with both albums and disdainful of both songs in question, but the biggest question of all is how two astounding would-be singles in a row, "My Pearl" (from the debut) and "Give It To Me", simply didn't become Top 10 smashes in the late Seventies. I can only imagine it was due to Island not having the resources to promote either (this being, of course, pre-U2, although the label's primary roster of reggae artists gave them a steady stream of revenue). "My Pearl" consistently defies easy categorization and portends the (Glenn) Hughes / (Pat) Thrall sound nearly a decade early, as does to a lesser extent the slinky gift-of-the-Magi tale "Give It To Me", resembling, ironically enough, a cross between Rick James (who, of course, had a hit of almost the same exact name not too long after) and Steely Dan. That Island was so blase about this sonically innovative act (try.....earliest Ambrosia, fronted not by David Pack but Donald Fagen, jamming with the Brothers Johnson?) especially given their budding reputation as a cutting-edge label, remains one of those nagging music biz mysteries; while lead vocalist and composer Bayete's lyrics could be a bit clumsy and Thrall is really best known to mainstream audiences in tandem with Pat Travers for "Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)", maybe Automatic Man were just TOO eclectic and a little before their time.

    5 out of 5 stars Impressive Sophomore Effort!!.......2005-09-06

    This album lacks some of the musical creativity of the first Automatic Man album. The departure of bassist Doni Harvey (who now records innovative blues songs on his DoniMusic label) seemed to remove the funky bottom from the layered, spacey rock groove that the first album pioneered. Drummer Mike Shrieve's exit was also awkward, as it seemed that the band was originally formed to provide a showcase for his talents.
    I felt that vocalist/keyboardist Bayete outshined the other musical geniuses in the band on its debut, and then continued to shepherd on with guitarist Pat Thrall (Pat Travers Band, Asia, Hughes/Thrall, Sly & Robbie) for this second effort. It's a continuation of its predecessor, but more synthesizer-driven and danceable ("Give It to Me", "Live Wire"). There were quicker breaks, unexpected bursts of loud guitar and change in tempo ("Here I Am Now"), and the trademark space-rock sound of their classic first album.
    Great to find music with great catchy melodies, outstanding musicianship, and little or no gimmicks. Many thanks to Lemon Records for distributing this gem, and be sure to pick up the amazing debut effort from Automatic Man!
    The Visitors
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		The Visitors
      The Visitors
      Manufacturer: Eschatone Records
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      GeneralGeneral | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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      ASIN: B000MQC8V6
      Release Date: 2007-02-13

      Tracks:

      1. Clean And Civilized
      2. My Unknown Love
      3. TV Blues
      4. Leave Her Alone
      5. Stop What You're Doin'
      6. Dance Into Your Heart
      7. Never Get Enough
      8. I Don't Belong
      9. Happy Again
      10. I Walked With A Zombie
      11. Don't Wait For Me
      12. Runnin' From You
      Talkin' da Kine
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • Talkin' Da KIne
      		 Talkin' da Kine
      Bruddah Kuz
      Manufacturer: Olinda Road -- Navarre --
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

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      ASIN: B00004YLLK
      Release Date: 2004-12-14

      Tracks:

      1. Island Music
      2. Talkin' Da Kine
      3. Puna Ku'u Aloha
      4. Big Island People
      5. Not The Best, B H T B
      6. Pa'ina Piha Kealoha
      7. Keia La'Ohana
      8. I Love Nanakuli
      9. Waimanalo Hang Loose
      10. Pahoa Town
      11. Ballad Of Bruddah Kuz
      12. Hula Groove

      Customer Reviews:

      4 out of 5 stars Talkin' Da KIne.......2002-05-31

      I heard the song on the radio on my last day of visit of visit to Kauai. I am going to buy the CD, but have waited to let my wife listen to some to the other song on tract.
      The Visitors
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • A Dark Brooding Masterpiece
      • 5 stars from a non-ABBA fan
      • Digital greatness
      • Pop Noir
      • ABBA's Haunting Autumnal Beauty
      		 The Visitors
      ABBA
      Manufacturer: Universal
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

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      1. Super Trouper
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      4. ABBA
      5. Abba - The Album

      ASIN: B00005KKC8
      Release Date: 2001-06-25

      Tracks:

      1. The Visitors
      2. Head Over Heels
      3. When All Is Said And Done
      4. Soldiers
      5. I Let The Music Speak
      6. One Of Us
      7. Two For The Price Of One
      8. Slipping Through My Fingers
      9. Like An Angel Passing Through My Room
      10. Should I Laugh Or Cry
      11. The Day Before You Came
      12. Cassandra
      13. Under Attack

      Album Details

      24bit Digital Remaster with New Liner Notes, Complete Lyrics and Bonus Tracks: 'should I Laugh Or Cry', 'the Day Before You Came', 'cassandra' and 'under Attack'.

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars A Dark Brooding Masterpiece.......2006-07-31

      This album is as dark as anything by Leonard Cohen. There is nothing to prepare you for what you are about to hear. Sure, there was a hint of this on 'Super Trouper' ('Happy New Year', 'Our Last Summer'), but the melodrama has been dropped for something far more introspective and mature. These songs are autobiographical and you suddenly realise that with the exception of 'The Winner Takes It All', they had not expressed themselves in this way before. The opening song, 'The Visitors' is so powerful, from the menacing intro into the forbidding claustrophobic vocals from Frida to the slabs of dominating synths at the end of the chorus. It is a sinister foretelling which perfectly conjures fearful pictures of the Soviet Union in '81. It took a while for me to realise that this is the only ABBA song ever written which does not rhyme at all. The ominous lyrics depicting thwarted hope ("These walls have witnessed all the anguish of humiliation and seen the hope of freedom glow in shining faces. And now they've come to take me. Come to break me. And yet it isn't unexpected"). This is not a song you'd care to listen to in the dark. 'When All Is Said And Done', as has been described, is a song about Frida and Benny's divorce but it also demonstrates a still vulnerable Frida lifting her head and moving on.......yet despite the forcefulness of the delivery, you can sense it masquerades real doubt. One of the most fascinating songs is also one of the most overlooked: 'Head Over Heels'. Not faring too well as a single, it is apparent this is supposed to be a bouncy, happy Abba song, but it fails in its remit. Agnetha gives it her best shot but fails. Their hearts are just not in it. Instead what you hear is melancholy all the way through. Like somebody who is grieving trying to laugh. Somehow, this makes it a far more interesting proposition. 'I Let The Music Speak' is otherworldly ("I'm hearing images, I'm seeing songs no poet has ever painted"). It's true that it feels as though it belongs in 'Les Miserables' but it is such a beautiful song that showcases Frida's voice perfectly. The original closer, 'Like An Angel Passing Through My Room', is sublime: a ticking clock and Frida lamenting her lost loves. This is inspired. The original recording ended with that ticking clock.... and you are left transfixed. Would they be back? That this was the last song of the last studio album is fitting: the perfect, yet unpredictable, finale. Of the additional tracks, 'The Day Before You Came' and 'Should I Laugh Or Cry' are the best. TDBYC is probably their finest recording. Agnetha is actually role-playing in this song: she is the bored, lonely woman.....and deliberately sings like one (hence the reason why her voice quivers so much in it). There is absolutely no hint of what comes after this typically dull day and, as such, she knows only by habit the sequence of the day's events. Frida's aria in between the verses is both haunting and heart-breaking. 'Should I Laugh Or Cry' features a restrained vocal performance by Frida with an interesting lyric where she is exasperated by everything that her partner says and does, her patience paper-thin (a far cry from 'Honey, Honey'!). This is not to overlook the beautiful 'Cassandra', yet another stand-out performance by Frida. There is a subtle warning, i guess, of the music contained inside by the beautifully contemplative album cover. Each of them pre-occupied with their own thoughts. The first time the four of them are not together and not looking at you. They started off as 'Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni-Frid' before fusing their names into ABBA. With this album, these four personalities burst out of the straitjacket of that acronym. With hindsight, it is evident listening to this, that they would not be back. A perfect swansong.

      5 out of 5 stars 5 stars from a non-ABBA fan.......2006-02-15

      King Crimson, Queen, Genesis... ABBA? I never would have guessed it, but they all fit. I'm a prog rock fan at heart (you know... weird songs with lots of different movements, classical overtones and challenging chord structures), and I'm not sure how this CD came into my possession, but I love it! It's very intelligently done. Song arrangements are majestic, full and orchestral unlike the standard 80s pop. And of course they effortlessly slide back into simpler arrangements when necessary.

      The title track is sung in a harmonic minor "Eastern" scale that at once reminds me of Led Zeppelin & the Beatles. Don't deprive yourself of this great track. The song "Soldiers" has a rather unconventional, brooding drumbeat in 3/4 which may be recognized as a precursor to the 90s alternative genre. But to me, the standout tune is "I Let the Music Speak", a powerful operatic piece not unlike Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" but with a darker, haunting melody. The last 2 songs "Slipping Through My Fingers" and "Like an Angel Passing" wrap up the album beautifully like the end of an exhausting adventure.

      It becomes tragically apparent to me that ABBA was on the verge of a great musical evolution had they continued in this vein. Unfortunately this would be their last, and you'll be hard pressed to find another 80s album as progressive as this. "The Visitors" is to the 80s what "Sgt. Pepper" was to the 60s--a fleeting glimpse of something deeper than the norm.

      5 out of 5 stars Digital greatness.......2005-08-09

      Sorry to see that thier last album was showing so much progression. One of the first groups to record in digital, and it shows with awsome sound quality. They were a group that had the rare ability to follow the music scene and change and grow with it while still makeing great music. Get this one!!

      5 out of 5 stars Pop Noir.......2004-06-10


      It is said that this album was something of a departure for the group. That this was not the ABBA people had come to know and love. No "Waterloo". Not a trace of a "Dancing Queen". However, it should be pointed out that this album is not exactly "ABBA does Death Metal".

      The opener and title track is perhaps the closest they came to emulating the New Wave/Synth Pop explosion of the time. Parts of it are reminiscent of "Summer Night City" (minus the disco) and "Eagle" (without the majesty) but it manages to create an interesting and unsettling sonic landscape all of its own which suggests an encounter of the third kind may very well be waiting behind the locked door (and they must surely score points for creating a pop song about Russian dissidents).

      Next up is "Head Over Heals" which treats us to its fairground synths, jaunty chorus and tale of `goodtime girl gets herself into trouble'. This one is a bit like Agnetha's very own "Money Money Money" and lyrically is possibly a case of Bjrn, a la Fleetwood Mac, cheekily having his ex sing a song about herself that isn't altogether flattering. Possibly.

      "When All is Said and Done" is a standout in the style of "The Winner Takes it All", although it is surprisingly upbeat for a break-up song (and sort of Christmassy) with a positively defiant lead vocal from Frida. A song of shaking hands and walking away, head held high. Bittersweet rather than just plain bitter. It would have made a good, upbeat album closer, and had serendipity played its part properly, the perfect send off for the group: "Thanks for all your generous love and thanks for all the fun ..."

      "Soldiers" is, for me, the forgotten gem on this album. Starting sparsely with a vaguely military drum and some admirably restrained guitar to dirty it up a little, it then segues effortlessly from a moody, understated first verse and Agnetha's plaintive lead vocal into the most sublime, unashamedly anthemic chorus, where Frida and Bjrn join her in some quite beautiful harmonies. As for the enigmatic lyrics: "Soldiers write the songs that soldiers sing, the songs that you and I don't sing ..." What's that all about then? About the need to have the courage of your convictions be it in love or war? Answers on a postcard please. It works for me anyway.

      Frida takes centre-stage once more for "I Let the Music Speak" aka "The One That Sounds Like It Belongs On The Soundtrack To Les Miserables Or Similar" (round about the point where some peasant woman stands up in her rags and sings heartrendingly about not having enough parsnips to make soup for her son who's just returned from The War). The lyrics though tell a different story. One of night-time hauntings and astral projection (ABBA staples then). This is no "I Wonder (Departure)". Dark, fanciful and slightly macabre on the verses, the choruses return us to more familiar ABBA territory with Frida displaying her quite formidable vocal prowess throughout.

      After that we get "One of Us" and what can I say? It's just gorgeous. Greek tragedy laced with Swedish cool. A happy little drumbeat bouncing playfully along behind Agnetha's wrist-slashing and soaring vocals. A kitchen sink tearjerker in the great tradition of "Knowing Me, Knowing You" (a-ha!) and "The Winner Takes it All" and quite rightly an all-time favourite.

      With "Two For the Price of One" the question is always going to be: "Is it as bad as everyone says?". Well, in short, yes. By and large it bears the rare distinction of being an unintentionally funny intentionally funny song. Wait until you hear the "quite exciting" husky voice that answers the mock-telephone (unless there's another layer to this fable which I'm completely missing). The one semi-redeeming feature is the chorus. Some interesting stuff where everyone joins in with some low-key harmonies and thankfully you can no longer tell what they're singing about. Then, just when all the verses are out of the way and you're sure it's safe to tap your foot till the finish, in blunders the Salvation Army and marches the song off to a merciful end.

      Luckily, Agnetha is on hand to lead us back to sanity (and wave her child off to school) in the shape of "Slipping Through my Fingers". Saved from mawkishness and total schmaltz by one of those sublime, harmony-heavy choruses and Agnetha's crystal clear voice and heartfelt delivery.

      "Like an Angel Passing Through My Room" closes the album proper. It has to be said that, on this album at least, most of the vocal kudos must go to Frida, and she plays a blinder in this last one. Stripped as it is of all sonic clutter - as well as harmonies - when the song begins you'll think, quite astonishingly, that she's singing from the corner of your room. A clock ticks away on the mantelpiece. A music box plays quietly in the background and Frida sings of lying down one last time and welcoming the Angel of Death. Amen.

      Of the bonus tracks (all top-notch, especially "Under Attack" which features a good old-fashioned harmonic tussle between Abercrombie & Fitch in the chorus) "The Day Before You Came" is the classic - swirling, rain-drenched synths, a sense of impending doom and tantalisingly (the closing masterstroke) we never find out who - or what - `you' is. Pop Noir par excellence.

      All of the trademarks which made the group so popular are still in place throughout - strong vocals, clever song-structures, barmy lyrics and a healthy smattering of Scandinavian navel-gazing and marital strife. All of it delivered with an icily immaculate production sheen - some of which sounds dated though much of it, due to the solid songwriting, simply timeless. In short, anyone with even the most limited musical palate will find something to enjoy in this album.

      5 out of 5 stars ABBA's Haunting Autumnal Beauty.......2004-03-01

      As Abba's last studio record, the band sent out a message to the world that they were no longer four, eternally smiling people who wanted to clobber us with bubbling, infectious pop music; rather now, they were telling us they meant business.

      The interesting thing with the Abba catalogue is that you can hear their progression from one outting to the next. The Visitors is no exception--- it is infact, the most mature and progressive product they had ever done.

      From the gloomy and lonely cover photo (gone are the bombastic outfits) which portrays them as four individual middle aged people looking off into a future without each other (indeed, by this point, the two couples were officially divorced)to the mood of the record's sombre notes, this is not your father's ABBA. The quality of the production, arrangements and performances helps this record, in my opinion, become a model for perfect pop productions. Arguably, a couple of the tracks crossed a line and moved past a traditional pop format (namely I Let the Music Speak and Like an Angel...) but with rich melodies and unparalleled vocal performances, they remain captivating.

      This is a record where every member is in top form. Benny's melodies combined with his studio wiserdry, Bjorn's masterful English lyrics (showing a progression beyond anything he had ever written) and Agnetha's cool yet convincing story teller vocals shine beyond many of their earlier performances. But the true star here is Frida who brings a level of emotion and sophistication to her performances that we had never seen before. She manages to find her way through many different production and musical styles and stays believable and true through every note she sings. Listen to her on the bonus track "Should I Laugh or Cry"--- this is a woman who is frustrated and sad--- even if I never hear a lyric, the sound of her rich vibrato tells the whole story.

      You don't have to be an ABBA fan to get the meaning of this record--- if you like perfect pop, listen to this... you won't be disappointed.
      In My Youth
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		In My Youth
        The Visitors
        Manufacturer: Muse Records
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        Australia & New ZealandAustralia & New Zealand | International | Styles | Music
        Bebop GeneralBebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
        Hard BopHard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
        Modern PostbebopModern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
        ASIN: B000008OW4
        Release Date: 1995-03-21

        Tracks:

        1. In My Youth
        2. Juggler
        3. Visit
        4. Mood Seekers
        5. Giant Steps
        6. In My Youth
        The Best of Moonstone: Visitors
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          		The Best of Moonstone: Visitors
          Moonstone
          Manufacturer: Hot Productions
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

          GeneralGeneral | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | R&B | Styles | Music
          GeneralGeneral | R&B | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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          ASIN: B000001QKJ
          Release Date: 1995-08-08

          Tracks:

          1. Out Of The Ball Game
          2. You're Sending Me Delirious
          3. Stop When The Light Is Red
          4. Summer On The Beach
          5. Love In The First Degree
          6. Meet Me Halfway
          7. Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter
          8. The Visitors
          9. (I Can't Believe It) It's A Miracle
          10. My Love Will Last Forever
          11. It's The Dream Of A Lifetime
          12. Love And Pain
          13. The Voice Of Freedom

          Music:

          1. Wigsville Spliffs
          2. Wooden Horse V.2 [Import]
          3. Workers Playtime [Import]
          4. Would You Believe [Import]
          5. 1979 Il Concerto Tribute to D.Stratos [Import]
          6. 24 Canciones De Amor
          7. 41 46, 5'n3 1, 9'e [Import]
          8. All Eternity [Import]
          9. Automat High-Life
          10. Awake [Import]

          Music

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