• Artist: Ace of Base
• Flags: Lyrics are included with the album
• Rating:
• Styles: Swedish Pop/Rock, Euro-Pop, Club/Dance
• Track Picks: "Always Have, Always Will," "Cruel Summer"
• Similar Albums: Backstreet Boys [Australia], Situation: Critical [Japan], B*Witched, Club Mix '99 [K-Tel], Greatest Hits [1998], Aaron Carter [Edeltone], What Are You Lookin' At?, Greatest Hits, The Collection, Club Classics [1997], Dance Mix USA, Vol. 6

Review

Ace of Base's music is never about diversity. Their first two records mined infectious Euro-disco beats to great effect, and the first, at least, illustrated they had a knack for writing big, irresistible pop hooks. Cruel Summer, their third album, attempts to capture the carefree, stylish charm that drove "All That She Wants" and "The Sign" to the top of the charts, and while it has its moments, it fails to rival their previous pop pinnacles. It's a little disappointing that the melodic high point is the title track, a cover of Bananarama's new wave classic. Also, it's a little disappointing that Ace of Base haven't chosen to vary their Euro-disco rhythms, since the relentless thumping makes Cruel Summer sound a little too similar its predecessors -- only without as many hooks. There are almost enough solid tracks to make the album enjoyable as it plays, but there's nothing really memorable about it once it's finished. [The Japanese edition boasts a bonus track, "Into the Night of Blue."] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	iTunes	Composers	Performers	Time
Cruel Summer		Siobhan Fahey, Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sarah Elizabeth Dallin, Keren Woodward	Ace of Base	(3:36)
Donnie		Jonas "Joker" Berggren	Ace of Base	(3:47)
Life Is a Flower		Jonas "Joker" Berggren	Ace of Base	(3:45)
Everytime It Rains		Maria Vidal, Rick Nowels, Billy Steinberg	Ace of Base	(4:52)
Adventures in Paradise		Jonas "Joker" Berggren	Ace of Base	(3:30)
Don't Go Away		John Ballard, Ulf "Buddha" Ekberg	Ace of Base	(3:40)
Cecilia		Jonas "Joker" Berggren	Ace of Base	(3:54)
He Decides		Jenny Berggren	Ace of Base	(3:49)
Always Have, Always Will		Jonas "Joker" Berggren	Ace of Base	(3:49)
Tokyo Girl		Jonas "Joker" Berggren, Ralph McCarthy	Ace of Base	(3:36)
Travel to Romantis		Jonas "Joker" Berggren	Ace of Base	(3:38)
Cruel Summer [Blazin' Rhythm Remix]	...	Siobhan Fahey, Steve Jolley, Tony Swain, Sarah Elizabeth Dallin, Keren Woodward	Ace of Base	(3:34)
Dr.Sun	...	Jonas "Joker" Berggren	Ace of Base	(3:35)
Into the Night of Blue [*]	...	Douglas Carr, Jonas "Joker" Berggren	Ace of Base	(4:10)

Credits

Matz Nilsson (Mixing), Ace of Base (Main Performer), Per Adebratt (Arranger), Per Adebratt (Keyboards), Per Adebratt (Programming), Per Adebratt (Producer), Per Adebratt (Mixing), John Ballard (Vocals (Background)), John Ballard (Vocal Arrangement), Douglas Carr (Arranger), Douglas Carr (Keyboards), Douglas Carr (Programming), Douglas Carr (Engineer), Douglas Carr (Pre-Production), Suzanne Carstensen (Vocals (Background)), Cutfather (Arranger), Cutfather (Producer), Cutfather (Mixing), Clive Davis (Executive Producer), Charles Fisher (Producer), Henrik Janson (Horn Arrangements), Henrik Janson (String Arrangements), Henrik Janson (Horn Conductor), Henrik Janson (String Conductor), Ulf Janson (Conductor), Ulf Janson (Horn Arrangements), Ulf Janson (String Arrangements), Ulf Janson (Horn Conductor), Ulf Janson (String Conductor), Nils Landgren (Horn), Peter Lee (Remixing), David Leonard (Mixing), Linn (Vocals), Linn (Vocals (Background)), Linn (Liner Notes), Love to Infinity (Remixing), Mark Burdett (Design), Leon Zervos (Mastering), Jenny Berggren (Vocals), Jenny Berggren (Vocals (Background)), Jenny Berggren (Liner Notes), Ulf "Buddha" Ekberg (Producer), Ulf "Buddha" Ekberg (Liner Notes), Jonas "Joker" Berggren (Arranger), Jonas "Joker" Berggren (Keyboards), Jonas "Joker" Berggren (Programming), Jonas "Joker" Berggren (Producer), Jonas "Joker" Berggren (Engineer), Jonas "Joker" Berggren (Vocoder), Jonas "Joker" Berggren (Pre-Production), Joe Belmaati (Arranger), Joe Belmaati (Keyboards), Joe Belmaati (Programming), Joe Belmaati (Producer), Joe Belmaati (Engineer), Joe Belmaati (Mixing), Andy Lee (Programming), Andy Lee (Remixing), Nana Hedin (Vocals (Background)), Per Johansson (Horn), Tue Roh (Fender Rhodes), Tue Roh (String Arrangements), Hani (Producer), Hani (Remixing), Johnny Jam (Arranger), Johnny Jam (Keyboards), Johnny Jam (Programming), Johnny Jam (Producer), Johnny Jam (Mixing), John Amatiello (Arranger), John Amatiello (Keyboards), John Amatiello (Programming), John Amatiello (Engineer), John Amatiello (Pre-Production), Andy ? (Remixing), Jonas Linell (Photography), Marian Lisland (Vocals (Background)), Bernard Löhr (Engineer), Bernard Löhr (Mixing), Mads Johansson (Guitar), Jonas Karg (Guitar), Bjarne "Spiff" Johansson (Percussion), Bjarne "Spiff" Johansson (Drums), Birthe H. (Vocals), Birthe H. (Vocals (Background)), Thomas Siqveland (Programming), Eivind Skovdahl (Percussion), Eivind Skovdahl (Engineer), Joakim Stiren (Programming), Joakim Stiren (Mixing), Stonestream (Drum Programming), Peo Haggstrom (Keyboards), Peo Haggstrom (Programming), Henrik (Conductor), Henrik (Horn Arrangements), Henrik (String Arrangements), Linn Berggren (Vocals), Linn Berggren (Vocals (Background)), Sasha ? (Bass), Ulf Bandgren (Guitar), Marit Bie (Vocals (Background)), Borje "Buller Bang" ? (Percussion), Marianne Bundevik (Vocals (Background)), Desi "Dezrock" Caruso (Keyboards), Charlie Falk (String Arrangements), Delgado ? (Arranger), Delgado ? (Keyboards), Delgado ? (Programming), Delgado ? (Producer), Delgado ? (Mixing), Ole Evenrude (Arranger), Ole Evenrude (Producer), Tommy Ekman (Arranger), Tommy Ekman (Keyboards), Tommy Ekman (Programming), Tommy Ekman (Vocals (Background)), Tommy Ekman (Producer), Tommy Ekman (Engineer), Tommy Ekman (Mixing), Bas-Berra (Bass), Dave Lee (Programming), S.N.Y.K.O. (Strings), Fred Johansson (Vocals (Background)), Cutfeather (Arranger), Cutfeather (Producer), Cutfeather (Mixing), Magnus M. Johansson (Horn)