a‐ha | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Pal Waaktaar and Magne Furuholmen, formerly of Bridges, formed Norwegian synth pop group a-ha in the early 80s. Nimble vocalist Morten Harket joined the duo, and they left for the now "legendary London flat" (so called because of its state of disrepair) to make it. By late 1983 they had achieved part of that goal by signing to WEA. Their debut single, "Take On Me," went through three versions before becoming a hit in the U.K., eventually reaching number two in November 1985. It went one better in the U.S., mainly due to the wide exposure of its stunning video on MTV, which fused animation with real-life action. They returned to the charts with "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." which became a U.K. number one in early 1986, helping take the album Hunting High and Low to the Top Ten. The song hit the Top 20 in the U.S., where the album reached number 15. With a-has debut album mainly consisting of romantic synth pop, the press were quick to dismiss them as a teeny bop sensation; however, there was more than met the ear at first impression in Waaktaars writing, and a more mature effort, Scoundrel Days, was released in October 1986. More focused, it had a stronger band feel thanks to its live drumming evident on "The Swing of Things" and lead single "Ive Been Losing You," which surprised critics at the time. Further striking imagery accompanied "Cry Wolf." The album landed in the Top 30 in Norway and cracked the top half of the Billboard 200 in the U.S. After a world tour, a-ha provided the theme to the James Bond flick The Living Daylights. A remix appeared on their third album, Stay on These Roads, in 1988. In 1990, a-ha were commended by the Everly Brothers for their rendition of "Crying in the Rain" from their fourth album, East of the Sun, West of the Moon, which was largely ignored in the U.K. due to a shift in interests toward dance and the Manchester scene. The year 1993 heralded some much needed new blood in the U2 terrain of "Dark Is the Night" from the Memorial Beach album. Following the unfortunate lack of success following Memorial Beach, Furuholmen retreated into the art world while Waaktaar released the album Mary Is Coming with his new band Savoy. Seven years after the release of Memorial Beach, a-ha issued Minor Earth Major Sky in summer 2000. Released in 2002, Lifelines sold well in Europe and was followed by a lengthy tour, documented on the live album How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head, issued in 2003. A year later a-ha celebrated their 20th anniversary by releasing Singles 1984-2004, a collection that would put them back in the U.K. Top 20. In July of 2005, the band performed in Berlin as part of the massive worldwide event Live8, and in November they released the album Analogue. It was supported by a worldwide tour that included gigs in Russia and a festival in Chile. In 2009, upon issuing their ninth studio album, Foot of the Mountain, a-ha announced that they would be retiring. However, they returned in 2015 with Cast in Steel, which was followed by a world tour. Coinciding with the 2017 summer solstice, the group headed to the remote island of Giske off of Norways west coast to record their first ever acoustic concerts, for MTV Unplugged. With arrangements by producer Lars Horntveth, the, by then, perennial arena band played a career-spanning set with guests Ian McCulloch (Echo & the Bunnymen), Alison Moyet, Lissie, and Ingrid Helene Håvik (Highasakite) for an audience of only 250. That October, the show was released in seven different versions under the title MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice, along with an abbreviated, single-disc Acoustic Hits: MTV Unplugged. Summer Solstice debuted at number three on the album chart in Germany, number six in the U.K., and number 11 in their home country, and was followed by another world tour in 2018. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 27 Title: 45 R.P.M. Club Released: 1985 Tracks: 4 Duration: 22:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Sun Always Shines on TV (extended version) (08:27) 2 Driftwood (03:07) 3 Take On Me (extended mix) (04:48) 4 The Sun Always Shines on T.V. (instrumental) (06:36) |
 | Album: 2 of 27 Title: Hunting High and Low Released: 1985-06-01 Tracks: 10 Duration: 37:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Take On Me (03:47) 2 Train of Thought (04:14) 3 Hunting High and Low (03:45) 4 The Blue Sky (02:36) 5 Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale (05:02) 6 The Sun Always Shines on T.V. (05:08) 7 And You Tell Me (01:52) 8 Love Is Reason (03:07) 9 I Dream Myself Alive (03:10) 10 Here I Stand and Face the Rain (04:30) |
| Hunting High and Low : Allmusic album Review : Anyone who dismissed a-ha as a one-hit wonder must have missed out on the bands fine debut, Hunting High and Low. Though the band spawned many further hits across the rest of the world, "Take on Me" exploded in the States and the group never cracked the top of the charts again. Its a shame, because the album contains a handful of songs that nearly match the manic energy and emotional crack of its big hit. Further, its a cohesive album with smart pace changeups, and it rarely fails to delight or satisfy a listeners need for a synth pop fix. The opening kick is a huge one: "Take on Me" is a new wave classic laced with rushing keyboards, made emotionally resonant thanks to Morten Harkets touching vocal delicacy. It didnt hurt in the era of MTV that the songs video was a hyperkinetic blend of mind-warping animation and filmed footage with a romantic thrillers heart. Harkets hunky physique and cheekbones also didnt hurt the videos chances at heavy rotation. Getting past that video, "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." is just as thrilling. Starting as a sad ballad, it explodes into something much more, as chugging guitars and operatic synths keep pace with Harkets evocative vocal stylings. If ever a 1980s song qualified as Wall of Sound, "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." would be it. The remainder of the album sees a-ha switching deftly back and forth between dramatic overtures and classic new wave keyboard motifs. "Train of Thought" and "Love Is Reason" are reminiscent of early Depeche Mode or Camouflage, but Harkets rich voice and flair make them purely a-ha. The band explores decidedly European terrain in the theatrical "Hunting High and Low" and dances a pop waltz with the sweet "Living a Boys Adventure Tale," coming across like a marriage between the Blue Nile and Alphaville. Delightful song snippets "The Blue Sky" and "And You Tell Me" act as frosting on the cake or as glue between the theater and the dancefloor. One cant escape the feeling that Hunting High and Low is a product of the 1980s, but with highs like "Take on Me" and "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.," and no lows in sight, a-has debut is a treat worth relishing. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 27 Title: Scoundrel Days Released: 1986-11-27 Tracks: 31 Duration: 2:18:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Scoundrel Days (04:02) 2 The Swing of Things (04:14) 3 I’ve Been Losing You (04:25) 4 October (03:56) 5 Manhattan Skyline (04:53) 6 Cry Wolf (04:06) 7 Were Looking for the Whales (03:43) 8 The Weight of the Wind (04:00) 9 Maybe, Maybe (02:36) 10 Soft Rains of April (03:13) 11 Ive Been Losing You (extended version) (07:03) 12 Cry Wolf (extended version) (08:12) 13 Manhattan Skyline (extended remix) (06:49) 1 Scoundrel Days (demo) (04:56) 2 The Swing of Things (demo #3) (04:41) 3 I’ve Been Losing You (Octocon Studio demo) (03:16) 4 October (demo) (02:58) 5 Manhattan Skyline (demo) (04:51) 6 Cry Wolf (demo) (03:32) 7 We’re Looking for the Whales (demo) (03:18) 8 The Weight of the Wind (demo) (04:16) 9 Maybe, Maybe (demo) (02:27) 10 Soft Rains of April (guitar version) (02:09) 11 Scoundrel Days (Octocon Studio demo) (03:58) 12 This Alone Is Love (original version) (04:33) 13 Days on End (demo) (03:07) 14 Train of Thought (live in Croydon) (06:37) 15 I’ve Been Losing You (live in Croydon) (05:06) 16 The Blue Sky (live in Croydon) (05:12) 17 We’re Looking for the Whales (live in Croydon) (06:44) 18 Cry Wolf (live in Croydon) (05:54) |
| Scoundrel Days : Allmusic album Review : While not quite as strong as the bands debut, Scoundrel Days is still a-ha succeeding as a marketed "pretty boy" band which can connect musically and lyrically as much as any musical sacred cow. The opening two songs alone make for one of the best one-two opening punches around: the tense edge of the title track, featuring one of Morten Harkets soaring vocals during the chorus and a crisp, pristine punch in the music, and "The Swing of Things," a moody, elegant number with a beautiful synth/guitar arrangement (plus some fine drumming courtesy of studio pro Michael Sturgis) and utterly lovelorn lyrical sentiments that balance on the edge of being overheated without quite going over. Although the rest of the disc never quite hits as high as the opening, it comes close more often than not. A definite downturn is the bands occasional attempts to try and prove themselves as a "real" band by rocking out, as on "Ive Been Losing You" -- theres really no need for it, and as a result they sound much more "fake," ironically enough. Other songs can perhaps only be explained by the need to translate lyrics -- "Were Looking for the Whales" isnt an environmental anthem, and neither is "Cry Wolf," but both also dont really succeed in using nature as romantic metaphor. When a-ha are on, though, theyre on -- "October" snakes along on a cool bass/keyboard arrangement and a whispery vocal from Harket; "Maybe Maybe" is a quirky little pop number thats engagingly goofy; while "Soft Rains of April" captures the band at its most dramatic, with the string synths giving Harket a perfect bed to launch into a lovely vocal, concluding with a sudden, hushed whisper. The 80s may be long gone, but Scoundrel Days makes clear that not everything was bad back then. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 27 Title: Road Club Released: 1988 Tracks: 5 Duration: 25:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Blood That Moves The Body (extended version) (05:26) 2 Take On Me (extended mix) (04:48) 3 Stay on these Roads (extended version) (06:13) 4 Hunting High and Low (extended remix) (06:03) 5 Soft Rains of April (original mix) (03:14) |
 | Album: 5 of 27 Title: Stay on These Roads Released: 1988-04-28 Tracks: 10 Duration: 43:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Stay on These Roads (04:46) 2 The Blood That Moves the Body (04:06) 3 Touchy! (04:33) 4 This Alone Is Love (05:15) 5 Hurry Home (04:37) 6 The Living Daylights (04:47) 7 There’s Never a Forever Thing (02:51) 8 Out of Blue Comes Green (06:42) 9 You Are the One (03:51) 10 You’ll End Up Crying (02:07) |
| Stay on These Roads : Allmusic album Review : a-has recording career hit the skids in America with its third release. But in the U.K., the album became the groups third straight to peak at number two, though it charted for a shorter period than the first two albums, and there were four Top 25 hits -- the title track, "The Blood That Moves the Body," "Touchy!," and "You Are the One." (Also included was a-has 1987 theme from the James Bond movie The Living Daylights, a U.K. number five that missed the U.S. charts.) Even in a country with a demonstrated affection for Scandinavians, however (remember ABBA?), that was a fall-off, if the decline was more gradual, and three albums in, a-ha wasnt demonstrating any development from its first hit, just more of the same and a little less distinctive. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 27 Title: East of the Sun, West of the Moon Released: 1990-10-12 Tracks: 11 Duration: 45:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Crying in the Rain (04:22) 2 Early Morning (02:58) 3 I Call Your Name (04:53) 4 Slender Frame (03:42) 5 East of the Sun (04:47) 6 Sycamore Leaves (05:21) 7 Waiting for Her (04:49) 8 Cold River (04:41) 9 The Way We Talk (01:31) 10 Rolling Thunder (05:43) 11 (Seemingly) Nonstop July (02:55) |
| East of the Sun, West of the Moon : Allmusic album Review : East of the Sun, West of the Moon was a small surprise, too quickly destined for the cut-out bins considering the way a-ha finally went after Hunting High and Low. This is a nicely crafted collection of songs, performed and sung beautifully, with lots of echoes and suggestions tucked into the music. While not an album one can discuss at length, its an album thats a pleasure to listen to and one that deserves a better reception than the one, unfortunately, that it seems to have gotten. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 27 Title: Best in Brazil Released: 1991 Tracks: 10 Duration: 39:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Stay on These Roads (04:45) 2 Touchy! (04:33) 3 Hunting High and Low (03:44) 4 Scoundrel Days (04:02) 5 Youll End Up Crying (02:08) 6 Crying in the Rain (04:22) 7 You Are the One (03:51) 8 The Blood That Moves the Body (04:06) 9 Theres Never a Forever Thing (02:51) 10 Manhattan Skyline (04:48) |
 | Album: 8 of 27 Title: Headlines and Deadlines: The Hits of a-ha Released: 1991-11-04 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:08:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Take On Me (03:47) 2 Cry Wolf (04:06) 3 Touchy! (04:33) 4 You Are the One (remix) (03:47) 5 Manhattan Skyline (04:50) 6 The Blood That Moves the Body (04:06) 7 Early Morning (02:58) 8 Hunting High and Low (7" remix) (03:47) 9 Move to Memphis (04:16) 10 I’ve Been Losing You (04:25) 11 The Living Daylights (04:14) 12 Crying in the Rain (04:22) 13 I Call Your Name (04:53) 14 Stay on These Roads (04:46) 15 Train of Thought (7" remix) (04:15) 16 The Sun Always Shines on TV (05:02) |
 | Album: 9 of 27 Title: Memorial Beach Released: 1993-06-14 Tracks: 10 Duration: 49:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dark Is the Night for All (03:46) 2 Move to Memphis (04:22) 3 Cold as Stone (08:19) 4 Angel in the Snow (04:13) 5 Locust (05:08) 6 Lie Down in Darkness (04:31) 7 How Sweet It Was (06:02) 8 Lamb to the Slaughter (04:20) 9 Between Your Mama and Yourself (04:15) 10 Memorial Beach (04:36) |
| Memorial Beach : Allmusic album Review : For its fifth album, a-ha varies its style somewhat, trying for a U2 approach on lead-off track "Dark Is the Night for All." This is a long way from the peppy appeal of "Take on Me," but just as far from an improvement. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 27 Title: Minor Earth | Major Sky Released: 2000-04-17 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:11:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Minor Earth, Major Sky (05:24) 2 Little Black Heart (04:36) 3 Velvet (04:19) 4 Summer Moved On (04:37) 5 The Sun Never Shone That Day (04:38) 6 To Let You Win (04:23) 7 The Company Man (03:14) 8 Thought That It Was You (03:49) 9 I Wish I Cared (04:21) 10 Barley Hanging On (03:55) 11 Youll Never Get Over Me (05:38) 12 I Wont Forget Her (04:43) 13 Mary Ellen Makes the Moment Count (04:56) 14 Summer Moved On (remix) (06:00) 1 Take On Me (03:49) 2 The Sun Never Shone That Day (radio version) (03:32) |
| Minor Earth | Major Sky : Allmusic album Review : A-has sixth studio CD (seventh if their greatest-hits collection is included) came seven years after their previous album, Memorial Beach, and in that time it seems that a-ha mellowed out. They do not seem to have concern about attracting the youth/dance market, but instead seem to be focusing in on how to make perfect middle-of-the-road pop songs with 90s technology. This is not a criticism, as it produces several fantastic songs, such as "Little Black Heart" and the wonderful "I Wish That I Cared." These, and many others, are full of catchy, beautiful melodies and Morten Harkets vocals are near perfect as usual -- his voice has not lowered one octave since their debut. The one problem with this CD is the relative sameness to some of the music. The tempos do not change a great deal, and by the end the songs seem to run together. More variety would have been beneficial. However, in terms of production, this is as close to perfect as a CD can get, and the lyrics keep things interesting throughout. Overall, a good album, and one that fans will enjoy. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 27 Title: Homecoming: Live at Vallhall Released: 2001 Tracks: 19 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Minor Earth Major Sky (?) 2 The Sun Never Shone That Day (?) 3 Little Black Heart (?) 4 Ive Been Losing You (?) 5 Manhattan Skyline (?) 6 Thought That It Was You (?) 7 I Wish I Cared (?) 8 Cry Wolf (?) 9 Mary Ellen Makes the Moment Count (?) 10 Stay on These Roads (?) 11 Early Morning (?) 12 Youll Never Get Over Me (?) 13 Velvet (?) 14 The Sun Always Shines on TV (?) 15 The Living Daylights (?) 16 Hunting High and Low (?) 17 Summer Moved On (?) 18 Crying in the Rain (?) 19 Take on Me (?) |
 | Album: 12 of 27 Title: Lifelines Released: 2002-04-02 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:11:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Introduction (00:10) 2 Lifelines (04:18) 3 You Wanted More (03:40) 4 Forever Not Yours (04:05) 5 There’s a Reason for It (04:22) 6 Time & Again (05:04) 7 Did Anyone Approach You? (04:12) 8 Afternoon High (04:32) 9 Oranges on Appletrees (04:17) 10 A Little Bit (04:11) 11 Less Than Pure (04:13) 12 Turn the Lights Down (04:14) 13 Cannot Hide (03:18) 14 White Canvas (03:29) 15 Dragonfly (03:20) 16 Solace (04:22) 17 Minor Earth, Major Sky (ATB club remix) (05:47) 18 Velvet (De-Phazz mix) (03:47) |
| Lifelines : Allmusic album Review : A difference from their last effort yet undeniably a-ha. This time, the Norse purveyors of quality pop have opted for a variety of producers, ranging from Stephen Hague to Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. The album begins with a lush ballad -- which is typical a-ha, pastoral with support orchestration -- almost like a modern day Moody Blues. "You Wanted More" also follows this trait, only darker with spiky electronics. "Afternoon High" sketches out 70s pastel glory similar to what Tears for Fears were getting at with parts of the Seeds of Love album. There are shades of Minor Earth Major Sky in that they keep the sugary neigh pleasant ballads vein to full emotional effect on "Turn the Lights Down," "Time and Again," and like MEMSs Garbage homage "Sun Never Shone." "Cannot Hide" opts for a Jennifer Paige "Crush" vibe with George Harrison-style guitar, while "Forever Not Yours" pleasant dramatism echoes Darren Hayes recent Insatiable. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 27 Title: How Can I Sleep With Your Voice in My Head Released: 2003-03-24 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:39:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Forever Not Yours (04:33) 2 Minor Earth, Major Sky (05:41) 3 Manhattan Skyline (05:50) 4 Ive Been Losing You (04:09) 5 Crying in the Rain (04:56) 6 The Sun Always Shines on TV (05:52) 7 Did Anyone Approach You? (04:53) 8 The Swing of Things (05:27) 9 Lifelines (04:37) 10 Stay on These Roads (03:34) 11 Hunting High and Low (05:54) 12 Take On Me (05:42) 13 The Living Daylights (07:32) 14 Summer Moved On (04:39) 1 Scoundrel Days (05:15) 2 Oranges on Appletrees (04:27) 3 Cry Wolf (03:36) 4 Dragonfly (03:37) 5 Time and Again (05:20) 6 Sycamore Leaves (04:03) |
 | Album: 14 of 27 Title: The Demo Tapes Released: 2004 Tracks: 12 Duration: 46:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Take On Me (demo) (03:19) 2 Presenting Lily Mars (03:18) 3 Dot the I (03:49) 4 Days on End (03:29) 5 Never Never (03:23) 6 Monday Mourning (03:11) 7 Så blåser det på jorden (03:19) 8 The Love Goodbye (02:39) 9 Go to Sleep (02:27) 10 Hunting High and Low (03:26) 11 Ive Been Losing You (04:35) 12 The Swing of Things (demo) (10:00) |
 | Album: 15 of 27 Title: The Singles: 1984-2004 Released: 2004-11-29 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:19:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Take On Me (03:47) 2 The Sun Always Shines on T.V. (04:42) 3 Train of Thought (7" remix) (04:15) 4 Hunting High and Low (7" remix) (03:47) 5 I’ve Been Losing You (04:25) 6 Cry Wolf (04:06) 7 Manhattan Skyline (04:17) 8 The Living Daylights (04:14) 9 Stay on These Roads (04:46) 10 Touchy! (04:33) 11 Crying in the Rain (04:22) 12 Move to Memphis (04:13) 13 Dark Is the Night (03:46) 14 Shapes That Go Together (04:14) 15 Summer Moved On (04:04) 16 Minor Earth, Major Sky (04:02) 17 Velvet (04:05) 18 Forever Not Yours (04:05) 19 Lifelines (03:58) |
| The Singles: 1984-2004 : Allmusic album Review : The Definitive Singles Collection: 1984-2004 spans seven studio albums and collects 19 of the popular Norwegian pop outfit’s biggest hits, including “Take on Me,” “The Sun Always Shines on TV,” “Hunting High and Low,” “The Living Daylights,” “Stay on These Roads,” and “Cry Wolf.” Some editions of the anthology also include the award-winning animated video for “Take on Me.” | ||
 | Album: 16 of 27 Title: Rhino Hi-Five: a-ha Released: 2005-07-19 Tracks: 5 Duration: 22:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Cry Wolf (04:06) 2 The Sun Always Shines On T.V. (05:04) 3 Take On Me (03:47) 4 The Living Daylights (04:46) 5 Manhattan Skyline (04:50) |
 | Album: 17 of 27 Title: Analogue Released: 2005-11-04 Tracks: 13 Duration: 55:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Celice (03:40) 2 Don’t Do Me Any Favours (03:53) 3 Cosy Prisons (04:10) 4 Analogue (03:49) 5 Birthright (03:46) 6 Holy Ground (04:01) 7 Over the Treetops (04:25) 8 Halfway Through the Tour (07:28) 9 A Fine Blue Line (04:10) 10 Keeper of the Flame (04:00) 11 Make It Soon (03:22) 12 White Dwarf (04:26) 13 The Summers of Our Youth (03:56) |
| Analogue : Allmusic album Review : The Norwegian band a-ha had never really been away, so the 2006 album Analogue was hardly a comeback but a continuation of their 20-plus years of hitmaking. If anything, it was a return to form after the disappointing Lifelines album. The opening track, "Celice," was released in Europe only and featured Morten Harkets trademark falsetto vocals over a beat driven song. Pål Waaktaars fuzzy guitar dominates "Make It Soon" but Analogue is mainly a very laid-back album, only a few of its 13 tracks are up-tempo in the style of their classic era "Take on Me," and most of the tracks are piano led, melancholy ballads including "Cozy Prisons," "Birthright," "A Fine Blue Line," and "The Summers of Your Youth." Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young lends his backing vocals to the tracks "Cozy Prisons" and "Over the Teardrops" and makes the harmonies on the latter song sound almost like one of CSN&Ys own. Halfway through the album comes the track "Halfway Through the Tour," a synth-beat number over seven minutes long. Its a strange song which appears to finish at the standard three-minute mark but then continues for a further four minutes as a flute instrumental with echoes of "Nights in White Satin." The first single to be released in the U.K., "Analogue (All I Want)" became their first Top Ten single since 1988s "Stay on These Roads." | ||
 | Album: 18 of 27 Title: Foot of the Mountain Released: 2009-06-12 Tracks: 13 Duration: 57:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Bandstand (04:02) 2 Riding the Crest (04:16) 3 What There Is (03:43) 4 Foot of the Mountain (03:57) 5 Real Meaning (03:40) 6 Shadowside (04:55) 7 Nothing Is Keeping You Here (03:17) 8 Mother Nature Goes to Heaven (04:08) 9 Sunny Mystery (03:30) 10 Start the Simulator (05:17) 11 Foot of the Mountain (remix) (04:49) 1 Foot of the Mountain (Erik Ljunggren remix) (04:51) 2 Foot of the Mountain (Boheme 7" remix) (06:57) |
| Foot of the Mountain : Allmusic album Review : Norwegian trio a-ha announced -- 24 years after topping the charts worldwide with their iconic synth pop classic "Take on Me" -- that they would split following the release of their ninth studio album, Foot of the Mountain. Produced by Steve Osborne (New Order), their 2009 swan song eschews the melancholic indie pop sound that dominated its predecessor, Analogue, and instead neatly brings their underrated career full circle by returning to the melodic electronica of their early glory days. Opening track "The Bandstand" recalls the early noir-ish atmospherics of early Depeche Mode with its pulsating new romantic basslines, eerie spacy synths, and Morten Harkets yearning vocals, while the glorious OMD-esque "Riding the Crest," arguably their most infectious pop song since 1987 James Bond theme "The Living Daylights," sounds like a number from a classic Giorgio Moroder movie soundtrack. But despite some obvious 80s influences, Foot of the Mountain is far from a contrived attempt at trying to restore former glories. The title track, a reworking of "The Longest Night," a song from keyboardist Magne Furuholmens previous solo album, A Dot of Black in the Blue of Your Bliss, is a soaring slice of emotive piano-driven pop/rock that would make Keane green with envy; "Shadowside" is a heartbreaking ballad whose string-soaked finale evokes the cinematic choristry of Sigur Rós; and the echoing effects, Chicane-style synth chords, and Peter Hook-influenced bassline turns "Sunny Mystery" into their most clubby effort to date. The inventive streak that runs through the albums ten tracks isnt always quite as successful. Closing number "Start the Simulator" is a brave but misguided attempt at experimental post-rock, based on a rather clunky space travel metaphor that reduces Harkets beautifully understated tones to Auto-Tuned anonymity, while "Mother Nature Goes to Heaven" is a wishy-washy and meandering attempt to highlight the plight of the environment, which suggests the band is much better at tackling more personal themes than heavy-handed issues. But while many acts bow out of their careers with lackluster and hastily assembled efforts, Foot of the Mountain is the sound of a band you feel has much more to offer. If this is to be a-has final LP, then theyve undeniably gone out on a high. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 27 Title: 25 Released: 2010-08-06 Tracks: 39 Duration: 2:36:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Take On Me (03:47) 2 The Blue Sky (02:36) 3 The Sun Always Shines on T.V. (05:08) 4 Train of Thought (7" remix) (04:15) 5 Hunting High and Low (7" remix) (03:47) 6 I’ve Been Losing You (04:25) 7 Scoundrel Days (04:02) 8 The Swing of Things (04:15) 9 Cry Wolf (04:06) 10 Manhattan Skyline (edit version) (04:21) 11 The Living Daylights (04:14) 12 Stay on These Roads (04:46) 13 Touchy! (UK DJ edit) (03:38) 14 Theres Never a Forever Thing (02:51) 15 You Are the One (7" remix) (03:50) 16 The Blood That Moves the Body (Two-Time Gun remix) (04:08) 17 Crying in the Rain (04:22) 18 Early Morning (02:59) 19 Slender Frame (03:42) 20 I Call Your Name (04:29) 1 Move to Memphis (single version) (04:17) 2 Dark Is the Night for All (03:46) 3 Cold as Stone (re-mix) (04:32) 4 Angel in the Snow (edit) (04:07) 5 Shapes That Go Together (04:14) 6 Summer Moved On (04:37) 7 Minor Earth, Major Sky (Nivens radio edit) (04:02) 8 The Sun Never Shone That Day (radio edit) (03:31) 9 Velvet (04:20) 10 Forever Not Yours (04:05) 11 Lifelines (04:18) 12 Did Anyone Approach You? (04:11) 13 Celice (03:40) 14 Analogue (03:49) 15 Cosy Prisons (radio mix) (03:58) 16 Foot of the Mountain (03:57) 17 Nothing Is Keeping You Here (single remix) (03:05) 18 Shadowside (single edit) (03:31) 19 Butterfly, Butterfly (The Last Hurrah) (04:10) |
| 25 : Allmusic album Review : Released to celebrate the band’s 25th anniversary, the double-disc 25: The Very Best of a-ha is not for the casual listener. At 39 tracks, it is quite exhaustive, so anybody thinking that there was no more to the band than “Take on Me” will likely grow restless, but those fans who have stuck with the band through a quarter century will find this to be a worthy tribute, as it mixes up the expected -- “Take on Me,” “The Sun Always Shines on TV,” “Scoundrel Days,” “Crying in the Rain” -- with the unexpected in the form of several exclusive single remixes and DJ edits. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 27 Title: Ending on a High Note (The Final Concert) Released: 2011-01-01 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:12:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 The Sun Always Shines on TV (05:28) 2 The Blood That Moves the Body (04:17) 3 Scoundrel Days (04:20) 4 The Swing of Things (04:29) 5 Forever Not Yours (04:04) 6 Stay on These Roads (04:55) 7 Manhattan Skyline (05:06) 8 Hunting High and Low (04:36) 9 Minor Earth Major Sky (03:22) 10 Summer Moved On (04:56) 11 Ive Been Losing You (03:43) 12 Foot of the Mountain (04:10) 13 Cry Wolf (04:37) 14 Analogue (04:36) 15 The Living Daylights (05:10) 16 Take on Me (04:47) |
 | Album: 21 of 27 Title: Original Album Series Released: 2011-06-13 Tracks: 51 Duration: 3:35:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Take On Me (03:47) 2 Train of Thought (04:14) 3 Hunting High and Low (03:45) 4 The Blue Sky (02:36) 5 Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale (05:02) 6 The Sun Always Shines on T.V. (05:08) 7 And You Tell Me (01:52) 8 Love Is Reason (03:07) 9 I Dream Myself Alive (03:10) 10 Here I Stand and Face the Rain (04:30) 1 Scoundrel Days (04:02) 2 The Swing of Things (04:14) 3 I’ve Been Losing You (04:25) 4 October (03:56) 5 Manhattan Skyline (04:50) 6 Cry Wolf (04:06) 7 Were Looking for the Whales (03:43) 8 The Weight of the Wind (03:59) 9 Maybe, Maybe (02:36) 10 Soft Rains of April (03:12) 1 Stay on These Roads (04:46) 2 The Blood That Moves the Body (04:06) 3 Touchy! (04:33) 4 This Alone Is Love (05:15) 5 Hurry Home (04:37) 6 The Living Daylights (04:47) 7 There’s Never a Forever Thing (02:51) 8 Out of Blue Comes Green (06:42) 9 You Are the One (03:51) 10 You’ll End Up Crying (02:07) 1 Crying in the Rain (04:22) 2 Early Morning (02:58) 3 I Call Your Name (04:53) 4 Slender Frame (03:42) 5 East of the Sun (04:47) 6 Sycamore Leaves (05:21) 7 Waiting for Her (04:49) 8 Cold River (04:41) 9 The Way We Talk (01:31) 10 Rolling Thunder (05:43) 11 (Seemingly) Nonstop July (02:55) 1 Dark Is the Night for All (03:46) 2 Move to Memphis (04:22) 3 Cold as Stone (08:19) 4 Angel in the Snow (04:13) 5 Locust (05:08) 6 Lie Down in Darkness (04:31) 7 How Sweet It Was (06:02) 8 Lamb to the Slaughter (04:20) 9 Between Your Mama and Yourself (04:15) 10 Memorial Beach (04:36) |
 | Album: 22 of 27 Title: The Triple Album Collection Released: 2012-10-05 Tracks: 30 Duration: 2:06:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Take On Me (03:47) 2 Train of Thought (04:14) 3 Hunting High and Low (03:45) 4 The Blue Sky (02:36) 5 Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale (05:02) 6 The Sun Always Shines on T.V. (05:08) 7 And You Tell Me (01:52) 8 Love Is Reason (03:07) 9 I Dream Myself Alive (03:10) 10 Here I Stand and Face the Rain (04:30) 1 Scoundrel Days (04:02) 2 The Swing of Things (04:14) 3 I’ve Been Losing You (04:25) 4 October (03:56) 5 Manhattan Skyline (04:50) 6 Cry Wolf (04:06) 7 Were Looking for the Whales (03:43) 8 The Weight of the Wind (03:59) 9 Maybe, Maybe (02:36) 10 Soft Rains of April (03:12) 1 Dark Is the Night for All (03:46) 2 Move to Memphis (04:22) 3 Cold as Stone (08:19) 4 Angel in the Snow (04:13) 5 Locust (05:08) 6 Lie Down in Darkness (04:31) 7 How Sweet It Was (06:02) 8 Lamb to the Slaughter (04:20) 9 Between Your Mama and Yourself (04:15) 10 Memorial Beach (04:36) |
 | Album: 23 of 27 Title: Collection Released: 2014 Tracks: 15 Duration: 57:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Hunting High & Low (03:46) 2 Take on Me (03:41) 3 Crying in the Rain (04:08) 4 Stay on These Roads (04:42) 5 #9 Dream (04:07) 6 You Are the One (03:45) 7 And You Tell Me (01:52) 8 Analogue (03:49) 9 Cry Wolf (03:36) 10 Youll Never Get Over Me (05:34) 11 Theres Never a Forever Thing (02:51) 12 Mother Nature Goes to Heaven (04:08) 13 Real Meaning (03:40) 14 Angel (04:01) 15 I Call Your Name (04:01) |
 | Album: 24 of 27 Title: Cast in Steel Released: 2015-09-04 Tracks: 12 Duration: 47:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Cast in Steel (03:50) 2 Under the Makeup (03:23) 3 The Wake (03:45) 4 Forest Fire (03:56) 5 Objects in the Mirror (04:14) 6 Door Ajar (03:46) 7 Living at the End of the World (04:06) 8 Mythomania (03:49) 9 She’s Humming a Tune (04:02) 10 Shadow Endeavors (04:22) 11 Giving Up the Ghost (04:16) 12 Goodbye Thompson (03:35) |
 | Album: 25 of 27 Title: Time and Again: The Ultimate a-ha Released: 2016-03-18 Tracks: 35 Duration: 2:37:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Take on Me (03:48) 2 The Sun Always Shines on TV (05:07) 3 Hunting High and Low (7″ remix) (03:47) 4 I’ve Been Losing You (04:25) 5 Cry Wolf (04:07) 6 Manhattan Skyline (04:48) 7 The Living Daylights (The Living Daylights) (04:17) 8 Stay on These Roads (04:48) 9 You Are the One (7″ remix) (03:46) 10 Crying in the Rain (04:22) 11 Move to Memphis (single version) (04:16) 12 Dark Is the Night for All (03:46) 13 Summer Moved On (04:38) 14 Forever Not Yours (04:04) 15 Lifelines (04:16) 16 Celice (03:39) 17 Analogue (All I Want) (03:49) 18 Foot of the Mountain (03:57) 19 Under the Makeup (03:22) 1 Take On Me (Kygo remix) (03:46) 2 The Sun Always Shines on TV (Future Funk Squad’s “Radiant 4k” remix) (05:38) 3 Cry Wolf (Jellybean mix) (05:14) 4 Touchy! (House mix) (05:22) 5 You Are the One (dub mix edit) (05:21) 6 The Blood That Moves the Body (Three-Time Gun mix) (05:10) 7 Summer Moved On (remix) (06:00) 8 Minor Earth, Major Sky (Black Dog mix) (04:07) 9 Velvet (New York mix) (05:19) 10 Lifelines (Boogieman remix) (04:53) 11 Did Anyone Approach You? (reamped) (04:51) 12 Celice (Mauracher remix) (03:57) 13 Analogue (CG’s Electrosphere edit) (04:10) 14 Cosy Prisons (Aural Float remix) (05:48) 15 Foot of the Mountain (Erik Ljungren remix) (04:49) 16 Butterfly, Butterfly (The Last Hurrah) (Steve Osborne version) (04:27) |
| Time and Again: The Ultimate a-ha : Allmusic album Review : Norwegian pop trio A-ha has had their catalog revamped and repackaged a number of times since their inception in the 1980s, but 2016s Time and Again: The Ultimate A-ha brings their canon of hits up to date with the inclusion of material from each of their ten studio albums. The first disc of this set is generally concerned with their hits, beginning, appropriately, with the sunny synths of "Take on Me" and winding chronologically through the years to the sweeping orchestral ballad "Under the Makeup" from their 2015 LP Cast in Steel. The expected tracks like "Touchy!," "The Living Daylights," and their lush cover of the Everly Brothers "Crying in the Rain" are all included alongside later-era cuts like 2000s "Summer Moved On," which was a number one hit in their home country. The second disc in the set is dedicated entirely to alternate mixes and remixes of their hits, some of which hold some historical value like Jellybeans previously unreleased 1986 remix of "Cry Wolf" and Justin Strauss rare dub mix of "You Are the One." For the most part, though, the offerings from this disc seem a bit superfluous and the collection might have been better represented by adding some of the previously unreleased material that was included on their 2015 deluxe reissues. Still, of A-has anthology packages, this is easily the most career-spanning. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 27 Title: Hits South America Released: 2016-04-16 Tracks: 5 Duration: 31:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Blood That Moves the Body (05:21) 2 Manhattan Skyline (07:15) 3 You Are the One (04:15) 4 Stay on These Roads (08:19) 5 Hunting High and Low (06:42) |
 | Album: 27 of 27 Title: MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice Released: 2017-10-06 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:53:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 This Is Our Home (05:04) 2 Lifelines (05:18) 3 I’ve Been Losing You (05:04) 4 Analogue (All I Want) (04:43) 5 The Sun Always Shines on TV (04:27) 6 A Break in the Clouds (04:54) 7 Foot of the Mountain (05:27) 8 Stay on These Roads (06:17) 9 This Alone Is Love (06:07) 10 Over the Treetops (06:44) 11 Forever Not Yours (04:06) 1 Sox of the Fox (07:17) 2 Scoundrel Days (04:56) 3 The Killing Moon (05:54) 4 Summer Moved On (05:29) 5 Memorial Beach (04:31) 6 Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale (05:35) 7 Manhattan Skyline (05:47) 8 The Living Daylights (05:49) 9 Hunting High and Low (05:56) 10 Take on Me (04:13) |
| MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice : Allmusic album Review : Taking place more than 30 years after their MTV-assisted breakthrough debut, MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice captures the first acoustic concerts of Norwegian synth pop trio a-ha. Coinciding with the 2017 summer solstice, when the region has 20 hours of daylight, it was recorded in front of an audience of just 250 at Giske Harbor Hall on a remote island off Norway’s west coast. Special guests in the nearly two-hour, career-spanning set include Alison Moyet, who duets with Morten Harket on Minor Earth Major Sky’s "Summer Moved On," and American alt-country singer Lissie, who assists on "Ive Been Losing You." Ingrid Helene Håvik from Highasakite joins the band on the soaring "The Sun Always Shines on TV" (Harket handles the songs closing notes), and Echo & the Bunnymens Ian McCulloch sits in on "Scoundrel Days" as well as a cover on his own band’s "The Killing Moon." While album producer Lars Horntveth did most of the shows elegant arrangements, which include strings, woodwinds, mallet percussion, lap steel, and instruments like harpsichord and harmonium, Martin Terefe arranged concert highlight "Take on Me," a poignant redesign with only a suggestion of the songs famous keyboard line. The event was released by Universal in eight different versions, including audio, video, expanded, and abbreviated editions. | ||