Search - Benny Andersson, Abba :: Story of a Heart

Story of a Heart
Benny Andersson, Abba
Story of a Heart
Genres: Pop, Rock, Broadway & Vocalists
 
  •  Track Listings (14) - Disc #1

2009 14-track CD album. The history of the world's greatest pop band has hardly taken a pause in the past 35 years, from the 380 million albums sold to the record-breaking musical and blockbuster film which is Mamma Mia! B...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Benny Andersson, Abba
Title: Story of a Heart
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Decca
Original Release Date: 3/2/2010
Release Date: 3/2/2010
Genres: Pop, Rock, Broadway & Vocalists
Styles: Adult Contemporary, Musicals
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 602527091242, 0602527103709

Synopsis

Product Description
2009 14-track CD album. The history of the world's greatest pop band has hardly taken a pause in the past 35 years, from the 380 million albums sold to the record-breaking musical and blockbuster film which is Mamma Mia! But behind the scenes there's another musical side to Benny Andersson. For the past 20 years he has been leading The Benny Andersson Band, a group of 16 exceptional musicians and singers who share his passion for the Swedish folk tradition, not to mention Big Band, Bach, polka, waltzes, Celtic folk, Fifties standards - and straight-ahead pop music. The latter is showcased on the title track, the first new pop composition written by Benny with his ABBA song writing partner Björn Ulvaeus in 15 years. Vocal duties on this, and three of the four other tracks translated into English for the first time, are taken by the Swedish star Helen Sjöholm; with additional vocals by Swedish singer, Tommy Körberg. The 14-track album captures highlights from the three albums released in Sweden by the Benny Andersson Band along with some brand new tracks. 'I wanted to make music based on the Swedish folk tradition, but with new songs written by me,' says Benny Andersson, who also plays accordion on the record!).

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CD Reviews

Story of A Heart Review
ba-da-bing | Dearborn, MI USA | 12/09/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"A fabulous CD. Benny Andersson has proven himself to be one of the most eclectic and inventive composers of the modern age. He has combined sounds of classical, Swedish folk and modern romance to make a memorable collage of musical sound. This is not an album for those seeking to listen to a single style or sound of music, but rather for those wishing to be swept up by variation and invention and pure enjoyment."
An interesting solo effort from one of the "B's"
William Merrill | San Antonio, TX United States | 03/09/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)

"Here's how Story of a Heart breaks down. There are five vocal songs, one very ABBA-like (the title track), the other four more like showtunes. The rest of the album is nine instrumental numbers, which range from light Celtic-sounding tunes, to oom-pah-pah teutonic waltzes, to Rota-esque romps. The four showtunes didn't do much for me, but the song "Story of a Heart" is a gem, with Helen Sjoholm singing very much in the Frida & Agnetha mode, with harmonies that are strikingly similar to ABBA's. I think the song would have been a radio hit for sure if it had come out in the '70s. As for the instrumentals, they are all gentle and pleasant to hear, but a couple of them are keepers for me. "Bed of Roses" is a sweet (Scott) Joplin-meets-Newman (Randy) piano and violin theme, and "Song from the Second Floor" is a beautifully melancholy piano piece. I generally enjoyed the entire album, but I would probably have gone with only three stars if not for two things: (1) the great title cut all by itself is almost worth hearing the album, and (2) Frids and Agnetha have had steady solo careers since leaving ABBA, but we haven't heard from Benny as often. So this is a welcome return from him."