Aftonbladet 100409
By: JENS PETERSON
Musical Disk by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, with Helen Sjöholm Russell Watson, and Kevin Odekirk Louise Petre.
DRAMA. Top class in my musical heart. Swedish Kristina was a success at Carnegie Hall.
The two September evenings in New York were amazing. The recording is reminiscent of the respondence for Helen Sjöholm’s “You Have to Be There”. Eyes flashing nervously to hold back the tears. The applause afterwards never wanted to end.
Björn & Benny’s best I am sure that someone who has not see the concerts would be moved by this strong set. “Kristina from Duvemala” may be the best Bjorn and Benny have ever written, and the English texts are excellent. ‘Twilight images calling’ and ‘Summer Rose Apple Tree’songs are like poetry that gives the same nostalgic scent as the one of the Swedish Astrakhan apple tree. Helen Sjöholm is a revelation, but she is in good company. Louise Pitre as Ulrika gives a bitter intensity to “Never”. Russell Watson is a compelling Karl-Oskar and Kevin Odekirk does justice to Robert’s showpiece “Gold Can Turn To Sand”. And when the chorus sings out in “We open up the gateways”, hearts dance away westbound.
A long journey A lavish packaging with booklet and pictures from the concerts in New York. This CD is a bit shorter than the Swedish album of 1995, but the essence is there. Kristina has made a long journey. But this international album can start up new missions, inspire more people to turn up and sing the musical. Sow seeds that grow into many Astrakhans. Or to summer rose-apple trees.