ABBA DABBA VOULEZ-VOUS Abbattack review by Charlene Goodman Abba Dabba Voulez-Voo
"Voulez-vous" wasn't one of Abba's 14 Top 40 American hits when they reigned on the pop charts between 1974 and 1982. In fact, the edited version (taken down from 5 minutes and 9 seconds on the album) stalled at 80, even though this title track got substantial play, and the album sold phenomenally well with
"Does Your Mother Know" hitting Top 20 and the "Chiquitita" track going Top 30 in 1979. At five minutes and 29 seconds Audioscam's rendition is dramatic and 20 seconds longer than Abba's original. It works well for this rock group, their eerie backing vocals a nice contrast to a slashing guitar over a more subdued strum. Singer Brian Pitcher has a soulful strut in his voice, one portion lament another determination, taking the French phrase and making it seem almost like a "screw you" to the no-longer significant other. Roughly translated the phrase means "do you want to" or "want to", the words made popular, of course, before Abba when four years earlier Bob Crewe and Kenny Nolan hit with "Lady Marmalade", courtesy of Patti LaBelle's reinvention of the song. Too bad this is a strictly-Abba release as a "Voulez-vous/Lady Marmalade" medley combo would've been historically interesting, if the concoction makes any sense. "S.O.S." is another Abba fave of mine, the group's third American hit going Top 15 in 1975, it probably has the most bounce of any Abba tune (non-discotheque bounce, of course), and those wonderful descending piano notes are missing in this version. Audioscam's rendition seems incomplete, their Freddie Mercury vocals are there, as are the heavy guitars, but Pitcher's drumming could use a little Ginger Baker on this particular song. Since these blokes are from down under I guess it wouldn't make any sense for them to have recorded the American chart history of Abba 1-14...and that means "Ring Ring" wouldn't be on this collection.
I do like Pitcher's drums on this, the snare is crisper and the tom toms hold it all together. The guitars sound like their compressed in a 1960s time warp which is even better, with all this remaking of decades old music it makes one wonder why people aren't adding more psychedelia and 60s nuances to what is going on. "Ring Ring" has a lovely magical guitar solo set that is one of the CDs finest moments. They should probably do a remix album and this song would be a real contender for some added production. All the elements are there, it all just seems to beg for some Phil Spector over production. Maybe as a publicity stunt they can send old Phil a copy and ask what he'd do with it? He certainly must have time on his hands. It's the opening track, though, which seems to define this band.
The guitars rip, as do the vocals, and everything I expect from a rock & roller taking Abba on opens the album rather nicely. Remember when producer Bob Ezrin gave Mitch Ryder a bit of an edge? That lost Detroit album has wild Steve Hunter guitar that this, fondly, reminds me of. This is a good record, some of the ideas feel unrealized, but on the whole it's a nice job and highly listenable.
Charlene Goodman works behind the scenes at Breakthrough Talk. She also writes book reviews and disc reviews that come into the office. Write to her at CG_pr2005[ @] yahoo.com
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