Ace of Base - The Sign

The Hit from the CD "The Sign"

This CD contains two versions of the hit song "The Sign," along with two additional tracks that were represented on the full length CD "The Sign," though in a different form.

When Ace of Base debuted, they were hailed as the 1990s version of Abba. Just like many other groups that have been hailed as successors to a previous group (remember Oasis being hailed as the successors to the Beatles?), Ace of Base fizzled fast, leaving the memory of the monster-selling song "The Sign."

What was so catchy when this came out? Well, the beat, of course. The lyrics were basically easy to remember and sing to, and the tunes were easy on the ears. Truthfully, they did sound in many ways like a techno version of Abba.

Really then, how is the music? Well, dated. It really is Abba turned techno pop. While the music sounds different when you first listen to it, after a while it is so repetitive that it can become annoying. Their style changes very little from song to song, that after a while you start to realize that you are hearing a variation on a style, and not a style that encompasses a lot of breadth. I guess you could say that this is a group that has a lot of depth and not too much breadth.

I originally thought about giving this CD 3 stars, and decided that was unfair, because their music is technically well done, and it was original at the time they came out. Furthermore, it is still relatively unique. However, their music doesn't explore its bounds, it just stays boxed up in a small area.

Even though I give this CD 4 stars, I stop short of recommending it as a "must have". The music was so incredibly popular because of its radio appeal, not because it was breakthrough or the greatest quality. If you've heard "The Sign" on the radio and like it then this is one of several options to get that particular song. You may also want to consider the full length CD "The Sign."
October 21, 2005

TRACK LISTING

1. The Sign (Ultimix) 6:49
2. The Sign (Single Version) 3:11
3. Young And Proud 3:56
4. Happy Nation (12'' Version) 6:40 April 14, 2004

Awesome Single

This single, taken from Ace of Base's first album "The Sign" is just great. It has remix versions of three of the best songs on the disc that any AoB fan should love to have. Even listening to this single alone, it's easy to see how they took the '90s music scene by storm. This is just good stuff. September 29, 2003

More reviews at Amazon.com ...