European edition of the Norwegian Pop trio’s 2002 album, their second album to be released after their eight year sabbatical, which saw the band members dabble in their own side-projects. Though most people outside of Europe remember the band best for their bubbly hit single ‘Take on Me’, a-ha were (and are) a band much more sophisticated and eclectic than that hit would lead you to believe. With Lifelines, the band’s songs managed to blend the dark beauty of their 1988 album Stay on These Roads with the mature assuredness that age brings. Morten Harkett’s voice still soars while the melodies grab hold of your senses and pull you in further with each listen. Warner.
Lifelines follows on from the critical and commercial success of A-ha’s 2000 comeback album Minor Earth, Major Sky. Produced by legend Stephen Hague (Blur, Pet Shop Boys and New Order) and top production duo Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (Elvis Costello and Morrissey), the album represents a further maturing of style.
The instant synth-pop formula songs of their 1980s golden years are once again replaced by a style which is more serious and solid. The sweeping title track, “Lifelines”, opens the album, establishing from the start a philosophical, self-questioning theme continued on “There’s a Reason for It” and “Less Than Pure”. Despite the push towards a darker sound, the lyrics remain simple but sharp, competently tackling other long-standing issues close to their heart (for instance “Oranges on Apple Trees”). “Turn the Lights Down” is an exquisite duet between Harket and Anneli Drecker, which could easily propel the group back to the top of the charts. But as the tone of the release suggests, the older, wiser A-Ha appear to no longer crave the mass adoration of the past and instead are moving towards a more dynamic and credible musical future. –John Galilee
