33 years old (in body if not mind), and living in Edinburgh. A keen interest in cycling, cars, spor...
33 years old (in body if not mind), and living in Edinburgh. A keen interest in cycling, cars, sport, design, writing and movies. And marzipan. Can't get enough of that stuff...
Member since:03.11.2003
Reviews:64
Members who trust:6
I think it's fair to say that even the most ardent Abba fan could never claim that the band is, was, or will be, cool. But what the Swedish supergroup did manage was to create some incredibly catchy, and suprisingly technical, music, with Benny and Bjorn realising early on that success was more of a possibility if they left the fronting of the band to the less photogenically challenged Agnetha and the other one. And so the copycat cover version was spawned. Copycat beget television tribute show, and tribute show beget hugely popular stage show. What all of these dopplegangers had in common was that, in the end, they were all the same. The same songs, done the same way, but worse than originally.
And then came Nils Landgren and his Funk Unit. Landgren is a stunningly good jazz musician and normally has at least one 'cover' on each of his albums. But having seen the theme tune to The Streets of San Francisco and Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive given the jazz funk treatment, it was still a surprise to find an entire album devoted to new versions of Abba classics.
I must admit, it was with trepidation that I first plugged my headphones in, expecting corny renditions of already corny tunes. What I got instead was a fantastic surprise as the funky beats all but obscured any reference to previous incarnations. That's not to say that all Abba influence is lost entirely - most notably the chorus lines of Super Trouper and Gimme, Gimme, Gimme make you realise just what you are listening to.
I've been a fan of the Nils Landgren Funk Unit for some time, from albums full of upbeat, swing-like numbers, to those with a laid-back, ballad feel, they are all extensively musical, chock-full of a pounding brass section. But even I realise that this album, as well as being one of the most fun, with the most toe-tapping rhythms, is the most accessible for those who haven't yet discovered the brilliance of jazz-funk.
And Benny Andersson even makes a guest appearance on a bonus track.
Track listings:
money, money, money knowing me, knowing you voulez-vous thank you for the music super trouper summer night gimme! gimme! gimme! name of the game dancing queen take a chance on me sos when all is said and done
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
As before, you get a high rating because I'm partial to a well-constructed sentence. And, well, because I'm lovely. I do like the name 'Nils Landgren Funk Unit'. xx
MilkyMalky 08.01.2008 13:57
This starts off as an excellent review - I really liked the opening line! But it seems to trail off towards the end. As Em said below more detail and your thoughts on the individual tracks would help and a price comparison, and how this fares against similar CDs. I would also be happr to re-read if you improve this review. Chris.
groovyem100 08.01.2008 13:04
Good review, but to get a higher rating maybe you could add some detail about each of the tracks individually. Also, what about the price and availability? - this would greatly aid anyone wishing to buy the album. I would be happy to read and rerate if you decide to add any more detail. Em x
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