Customer Reviews

Original Album Classics

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The lastest CD box set from the former singer of the group ABBA, contains 5 of her very successful solo swedish albums released between 1968 through 1975. The CDs come in card sleeves without any inserts, just as did her DE FORSTA AREN box set released in 2006, however there is no booklet or lyrical sleeves in this new ORIGINAL ALBUM CLASSICS box set. There is also no CD containing rarities. Simply her 5 solo swedish albums. For the great price of less than half the DE FORSTA AREN box set, this set is excellent for anyone wanting to hear the emotional voice of Agnetha Faltskog singing mainly her own song compositions. The box set is compact and fits alongside other CDs, and the magic of Agnetha Faltskog is available for the listening with impeccable remastered sound quality, and a complete overview of the music she created before ABBA became a part of her life. For what lacks by the swedish lyrics being foreign to the listener, Agnetha's interpretation of emotional vocals and remarkable melodic writing skills makes this BOXSET a must have.

Very warm arrengements and her singing is stunning. I don't speak swedish but that just allows me to enjoy her wonderful voice even more. Songs themsleves often feature lush arrengements, with many of the tracks featuring strings, horns and piano. Agnetha herself wrote many of the melodies. Her voice is lovely, she sings a lot better than she did on some early ABBA tracks like "Ring Ring" or "I Am Just a Girl" since she was singing in her native language. Some may find this music "old-fashioned" but to me that's part of the charm. If anything I think this has aged better than her 80's solo stuff which can be good but sometimes sounds a bit "plastic". Most certainly recommend to those who enjoy her work with ABBA.

This 5CD pack is completely Amazing. A simple pack but great in the collection and quality. Firstly about the physical aspects: it's a hard paper box very well manufactured, brighty surface, in the backcover there are only the image of five covers and the track names, it contains 5 cds in a paper package (in a vinyl style), it's a true reproduction from the original vinyl cover and don't contain much information, but track names, composer names and few comments about the album (except the five album that contains the whole production info).
About the cds: these 5 cds are very very well remastered, clear and loud sound, perfect. Red label on media surface.
About the Albums: 5 albums simply fantastics. All very well produced, and divine arrangement. Really, you won't resist that. The Agnetha's voice is a miracle, so beauty, pure and clear.
Disc 1: Magically Romantic, the first five tracks and the last track translate that. Very Romance, angel voice of Agnetha takes you to a loving world, full of sentimental moods, precious moments. The others tracks are love song too but pleasuring full of fun and happiness. Arrangement tipically from 60's and very well done with perfect orchestration!!! Believe all tracks are great, beautiful and unforgettable.
Disc 2: More happiness here, romance and smiles are on the air, this album sounds like a musical movie, like to be in a park full of sunlight, pure pleasure. The tracks are love songs but with much brighting mood, great happiness (like she is on the cover). Such a Pleasure. The arrangement is like in the first album, but the orchestration seems to sound more great and more complex, bringing a special touch. Great music and Great Voice, a happy mix, here Agnetha shines on, and the compositions are Great.
Disc 3: Born a Star here, here a new strenght, a new emotion on the voice, you know Agnetha when have that sentimental voice so serious (like in the Winner takes it All song), here she uses more that, and the effect is GREAT, IMPRESSIVE!!!! Romantic and beautiful arrangement, different of previously albums (like Burt Bacchara use to do). Tenderly and Dreamer is this album. Perfect Orchestration at all! (Attention: the track Spela Vår Sång would be deserving of being on ABBA album) believe this is a Best Album!
Disc 4: Much resembling to previous album (disc3), happy and strong voice, sometimes serious, excellent and sentimental compositions. I like the Agnetha voice here, it's vibrant and passionate (like in the ABBA times). It seems that B. Carlgren makes a great partner of Agnetha on composing. Great orchestration and arrangement (like the previous album), the piano marks presence, and too acoustic guittar and other. Beautiful, this complements the previous album, both are very similar, the different are the piano and the voice, they sounds MAGICAL. I have to say, listen to the track: Tågen Kan Gå Igen. It's like a dream in a tropical island, Pure Dream.
Disc 5: This is a Abba style album (produced by Bjorn from ABBA). Bring us music with a POP touch, ever keeping the romance on the air. It's great, sounds modern and loving. Agnetha ever perfect, with excellent vocals, great composition and the arrangement is the great different, precious and sensual, modern and touching, and Agnetha follow that sense. A new phase and style, you will enjoy that. Romantic and POP. You will want it.
It's something that only who listened to this collection will know about. Talent and pure inspiration.
Agnetha, you made a great work.THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC!!!!!

Three original albums by agnetha faltskog. These fill in the musical career of agnetha nnot available on other colledtions. Gives a unique perspective since it is sung in Swedish, and allows one to concentrate on that beutiful voice.

If you are a fan of Agnetha Faltskog then this 5-cd collection is a must have. Even though I do not speak Swedish her music is fantastic. The melodies are catchy and romantic. I am so happy that I purchased this 5-cd collection I listen to it everyday I am so hooked.

It makes absolutely no difference that the vocals are in Swedish. The melodies are beautiful, and Agnetha's voice is divine. This is a collection not to be missed!

This is at a bargain price to get all 5 of her solo Swedish studio Albums, 4 before ABBA and one that was released at the time of ABBA's 3rd Studio Album. If you want all of her B side material which has quite a few gems, then I would suggest the 6 cd set that was released in 2004 titled De Första Åren, but for the price of this set you can't go wrong.

Having been a fan of Agnetha Fältskog's voice for the past 30 years it comes as somewhat surprising that it took me this long to purchase these original recordings. I have always been struck by Agnetha's unique "pop" soprano sound and within ABBA, it was her voice that captivated me the most. Listening to these records only fuels my admiration of her vocals and confirms that she, like her ABBA colleague Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida), was a truly gifted singer. Many have stated that the marriage of Agnetha and Frida's voices created a third voice within the ABBA sound but listening to these girls solo work, it is evident that they were great solo singers as well.

I truly enjoyed listening to most songs, if not all songs in these albums and I usually do not listen to songs in a language I do not understand (I do not speak or remotely understand Swedish) outside of classical music. However like so many other reviewers noted, it makes no difference that all of these songs are in Swedish. I enjoyed them more because of it since I was able to appreciate her vocals more without the added distraction of singing along (a usual habit of mine) to the track. There is a natural evolution in her voice throughout the years. Her voice in the first album (recorded in the late 60's) has a very pure, crystalline sound which I find very unique within pop music. Especially in this day and age of over-singing and the over-use of unnecessary vocal gymnastics, it is very refreshing to hear a singer just sing the songs. Of course, each song is personalized with her vocal styling's and each song is packed with emotion but like many outstanding singers of the past, again, I have to include Lyngstad in this, they never seem to over do it like this generation's batch of singers who somehow feel they have to prove to the world they can sing by screaming, wailing (don't forget the extravagant arm and hand gestures) through a song as if this is what makes a good singer. The songs themselves are also quite charming. Very 60-ish folk style balads, very melodic, some almost ethereal and dreamy, and all are enhanced by Fältskog's captivating vocals. By the time you listen to the last album (released during the mid 70's when she was officially with ABBA), her voice had developed beautifully without losing her trademark - those crisp, clear sounds, almost angelic that is counterbalanced with some impressive belting ("Var det med dej?" for example).

In my opinion, these recordings have aged better than her later records of the 80's. Although I am a big fan of her first solo album after ABBA, Wrap Your Arms Around Me, and despite the fact that her voice was in top form, her other 80's materials were never as intriguing as these earlier recordings. Her well received 2004 album, My Colouring Book was a welcome return to this particular style of music. There is a certain nostalgia that one gets when listening to love songs of the 60's and 70's and the orchestrations here are superior to the sythesizer sounds of her 80's records. There are many gems sprinkled throughout this collection and my favourites are "Jag var så kär", "Utan dej mitt liv går vidare", "Tack för en underbar vanlig dag", "Gulleplutt", "Mina ögon" (Swedish version of "Disillusion"), "Dom har glömt", "Var det med dej?", "SOS" (Swedish version) just to name a few. For the record, the Swedish version of SOS is just as majestic as the ABBA version and "Mina ögon" is superior to "Disillusion". Although her voice is poignant in both recordings, the chorus of "Mina" is where this version reigns supreme as Fältskog uses more power in her vocals. It is a shame some of her other recordings are missing here, such as her renditions from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar"- "I Don't Know How to Love Him", "Everything's Alright" and others I have heard online but for the price, this collection is well worth it. If you are an ABBA and an Agnetha Fältskog fan, this purchase should leave you satisfied. Even if you prefer Frida (since ABBA fans are sometimes divided), I also recommend this as it will show you another side of the blonde singer and helps the listener to better understand her deserved success as a solo recording artist prior to joining the Swedish quartet.

Great voice and great recordings. Highly recommended.