PositiveTimes Literary Supplement (UK)As one of Sweden’s most respected music journalists, Jan Gradvall has been given the impossible task of unlocking this intangible subject; his authorized account acts as a survey of their extended appeal, influences and cultural background, rather than providing a conventional narrative journey ... It is perhaps this closeness to the source that restricts his literary approach; in many chapters there is an abundance of explanation and fact, such as a history of the \'raggare\' youth cult or the influence of ABBA’s songs in Vietnam, which detract from the band’s core story, their internal dynamics and emotions and frustrations that were surely present in the studio or on tour. The most compelling chapters are about the tragic personal history of Frida Lyngstad ... This informative and well-researched collection of extended digressions is a must-have for any serious fan, but it lacks the formal inventiveness required for a true essential of the music-writing canon.
