Nobody could claim that this is the best Abba album, but it is much better than some would have you believe. Indeed I prefer it to a couple of their later albums.

The title track was a hit in several European countries but not the UK, so this album never got a British release on vinyl. That is a pity, because the songs here are of a remarkably high quality. Five of them appeared on the first Greatest hits album - Ring ring, Another town another train, People need love, Nina pretty ballerina and He is your brother - every one of them superb. It might all have been different if Ring ring had been Sweden's entry in the 1973 Eurovision song contest. It came third in the qualifying contest. The Swedish public thought it should have been their entry. Voting rules were changed and Abba won for Sweden a year later with Waterloo.

Benny and Bjorn both started in Swedish folk groups, while Agnetha and Frida were Swedish pop stars, although Frida was actually born in Norway. At the time of its original release in Sweden, the name Abba had not been invented. This album provides a fascinating insight into the early development of the band. She's my kind of girl just features Benny and Bjorn. People need love features Benny and Bjorn with Svenska Flicka, but Svenska Flicka are actually Agnetha and Frida, so this (it would seem) was the first recording featuring all the Abba members, before the name existed.

This is a great album for Abba fans to have, but anybody not already familiar with their music should try some of their later albums first - I particularly recommend Arrival, The Album and Super trouper - before worrying about this.

"Ring Ring" is the first album that Abba ever recorded, and it shows an band that was just beginning to figure out how to write great pop songs. There are a couple of hits and a whole lot of misses included. The title track was their first hit single, and it started them on their meteoric rise to becoming one of the biggest bands in the world during the 1970s. The second song is "Another Town, Another Train," which is nearly as good as "Ring Ring," though not nearly as popular. From there, things are pretty mediocre. The typical Abba formula of great hooks and simple melodies is largely absent. Moreover, Benny and Bjorn (the male members) are the featured lead vocalists on about half of the tracks. As the band hit its stride later on, B&B (wisely) retreated to the vocal background and let Angelica and Anna strut their stuff.

Overall, this is easily the worst of Abba's original albums. The band recorded plecnty of exellent music, but little of it is featured here.

I am upset with all of the people who don't like this DEBUT! album. Most of the songs on here are highly listenable. Except for "I Saw It In the Mirror" and "I Am Just a Girl" all of the songs are perfect. While this isn't my favorite album of ABBA's, it never fails to bring a bit of sunshine to my day. This album has a lot more Bjorn and Benny vocals than their later ones, so enjoy the male half of ABBA as much as you can now. Please buy this outstanding CD!
ABBA'S FIRST ALBUM
BEST SONG: ROCK 'N' ROLL BAND
WORST SONG: I SAW IT IN THE MIRROR

If you love ABBA for ballads like "Name of the Game" or "Knowing Me Knowing You" or Pop gems like "Take a Chance On Me" DONT buy this CD - you will be shocked at how dull ABBA was in the beginning before they hit Eurovision gold with "Waterloo".

Sometimes they sound like a bad Hootenanny act. Many of thier early recordings are folk-based. The melodies are great, but the lyrics are just terrible and amaturish. I reccomend searching for a used copy of the original 1976 "Greatest Hits" LP or the CD that was issued in the late 80's by Atlantic. It featured the best tracks from this album.

The first album released by the supergroup is really a mixed bag for me. "Ring, Ring" has a nice pop feel to it and "Disillusion" is a meloncholy song alot which they would be known for in future releases but then there is the "rock" song. "Rock n Roll Band" is ok but rock is not what this group was.