Agnetha Fältskog faded into a quiet retirement in the late '80s, resurfacing with an autobiography in 1996 and then a collection of covers, primarily standards, called
My Colouring Book, a 2004 release loosely tied into the popularity of
ABBA's jukebox musical Mama Mia. Despite these projects, she never pursued a full-fledged comeback, not until 2013 when she released
A, a collection of new songs written and produced by
Jörgen Elofsson, that received a major multinational push.
Elofsson wrote hits for
Britney Spears, including the fizzy early sensation "(You Drive Me) Crazy," but the touchstone for
A is his masterwork of pageantry, "A Moment Like This," the song
Kelly Clarkson sang at the conclusion of the first season of American Idol. There are hints of disco here and there, most prominently on "Dance Your Pain Away," and a bit of pure pop ("Back on Your Radio" is a terrific statement of adult contemporary purpose), but for the most part
A is straight-down-the-middle Europop ballads, the kind
ABBA pioneered and the kind
Fältskog still feels very comfortable singing. Throughout it all, she sounds strikingly robust -- she may not hit the high notes anymore but she never sounds thin -- and part of the credit should go to
Elofsson, who crafts his songs and productions to showcase
Fältskog at her best. Much of this feels familiar but not precisely like music she's made before. Rather, this is stately, sweet Europop, the kind that could have been released any time over the last 30 years, but it's given a warm, reassuring quality by
Agnetha Fältskog, who retains an appealing, easy touch that separates her from her successors and still resonates all these years later. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine