Tim: You remember a while ago, there was a fairly successful Swedish group? Can’t remember what it was called, but the members were called Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid.
They had some sort of success sometime or another – I think they were like the second or third best-selling band of all time. I don’t know, they were before my time. But now, and actually I can’t fake this any more, AGNETHA’S ONLY BLOODY BRINGING OUT A NEW ALBUM.
Tom: Strange: Bonnie Tyler does a Eurovision song, and you’re cynical. Agnetha releases an album, and you’re all excited. What causes that, I wonder?
Tim: Well, firstly I’d quite like the Bonnie Tyler track if it wasn’t the song that’s due to represent the country’s musical output at the world’s largest music competition, and secondly, Bonnie Tyler has (as far as I’m concerned) a two-track Greatest Hits collection, whilst ABBA has a two-disc collection.
Tim: And what about that?
Tom: It’s… well, it’s pleasant, I guess?
Tim: Apparently the credit for the whole new album thing should go to writer Jörgen Elofsson, who has more than a couple of above average tracks to his name, who apparently turned up on her doorstep with a few tracks he’d written for her, and it all went from there. And how wonderful it is that it did. Because…oh wow. It’s just beautiful.
Tom: See, I’m not quite on board with that.
Tim: Seriously?
Tom: It’s a nice track, well performed and competently produced, but I can’t say there’s anything in there that makes me go “this is wonderful, this is a comeback, this is a hit”.
Tim: Not a massive hit, no, but it’s a lovely tune to lead a new album with. Gentle, charming, and all round ‘aaahhhh’-ing.
Admittedly I could take or leave the synthy middle eight, but my favourite part of it, by quite some way, is the entry into the first chorus. I don’t know what it is, but it gives me the same sort of feeling as a well-executed key change. And I really can’t ask for more than that.