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From the Vault...
05/01/2016
#1514 |
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info
Ace Of Base
"The Sign"
© Arista Records
Year of Release: 1993
Rating:
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track listing
All That She Wants
Don't Turn Around
Young And Proud
The Sign
Living In Danger
Dancer In A Daydream
Wheel Of Fortune
Waiting For Magic
Happy Nation
Voulez-Vous Danser
My Mind
All That She Wants
(Bangra Version)
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Ace Of Base
"The Sign"
Ok, so most people when they think of the Swedish act Ace Of Base, they compare them to another group, ABBA. Then they refer to the biggest hit
of their career (and possibly the only song people would remember), The Sign. And then, those "most people" would refer to them (and even ABBA)
as LAME, LAME, LAME. But... having said that, both ABBA and Ace Of Base achieved greatness, by having a #1 song. Although ABBA would be much more popular,
there were far more ABBA songs remembered, than that of Ace Of Base. Another Swedish act wa Roxette, and in my opinion, Roxette were better than ABBA
and Ace Of Base. And, Roxette did have more hits (and more #1s) than Ace of Base, and even ABBA.
Ace Of Base's The Sign album (it was also named as Happy Nation) gets the nod this week, and although there were other songs from this
album that received radio airplay, it's their song (and the title track) that will always be remembered. "The Sign" was a huge #1 hit, as it
was on top of the chart, for a number of six weeks in March and May of 1994. (The album was released in late 1993). Four tracks were hit singles from
this album -- "All That She Wants," "The Sign," "Don't Turn Around," "Living In Danger." I do remember only two of these singles, the title track,
and "Don't Turn Around."
As I begin listening to the first track ("All That She Wants"), I realize how "lame" the 1990s decade had become. Pop music was pretty much
dying, since the late '80s. Pop Music (and what was current at the time) just didn't appeal like it had. Some say the 1970s was the worst decade for
music. Yet I disagree totally on this, the 1970s created a huge diversity of varieties of different genres of music. The 1980s had its greatness,
with it's Pop and harder Rock. Yet when the 1990s had arrived, it was all sounding too cheesy. And, basically, Ace of Base was in that cheesy
category.
I'm not declaring that Ace Of Base's The Sign is an awful album -- it appealed to the more younger crowd, just as today's music. The birth of
Rock & Roll in the 1950s, the British Invasion of The Beatles in the 1960s, the wide variety of the 1970s, and the Rock of the early 1980s were peak, and
great decades for Popular Music. The 1990s emerged, and the increasing popularity of what is now popular, Rap and Hip Hop dominated the '90s decade,
and into the 21st Century.
Getting back to the album The Sign -- this album is for "today's crowd." The youngsters of the 1990s I'm sure thrived on this album, with its
upbeat rhythms. Some may even consider this as Techno Pop; listen to "Young And Proud." With this appropriate title, the youngsters were most
likely "proud" of this song, and this album.
More up beats on "Living In Danger," "Dancer In A Daydream." For you 21st Century music admirers, "Wheel Of Fortune" has an intro
that is very similar to what we hear in most songs today. And for those who enjoy "The Sign," the melody of "Wheel" is very similar to that
of "The Sign." The up beat rhythms returns on "Waiting For Magic" (Total Remix 7") The melody and sound (somewhat) returns on "Happy
Nation" (which would make sense; this album was titled Happy Nation in other countries, with a different album cover, and additional tracks).
More on the up beats again: "Voulez-Vous Danser," "My Mind" (Mindless Mix)," and closing out this upbeat and techno-sounding album, is the
Banghra version of "All That She Wants" -- another similarity to the title track.
One thing to mention, is that all the songs do blend well, with it's upbeat and techno pop sounding tunes. For most people like myself, this particular
type of music is not everyone. Although it was part of the music style back in 1993, listening to it today, it really would not have lost its style.
It would blend well with today's Hip Hop and Rap.
Ace Of Base's The Sign gets two stars for me, but more stars on it's creativity, based on the musical style at the time. Today's youngstgers
will enjoy this album, where us "old folks" would tend to take it or leave it. "Don't Turn Around" would be my vote for best song. "The Sign"
was another good track, but it received so much airplay, it was one of those songs that was continuously overplayed, and overtiring. Ace Of Base achieved
more popularity from outside the U.S. They've released a total of four albums after The Sign, yet their popularity was not as great. Although
their first album's popularity was very overwhelming, the continued on with personnel changes, future album releases, and taking breaks in between, up to
the year 2010. After 2010, the original band members were trying to reunite; it has yet to happen. They were achieving their own careers. But in 2013,
they announced that some members were no longer associated. In 2014, the band's first four studio albums were remixed/remastered. An album of demos and
b-sides was also released. As for a possible reunion, it was announced in 2015 that it most likely will not happen.
Ace of Base's claim to fame was "The Sign" song, and the studio album of the same name. Athough they continued onward with more music,
their popularity never repeated as great as it did. Yet today's music stars have mentioned that Ace of Base was an influence. Artists such as Lady
Gaga and Katy Perry have mentioned them. "The Sign" will always be a huge hit from the 1990s decade, and for many, a huge influence, and a
favorite. But again, for us "old folks" -- we'll settle with "Old Time Rock & Roll."
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