Ace of Base's sequel to their multi-platinum debut The Sign sounds like the same record on the surface. There are the same bouncy Europop beats, ingratiatingly catchy melodies, and shiny production. However, underneath that gloss is an improved sense of songwriting. Ace of Base still might not be innovators, but they don't need to be. Instead, they turn out tightly constructed pop songs that are better written than they appear -- songs like the hit "Beautiful Life" would sound good in different arrangements or if they were performed acoustically. And the songs on The Bridge are, overall, better than the ones on The Sign. Ace of Base might not be able to replicate the phenomenal success of their debut, but they have managed to deliver an album that is just as satisfying.
Consistently written off as ABBA wannabes and subpar pop poseurs, Ace of Base actually wrote some of the best pop songs of the '90s. Though the vocals were never up to par with even the least accomplished singers and the production was often sparse, the hooks in most of their cuts are irresistible. From their stateside breakthrough hit "All That She Wants" and their biggest single, "The Sign," and through their Top Ten "Beautiful Life" and the remake of "Cruel Summer," this compilation covers the best of their material. But with the addition of the poetic "Everytime It Rains," the pretty "Lucky in Love," the '50s throwback "Always Have, Always Will," the acoustic "Life Is a Flower," and the young-at-heart "C'est la Vie Always 21," you can see that much of what didn't hit big in the U.S. was some of the band's best work. As often happens with pop acts, once they begin to grow as artists, their fan base shrivels, which is exactly what happened with Ace of Base. With this album, though, you can see that when they matured they actually hit their stride.
Ace of Base's strong point is not versatility -- all of their hit singles have exactly the same beat. But that doesn't matter. On their debut album, The Sign, they managed to create a piece of melodic Euro-disco that was a huge hit all over the world, appealing to both dance clubs and pop radio. And with singles like "All That She Wants," "The Sign," and "Don't Turn Around," it's easy to see why they were hits -- the beat is relentless and the hooks are incessantly catchy.
