a-ha is releasing their new album in europe this monday.
I'm well aware that it's not the 'coolest' band to be a fan of (I remember being in 6th grade, where half the boys liked Motley Crüe and the other half Twisted sisters.... ), but I guess it's the way this band has been a soundtrack through most of my life (together with Depeche Mode) that gets me excited for every new release from them. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for 'widescreen' melancholic pop-songs.....
Also, if you like Coldplay I do think you should check out a-ha. Their 2005-sound is closer to "fix you" than "take on me".
Oh, and they still make cool videos, like this for their latest single celice

Awesome news!

I was a huge huge HUGE fan of Minor Earth, Major Sky which I think could've been a good hit here in the US if it got any airplay. It is truly one of those flawless albums where you don't need to skip a track, ever. I raved about it a lot after I heard it endlessly while in Europe the summer of 2000. I wasn't a big fan of Lifelines and it almost extinguished any interest I'd have in them. I didn't pick up Memorial Beach either, mostly because I don't like live albums.

BTW, your "Fix You" comparison is spot on.

ALready have my copy (with DVD) preordered from Amazon UK! Can't wait. (And the new video is excellent...as ALL a-ha videos are.) Lifelines is a fantastic album. While not as good as MEMS (which, as you say, is truly a perfect album), it has many excellent tracks (the title song, "Forever Not Yours", "Did Anyone Approach You", and others). I'd give it an 8 out of 10. I think you should give it another shot.

Also, Memorial Beach is NOT a live album. Maybe you're referring to How Can I Sleep With Your Voice In My Head?

I listened to Analogue a bit the other day and was disappointed in their 'new' sound. Of course I only know their one single here in the US, but I was looking forward to Take On Me 2005, and not another band trying to sound like Coldplay.

Oh well.

= J

Their "new" sound goes back to before anyone ever heard of Coldplay.

Ok, after listening to the album over the weekend I predict this:
Some old fans will be lost, as the 'sound' on this album is pretty far away from the somewhat 'cold' soundscape a-ha has been placed in on earlier albums. You can hear that they've been given more freedom by their new label, and it's produced terrifically (unlike 'lifelines' which I thought was all over the place).
A-ha might be able to attract new fans, if they can shake of expectations of a 'take on me 2005'. Unfortunately there are not really any clear radio-hit that grabs you straight away on the album. The closest thing is the title track, but that has in my opinion been given an overly slick production which kills its energy. There's no bite left in it.

So while this is their best album in quite some time, I unfortunately don't see them them doing much damage on the UK/US-hitlists this time around either. But hey, I've been wrong before......

I am so far behind on their stuff.. the last thing I bought and heard was just the single for "Summer Moved On". I've seen some newer albums in stores, but at $20 minimum, I haven't picked them up yet. Are they not released over here or what?

You're right on both counts. I completely forgot about "Did Anyone Approach You?" --- for some reason I didn't think it was on Lifelines.

And I did mean "How Can I Sleep With Your Voice..." not "Memorial Beach".

What I've been meaning to pick up is Morten Haket's solo album.

And reverie, yes, they are import only. Definitely pick up MEMS, that's a good starting point.

just ordered my copy from CD-Wow for $17.95

I wish they had more live dvd shows,what anybody else on that one.
As for new how cool they get play in the UsA.

I recommend the DVD btw:



A-Ha - Live at Vallhall - Homecoming (2001)

Thanks giles i knew about dvd but they should put out more stuff like what depeche mode & pet shop boys have been doing lot these days.

Harket's Wild Seed is one of my all time favorite albums (I would have picked it for the draft, but figured no one would recognize it...my picks were obscure enough as it was ). Some great, great songs on that CD. If you ever had any doubt that Harket was just a pretty boy with a tremendous voice, that album sheds those doubts, as he wrote or co-wrote most of the songs.

This is anal bum cover I would like to see Sean Connery pronounce on SNL Jeopardy.

I listened to this over the weekend and I have to say I found it to be rather lacklustre - it's nowhere as grandiose as the last two and the songs aren't all the instantly memorable. Overall it's a good album just not 'great'.

Giles,
I can see your point, but I have to say I MUCH prefer this album to the last two. Those to me sounded like they were produced 'cheap', while this has a great production. Very 'warm' sounding (in lack of a better term).
The songs on the album aren't as immediately catching as previous ones (which will hurt sales), but the album is a serious grower. At least it was for me

Agreed. I've listened to this 5 or 6 times now. The first time through I was somewhat disappointed. It seemed "OK", but not the high-quality a-ha I know and love. But I also knew that just about all of my favorite music in life has been "grower" music. Songs that I instantly like tend to be forgotten, while songs I considered poor on first hearing are now my favorite songs of all time. So I gave this album a chance, and as I suspected, it turns out that I love it! I'd rate it between Minor Earth and Lifelines at this point.

I can hear a lot of Savoy in this album (Pal Waaktaar's other band), with the more acoustic/live sounding rockiness and the subtle Beatle influences. And Magne Furuholmen brings a lot of his solo albums' acoustical piano style as well (the "Coldplay" sound many have mentioned).

There is only one song that I consider a skipper, "Over The Treetops". Not because it is a bad song, but I really can't stand the harmonizing vocals the way they're mixed. Aside from that, I like all of the songs and LOVE most of them, particularly "Cosy Prisons", "Don't Do Me Any Fvours", "Celice", and "Birthright".

Finally got a chance to listen to it. Definitely what I was expecting -- another very gooo a-ha album. Already better than Lifelines.

okay, maybe I should listen to this album a little bit more, but as for 'Lifelines' - the song, at least it's a tune I can hum and sing from memory, the new album - meh.

am curious to see where you list it on your master 2005 album list (hint, hint)

Yeah, definitely give it a chance. There are several tracks that I can't get out of my head. But I agree that the song "Lifelines" is fantastic.

The Bus, did you get my email re:Morten Harket?

a-ha made a triumphant return to the British Top 40 singles chart this week as Analogue (All I Want) hit number 10. Congrats to the boys.