Lifelines

a-ha was without a doubt one of the most successful bands of the 80‘s, producing hit after hit and pulling huge audiences wherever they performed. And then suddenly it all went sour.

The year was 1991 and they had just released 'Headlines and Deadlines', a collection of their biggest hits. And in spite of one good new track, 'Move to Memphis' (which later won fair acclaim), the market yawned and largely ignored the album.

Times they were indeed a-changing and with it came hip-hop, alternative rock, a massive dance explosion and a whole range of hot new sounds in clubs, on TV and on radio.

Suddenly a-ha was out of tune and out of step with the music. This led to internal friction and combustion and the group split with Magne Furuholmen (keyboards) and Morten Harket (vocals) moving back to Norway and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (guitars) swapping London for New York.

As a group a-ha soon fizzled into obscurity. Until 2000 when they were inspired to get together again. An album, a comeback tour and the scene was set with the sweet sounds of the happy Jewish harp filling the air – and their bank accounts.

Thus to 'Lifelines' which, the record promoters say, is an integral synthesis of recognised a-ha elements with modern sounds and state-of-the-art studio technique.That may be so, but the result does not move the earth. In fact if there was a Richter scale for music this album wouldn’t even register a zero!

a-ha was never wildly exciting. Many back-then fans, as they grew older and their musical tastes matured, realised that it actually wasn’t hip to regard a-ha as cool. There is very little on this album to change that perception, I’m afraid.

Fifteen tracks in all, and although not quite in the watching-paint-dry category, most of it comes close. This album will not bring back the old fans and is unlikely to make startling inroads on the music scene anywhere in the world, other than as music piped into airport toilets, kinky-poo coffee shops, corporate elavators or dentist waiting rooms.