A-ha

Lifelines

Stay On These Roads.

Review Score:

(10/10)
"Lifelines" is A-ha's seventh studio cd, and it's another chapter in their growth as a band. No longer having to appeal to teenagers, A-ha has evolved into a very respectable band that offers music that will stand the test of time. I was a pre-teen when "Take On Me" hit big in 1985, and unlike most of my peers, I have continued to follow them. I knew they were up to something good when 1990's "East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon" cd revamped their entire sound as a band. That sound has continued to mature and grow since that time. "Lifelines" offers 15 tracks, which is normally way too long for my taste, but very few of them are weak. If you program out "A Little Bit", "Less Than Pure" and "White Canvas" you have yourself 12 solid tracks, any one of which could be a hit. Unfortunately, with popular music being geared mainly to inexperienced, ignorant teens, "Lifelines" will probably fall through the cracks just like "Minor Earth, Major Sky" did two years ago. How could radio ignore such tracks as "Time & Again", "Turn The Lights Down", "Lifelines", "Forever Not Yours", "Did Anyone Approach You", "Afternoon High", "You Wanted More" or "Oranges On Appletrees", but the djs will. I think old and new A-ha fans will embrace "Lifelines", and that it won't collect dust in their collections. Morten Harket has such a great voice--distinctive, with a wide range, and all the band's strengths are present on this cd. Perhaps the fact that all band members had a hand in writing the songs added to the depth of this cd. Being the only well known band from Norway in the U.S., A-ha continue to upstage many American bands who couldn't find a melody if they tried. If you're tired of hip hop, rap candy, or whiney alternative grunge a la Creed, A-ha may be just the ticket. If you're an A-ha fan, let's hope they keep making great cds. If you're looking for further listening, check out Morten Harket's solo cds and cds by Paul Waaktaar's band, Savoy, available through A-ha's website as imports.

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