Customer Reviews

Eye of a Woman

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Agnetha's producer on this album is Eric Stewart, who had previously been a member of the Mindbenders in the sixties and 10cc in the seventies. He wrote two songs (I won't be leaving you, Save me why don't you) and co-wrote another (I won't let you go) with Agnetha. The album also includes songs by Jeff Lynne (One way love) and Justin Hayward (The angels cry, with Justin playing guitars on the track). There is an eighties feel to the album but the synthesizers never take over (though they come close to doing so occasionally, notably on Click track) - the focus is always on Agnetha's outstanding voice. Of course, this makes it impossible to listen to the album without hearing echoes of Abba and that may be a distraction to some people.

Whereas Agnetha's previous solo album (Wrap your arms around me) had yielded three minor UK hits, no singles from this album made the UK charts although I assume that some did in other European countries. Nevertheless, there are many excellent tracks here, especially the first five (One way love, Eyes of a woman, Just one heart, I won't let you go, The angels cry) and the last two (I keep turning off lights, We move as one).

This album is unlikely to appeal to anybody who doesn't like Abba, so don't worry about this until you've got a significant collection of Abba music. If you enjoy Abba's music enough to be interested in exploring further, you might enjoy this album although not all Abba fans love this album as much as I do.

Agnetha's producer on this album is Eric Stewart, who had previously been a member of the Mindbenders in the sixties and 10cc in the seventies. He wrote two songs (I won't be leaving you, Save me why don't you) and co-wrote another (I won't let you go) with Agnetha. The album also includes songs by Jeff Lynne (One way love) and Justin Hayward (The angels cry, with Justin playing guitars on the track). There is an eighties feel to the album but the synthesizers never take over (though they come close to doing so occasionally, notably on Click track) - the focus is always on Agnetha's outstanding voice. Of course, this makes it impossible to listen to the album without hearing echoes of Abba and that may be a distraction to some people.

Whereas Agnetha's previous solo album (Wrap your arms around me) had yielded three minor UK hits, no singles from this album made the UK charts although I assume that some did in other European countries. Nevertheless, there are many excellent tracks here, especially the first five (One way love, Eyes of a woman, Just one heart, I won't let you go, The angels cry) and the last two (I keep turning off lights, We move as one).

This album is unlikely to appeal to anybody who doesn't like Abba, so don't worry about this until you've got a significant collection of Abba music. If you enjoy Abba's music enough to be interested in exploring further, you might enjoy this album although not all Abba fans love this album as much as I do.

This will be reissued soon. I have the original (West) German/Deutsch CD. I have the bonus tracks on other CDs.
Featuring tracks written by Jeff Lynne, China Burton, Justin Heyward, Eric Stewart (producing), John Wetton, Geoffrey Downes, and Agnetha herself.

After a somewhat patchy first album, to say the least, this is a remarkable improvement. I agree with the majority of fans who have commented on `Eyes Of A Woman', the album is a little over-produced and it certainly sounds very eighties. However such flaws can be generously overlooked when the melodies are so strong. And about time after a first record that, whilst it may have been appealing at the time, has garnered fairly poor reviews twenty years on.

The album opens with a particularly strong tune, the Jeff Lynne written `One Way Love' which was also released as a single. The song was a lot more breezier than the relatively aggressive tunes he was doing with Electric Light Orchestra at the time, but it works in Agnetha's favour for a great song which is sung a fair bit lower than is usually heard from The Blonde Swede. `Just One Heart' takes the strongest elements of her debut album's lead single `The Heat Is On' but reinterprets the calypso feel with a lot more vigour and a little bit more attitude, making for an uplifting and uptempo love song which I think got a limited release somewhere. `The Angels Cry', which was either the A or B side of `Just One Heart' in Holland if memory serves me correctly, is the sort of ballad Agnetha was aiming for on `Wrap Your Arms Around Me' but missed. A strong vocal, a very hummable chorus, and nice (if somewhat overly sappy) lyrics.

It was 1985, and what would a record from 1985 be without some synthesised dance tunes! `Click Track' is a little bit cringeworthy with Agnetha offering a quasi-rap whilst back-up singers squeal `click click click click click click click!' at hyper speed with the occassional cheesy guitar riff. Definitely one to file in the `bless her for trying' category. `We Should Be Together' is one of the strongest tracks on the album, with an undeniably sing-along chorus and some pornstar guitar licks in the background. Delicious! `I Keep Turning Off Lights' is also quite appealing, depicting a woman's displeasure at being in a relationship with a man she really doesn't love. This is surprisingly edgy a subject matter for Agnetha, something I thought would have suited Frida better. Still, Agnetha does her best job at a `psychotic thriller' and manages to pull it off.

The real gem on this record is Agnetha's self-penned `I Won't Let You Go'. Whilst the lyrics are rather simple (I won't let you go! Oh no no!), the melody is killer and Agnetha's voice sounds strong and happy. I think that pretty much sums up `Eyes Of A Woman' - yeah, so it wasn't groundbreaking, but Agnetha sounds awesome and the songs are a darn sight better than `Wrap Your Arms Around Me'. The two-year gap between that record and this one did her the world of good.

Agnetha has said that she's no longer very pleased with her post-ABBA solo albums, and upon listening to this 1985 offering, you can understand why she has later said that "some of the songs don't feel nearly as convincing now as they did back then". Back in '85 I had high hopes for this album when I first heard the flagship single I Won't Let You Go. Co-penned by Agnetha, this was a strong pop tune with great hooks, but I recall being immensely disappointed by the album. Even though some of the songs are in fact not that bad, the album generally suffers from a very sterile sound and an overblown 80s production that hasn't aged very gracefully. As another reviewer has also noted, it is a major problem that most of the songs are cut in a low key that doesn't suit Agnetha's voice very well - she's best in her high registre - that's where her voice really got to shine on ABBA's recordings. She probably comes closest in the ballads The Angels Cry and the song penned by producer Eric Stewart (of 10CC), I Won't Be Leaving You. Even the up-tempo second single One Way Love (penned by Jeff Lynne of ELO) fails to sound entirely convincing. One of the better cuts, Just One Heart, received a limited release on single in Holland and recalls the calypso feeling of The Heat Is On from her previous album, just as the rocky I Keep Turning Off Lights is reminiscent of the far superior Can't Shake Loose. Side 1 holds together pretty well until the annoying last song Click Track (she did a superb video for that one, though), but side 2 is quite weak. We Should Be Together is a good track, but the song (Why Don't Ya) Save Me is dreadful 80s rock at its cringiest. Two more songs were recorded for the album but only released as B-sides: You're There is a lovely pleasant mid-tempo cut, also co-penned by Agnetha, and it's a shame this wasn't included on the album. The other one, Turn The World Around, has some intriguing verses that are not only let down by the tinny production but also by a weak and repetitive chorus. Both tracks made their CD debut on the Agnetha & Frida - The Voice Of ABBA CD but can also be found on Agnetha's Greatest Hits package That's Me. Eyes Of A Woman is not entirely worthless, but knowing what Agnetha is capable of singing, this album simply does not do her justice, and the production drags down, leading me to only award this two stars.

Although some of the songs on this album fail to justify the singing talent of Agnetha Faltskog,her voice is something that never lets her down. This being her second solo english album gives us some enjoyment with songs like "I Won't Let You Go","Just One Heart""Eyes Of A Woman" and "One Way Love". Again I must say along with my review on her greatest hits album,this is strictly for Abba or Agnetha fans only to enjoy..but I hope someone can prove me wrong,I've yet to meet someone who is not a real Abba fan to like Agnetha's solo works. Anyhow a nice album to listen to when you are in the mood to relax and unwind.

After hearing about Agnetha's post ABBA depression, I was excited to hear about this album. However, 20 years later, this is simply a reissue and unless you are a fan of ABBA, there is nothing noteworthy here. Without Benny and Bjorn, the instrumentals and writing are missing. Agnetha does cover a Justin Hayward song (Moody Blues) and a Jeff Lynne song (ELO), but its fairly unremarkable. BUT...if you are a fan, you'll probably love it!

This is not a good album. The choice of songs is simply bizarre and begs the question: if this is the short-list, how bad must the other offerings have been?! As has been commented elsewhere, Agnetha barely gets out of the lower registers, and therefore, gets little opportunity to showcase her great voice. Over-production only adds to the woes. There is no sparkle here, no soul and for the most part, this is not like any other Agnetha record. Easily the worst offering from any of the females post-Abba. Avoid.

You have to wonder what's going on, when Agnetha and Eric Stewart put rubbish like 'click track' on the album, which has nothing to commend it, then leave off 'you're there' and 'turn the world around', two of the best b-sides from this period. What were they thinking? Particularly, as the former is a ballad co-written by Agnetha herself.
The outstanding track on the album is definitely 'the angels cry' a beautiful lush ballad with nice guitars and atmospheric keyboards. Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues wrote this and it just demonstrates his immense talent.

We Move as One track is produced by Wetton/Downes...The fantastic writing pair and the vocal/bass and keys of the supergroup of 80's Asia...they also played on this track too...If for nothing else it's worth getting this album for this great song!