Reviews (page 2 of 9)
A great debut! Not perfect, there are some fillers, but hits the maximum points limit.
Barf. I hate it. Rating:1.5/10
Take on me is great, the rest not so much
Good writing. Awful production.
Tried twice. Didn't like anything else besides Take on Me and one other track. 2.5/5
I think my rating system has devolved into simply a measure of my desire to continue listening to an album.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no. It's all lows, no highs.
I maybe could get to 3 stars on this one. It's probably above average by 80s pop record standards. Today I wanted it to end.
I don't think an a-ha album belongs on this list. Has anyone heard an a-ha song other than Take On Me and maybe the Living Daylights? Skeptical. Apart from that, I don't know why I like this so much less than the superficially similar Scandi-wimpy Cardigans, but I do.
3/5 - Take on Me is an obvious classic, and his vocal range is pretty incredible. Overall, this is fine, but above average for the 80s synth genre.
Killer single to start of some average (but sometimes really good) synth pop. Definitely need to hear take on me, how could you not have already, but the rest of this album feels like fodder to get that single out into the world. The blue sky sounds like a sonic 2 song though, and if you know me that’s a big positive. Can’t rate this the same as the other synth pop bs we’ve been getting but know this is a very low 4.
Music feels very repetitive, bland, and not my style
Starts with the classic "Take On Me", but then after that it's fairly generic 80s synth ballads. I'd probably prefer a "best of" album from A-Ha assuming they have more than one hit
There's Take On Me, and then there's a lot of things I'd never heard because they're quite average.
I owned that one too, back in the day. Excellent '80s pop album, quintessential for that decade.
Good
Enjoyment: 5/10 Replayability: 3/10 Cohesion: 4/10 Flow/Pacing: 4/10 Artistic Merit: 4/10 Weighted Average: 4.1/10 Review: The album starts off with an absolute banger and then quickly dissolves into background noise of forgettable melodies. I listened to this album 3 times and can't tell you what comes after The Blue Sky. This makes me question why it was put on this list at all. Is it only because of Take on Me? Liked Song(s): Take on Me, Train of Thought Disliked Song(s): (None) Recommend? Maybe Heard Before? Partly
a-ha’s lead off song Take On Me that starts their debut album is a strong opener. I remember it getting heavy radio play through the late eighties. Train of Thought is clever and a decent track but the album fades from there and continues its slide downhill until the finish. Wanted more from the title cut and the rest of the album. Vocals and orchestration are rich, the rest is rather slow synth pop dance music. (2.34*s) Skol to the Norwegians for making The 1001 Must Hear List!
No a-ha moment here...a one-hit-wonder band just as I thought. Without the enormous success of "Take Me On," they would have gone unnoticed. I found the rest of the album a bland mix of synths and generated drums. A shimmer of hope on "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." but quickly eclipsed by the mediocracy of the remaining album. Good to see some fresh blood on the music scene with Norwegians getting a Grammy nod but without MTV, these guys would still be in their mom's basement...1.22 stars.
a-ha's debut album was a lot more hunting low than high. It's always tough when the best song on an album is the first track. It sets the table only for you to be disappointed with the rest of the album. Take On Me is so far ahead of anything else that when it wraps up it has left a bad taste in your mouth for the last 30 minutes. Even the other singles that were released I found pretty lackluster. I was hoping for some international influence on some new wave synth pop but was pretty unfulfilled with everything I got after the opening track. I always marvel as to how a-ha has such a huge international following. They somehow maintain the Guinness World Record for highest paying audience at a concert from 1991 which will never cease to surprise me. Within the US their popularity is 99% tied to Take On Me and the associated music video which is deservedly great and iconic. After listening to Hunting High And Low I get the sense that we got it right in the US and that they should mostly be considered one-hit wonder. I understand they had some other singles but from the looks of it their debut was their biggest album both in and out of the US. The remainder of their catalog has pretty limited lasting appeal. I've always found them to be a very odd choice for Bond theme song and don't find their particular track that good or appropriate for the franchise either. Despite their success a-ha goes back to the shelf for me as another forgettable 80's act. 2.07 stars
God the 80s
Nope.
I feel like I've been gaslit into thinking that these guys made Take On Me and then disappeared off the face of the earth for my entire life. It's a great song, but why didn't anyone tell me that this album has strings and woodwinds in every other song? The last thing I was expecting to hear in this album was an oboe solo. Anyways, It's very 80s, and I love very 80s pop albums. I've pretty much said the rest of what I need to say in at least 20 other reviews at this point.
Kort och inte superbra MEN den får en stark 3:a pga Take on me som än idag ger mig gåshud. Har stor respekt för A-ha då Lifelines är en av min absoluta favoritlåtar!
Jag gillar faktiskt det här albumet. Det var en trevlig lyssning som gick snabbt och skönt. Ahas Hunting High And Low är i stort sett det tydligaste 80-talsalbumet man kan få. Låtar om kärlek centrerade kring storartade synthsymfonier och reverbade trummor med den klassiska 80-talsrytmen. Lägg därtill på Mårten Harkets otroligt kraftiga röst och du har en riktig 80-talsdänga. Albumet är långt ifrån perfekt, men det har sin charm i just hur klassiskt 80-tal det är. Det är lättlyssnat och catchy, men ibland lite väl enkelt och repetitivt. Överlag gillar jag albumet, men det är inte det bästa jag har hört. Mitt slutgiltiga betyg är 8/10.
Jag gillar detta album mycket!! Det är synthigt, det är 80 taligt och det har en bra blandning av låtar. Take on me är ju en klassiker som är svår få bort från ens huvud när man lyssnar en gång. Jag gillar även dem lugnare låtarna på albumet vilket tillsammans med skickliga poplåtarna gör att albumet är rolig och snabbt att lyssna på. Ett album som jag definitivt kommer komma tillbaka till!! Därför ger jag Grabbensomintekollarpåexplosioner detta album en stadig 8/10
did the job
Too 80s, too poppy for my taste. The keyboard sounds - yeesh.
Fine Scandinavian Electropop one wonders heavily influenced by Britain , anyways one of the top of the 80s
Who knew there was such depth here? I mistakenly thought these guys were Australian for many decades
Peak 80s ✨
When take on me is the first hit on this album it’s always going to get a high score. I can’t QUITE give it a 10/10 as not every track is a must listen to. It does however get an 8.5/9 out of 10
So 80s it hurts. Funny how some 80s still works and others just almost hurt to listen and imagine it was so popular back then. These guys had a groundbreaking video for their monster hit. That’s about it. 2.5 for nostalgia purposes only. Album all sounds the same.
booooooooooooring
1) Take On Me 2) The Blue Sky 3) Train Of Thought Least Favourite: The Sun Always Shines On T.V.
Very enjoyable songs hidden behind a great song
Shockingly shit inclusion. The only reason it’s here is for the single. And since it’s the first song it peaks then and the rest of the album is just. Worse. Significantly worse. There’s maybe one or two tracks that kind of sound interesting. But absolutely drek like Boys Adventures Tale fucking plummets any built up goodwill.
This falls off a cliff after the first track
This is one of those new wave albums I’ve been meaning to check out for a long time, and now that I finally have, I can see why it stands out, and it’s easy to hear why it left such an impression when it came out. That said, I think their hit song “Take On Me” far exceeds the rest of the album, so much so that it kind of overshadows everything else. The other tracks are good, but it’s hard for any of them to feel like true highlights in comparison.
Objectively, this is really just a one hit album. The only truly essential track off of here is "Take On Me". The rest is competent, if more than not, a less than inspiring blend of new and pop rock filler. I don't buy the argument that "The Sun Always Shine On T.V." is more well written than "Take On Me". This album probably would have benefited if the track order moved "Take On Me" further into the album, or even last, as it sets the bar far too high for the rest of the album to match it. It is also very clear to me that this album was inspired very much by Depeche Mode's albums prior to 1985, which would include in reverse order, PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE, SOME GREAT REWARD, CONSTRUCTION TIME AGAIN, A BROKEN FRAME, and SPEAK & SPELL. Particularly the songs "Take On Me" and "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.". If it were my list, I would have swapped this album out for Mister Mister's WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD which was released also in 1985, and is a more complete album while having 3 hits, or The Cars HEARTBEAT CITY, or Phil Collins NO JACKET REQUIRED, which are the other no brainers for this list. The latter three are essential albums of the 1980s and their not being on the list for the 80s is perplexing. Or perhaps keep this album and the ones mentioned above and jettisoning a couple of the weaker Sonic Youth albums, and a couple of the more questionable British centric weaker punk albums. For all of my criticism, I'll take this over any terrible Nick Cave, Neil Young, or Bob Dylan album any day. Faves: "Take On Me"
days are longer nights are crazy it’s so strange when you’re away
no puede fallar un album que tiene take on me
Not a premier 80s album. But a good representation. And Take on Me was iconic.
Decent one hit wonders
Favourite Songs: Hunting High And Low The Sun Always Shines On T.V.
Pretty fun!
Very 80's, cool to hear how different the rest of the album is compared to the single
must be hard that your biggest hit is your first ever song
Fine
Bangerfest
Sounds like what they based vaporwave and synthwave on. A caricature of 80's music
A few other fire tracks after take on me
Really enjoyed it. Like Mario golf music
Take on me is great, most of the others were a bit slow and boring
Nothing to dislike, but nothing that really stayed with me either. They're probable somewhat important in the 80s new wave discussion, but I think there are better groups from that era to focus on and listen to.
This album sounded exactly like I thought it would. It was fun.
"Hunting High and Low" is a fine, infectious pop album from the 1980s. I will hold my hand up now: I have loved it since its release and was delighted to see it feature on this list. It stands as an almost perfect archetype of 1980s pop - immaculately produced, well written, and beautifully arranged and performed. Alan Tarney’s production, particularly on tracks like 'The Sun Always Shines on T.V.', gave the band a crisp, cinematic sound that successfully bridged cold European synth-pop with organic instrumentation, such as acoustic guitars and dynamic string arrangements. The dramatic structure of 'The Sun Always Shines on T.V.' makes it the clear standout track of the record. Beginning as a soft, melancholic piano ballad, it explodes into a massive, driving synth-and-guitar arrangement. Tarney’s production here is superb, balancing sharp electronic elements with sweeping strings and Morten Harket’s brilliant vocal delivery. It fully deserved its UK Number 1 spot, though the 12-inch vinyl version (which I still own) is arguably even better than the album track. To my ear, three other exceptional tracks join it at the top tier. The album opener, 'Take On Me', only just misses out on the top spot by a whisker. Its signature synth riff is endlessly addictive, but what truly elevates it beyond a typical up-tempo pop track is Harket’s vocal performance; pushing the chorus into that soaring falsetto creates a genuine sense of yearning and tension. Accompanying it are 'Train of Thought' - which carries a distinct element of early Roxy Music - and the title track, 'Hunting High and Low'. The arrangement of the title track is remarkably well-balanced, being underpinned by acoustic instrumentation rather than relying solely on synthesizers. Harket’s performance is again central to its impact, as his transition from soft, reflective verses to an effortless, soaring chorus provides a wonderful sense of scale. As for the remaining material, there is not a weak track present. While the rest of the album may not quite reach the heights of those four main highlights, the overall quality remains consistently high. Ultimately, Hunting High and Low is an impressive debut that established a-ha as far more than a fleeting music video sensation. (For anyone who loves this record, the 2015 four-disc reissue is an absolute must-have, packed with 12-inch mixes, demos, single edits, and alternate versions.) Four stars. Side one 1 "Take On Me" (5/5) 2 "Train of Thought" (5/5) 3 "Hunting High and Low" (5/5) 4 "The Blue Sky" (4/5) 5 "Living a Boy's Adventure Tale" (4/5) Side two 6 "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (5/5) 7 "And You Tell Me" (4/5) 8 "Love Is Reason" (4/5) 9 "I Dream Myself Alive" (4/5) 10 "Here I Stand and Face the Rain" (4/5) Total - 44 Average - 4.4 391/1001 206/391 albums reviewed were new to me.
SOLID 4!!! It has Take on me and I liked like 4 songs in this album so I'm definitely going to real listen to it
Take On Me but there are more songs. Very solid. Short album 38mins
A fun time. It had never occurred to me to listen to anything other than their main hit.
Whole album of this just got way too annoying.
it was fun and interesting hearing the rest of the album, but not my favorite thing ever. 3.5
Let's be honest with ourselves, this album does not deserve a spot on the Top 1001 but it does contain one of the most loved and overplayed songs of all time. Unless you're Norwegian you probably have never bothered to listen to this from top to bottom. They knew they captured lightning in a bottle with "Take On Me" (2.9B listens!!). The video propelled it to awards and legendary status on FM radio, but the rest of the album is filler. They tried real hard for a second US single, they were "Hunting High & Low" but it never happened. "The Sun Always Shines On TV" does get some airplay on the 80's stations but it was average at best. This album is unremarkable in every way, it's Norwegian vanilla. "The Blue Sky" was the best one I'd never heard before. I remember "And You Tell Me" from the 80's, musta been a mixtape, I had just forgotten it but it's a nice track. I'd give this 2.5 stars and all of that is based on 3 songs.
Nice 80s summer sunset vibes
some good ones of course but not the whole thing Will I listen to again: 32%
First song pretty good. Then it’s all downhill from there
Really great 80s ballads
A couple amazing songs that help me to overlook the cliche synth. 2.5/5
Some of the funniest lyrics I've ever heard. Well produced album though. Sounds just like the 80's.
timeless and iconic. I had to listen to this twice because it was so good and ended too quickly.
Hooray! A one hit wonder! I’ve known of a-ha my entire life, but all I’ve ever heard was Take On Me from them, so let’s dive in! And this is so charmingly 80s that I can smell the hairspray. I’m fairly certain that if I were tasked with writing an 80s song, I’d accidentally write Hunting High and Low. This album is so dated and it’s impossible to not hear it. Outside of Take On Me, there’s nothing truly noteworthy here. That’s not to say this is a bad album. Moving from bombastic to ballad and almost enough synth for Beverly Hills Cop (and just a hint of industrial), it is a fun and well paced album. I actually enjoyed it way more than expected.
Pre Listen: A-Ha? I only know them from Take On Me, and I really like that song. If the rest of their stuff sounds even somewhat like that, I think I'll have a good time here. Expectations higher than usual going in. Notable Tracks: Take On Me - Mm, yes, that's the good stuff right there. Favorite track on here, absolute 80's classic hit. Hunting High and Low | Living a Boy's Adventure Tale - Who gave the instrumental backings the right to slap this fucking hard. The lyrics are ok, but holy shit the instrumental and synth work is golden. The Sun Always Shines on T.V. - The moment the tempo picks up around the minute mark is phenomenal. This one's going on the playlist, if it wasn't for Take On Me, this would be my favorite track. Post Listen: I was expecting some good songs on here, but I wasn't expecting solid gems. All the songs I mentioned stood out to me as being way, way better than I could've expected. I anticipated most tracks on here being closer to 'Love Is Reason' in substance; a little boring, but mostly inoffensive and bubbly. Instead I was really taken aback by the instrumentals, and the consistent performance of the vocalist. Shit made me go A-Ha! 4/5
3/5 minimum for Take On Me. Good thing every other track on here rocks. Maybe my favorite album to drive to ever. Sweet find!
Pretty cool. I like this genre.
Enjoyed this more than expected. Thought the hits were actually really good, especially since I remember Take On Me as being a bit cringe and kitschy, but it actually has held up really well
Always look at these guys as one hit wonders. Then I check the profile on Spotify. 22 million followers. Still active. Lots of records. That said this is boring. There is only one hit. And the video for the song is better than the song.
kinda forgettable
Started with the best song and then it goes downhill from there. Favourite Track(s): Take On Me, And You Tell Me Least Favourite Track(s): Here I Stand and Face the Rain
It was fine but all sounded the same
Great album that only gets me more 80s pilled than I’ve ever been. Forgot how intricate the production of Take On Me is. Some ultra-cheesiness prevents this from being 5 stars for me, but great album.
it’s ok
Not a fan
Much like the song that everyone knows from this album, the rest of this music is a little dated, super catchy, beautifully sung, and has surprisingly evocative lyrics
Taaaaaaaaake ooooooooooon meeeeeeeeee. Take. On. Me. Taaaaaaaaaake meeeeeeeeeee oooooooooooonnnnnn
Not much beyond the pop
When i saw take on me I thought “oh brother this is going to be a long album.” But I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.
I'm glad to hear the other songs besides 'Take on Me'
Some really good pop on here, and a good record for anyone who thinks that a-ha only had 'that' song.
“Take on Me” is obviously one of the defining songs of the '80s, but the rest of this album lands pretty flat for me. It's hard to open an album with your best song and keep that level of quality going. Very few artists can pull that off, and a-ha isn't one of them. It's a perfectly fine album, but it ultimately feels like it's living in the shadow of one truly great song.
Who doesnt love take on me, excited to hear the rest of the album tho. Honestly just kinda chill otherwise. Good music easy listening.
jeg synes ikke det lyder som et "hey girls se mine triceps"-album men coveret indikerer, at det er det, det er. Ellers et helt udmærket album! Uha han kan synge!! Stor 3 tbh
På ingen måde et mesterværk, men der er et par kæmpe bangers og produktionen virkede ret godt for mig
There's that one good song and a bunch of covers
Starts SO high
He's got a pretty voice. The songs are enjoyable, but forgettable. Take on Me
Surprisingly fun!
I mean obvi 80s banger with take on me but not that interesting otherwise on first listen. very smiths inspired i'd say
Good old 80s synth pop.
favs: take on me the blue sky living a boy’s adventure tale i dream myself alive rating 2/5
Slaps. Solid as 40-year-old synthpop gets, and about as groundbreaking. Take that how you will.
Starts off with one of the biggest and most well known songs of the 1980s. After that it's fairly standard synth pop. You could have told me it was any synth band from the 80s and I'd believe you.
Toppen och håller utöver Take On Me
Härligt 80-tal och faktiskt klart mer än bara en hit!
Trodde det skulle vara en till one-hit wonder-situation, men oj vad fel jag hade. Peak 80-tal!
Heja Norge!
When my children (various dogs) ask me what the 80s sounds like (in the forms of barks and growls) I will tell them this is what it sounded like, my sons.
Take On Me elevates this otherwise kind of boring album.
Decent 80s pop even beyond the first track.
Hmm, 1985 new-wave-synth-pop. I feel like I won't like this very much but let's see. Oh, I know this first song, I assume almost every one who was around in the 80's does. Even though I don't like synth-pop much, there is something infectious about this song. Other than Take on Me, which I gave a 5 the rest are just ok to downright annoying.
I listened.
Pleasant enough listening.
A side from the fact that Take On Me has 2.82 billion (!!!) streams on Spotify, I'm not sure this album needs to be on this list.
This is going to sound harsh, but recognize I can see why they are a one hit wonder in America. Too soft and slow for me.
I'm confident this was added purely for 'Take On Me'.
L F G. TAKE ON MEEEEE
Take on me duh
This was really fun, and a bit uneven. The Sun Always Shines on T.V. is awesome.
If you were a kid in the 80s, that music video was etched in your mind. It was and is extraordinary. That alone puts this album here. The rest of this album was ok, but not always as interesting.
Superb. The nostalgia was really good.
I really wanted to love it....but everything else except Take On Me is just so painfully 80s lame. Enjoyed their song Mannhattan Skyline that autoplayed on spotify after the album though!
This album contains a decade-defining, perhaps generation-defining, song. I can still vividly picture the music video. But this is the first time I've ever thought to listen to the actual album, and after listening, I can see why. The song gets a 10 on a 5-point scale. The album gets a 1. So I'll give it 2 stars, with apologies.
Oh a one hit wonder, the rest of the album is ok, it's fine
Pretty much what you'd expect of a mid 80's synthpop album with powerhouse vocals. Take on Me is the highlight and The Sun Always Shines on T.V. is a close second. 3/5
"high" refers to track 1 and "low" refers to the rest of the album
Really dated with a couple of catchy tunes
The most typical dodgy 80s album
I didn’t listen to this and I don’t intend to
Solid record. Morten Harket has an incredible voice.
344/1001 A-ha - Hunting High and Low Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ Asides from Take On Me, which is a stone cold banger, the rest of the album just feels like generic 80s synth pop. Nothing wrong with it per se, but not exactly groundbreaking.
Un debut monumental del synth-pop y el new wave que ha envejecido bien gracias a su sofisticado equilibrio melódico. En el plano de diseño de ensamble, el álbum es impecable; el uso de sintetizadores brillantes y cajas de ritmos se resuelve en un entretejido que da claridad con la estética característica de la época, logrando una nitidez sonora que resalta tanto en los temas enérgicos como en las baladas cinemáticas. La entrega vocal de Morten Harket es el verdadero motor de la obra, desplegando una fuerza y calidez excepcionales que transmiten una autenticidad desarmante, otorgando a la banda una autoridad superior dentro del pop electrónico. Piezas fundamentales como "Take on Me", "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." y el tema homónimo "Hunting High and Low" edifican un testimonio crudo, real y conmovedor que opera como un sutil llamado a la conciencia sobre la soledad y el desarraigo, envuelto en un fino refugio de nostalgia. Un trabajo cuya vibrante rítmica y constante sensación de paz y fluidez lo vuelven idóneo para múltiples usos en la rutina diaria, destacando con fuerza para acompañar el ejercicio, la conducción o para activar el trabajo creativo.
Of course. Who doesn't love this. And the other songs are pure 80s vibes. And they are norsk. What more can I ask for?
Well if this is the way this list can include the monster hit that is and was "Take on Me" then so be it. That song is the opener so you don't have to wait for it at all. What follows is actually quite well-crafted and memorable by 80s synthpop standards. Definitely a surprise from the band widely considered a one-hit wonder (though I've had this experience before with the Cardigans' First Band on the Moon, which since became of my favourites.) Honestly, this album really puts the band into perspective for me - I genuinely think that if they came a little before or even after the new wave and synthpop boom periods of the mid-80s they would be taken a whole lot more seriously. One only needs to look at the soundscape(!) of songs like the title track to see that this band was more than its ultra-commercial smash hit. However, a lot of this album is indeed pretty indistinguishable from the rest of the synth-heavy landscape of the era, and the super-processed drum sound that was all over music gets annoying pretty fast. Doesn't help it's accompanied by lazily strummed acoustic guitars to give it a "grounded" feel despite the ultra processed everything that surrounds it. Despite all that, this is a VERY solid piece of 80s pop goodness and you could do far, far worse than listening to this. Not bad at all for a band dismissed as a sappy one-hit wonder if you ask me. Key Tracks (besides Take on Me of course:) Hunting High and Low, The Sun Always Shines on TV, Here I Stand and Face the Rain
This Album has the One Song on it
I was surprised I liked it and it’s a 3.5 but gonna rate it 3
a-ha are pretty much remembered for one song - or rather one song's music video - and the good news is that it's here. Even better, it's the first track on the album, so listen to it, then switch off and you can say you've heard the band's greatest hits. A lot of fluff, dressed to kill in some computer console synths, the most 80s drum sound you'll hear outside of a Human League record and the sort of pre-teen friendly angst driven falsetto vocals that were the rage at the time and, as an added bonus, a jaw line that could slice bread. Really does not need to be remembered.
Olihan tällä levyllä muitakin hyviä biisejä kuin superhitti Take On Me. Soundit olivat megakasaria, mutta se ei kauheasti haitannut. Aika kiva pop-levy, mutta ei mikään merkkiteos. Tältä 1001-listalta ei taida löytyä montaa pohjoismaalaista levyä, mutta kiva että edes jotain on huolittu mukaan.
Take on me is one of the most iconic pop songs of all time. But the rest of the album is far less iconic, haha. Or should I say a-ha?
I liked this album. It was less one-note than I thought it would be after the first two tracks. There were some songs that I really enjoyed on here, would listen again.
vocals.
Not a one hit wonder band, many of the songs on here would be great as part of a soundtrack.
Quality synth pop with no skips.
Some real bangers, some dross!
All things 1980s - synth pop, high production video, compelling cover artwork, catchy tunes. The MTV generation in a nutshell. This album gave us some iconic pop songs, but overall it's bland and derivative.
Vikings meet the 80’s. Brilliant
Two decent singles and a lot of dated filler. Almost a 3 because at least it's short. 2*
As an 80s kid, I am a new wave and synth-pop fan to my core, not to mention that the exceptionally creative music video for Take On Me is permanently etched in my brain. Sonically, this album felt as if I was wrapped in a cozy, cohesive, cinematic 80s blanket. Morten Harket’s voice is hauntingly beautiful and his falsetto is soothing. I found the lyrical content to be introspective and thoughtful. I could easily put this album on when I’m craving 80s comfort and get lost in the vibe.
My hopes were high on seeing this and ‘Take on Me’ is a great opener. Track two wasn’t for me, but i was safe with track three i thought as i vaguely remember‘Hunting High and Low’ from my youth. Turns out i was wrong and sounded as dated and crap as the track before it. Other than ‘The Sun always shines on tv’ the rest of the album is just dated pap.
Aside from the (controversial) fact that I am not a fan of “Take On Me”, I expected to enjoy this - but by God is it violently 80s, to the point it has not aged well. “Hunting High and Low” and “The Sun Always Shines on TV” (which I’ve always preferred to “Take On Me”) are the clear standouts, as is, I suppose “Take On Me”. The rest is all filler that never gets close to reaching the heights of the aforementioned tracks; the closest that I came to actually enjoying another track was the last one. This is probably a 2.5* album, but the tracks I do like, I really do like - so it gets a 3.
It's another album to add to the list of records where the most famous track is up first. It always seems like a brave strategy: would it pay off this time? Take On Me is great, and inextricably liked to the Reel Big Fish ska cover version in my head, which takes a cheesy song and makes it cheesier in ways which I enjoy. The original is just a perfect 80s pop song, though I do have a sneaking suspicion that it's music video really cemented its fame. Train of Thought was instantly a downgrade because it added the 80's synth pan pipes which, even for this cheese lover, is TOO MUCH. The bones of the song were ok but Morten Harket sounded like Morrissey at points (so I didn't like it). Hunting High and Low I quite liked. The Blue Sky was a bit Depeche Mode in backing music if not vocal. Living a Boy's Tale was back to sounding a bit Morrissey if he were synth-pop. The Sun Always Shines on TV I recognised and can see why in got to number 1 in the UK in the mid-80s. Its very much the type of thing that was popular. Take On Me is still superior though. And You Tell Me was dull. Love Is Reason was very Stock, Aitken and Waterman due to the synths and being extremely repetitive despite being so short. I Dream Myself Alive: ditto. I had sort of run out of enthusiasm by the time Here I Stand And Face The Rain came around, but I do like how the backing vocals swell towards the end. Yep, it was all downhill after Take On Me. It's going to scrape a 2 from me, because I think there's the bones of a much better album hidden under the production and 80s synths. 2/5 P.S. There's a super deluxe version of this album that's 3 hours 54 minutes long and its existence is baffling to me.
Another classic album from my 80s childhood. There are a lot of good songs besides Take On Me on this, which were great to hear again.
Oh that 80s sound and I loved their videos (I want my mtv!)
Pleasant album but beyond their hit not much to be memorable, certainly not essential. Some of the other songs *almost* stood out - maybe The Blue Sky. Also, add another star if you really like 80s synth.
Take on me - 5/5 Train of thought - 4/5 Hunting high and low - 5/5 The blue sky - 4/5 Living a boy's adventure tale - 3/5 The sun always shines on TV - 3/5 And you tell me - 1/5 Love is reason - 3/5 I dream myself alive - 4/5 Here I stand and face the rain - 3/5
Honestly, kind of iconic 80s right here
This is not the best a-ha album but I get why the album with the big songs (Take On Me, The Sun Always Shines On TV, and the title track) was chosen. Overall it's an okay debut album - The Sun Always Shines on TV is a true banger for the ages and probably in my top ten of all-time greatest pop songs - but the production side is a touch weak and there are too many fillers. Straight afterwards I put on their second album - Scoundrel Days - and was reminded of what a truly underrated band they are. Somewhere between U2 and Depeche Mode but Scandinavian. Morten Harket's voice is immaculate.
16/06/2026 I feel I was slightly disappointed with this. With such a strong opener, it started falling apart not long after. Spotify listeners: 23.1 million
Solid rock
Reminds me of Tears for Fears first album. Pleasant but not a lot of depth.
Good, listenable album. Take on Me is obviously an all timer.
Woof. Let's all repeat after me.. "One. Hit. Wonder." This has aged like milk on the deck in the summer in a glass jar.. This is what 1985 sounded like, kids. Tin can recorded synth pop with a drum machine backing track. All of it. It's impossible to dislike "Take On Me" and it's ubiquitous and groundbreaking music video but there are no additional teeth on this paper tiger. I would love to hear the singer on more than just this stuff because he's got some pipes. It's a tragedy he's suffocated by the Casio Keyboard bashing on this entire record. (2/5)
This was my first time hearing this album in its entirety, and I was surprised to find didn't hate it. Aside from the first song (which most folks of a certain age have heard too many times), it had a thoroughly 80s euro-pop-electronica sound that wouldn't stand out in a crowd of their contemporaries, but was a fine for a throwback Thursday. That doesn't mean that I feel the need to ever return to it, but it exceeded my relatively low expectactions, and happy enough to reward it with a 3/5.
109. Hunting High And Low - a-ha (1985) 6.11.26 Variety: 1 Adequacy: 3 Listenability: 2 Uniqueness: 1 Emotionality: 2 = 1.8 rounded up to a 2 "I don't know what I'm to say/ I'll say it anyway" I've known for a while that these guys were more than the "one hit wonders" they were written off as stateside, but have never taken the time to investigate any further than the big hit and the Bond theme they did for The Living Daylights ( meh...). I know from experience that other bands that were similarly labelled over here have ended up being pretty damned awesome ( both Big Country and A Flock Of Seagulls self-titled) or have very deep discographies that have yielded some enjoyable listening ( Simple Minds, Madness). This band though falls into the category with Dexys Midnight Runners ( 3 albums on the list!) where I just haven't taken the plunge. Happy to do so now. THE TRACKS Side one "Take On Me" - There are plenty of mediocre or bad songs, and even a few great ones that are overshadowed by iconic music videos. As memorable and still influential as the video for this one is, I would argue the song itself still manages to outshine it. And the proof is how it STILL lives on in the pop culture today. All my kids know this song. It's still all over the radio, and used in tv, movies, and video game soundtracks. Sometimes there is an exact accounting for good taste. This is one of those undeniable classics that will live on for decades to come probably, even well after the band itself ( has this time come and past already?) is long forgotten. Possibly the definition of what a hooky melody is, this is up there with "Don't You Want Me", "Beat It", "Oh, Pretty Woman", "I Want to Hold Your Hand", "Dancing Queen", "Every Breath You Take", and "Don't Stop Believin'" in that respect. The driving synth, that melody, and the yearning, pleading vocals have likely inspired untold numbers of would be karaoke stars, and remains emotionally gripping to this day, undeadened by the thousands of times I've heard it. There are very few songs in this category that don't wear at least a little bit thin after so long. I wonder if this is truly the band's curse though. Can anything else after this possibly not pale in comparison? I would guess not, but I'm willing to allow them a little grace in that respect. "Train of Thought" - Ok. Well, this is what happens when you open your album with a god-level track and possibly ( there's still many more tracks left) don't have anything left in the chamber. This is not awful by any means, but it certainly does not transcend the cliche's of the middle of that most neon and shoulder-padded decade. Morten Hacket's vocals remain pretty top tier and he hang's well with your Simon LeBon's and your Phil Oakley's, but the material here is weak and undistinguishable from any number of Duran Duran knockoffs from the era. "Hunting High and Low" - This is a big change up that leans into some sort of loungy electronic latin beat cabaret before taking a hard left into some very adult contemporary sounds for the chorus. Far too serious and overproduced for my tastes, but the strings and the vibes make this seem like a tryout for their later Bond theme success, which almost requires this sort of unembarrassed kind of aprproach. "The Blue Sky" - Dude lays the melodrama on a bit thick in the vocals here, but instrumentally there is a lot to like here. A catchy chorus, combined with the downbeat synths provide a great counterweight that overcomes any of my issues. "Living a Boy's Adventure Tale" - Not a great start with the processed yelps. The very basic Casio pre-set beat on this also does the track no favors. Seems like the boys aimed for mediocrity here and undershot. Boring, lifeless stuff. Side Two "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." - Am I crazy or did U2 rip whole bits of this off for "Beautiful Day"? The lyrics and even phrasing of the main line are like 2nd gen photo copies. Now, that said, this is a good example where the copy shines over the original. I'll have to look this up to see if it was a conscious nod or what, but U2 is able to take the same exact bit and give it some epic life, where this mostly falls flat. U2's is bright and airy, where this feels weighed down and sluggish. I wonder what this might sound like pitch shifted up... "And You Tell Me" - What a nothing of a song. Weak and not a hook a to be found. "Love Is Reason" - This one does nothing to put itself apart from any number of tiresome deep cuts that can be found in this era of Kajagoogoo or Spaundau Ballet. If you had played this for me I'm not sure I would have been able to tell you it was a-ha. It's still not dogshit though, and at least has some instrumental hooks and ok vocals. Just imagine this with about 30% more energy. "I Dream Myself Alive" - Maybe the mix on these is not doing the songs any justice? This should be a giant club song with pounding synth hits and an ear vibrating bass and drum, but instead every bit of this including the vocals sound like they are crammed together into a thin sheet of sound that makes barely nothing of a mark. "Here I Stand and Face the Rain" - Some very interesting changes and swerves in this one still can't rise above that there is absolutely zero dynamism going on here. Where is the contrast that some of the first few tracks seemed to have. This has the bones of something far more appealing than what we end up getting. As an experiment I played this and "Love is Reason" both back at 1.25 speed and they were both VASTLY improved. Try it ( this does NOT work with every track btw). Very weird. HIGHLIGHTS - "Take On Me" MIDLIGHTS - "The Blue Sky" - "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." - "Love Is Reason" - "Here I Stand and Face the Rain" LOWLIGHTS - "Train of Thought" - "Hunting High and Low" - "Living a Boy's Adventure Tale" - "And You Tell Me" - "I Dream Myself Alive" FINAL THOUGHTS Later in life I've become a proponent of earnestness in entertainment. The kind of sincere, aim for the stars kind of approach which would have had my cheeks burning with embarrassment for the performer in my teens and 20s has sort of washed away, and I've grown to appreciate mannered, constructed go for it type of stuff that I would have likely avoided at all costs previously. But man, if there's ever a good case for toning things down and being just a LITTLE bit self-aware this might be it. These guys go BIG, and where alchemical wonder of "Take on Me" soars, most of the other attempts at these big sincere swings fail pretty miserably. I'm sorry to say I can't lump them in with Big Country or A Flock Of Seagulls, as the rest of the album did not deliver on the first track's promise. But that one track, along with the fact that this does seem to be a professional outing ( odd production choices aside) rescues them from 1 territory at least. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS FURTHER LISTENING - Rio by Duran Duran - A Flock Of Seagulls by A Flock Of Seagulls - Architecture & Morality by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Don't Suppose by Limahl - Visage by Visage - Dare by The Human League - Forever Young by Alphaville
First impression: color me quite surprised! I may have found the elusive synth pop album that I actually enjoy! A little over a hundred albums in and I was beginning to detest the machine. I think the term “one-hit wonder” may be misapplied to these guys. It seems they found a modicum of success beyond the “Take on me” single. Or maybe it isn’t, because I’d only heard one other song by them before today, “The Living Daylights” from the James Bond movie of the same name. This sounds very much like the 80s as I remember them. What I appreciated about this album is that a-ha doesn’t keep a low hum of synth going at all times like some, they fold it into the tracks with deliberate effectiveness. That works for me. Been a busy day and I wish I could’ve given a little more thought to this album. Perhaps I’ll return to it when I have some time. That in and of itself is compliment, I think. 3/5 Track highlights Take on Me Train of Thought Hunting High and Low Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale
There is a reason I only knew one a-ha song before this. Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale sucked.
Take on me is a classic
Meh
No. 218 This starts with Take On Me? Wow that's a high mark to keep up. Every time I seem to wane interest in the sound, there is a new thing thrown in.
'80s toms, synths, and there's a certain operatic vocal expression that would dominate the decade, we've got all of that in here and it's definitely on the positive side as far as execution goes. It's still too much production. It's not difficult to listen to, but let's be real, this project has a single you should listen to before you die. I don't think the rest of the album is that special. 2.5
The three hits are massive, the rest ok
Pop dos anos 1980 muito bem feito e divertido. Vocais e instrumentais excelentes! Celest x Versekeys Ultra-Sense Planet.
A solid pop album with a couple of killer singles.
06/07 Everyone knows Take On Me, but the rest of the album is pretty good too
Very good debut album and a banger to kick it off! 4/5
sounds like a-ha, not mvoed either way
..
Besides the obvious hots this album has a lot of good songs more to offer. I listened to the complete record before but forgot that some album songs are very strong.
Thrilled. They have one of my favorite song exploders for take on me but I’ve never listened to anything else! Very good album cover energy. Also a good example of a the category of band names I never knew despite knowing the song so well (eg who sings What’s Up?). Quintessential 80s vibe I think. Fun little listen for a drive to the airport to fetch Allison
Not as bad as we feared.
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It's very clearly of its time but you can really hear industrial rock roots and some of the beats are great
I was hoping for a song as good as the opener but did not find on the monotone 80s album.
I’ve been on a new wave kick lately so I enjoyed this. A-ha is definitely an underrated band.
A very good record. Certainly dated sound by the sound of the instruments but still a very strong album. I had not listened to it in ages and took the time to listen again and it was very good at its time. Still very good due to the instrumentation and songwriting.
"Take On Me" is arguably the most 80s song ever made. Practically synonymous with the decade itself. Its music video was revolutionary, and for good reason. As a whole album, however, it's not quite a 5/5, as some of the lesser tracks don't quite measure up to the big hits ("Take On Me", "Hunting High & Low", "The Sun Always Shines on T.V."). But it's still a great album that inspired me to check out some of their later releases.
Take on me is a fantastic song but couldn't get into the rest of the album
Too often a-ha is judged solely by "Take On Me". Hunting High and Lower is a very aurally pleasing helping of Nü-Romanticism. Great vocal performances with instrumentation and production to match
Its sooooooo 80's. They might have started the push back on toxic masculinity with this 80's emo music. The drama all over this album is just a lot to me, really almost too much.
This was so very 80s and had a lot of heart. I like how unrestrained it feels. Take On Me is so great, and The Sun Always Shines on TV grabbed me too. The rest was a good enough time to enjoy the album!
The hit makes the album
No lo he llegado a terminar pero me lo ha dado
That was the album everyone listened to when I was in my twenties. I thought the hits on the album were pretty nice, but a bit too saccharine. I did listen to the rest of it once, but I found it boring. Nothing has changed in that regard. 3/5
This album suprised me slightly. Classic 80s ballads a bit. But i liked the one about dreaming
Take on me carries but the rest is ok
Très 80s codé, presque trop pour moi (c’est pour dire)
meh
Leuke synth pop. Maar niet heel bijzonder. Take on me is natuurlijk iconisch maar de rest is redelijk mid
Nah.not.my ham
Typical 80s synth-pop. Aside from the smash hit Take On Me it's fairly meh. But as far as this genre goes it's not terrible. I'll be charitable and give it a 3.
Love "Take on Me" but really it is the only thing good about the album
I suspect this made the list on the strength of that inescapable, sort of cool music video back when MTV had music. A video does not make a great album.
This is fine, not great. Take On Me is absolutely a classic, but it's really the only reason to listen to the album. The rest is very samey and this style is done better by other bands.
Decent listen.
Great album with several very popular songs. This really reminds me of the eighties and that type of music. Even the guys hair on the cover is super eighties. The less popular songs are pretty good too and I think this is the first time I have ever heard them. This might actually be one that I would listen to again sometime.
You danced straight off the bat to Take on me, it’s a banger, the rest of the album skirts around it but can’t really top it. It’s fun though and worth a listen and a boogie
2 Great songs carry this entire album but man, Take on Me is an all time great
Another Sinop album. It only has the song take on me, which is very clearly a one hit wonder. I don’t know why the entire albums on this list but it gets a three because take on me is a good song.
Liked it more than I initially thought I would Standout songs: Hunting High and Low And you Tell me Here I Stand and Face the Rain
2.8
Very 80’s sounding. Love the famous song, liked a couple others, but overall hoped to like it better.
Tolles Album, mag den Synthie Sound von denen
ganz solide, take on me ist ein Banger, rest flacht etwas ab.
Mehr 80er geht nicht. Sun always shines on TV ist der bessere Banger als Take on Me
Timeless classic.
Take on Me is an undeniable banger, but turns out there's a reason you don't know any of their other songs.
A fun album
Would have been 1 star if not for the all time most overplayed song on MTV
I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Obviously Take On Me is a highlight, but The Sun Always Shines on TV is another gem, and there are plenty of other decent tracks. Crucially the production (which destroys many 80s albums) is great. Am I the only one who didn't realize they're Norwegian?
Ohhh look a drum machine and a synth sitting in the side of the road, should we make the biggest hit of the decade? Look, Take on Me is the song of the 80s, but the rest of the album is pretty uninspired and sappy. Pretty clear why ppl see them as a one hit wonder.
A pleasant and twinkling 80s pop record spearheaded by an eternal hit. Not a note or production moment out of place, which resulted in an enjoyable listening experience that didn’t stick to me.
not just a take on me button! i really like songs 1 and 3, and songs 7 and 9 have some moments that tickle my brain
Nothing speaks Eighties to me like this album! I also have a very vivid memory of listening to Take on Me on a bus back from the mountains after an intense day on the slopes while eating a delicious orange that probably saved me from dehydration ahahahaha
An iconic intro and an amazing album for me. I was not expecting a 5/5, but I love what I love.
So much more than just take on me! Good listen all the way through. It also helps that I’ve been in an 80s music mood for the last year.
Some very popular songs on this album, and I would say that there were 3 that I liked. The rest were meh.
Alphabetic positioning makes this one of the first records in my library, neglected apart from TOM and TSASOT; shame on me, as this is a cool record, charged with melody, poise and emotional shift in the introverted tracks. I can see their particular appeal as - nodding to Si - a “girls band” in this muted mix of stoicism, romanticism and modesty in presentation. The few moments when Harket hits his highest notes, you feel he’s stretching dangerously close to humiliation and with that is vulnerability and guts. Dips into soppiness are forgivable. TOM and TSASOT are now monument.
All very familiar, despite never owning this - probably from a friend's sister obsessing over Morten Harket; this was a "girls record" so I wouldn't be caught dead with it. Not bad, Duranny-new wave pop with a few killer singles. Top Bond theme later on, too.
Thanks for the meme-ories, but this was ayusss
"Take On Me" has grown on me over the years. used to find it kinda annoying, but it's a hit. the rest of this album I thought was fine. in the moment I enjoyed some of the drum and synth programming, but most of it washed over me and didn't stick.
Of all the infinite things to do with the money and studio time this took to produce, this is what you make? Even “Take On Me” can’t save this one.
Has 2 hit songs but 1 is such a classic it makes up for the rest of the album. Ofcourse its everybody wants to rule the fin world
8 / 10
Not for me. 1/5
It’s a classic album from the 80’s
2/10 walkable fav song: here I stand and face the rain overall: 2/5 for me. seems like basic 80s lovesick music, I would not listen again.
Good painting music
A proper sentimental album for me, it was the soundtrack to a lot of car journeys with my parents when i was little. Listening with grown up ears i do still love a lot of it but Love is reason was way too poppy for me and, and you tell me was a bit naff.
Any album that has The Sun Always Shines on TV and Take On Me included is going to be worth a listen. The rest is pretty inoffensive 80’s electro pop. 3.2
One amazing track, a couple of good ones and then the rest of the album is serviceable enough synth pop.
Cool 80s synth-pop, Norway's most successful band. Everyone remembers that video right?
"Take On Me" is such a hit, that I guess this entire album made it on the list. The artist presents a range of moods (e.g. "Hunting High and Low" sets a different tone, more like a classic 80's slow dance tune, than the first two high-energy songs). "The Blue Sky" was probably the most fun song on the whole album IMO.
aaaaah kasari toimittelee. Hyvä levy ja pari kasarin yhtiä kovimpia lekoja
peruskasari, hittibiisien ulkopuolella olikin aika geneeristä shittiä
Kysymys kai on, että kuinka paljon pisteitä voi saada yhdellä hyvällä biisillä. On se ehkä sen verran legendaarinen että pannaan kolme pinnaa pelkästään sillä. Muut biisit onkin sit melkosta huttua.
Telkkarissa paistaa aurinko on kova biisi, mut muuten jää vähän pintapuoliseks meno. Toki tommosen teik on miin tekeminen on aina kova suoritus kun pelkästään sillä saa mukavat eläkemazzit.
Ihan jees kasarimenoa. Paikkapaikoin jopa oikeinkin hyviä biisejä.
No
An album full of take on me’s would be marvelous indeed. After the second song I thought we had it. Alas.
There are some catchy tunes here but I can't shake the feeling that there is something missing with a lot of these songs that leave them feeling a little limp in the ear hole
the absolute distillation of 80's pop. Maybe I'm an old man yelling at clouds, but this pop sound doesn't ring as hollow, syrupy sweet, and overproduced as modern pop. If one song could lift an entire album, Take On Me is fucking Mr. Universe.
So we're letting on albums because of one good music video now?
bizarrely racist top reviews for this one
No emotional connection for me. Mwh
I was prepared for Take on Me to be the only great song on this album. But then there were several more. In fact, I think The Sun Always Shines on T.V. might (MIGHT!!!) be better than Take on Me. And there were a few other songs I’d say were on par with it. So this was a pleasant surprise. Really good album.
It was actively hard to get through this album. Its why i have a backlog of albums now. It isnt overerly bad but it was a slog of steriotypical music i wasnt in for.
Take on me is a great song, but the rest of the record is not really worth listening to. The rest is either simple 80's pop or kinda sad singer songwriter stuff. Nothing that better artists have not done. Traces of the exentricity from Take on Me can be found in the strange beats of other songs, but not enough to make this record worth it.
A fun album, but except for take on me, I kinda struggle to see why this is such an important album. Just feels like a decent 80s pop-album.
Not as much of a wasteland as I thought it would be, some okay tunes. Nothing outside of the smash hit grabbed me though.
4 stars just for the one song
A very danceable slice of 80s pop. 4.5 bumped up to 5.
I’m at a 5. As most people do, at least in America, I only knew “Take On Me” going into this. It is perhaps the most ubiquitous synthpop song ever written, and maybe the defining track of the genre in terms of popularity & all the common soundscape tropes that people tend to think of. It’s a catchy track & kind of an all-timer, really. It is not the best track on this album. The best track on this album is the other hit U.S. single, “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.”. The second best track on this album is “Hunting High & Low”. The third best track is “Take On Me”, and past that, the other 7 tracks here all hold up in their own consistently strong ways. I really don’t think there’s a bad track here; maybe one stagnant one (Love Is Reason) & one slightly too abstract one (I Dream Myself Alive), but I still enjoyed those tracks. For a band that a lot of people would cite as a one-hit wonder, I’m pleasantly surprised that this entire album holds up as well as it does. It is timelocked to 1985 in terms of its soundscape & production style, but given that it has a quintessential example of its genre as its opener, I think that honestly works in this album’s favor. That consistency applies to the actual topics of all of these tracks; every song here is a love track, generally talking about the desire to not be lonely anymore, whether it’s in lusty ways, devoted ways, or empathy-inducing ways. You could genuinely argue there’s a narrative of a chase for a woman featured throughout the album, fulfilled by the end where he’s just sort of given up & is simply begging for a friend to help him get out of his loneliness-induced slump. I don’t think this was intended as a concept album, but the track order leans that way regardless, along with the consistent theming of water as a negative aspect in each track. Just pay attention to the lyrics; it’s always the sea, or rain, or something else. For some people, this album only being tracks that yearn for connection might be a knock against it, and that’s sort of valid… but it undermines the atmosphere created by each track. The production work, while timelocked to 1985, holds up very well in an almost Kate Bush-esque sense. Every track feels distinct despite sharing a lot of instruments, and it’s because of the dynamic instrumentation lifting up & down in a way that stays engaging. The same album with “Take On Me” somehow has two tracks that feel like they could fit into a Castlevania game instrumentally in “The Blue Sky” & “The Sun Always Shines on T.V.”, and I just think that’s super cool. Hence, a 5. Hell, possibly a little higher than a 5. I really am impressed, and this far exceeded the expectations I had behind the ‘one-hit wonder’ label given to a-ha. Granted, a-ha did one of my favorite Bond themes ever in “The Living Daylights”, so I guess I should’ve known they had this in their bag. I’m glad it’s on the list, and I do think it’s an album people should hear before they die. A very, very strong 37 minutes, and an easy 5 for me. That’s just textbook synthpop.
DIOS MIO
a bit generic
Take on Me // 1.5/5
Love 'Take On Me', but a whole album was too much for me.
80s synth pop. Singles are the best part of this album. The other tracks are sub-par.
Takes me back to high school & the MTV generation! But seriously outside of the hit this is a very solid album
I went into this thinking that I was in for a classic one hit wonder experience. I was proven wrong: there are many 80s bangers on here that are just pure fun. 6/10
Moody and echoy synthpop, quasi-operatic vocals over often weirdly jaunty drums. „take on me“ is such a fantastic song… i really liked „the blue sky“ too but the vocals and lyrics on „living in a boy‘s adventure tale“ were a bit bathetic
Fun 80s pop! Of course I already knew their big hit "Take On Me" but I enjoyed rest of album as well.
Not for me
take on me is leuk, de rest is dezelfde sfeer maar minder catchy
Take On Me Hunting High and Low The Sun Always Shines on TV
A few hits, some are miss. Good 80s vibe
First track is ubiquitous with some truly high points throughout the track listing. Lulled a bit in the middle and outside a group setting I probably wouldn’t revisit
One song and that song is really not all that necessary to me
One mega hit. Beautiful songs.
Needed a good pop album after having to listen to Radiohead and my archenemy Led Zeppelin recently. (I know this goes against the opinion most people have on here, whatever) And this is such a good pop album. I knew Take On Me and The Sun Always Shines on TV (what a song) but I hadn’t properly listened to one of their albums yet. I really like this; this is exactly the type of thing I enjoy.
Siempre digo que lo peor de ser hortera es serlo y no saberlo. Pues hay algo peor: ser hortera, no saberlo y además ser aburrido (una estrella porqué Take on me, yoquesé)
viva suecia
epitome of 80s tis a fun album first heard the start of this album on vine. iykyk. and if you don't know.. uncultured. favorite song: take on me
The first three tracks punch well above their weight. More impressive still that it was the group's first album.
The big hit(s) from the album are all you need to listen to
This is exactly what you think it is. Influence 3. Hits 4. Quality 4. Intangibles 2. If I ever find the inventor of the synth, Imma go back in time and murder him 2.
Take On Me is an incredible song, unfortunately it's so good that everything else on this album feels utterly unimpressive. Unless you're a huge a-ha fan, there's not much of a reason to listen to this album. It's not bad, it just peaks with the first song and never comes close to matching that quality again.
3.7 2x catch up 4/13 + videos
Cool.
Starts with the banging "Take On Me" which is probably the peak of the album and, as I've noted before, I struggle with albums who blow their creative load right off the bat.
"Take on Me" is one of the greatest songs ever and single-handedly brings this up several notches. The rest of the album is all pleasant, but I would not consider this quintessential new wave listening.
Ignorando take on me porque ya está re choteada, es un buen álbum, aunque las últimas canciones no me encantaron
synthpopsito rico. en su registro grave en rola después de take on me el wey sonaba como el david bowie ochentero y me sacó de pedo
As a kid I loved The Sun Always Shines on TV even though I had no idea what it was about (and still don't). Take on Me is a gold standard banger. Apart from these two songs my expectations were pretty low and was expecting an overload of 80's cheese. Its taken a couple of listens but the album is a grower with some really interesting songs despite the drum machine - its not quite a 5 but its a lot better than I was expecting.
Hunting High and Low I’ve heard Take on Me too many times, but it is an undeniably great song. Despite it being more of a New Wave synth pop style it’s almost ABBA-esque in its efficiency and in the way virtually every element of it is a hook, from the drum pattern to the main synth riff, bass and all the synth fills and runs. The Sun Always Shines on TV is arguably an even better song, the melodramatic intro and subsequent build into hook-laden exuberance, with a brilliant, catchy chorus is fantastic, a truly excellent song. Although nothing quite reaches the heights of those two songs, catchiness abounds elsewhere; the Bowie-isms of the incredibly catchy Train of Thought, the stately solemnity of the title track, Blue Sky, the digital wistfulness of Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale, Love Is Reason and the closing Here I Stand and Face the Rain. As Culture Club came up recently they are an obvious, if not quite direct, comparison. And whereas CC had more of a soul influence compared to the more synth pop/rock of this, I found this more consistently satisfying, with a stronger set of melodies all coming in at a nicely succinct 37 minutes. I think that all adds up to a 4 📺📺📺📺 Playlist submission: The Sun Always Shines on TV
'Take on Me' is one of those tracks that is murdered by karaoke bastards and yet has such an uplifting effect that it is impossible not to love. Alongside the video, which is still enthralling, you have to say they've created the perfect credible pop product. You have to. But they don't stop there. 'The Sun Always Shines on TV' is just as good, the thinking man's 'Take on Me; a minute and a half intro into the feel of an 80s Bond theme, pregnant with danger and darker undertones, ultimately resolving to an excellent melody, replete with synthy shimmers. As I said to the cynical customer when I worked at the sausage restaurant: "it's a real fucking banger!" They also tap into PSB ('Living a Boy's Adventure Tale'); and Bowie ('Train of Thought'), showing their tendency to pop with a darker character. There's a couple that could potentially be classified as Stock Aitken Waterman factory-produced ('Love is Reason' in particular), especially over the second half of the album. Yet they still clear a certain quality hurdle and are by no means filler. There's enough here to just edge it to a four.
Surprised the rating for this one isn't higher tbh
Very pleasant. Fun without being intrusive.
This is the album that was generated for me and I thought I was being trolled... Checked the whole thing out since I only heard the OG classic one and I absolutely loved it
Zone out a bit. It's good
I would give it a 2.5 if i could just because it was never really bad, but it also wasn't really good. Take On Me is a classic though of course
Decent enough. The song Hunting High and Low really stood out
nice enough
1 good track.