If there’s one factor price bringing Popjustice out of semi-hiatus for it is the long-awaited return of an iconic, platinum-selling four-piece pop juggernaut whose acronymised title alone can scale back grown adults to tears. However sufficient about JLS, whose new single is out at present, and let’s discuss ABBA.
Particularly, let’s say:
- Of the 2 new songs, Do not Shut Me Down is THE ONE.
- The very best pop songs are sometimes about one factor (eg a relationship) and one other factor (eg a band making a comeback). Do not Shut Me Down is about that one factor and that different factor, however it’s additionally a couple of third factor: a popstar returning as a spooky infinite digital pop entity.
- There was a second on the finish of the launch occasion final evening when Do not Shut Me Down had simply began taking part in and Benny and Bjorn had been making their manner from the stage to the again of the room. Benny stopped for a second and when the beat dropped (do beats drop in ABBA songs? Let’s go along with it) Benny turned to the room and mimed the piano swoop. As he did that he smiled, and as he smiled, he and I made eye contact. I am nonetheless computing all of it to be sincere however proper now it looks like probably the most implyingful second I’ve experienced in 25 years of loitering round popstars.
- Shortly after that I used to be introduced to Ludvig Andersson, the producer of the brand new present (amongst different issues), and I requested him if as soon as the digital ABBAtar issues had been created, it could be potential to amend them for particular events, as an illustration chucking Santa hats on the band for Christmas reveals. “In principle sure,” he mentioned, “however…” “However mainly no,” I provided. “No,” he agreed. And that was that.
- Attention-grabbing to notice following my latest tweet about whether or not Voyage is professionalnounced ‘voyage’ or ‘voyage’, it is truly professionalnounced ‘voyage’.
- A couple of years again, earlier than any of this present stuff was introduced, I used to be considering of doing a web site known as JUST ONE SONG: a petition, of kinds, requesting only one extra ABBA track, and laying out the explanations this could occur, and may occur with minimal rigmarole for the band’s members. It will have included a reassurance that the band would not must do any press, or touring, or media stuff. Maybe B and B have made an analogous reassurance to A and A. Both manner, ten new songs is absolutely best.
- Ten new songs!
- TEN!
- Perhaps I lack imagination however once I was considering what the band’s first press shot would possibly seem like — and there is been loads of time to think about it, provided that new music was first introduced a number of years in the past — one look I did not think about was Tron: The Gameshow. But right here we’re. What a time to be alive.
- ‘What a time to be alive’ is kind of a strong expression on this context is not it? So much has occurred in forty years and I am unable to be the one one at present considering of all of the individuals who cherished this band and are not round at present to listen to these new songs. How fortunate all of us are, in so many various methods, to listen to this music.
- No person’s making a lot of the truth that one of many ten new songs is named Preserve An Eye On Dan. Who’s Dan? What’s he taking part in at? Why can he not be trusted? If you happen to assume you is perhaps Dan, please step ahead.