A-ha — Lifelines

Wow. It seems that Coldplay, Travis and Powderfinger are influencing older bands as well as newer ones. A-ha, the band that gave us the unforgettable retro hit "Take On Me," have released an album that is far more tolerable than their last full-length release, Minor Earth Major Sky.

A-ha’s sound has evolved from being utterly dated to utterly pleasant and, well, good. They sound refreshed and enjoying every moment in production. A song like "Oranges On Appletrees" is a glaring advertisement for their gift of melody. I wouldn’t be surprised if I started hearing it in department stores. And "Turn The Lights Down" shows a-ha at their ballady and beautiful best, rivaling any Fran Healy ballad. The old guys can really beat the newbies at their own game, can’t they?

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