ABBA - ABBA (1975) {2012, Remastered, Deluxe Edition, CD+DVD, Polar, 00602537123094}

New 2012 remastered reissue of 1975 album expanded with 3 bonus tracks & a 24-page booklet with extensive liner notes.Also includes a DVD with previously unreleased TV footage including the 1976 'Abba In Australia' doco. The Deluxe Edition of the ABBA album is the sixth release in the series of ABBA Deluxe Editions (the seventh if you count the 30th Anniversary Edition of Waterloo). The format is the same as for previous Deluxe Editions: one disc a CD of the original album plus bonus tracks, one disc a DVD of previously unreleased television material relevant to the period when the album and its hit singles climbed the charts all over the world. All tracks on the CD have been remastered especially for this release. On the 1-hour DVD, all items are previously unreleased. All musical performances have been synchronised with stereo sound, except 'SOS' from Seaside Special and 'Mamma Mia' from Top Of The Pops. Both of these items featured unique re-recordings of the songs, so they appear on the DVD as originally broadcast. I guess the contrast between this and the most recent Deluxe Edition, The Visitors, couldn't have been greater. Instead of the bleak, serious and monochrome feeling of ABBA's final years, we get the bright, colourful, tongue-in-cheek and sometimes delightfully silly version of the group. I was almost shocked when I watched the first test-pressing of the DVD, just because ABBA looked so happy in everything they did. I'm sure you will feel the same. For my liner notes, I interviewed Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus in August 2012. They both offered new perspectives on the 1974-1975 era and the songs created during that period. I also interviewed Bruno Glenmark, the owner of GlenStudio, where the bulk of the album was recorded. He contributed a few stories from the recording sessions that you may not have heard before. ABBA Deluxe Edition was co-ordinated by Mia Segolsson. The CD was mastered by Masters of Audio, the DVD was put together by Filmtech, Fredrik Hurtig designed the package, and Wouter Timmers helped us with the single and album sleeves. Ian Cole helped out with additional comments and suggestions, and, along with Paul Carter, was an invaluable sounding-board and proof-reader when I wrote my liner notes. tracklist: CD 01. Mamma Mia 02. Hey, Hey, Helen 03. Tropical Loveland 04. SOS 05. Man in the Middle 06. Bang-A-Boomerang 07. I do, I do, I do, I do, I do 08. Rock Me 09. Intermezzo No 1 10. I.ve Been Waiting For You 11. So Long 12. Crazy World 13. Medley (Pick a Bale of Cotton - On Top of Old Smokey - Midnight Special) 14. Mamma Mia (Spanish version) DVD 01. ABBA In Australia (Television Special) a. Mamma Mia b. Hasta Mañana c. Ring Ring d. Tropical Loveland e. Waterloo f. I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do g. Rock Me h. Dancing Queen i. Honey, Honey j. Fernando k. So Long l. SOS 02. Made In Sweden – For Export (SVT) a. Mamma Mia b. I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do c. So Long 03. SOS (Seaside Special, BBC) 04. Mamma Mia (Top Of The Pops, BBC) 05. The Best Of ABBA, TV Commercial 06. Greatest Hits, TV Commercial 07. International Sleeve Gallery