Reviews (page 7 of 9)
I feel like my experience with a-ha up until now is probably similar to many people's experiences: have only heard (and shamelessly love) "Take on Me". That said, this album demonstrated a wide array of ability in a-ha that goes beyond "Take on Me". They explore many of the aspects of new wave music across each unique track, and do masterfully. No track feels repetitive when compared to the others, and no tracks feel like filler. The 40 minute length is used wisely. Genuinely, this has gone from being an unknown album to me to being one I would name as a "must listen" for new wave enjoyment. Very pleasantly surprised!
All I can tell you to prove that I’ve listened to it this is it’s the album that features Take On Me and one of the guys is flexing his tricep on the cover.
Actually really pleased to have this come up. Which we'll get to in a bit. It's an album of its time. New romantic pop done very well. Take me on great track with a ground breaking video which I think stands up to today's standards. The other 2 releases although they didn't have quite the same impact at the time are still very good tracks. The rest of the album is very listenable. And the we come to And You Tell Me. It was the 'B' side to (I think) to Take Me On. I heard it once and thought it wonderful, a thing of utter beauty and it has been a memory at the back of my mind ever since. Unfortunately today's reality doesn't quite live up to yesterday's memory. It's still a good track but not quite how it lives in my mind. A very good album though, a very high 3 (3.8+) but just not quite a 4. I'll think on it before rating it tomorrow.
When this popped up, I hoped I might enjoy it. I didn’t. Hasn’t aged well, and Mr Harket does whine a bit especially on some of those slower songs. Highlights were the 2 upbeat singles (Take On Me & The Sun Always Shines On Tv).
It's got better with age. I thought of them at the time as tacky Duran Duran pretty boy wannabes from Norway. They probably were, but there are some great tunes, especially the singles. Wiki describing them as New Wave? No, it's Electro-pop full stop. Made the wife happy playing it, so all good. It gets a high 2 for 'Hunting High and Low' alone, thr rest is a bonus.
Listened to this while cleaning. How can you be bummed listening to that opening track?! You'd have to be part of an uncontacted native tribe to have not heard Take On Me. The rest of the album doesn't live up to the highs of that moment, but there were definitely a fair number of solid tracks! As I composer, I definitely noticed a lot of very unexpected chord changes for this type of pop music. Overall, pretty enjoyable.
A banger of a synth pop album beyond the hit
A staple of my generation. It's got some timeless bangers, but for the most part, it's 80s pop, an dsort of adequate at that.
Fine
Here we have a classic 80's band known for their opening song Take On Me. Are they more than a one hit wonder? I'd say no. First Norwegian band to be nominated for a Grammy is a good reason to include them on this list, but I think if this was my list, the criteria would be a little more stringent.
A pleasant surprise! Always took these guys for a one-hit wonder ("Take On Me" is definitely that one hit, and good thing it's here), but there's actually a lot to enjoy on this album. Definitely emblematic of the new wave '80s pop, lots of cool funky sounds. A few times where the singer sounds like Morrissey, and I mean that as a compliment because I'm sure he is/was less of a prick. Great album! Favorite tracks: Take On Me, Living a Boy's Adventure Tale, The Sun Always Shines on TV, Here I Stand and Face the Rain. Album art: I've seen this one a lot, but never up close to see how the guy is flexing his tricep. Love the blur effect going on, it's not the most interesting cover but it's effective. Text and banner up top is cool. 4/5
Not my cup of tea. Alright album. Besides the one song it just didn't do it for me.
Nah
Beyond the one song, "Take on Me", there is not much else to the album. The video for "Take on Me" is arguably the best video from the 80s and is worth checking out.
Take on me is one of the best songs ever. The rest of the songs on here are not.
Morten 👍🫡
Outside the big hits. Was ok
3.5
3.4 - Enjoyed, not sure if it breaks into the 4's though
I think the high points here justify the 4* personally. Take On Me, The Sun Always Shines On T.V., and I Dream Myself Alive are all absolute bangers in my book.
Ça tube un max et ça on peut pas leur enlever.
Excellentissime
The big hit 1st track Take On Me is such a killer song. The rest of the album varied from forgettable to awful.
take on me still a banger train of thought panpipes! (are they synth?) the synth lines on hunting high and low are cheesey though living a boy's adventure tale is a bit too melodramatic for me the sun always shines on tv is so 80s, but it is a bit of a bop and you tell me almost a bit kate bush-y love is reason sounds like a christmas song generally the album sounds like a total pastiche of itself, but the production is mostly quite tight. I didn't find anything here i'd come back to though. 2.5/5 - barely squeaking a generous 3 star roundup.
Always knew i'd love it, but never had time to hear this gem front-to-back. It's definitely brilliant
Very cool songs on here
It was fine. Really fell off after the first few but overall not my taste
2,5
Now thats what I call music!
Nostalgia! A joy 😊
A couple of genuine synth pop classics but with some really naff forgettable filler.
Mostly great 80s nostalgia hit.
took it on.
meh, only a couple bangers rest were meh
I was hoping to like this more, but I found that only a handful of tracks really grabbed me. That said, I still liked this overall. I don't think I've ever listened to much a-ha aside from Take on Me.
Weirdly good album. I didn't love it, but it was a fun listen. 3.5/5
“Take on Me” is one of the best hits of the 80s and “The Sun Always Shine on TV” is even better. There are other highlights, this is more memorable than a lot of new wave albums tend to be to me, but those definitely overshadow everything else. B+
Take on me remains an absolute banger. The rest of the album was okay, pretty same-y in terms of sound and style overall, without any other strongly catchy tunes. Hunting High and Low was an interesting listen, that's another of a-ha's most popular songs and it is wildly different from Take on Me.
2.9 Except the singles it's pretty basic 80s pop, nothing exceptional about it. Fave songs: the singles
You know what? I was fully prepared to hate all the synthesisers and shit on this album and I still didn't like it but I hated it less than I thought I would so here's a 2
Was ein Kitsch. Startet sogar mit Take on me
A playful, and at times pretty hilarious, mash-up of 80s synth-pop-rock. I wasn't expecting to like any of it other than the brutally popular Take On Me. And yes, many of the tracks had an extremely dated feel to them that distracted from the compositional talent. But that's just it: if you can look past the 80s polish, you'll discover that most of the tracks are freakin' bangers. Fight me. The Sun Always Shines On T.V. has a gritty, intoxicating riff that is played to perfection, avoiding being overused. The Blue Sky sounds exactly like its name: fresh, clean, and carefree. The title track is great. A few tracks were forgettable, but I forgot which ones.
While "Take on me" is an absolute banger, the rest of the album is lacking. This Norwegian group is a one-hit wonder for sure.
First listen was a little underwhelming but I did give it another listen on headphones which did give me a greater appreciation for the production. There’s a lot going here, the synth is working overtime and beyond the layered vocals there’s some vibrant sounds reverberating throughout. The Sun Always Shines on T.V. stood out to me as an amazing song that magnifies their strengths, so many layers with the sounds all blending together so well. I was expecting just another 80’s release with the he standard tinny boring tunes but there’s more here than that. Top tier album cover as well. 4 stars
Aside from the classic Take On Me, I wasn't finding any other songs of particular interest. Pleasantly surprised to end on Here I Stand and Faced the Rain which I enjoyed -- but not enough to make not of it for future listens.
Fun pop moet het keertje op nieuw luisteren wel nice
Aside from the hits, kind of generic 80s new wave
Aika perus 80 luvun elektropoppi soundia. Take On Me tietenkin ylivoimaisen hiukaiseva, muut kappaleet ihan jees mutta ei mitään erikoisempia
Known song was Take on Me I also liked The blue sky Didnt really like the synth 80's pop aspect of this album or band 1.5
59/100
Very 80s one hit wonder
кроме знакомого сложно оценить остальное быстро (пока только кажется что ОЧЕНЬ ов иц тайм). тейк он ми прекрасная, но не могу за неё весь альбом поощрить. надо слушать
I can see why a-ha is a one-hit wonder. Take on Me is by far the best song on here. The rest of the album isn't bad, just generic 80's pop.
Its good. Solid 80s new wavy sound. Dont know how often I would listen though.
Take on Me is a belter of a tune! Some of the other songs are a bit generic and ehh. Others pop (like The Sun Always Shines on T.V). Overall it's quite nice, but it's only Take on Me that's worth revisiting.
Favorite songs: Take On Me; The Sun Always Shines on T.V. For an album that largely was the space for a one hit wonder, I did find a few of the other songs worth a listen. As a whole I think the album underwhelms.
Apart from the singles "Take On Me", "Hunting High and Low", and "The Sun Always Shines on T.V.", it's not bad, but nothing to write home about.
The singles are good. Everything else is poor.
Reasonable 80s euro pop lifted up to a ⭐️⭐️⭐️ by 2 great singles
I've only previously heard "Take On Me", which is still a great song after all these years. One of the best synth lines ever made. The rest of the album is standard 80s new wave fare. One of the songs, the singer had a very close approximation to David Bowie's voice and style. Overall not a bad album
Quintessential '80s pop, but without all the cheese. A lot of the music during this decade would make you cringe despite your enjoyment of it, but a-ha strikes the balance between the shimmery, bold, synthy pop and the "coolness" factor. It still sounds dated after how many decades, but I don't think that takes away from how good it is in this case. Standout tracks are Take on Me and The Sun Always Shines on TV.
Didn't realise these songs were by this group. Not bad
Fun synth pop
ok
80s synth.
They would have been huge if Duran-Duran hadn’t already filled the niche. Good album.
alright
Fun pop, pretty light in terms of good songs though
1 - Hey, I know this song. 1.5 billion streams on Spotify - guessing some other people know this song too. 2 - I listened to this song but can't remember it now that #3 started playing 3 - See #2 4 - Blue Sky was cool 5 - Kind of liked it 6 - Liking this one - cool synths 7 - Nah 8 - Better than #7 - alright 9 - It was ok - kind of repetitive 10 - Not a bad closing song. Synths good again Overall, it was better than maybe I expected it to be. Not sure it belongs on the 1001 albums I need to hear. I haven't really listened to many full albums from the 80s, and it was cool to hear an album from a band who is known as a one hit wonder.
I find this to be a typical new wave synth-pop album in manyy respects. The musicianship/programming is top notch and the vocals are different than a lot of other bands of this period. Compare them to Human League, Heaven 17 or even Depeche Mode and you’ll find that the lead singer, Morten Harket, has a bit more range than those lead singers even if the top end of his range is falsetto. We’re not talking Jimmy Somerville/Bronski Beat falsetto, Harket uses it more sparingly. The best songs on this album are probably those that were released as singles. Made me want to see their videos. Interestingly, the video for “Take on Me” has over 1 billion views which is pretty rare. When I first saw it on MTV, I think it was the fist to use animation so kudos to whoever thought of that. All that said, I still think it is just a 3. Maybe 7/10.
Take on me is a classic
Deep versatile voice, a lot of the songs carried by it. Surprisingly diverse beyond take on me, but very 80s.
I enjoyed this album - there's some really catchy pop hooks on here, laden with awesome 80s synth sounds. Favourite tracks: Take On Me, Hunting High and Low, The Blue Sky, The Sun Always Shines on T.V (which gives me low-key Pet Shop Boys vibes), and Love Is Reason (mostly because it has that cool synth bell sound that was totally used in Sonic the Hedgehog).
Taaaaake on meeeeeeee
Take on Me, A perfect pop 80's song with an iconic video to go with out, it defined the 80;s. The rest of the album however? Just over top sugar pop and not very good at all.
Take On Me will forever be a top of the lungs sing along. The rest of the record is standard 80’s Euro pop.
Take on Me is great. I don't know what i expected from the rest of the album. It was fine. Very 80s.
Take On Me is a banger, that's for sure. But the rest of the album has nothing that grabbed me as something I had to hear. It's fine, nothing I wanted to turn off either, but nothing I'm going to put on again (except for Take On Me)
Fun, a few classics. Not quite my style
Overall not much to this album except "Take on me". Everything else falls short of relevance. 2/5 Won't listen again
I have difficulty rating this one. While the well-known greats are indeed great, some of the cratediggers are pretty decent too. Production is through the roof, and there's clearly some talent there. However, as an album it just doesn't quite hang together right. Weird.
Very listenable 80s pop.
Oh, I forgot how lovely this album is. This is an incredibly pleasant listen, with creative and elegantly crafted arrangements, strong pop melodies, and Morten Harket's gorgeous vocals. "Take on Me" is the obvious star track, and really one of the best pop songs to come out of the 80s. But there's so much more to love on this album beyond the one song. Enjoyed revisiting this today. Fave Songs: Take On Me, The Sun Always Shines on T.V., Hunting High and Low, And You Tell Me, The Blue Sky, Living a Boy's Adventure Tale
Actually a lot better than I expected.
Take On Me is hard to follow, but the rest of the songs are still pretty darn good. New wave is so fun to listen to.
Only by listening here did I realise I'd never listened to more than the singles. Was pleasantly surprised. Solid 3.
A surprisingly varied album 3.5
4/5
Highlights: The Sun Always Shines On T.V., I Dream Myself Alive
Ciężko ocenić, bo są bardzo duże rozbieżności na albumie. Take on Me ma już range mema, więc wiadomo że przeruchane i nic ciekawego nie znajdziesz tutaj. The sun always shines on TV bardzo dobre, tak samo tytułowy utwór. Reszta tak wleciała jednym, wyleciała drugim, a zapętlił się album chyba 3 razy. Takie 4 na szynach
Nothing that I haven't heard a 1000 times before from 1000 other 80s bands. Take On Me fell particularly flat
Ok
Grwat
I didn’t even like Take On Me
Orribile!
Guilty Pleasure - from their inception I have always had an appreciation for a-ha. They had that unique ability to speak to listeners from across genres. There are some brilliant moments on this record, especially Sun Only Shines. Glorious pop music from a band who would make even better albums.
Naff aside from the obvious
Niet elk nummer is even tijdloos op dit album. Maar de 2 bekendste alvast wel. Leuke, opgewekte newwave
They most certainly have better albums than this one though it was a guilty pleasure album for me at some point in time. 'Take on Me' was never a fave despite, or possibly due to, its overplayed success. Favorite song on the album is 'Here I stand and face the rain.'
longheadiä loistattaa kuvassa heh, hyvännäköstä...alkaa popeimmalla popilla mitä pop on poppinut...hyvä biisi silti. eka puolisko hyvää 80luku humppaa ja toka puolisko paskaa 80luku humppaa. ei muuta sanomista, perushyvää albumia train of thought
Take On Me has been memed to death and I've heard it a million times. That didn't stop me from having it as a helicopter theme in Metal Gear Solid V, hehe. + Train of Thought + The Sun Always Shines on TV + And You Tell Me + Love Is Reason + I Dream Myself Alive Might I say that Here I Stand And Face The Rain is the best song from the album? I get the most feelings from this one.
Just a very solid piece of synth-pop from a-ha. Of course the opening Take On Me is an absolute classic but almost all of the other tracks bring a good energy and have catchy little rifts and beats to make them really dancy. 8/10
An extra star for track one but the rest…ugh.
Kinda disappointing, TBH. Take On Me is obviously a classic, and I always like the rich orchestration, jazz harmonies, and thought that goes into 80s pop; this is no exception. But none of the rest of the album grabs me. On the very last track I thought they had something, then they got weird and boring. "And You Tell Me" is pretty funny, but at 1:51..... that's not enough to carry the album.
Does alright. Take on me is legendary.
If you only know "Take On Me," you may be pleasantly surprised. There are several above-average synth-pop songs here that are worth investigating. That being said, it clearly is dragged onto this list on the strength of that track, which is, of course, an all-timer if ever there was one.
Ei ollut sillätavoin kehno kun odotin. Ansiokasta poppia. 3/5
Pari kovaa hittiä, mutta varsin unohdettavaa settiä noin muuten.
Melkein tekis mieli antaa nelonen mut ei ihan taivu. Take on me:n lisäksi muitakin hyviä hittejä, erityisesti mahtipontisuudessaan upea the sun always shines on t.v. pari heikompaa vetoa valitettavasti laskee arvosanaksi 3/5
The slow ballads are pretty weak but I’ll take everything else. Take Me On obviously is legendary
Pretty generic 80s synth pop. Singer has a unique voice.
Good to listen to the hits- a trip down memory lane. Not much else there though, there are lots of better all round albums or more cutting edge sounds surely?
I like the uptempo stuff better, but all synth is good synth.
Well I took it on and it's just not for me.
19th June 2023 Listened half on Monday but finished on Tuesday morning. Ashes, chilled evening watching Mario bros movie and playing PS5. Was the night we heard someone shouting outside. 80s synth pop legends, this album is dramatic, lush and feverful (?!). 3.5 if I could.
There's more to this album than just iconic opening track ‘Take On Me’. 'Hunting High And Low' is a nice Nordic take on mid 80s synth pop and new wave. Some of it hasn’t dated well, but there’s still plenty here to like. A fun listen overall.
Singer has heaps of range, some of the keyboards are, as they themselves put it, “juicyfruit”
Hang-Ten broheim we are peaking on this synth wave coming into shore and it's been a fun tubular ride. Falsetto's aplenty and a number of tracks that feature more of his range as a lead singer. Didn't know anything other than Take on me but still had good time.
I was hoping more of the songs would bang as hard as Take on Me but no such luck. Pretty meh 80s new wave album otherwise. Generous 3 here.
Take on me is a stand out song.
Fun! Interesting to listen to the whole album. I was kinda surprised by just how synth pop -y it was. I like the music throughout though! While nothing really stood out, some of the titles or concepts were cool. - Living a Boy's Adventure Tale - Hunting High and Low - The Blue Sky - Love is Reason This is even better on a relisten.
Like between the smiths and pet shop boys
not as bad as most '80s synth stuff, couple of okay songs
Pretty good to hear other songs on this album
Really like this album.
Bland
Pretty fun listen even aside from Take On Me.
This was a pleasant surprise - I enjoyed it FAR more than I expected I would! Not so much that I'm going to rush out and buy myself a copy, but enough that I would most certainly listen to it again. "The Sun Always Shines on TV" is pretty damn great.
Classic
Except for the first song, this is boring synth pop.
Take On Me and Sun Always Shines On TV are two of the greatest pop songs of the 80’s The rest of this, not so much Nothing particularly wrong with it but it’s a bit bland and samey But those two singles are more than worth a listen
This album starts off with one of the most famous songs of the ‘80s “Take on Me”. I don’t think I had ever heard any other A-ha songs besides that before this listen. The album had some great songs. Some of my favorites were “Hunting High and Low” and “The Sun Always Shines on TV”. The more that was going on in the song the more interested I was in it. With that being said some of the other songs just didn’t do it for me and were a bit of a slog to get through.
A few good songs and a few okay songs. Solid 80s album.
I actually owned this album on cassette (don't judge me, I was seven years old!) and I still don't remember any of the awful filler which pervades it. The two big singles, Take on Me and The Sun Always Shines are still great though.
This is why I hate streaming platforms. I really want to know the production credits of this album. On the other hand. I only had this on tape. Even if I still have the tape (doubtful – and if so, it'll be at my mum's, which is much the same as not having it) ...and playable (more doubtful), I'll actually buy a record player before buying a new tape deck... Actually. I have a Walkman in working condition. This may be the start of a fun project. Me, my Walkman, and Sennheiser 250 headphones on the tube. Retro Steampunk futurism or something... Anyway. Fun album. Even the weak songs have a sharp production sheen. Enjoyed, still enjoy. And Blue Sky still puts something good in my heart each time I hear it.
The other songs on this album are not even close to Take on Me so it's a bit disappointing
Really? The album only has one good track, and it's on the 1001 list? 2/5
Mycket bra platta. Take on me kanske är sämsta låten.
80s pop is one of my favourite genres. I only knew "Take on Me" but I liked the rest of the album as well. I'd listen to it again.
Hot take: Their follow up album, the without any hits, is miles better. This is here for one song, and it can be argued that one song is only here because of a music video that made everyone lose their collective shit and now seems rather quaint. Video or no video, "Take On Me" still rips. It has the unique distinction of sounding both like a relic from the '80's and a timeless love song. Not for nothing, but apparently a-ha were a huge influence on Coldplay. Now that I think about it, Coldplay has to be the only group to ever suggest that a-ha was the reason they picked up a musical instrument and started a band. That sounds about right.
"Take On Me” is perhaps second only to "Never Gonna Give You Up" on the Mt. Olympus of earwormy annoyance and ubiquity. Sure the video is visually interesting but the music ... not so much. For all its pretension to stylishness and (opera-level) sophistication, so much of this barely rises to level of synthy '80s sugar high, and now these keys sound decidedly analog, the music tech equivalent of a green screen. "Love Is Reason" and "I Dream Myself Alive" might be interesting songs in another band's hand. Title cut and "Living a Boy's Adventure Tale" are best of tepid and mostly forgettable lot.
first listen timeless classic
excellent
The opener is amazing of course. The rest is good, but kinda trails off.
Take On Me is a transcendant song, and the rest of the album is very solid 80's synth pop. One of the best examples. I just don't much care for 80's synth pop, so four stars.
Great album, although I do think the hits like Take On Me and the title track carry it.
Nice to hear a whole album. Loads of hits, great voice. Can’t unsee Morten Harket as Viking on Masked Singer though. Spoilers, sorry.
het lijkt ook echt een ghostbusters soundtrack. Leuk album niets leeft wel op naar de eerste banger
Eén heel grote schijf maar voor de rest nu niks dat ik echt graag hoorde.
Great synth pop record! It had some cringy moments but it’s undeniable great. The second song was the best. I didn’t know it and was surprised by its darkness
I happened to listen to this n the car with someone who, when I put it on, said "oh, I never did buy this album. I wonder what it's like". And it's OK. There are the couple of hit singles, sure, that everyone from that era will know. And there's some stuff running across a wide variety of early 80s electronic, new romantic, poppy stuff. But nothing to outstanding. The verdict: "I'm glad I didn't buy that. It's a bit boring". Yeah, 3 stars.
Though I have known “Take On Me” since it first came out all those years ago, I don’t know if I have ever heard this album before! It’s actually quite good. I would probably be more into it if I hand been listening to it these past 38 years. I will definitely be listening again.
I really don’t like how this list keeps including albums that were obviously only included for one breakout single. And the single for this particular album isn’t even good. It’s crappy overproduced 80s synth shite. Quite infuriating to listen to.
Genres: New wave, synth-pop Formed: Oslo, Norway in 1982 Run time: 10 songs, 37 min, 10 sec Despite my growing love of rock in the late eighties, I did enjoy a-ha. For a first album there are some phenomenal hits on it: "Take On Me" with almost 1.4B plays on Spotify (WOW), "Hunting High and Low" 68M plays, and "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." 70M plays. Most of the other tracks are OK. None of the other less popular tracks made me think I’ll hit skip, but I wouldn’t listen to the whole album again. My Rating: ****
great singles
Great 80s electronic! Up there with New Order. Can't believe I haden't heard more then Take on me before.
eh
Classic 80s! It's just SO 80s and a bit dated today. Standouts: Take on Me, The Sun Always Shines on TV, Hunting High and Low. Singles: --------------------------- Take on Me (#1 all over the world) Love is Reason (Released in Norway and Philippines) The Sun Always Shines on TV (Top 10) Train of Thought (#5 IRE, #8 UK, #14 GER) Hunting High and Low (Top 10 world-wide, but not in USA)
Own on Vinyl
Nope.
Overall, I likes it. I thought it would go downhill after take on me, and it certainly did, but not as bad as I expected. I was surprised to recognize a song from the 90s, the sun always shines on TV! Overall, I would have given it a 2.5 if I could. I'll round up because I did enjoy it.
I probably would have liked this if I listened to it as a baby. My parents didn’t have the cassette and they apparently didn’t want to play any of this band’s music on the radio other than Take On Me. Perhaps an under rated band???
Oh-no First Song - 4/5 Everything Else - 0.1/5 How did this album even make the list? Is it because it is a representative example of 80’s synth-pop?
Take On Me is decent but the rest is pretty bad. I even like synth and couldn't get into this. The vocals absolutely suck.
This will be an unpopular opinion. This album is perfect for putting floral wall paper up in your bathroom. It’s coming back in style, you guys!!! I liked it. There, I said it. Not sure if I was living a boys adventure tale, or what my train of thought was, but I was into it. Is it the best album ever? God no, but it got me bobbing my head and put me in a good mood while looking up to the blue sky on my walk, so what else can I ask for? The vocals are often over the top, and the music sounds so artificial. But that the 80s BABY! Obviously Take on Me is still a mega hit, but I found The Sun Always Shines on TV to be an upbeat party banger, and also an apt commentary on society. Some songs were better than others, but I enjoyed listening all the way through. Do I…like..a-ha? I’ll stand here and face the rain whilst being berated by the group.
I'll admit, I didn't hate it as much as I expected. Still, not into the synth pop. Take On Me reminds me of being a hungover 17 year old working at Sobeys on a Sunday morning.
The first song is a classic. I spent a fair amount of time listening to Take On Me trying to decide if I had never heard it before whether I would like it or not. I could never quite decide. Either way, I do enjoy that song and it makes for a great opener. The rest of this album is synth pop trash.
Classic 80s trash
8o's Yay - AHA Not so much
3.5/5. Shoutout Norway.
Obvs a banger to open with. A xylophone? Oh it gets a bit weird.
My older sister was obsessed with Morten and by association I also loved and played this album a lot in 1985/86. The perfect package of cool, handsome guys that girls fancied and boys wanted to be, coupled with cool synth pop that you can dance to or do your homework to. The epitome of cool. And I just discovered that Take On Me gas the perfect beat and drum pattern for my morning running! It’s been over 35 years since I last listened to the full album and I can’t fathom why. This is utterly brilliant synth pop easily as accomplished as Lexicon Of Love, Dare, Low Life, New Gold Dream, Sweet Dreams, Music For The Masses, The Innocents… you get the theme. Five stars without doubt.
Pure synth pop from the 80s. There are better albums for sure but few better songs than Take on Me.
I'm not a huge fan of 80s pop, but this was pretty good. Singer's voice is great.
iconic
Surprisingly OK
Pretty standard synthpop… but pretty good listening. Good melodies, good song structures, hit-or-miss hooks. First half of the album is stronger than the second. Could be a 2 or a 3; 2.5 seems right. Not really my thing but perfectly decent. Best song: Take On Me (shocker)
Chilll shoutout norge
Some nice tracks to discover but mostly you’ll be fine with just Take On Me
80-tal och sång på engelska av nån som int talar de som modersmål är alltid chilll.. take on me är en otroligt bra sång, resten helt trevligt men når int ens nära den första sången. Sku take on me vara sista låt sku de kanske va bättre?
“Take on Me” is five stars.
Right off the bat with the megahit "Take on Me" which I love - peak 80's sound. Rest of the album was fine, nothing crazy, nice all around. 7/10.
It was alright, just alright. 3*
Was ok but peaked at song 1.
One banger, rest is mid
Super-nostalgic. The songs released as singles are fantastic, even it’s more due to familiarity. There are some tracks that fall a bit flat. Harket’s voice is pretty big throughout though.
I liked this album it was pretty upbeat and fun to listen to. Take On Me was already one of my favorite 80s song before listening to the album, so it was nice to hear some more aha songs. The eponymous song hunting high and low was a favorite of mine from this album.
It’s a shame that nothing else on this album hits the highs of Take On Me, but it’s a solid collection of 80s synth pop!
Super pleasantly surprised, this is great 80s pop. I'd never heard The Sun Always Shines on TV before, what a banger!
Less good Tears for Fears
Beyond Take on Me, this wasn't that great, imo. I had some hope that I might enjoy one or two of the other several singles, but that wasn't the case. I think the 'success' of this album hangs entirely on one great song and a sound that was exactly the flavor of the month written it came out. I don't think this holds up well after so many years.
Whoever said A-ha are a one hot wonder has never been to Europe. They were one of the most successful bands of the late 80s over here. They had around 15 big hits, including the title track of a James Bond movie, and 3 top 10 albums. That being said, this album definitely has some filler. Half the songs are good, but the filler really isn't. In general the singles are the good songs. Obviously Take On Me, but also my favorite song on the album: Hunting High And Low.
Obviously, everyone has heard Take On me. It was the best music video of the 80's and probably one of the most famous one hit wonders in America. If this was a list of the 1001 songs you should hear, I would give this the highest rating ever because Take On Me is such a good song. However, since this is about albums, I have to judge this in it's entirety. I've never listened to another A-Ha song and honestly while the rest of the album doesn't quite measure up to their big hit, it's not a bad album. It's got that perfect 80's sound and I am a sucker for new wave. Many of these songs would have fit perfectly on an 80's movie soundtrack. The oboe in Living a Boy's Adventure Tale was a nice surprise and really elevated the song. The Sun Always Shines on TV is a really good song and I'm surprised it wasn't a bigger hit in the US. Some of the other songs don't really hit the same way. Honestly this album is probably a 3, but my love of their big hit as well as my Norwegian heritage gives me a bias that makes it a 4.
Love Aha I am a 80s lover all the way
Love this!! Take on Me is a personal fave, so I knew I would be in for a good one with this album. Some of the slower songs are not the greatest, but everything else is the perfect representation of 80s pop music. Perfection!! Fun beats, just the right amount of synth and the voice just makes me feel nostalgic for 80s movies. A feel good album! Listen again: Yes! Purchase for my collection: Yes, especially on vinyl. Favourite Song: Take on Me obviously, but Train of Thought and The Sun Always Shines on TV are close. Worst Song: the slow ones
Take on Me is an amazing song but the rest of the album felt kind of flat.
Another album that has an absolute banger opening tracking but then falls off. It's not bad music, it's just very 80s. Nothing super special.
lmao take on me.
very cheesy 80s pop starts with take on me but is otherwise pretty bleh 2.5
Meh, started with a well known beloved by many song and then the rest was pretty boring and flat.
I really wanted to find out that they shouldn't have been a 1 hit wonder but everything else was meh. A poppier Joy Division
Not sure I’d consider it an album everyone should hear before they die. Enjoyable but nothing special
Take on Me, for all its enduring power, isn’t even the best song on this album. A surprisingly strong collection of textured songs which show that a-ha deserved more of a chance (at least in the States).
A couple of serious nostalgic classics, with a load of less impressive euro synth pop schmaltz
Meh
Nice slice of nostalgia
Yaaas!
The most 80's sounding album I've ever listened. Yeah it's a fun album and nothing is really boring. But the singles really carry the album very hard.
It's pretty boring. Take on Me is obviously one of the greatest songs ever. The fact that Harry Styles is hailed as a genius for rehashing it 40 years on is proof that don't slaps. Bit the rest is Soft Cell or the Human League but with none of the edge. I get at the time it would have felt revolutionary to have this go so pop, but 40 years on you just wish they backed it up with the songs..
Take on me
The sound of the 80's but I hate most 80's synth pop music so this wouldn't be my cup of tea.
Fine
It's OK. A couple of great songs on here and some less so.
Kicking off with possibly the greatest pop song ever, 'Take On Me', a-ha's debut is highly emotional synth-pop; the kind that could only be made in the 80's. By now, Morten Harket's voice is instantly recognizable and it suits the genre incredibly well. 'The Sun Always Shines on T.V.' is almost as catchy as the opening track, and there are some lesser known gems hidden like 'And You Tell Me'. My only wish is that the group would have gone all-in on danceable synth instead of ending on some middle ground between nightclubs and new wave - not quite keeping my feet tapping and not quite keeping my interest.
If you come here expecting nothing but “Take On Me”, you’re to be disappointed. Kicking off this debut album with one of the all-time greatest pop songs, a-ha soon takes a sharp turn and turns everything down a notch. It may not be as danceable as you’d think it would, but tracks like “Hunting High And Low” and “Here I Stand and Face the Rain” are nothing but outstanding. Then there’s of course “The Sun Always Shines On T.V.” opening the B-side - the only song on the album that’s actually able to withhold side by side comparison to the opening track. This doesn’t quite deliver on it’s initial promise of head bopping, feet tapping 80’s pop. But it’s a great record nonetheless.
2,5
Track 1 is a perfect pop song. The rest of the album has tracks that have questionable beginnings but by the end you’re nodding along and getting it. Well done.
Favoritas: -Take on me -The sun always shines on T.V. -Love is reason
[Alan Partridge Voice] A-HAAAAA! Take On Me is one of the greatest songs ever written. Fight me. I didn't know Take On Me was the opener for this album...strong start. What a great snare sound...never really paid attention to the snare like that. Following such a strong opener is always difficult, Train Of Thought does okay. Reminds me a bit of a Bowie type of song. Title track is excellent. I love the more understated sound of this one. The switches from major to minor in interesting places was very refreshing. It's suddenly become massive. BIG DRUMS! Love the orchestration too. The Blue Sky was nice, left a bit to be desired though towards the end. Just kinda fizzled out. The Sun Always Shines On TV...I feel like I've heard this before? A-Ha are at their best when they go for more minor chord progressions imo. That's where they hit my interest points the most. Notable Songs - Take On Me Hunting High And Low I Dream Myself Alive 9/10
Take On Me will forever be a nostalgia favorite so this is off to a good start. All catchy songs, exactly what I expected from a mid 80s album.
Only a couple of standouts (obviously including the amazing single) on an otherwise "samey" album. I guess I was hoping for something more, though at least the album is consistent. I was surprised by the sophistication of some of the lyrics and some tidbits here and there do sound like early Depeche Mode maybe?
This is more sophisti-pop than I was expecting. I need to give this album low marks for those tracks. Take On Me is an incredible single that I never tire of. The instrumentation and overall feel of these songs are a great representation of 1980s synth pop but other than the lead single nothing stands out. This could have been replaced by a Culture Club or Cyndi Lauper album that both had much more impact.
Awesome
Afskaplega mikill níundi áratugur en alltaf skemmtilegur, og nokkur lögin eru algjörar perlur. Ég hlustaði tvisvar í þetta skiptið, væri alveg til í meira.
I was hoping there would be some deep cut in here that blew me away but I guess Take On Me is their hit for a reason. The rest was fine but bland. I did think And You Tell Me was pretty good.
3.5 It was fun but a little repetitive. Liked the one song I knew. As it goes....
Not bad! And a nice thing to listen to compared to yesterday. No particular highs or lows just good old 80s pop. Phew.
liking IT very much, living a boys adventure tale for reallll
Like the hits, but the the slow songs
Put it on when you want to pretend you're in a light hearted 80s movie! Some songs excellent...others required a skip. Super classic 80s vibe through and through tho. Sun always shines is a crazy good track I'd never heard before. Some higher energy/electronic tracks def stand above the slower/quieter stuff. Can hear a lot of inspiration for modern synthwave and 90s industrial music in there.
Holy same song
Iconic, if only for the hit opener which cemented synthpop as a relic of the 80's. Yeah, the rest of the album hits a consistent quality benchmark, but truth be told nothing will compare to the plucky melody line of Take On Me.
3.5/5
Like many others, I'm not particularly familiar with a-ha's oeuvre, outside of one song in particular. But I know they're a bigger deal in Europe, and as this list seems to be quite Eurocentric, I'm not surprised to see them here. This album, while very much a product of the '80s, is a glimpse at why they're more revered across the ocean -- a lot of really good tracks here. I love the title track; hearing them slow things down after years of being subjected to the sugar rush that is "Take on Me" is revelatory.
Pop con sintetizadores. Un megahit. Ni fu ni fa.
The Sun Always Shines on T.V., Take on me.
A-ha: The classic '80s techno-pop band. We can just skip past that first song that everyone knows and has seen the video of. After that, the album mostly transitions into prefab '80s pop. Good quality, but prefabbed from the overused '80s sounds. These are the songs that remind you of clubbing or some stylized restaurant in gray with pink accents. There are a few additional exceptions where there was real original though songwriting. Hunting High and Low is the main other one. But it can't escape the '80s time capsule. As an album, it's just ok. Peel off Take on Me, add it to a playlist, and call it a day. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - It was ok to listen to but I wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit. Scale: 5 - My absolute favorites. 4 - Albums I like. 3 - It was ok to listen to but I wouldn't seek it out. 2 - Didn't like. 1 - Absolute shit.
Stunning
Peak 80s
Take on me är en otrolig låt. Tror nästan aldrig jag hört någon annan a-ha låt. Än är jag inget superfan, det är väldigt 80-tals teatraliskt. Hunting high and low känns verkligen som en låt ur en musikal. Jag är dålig på att bryta ner rent musikaliskt, men melodierna är catchy stundtals, men texterna är inget som riktigt kittlar sinnena tyvärr. På det hela taget rätt svagt album, men med schyssta beats.
Pretty good
cool
Back in ‘85 the music itself didn’t make it stand out from the mainstream crowd, that’s not to say it’s a bad album, far from it. The video for take on my was what got everyone talking about a-ha, it was/still is a classic piece of music related artwork and really thrust them into the limelight. It’s a good album 4/5
Before today, the only song by a-ha that I was familiar with was Take On Me (the first song on this album). a-ha are a Norwegian synth pop band, that rose to fame with the song and video for Take On Me. I remember the sketched music video well. After the success of that song, it seemed like, on this side of the pond at least, the band kind of fell off of the face of the earth. Interestingly though, there were 5 singles released off of this album in Europe (Take On Me, The Sun Always Shines On T.V., Hunting High and Low, Love Is Reason, and Train of Thought), and they are actually still actively making music and touring over there as well (latest album release was 2022). This album is full of 80's nostalgia. Not because I was familiar with all the songs, but because all of the songs had that signature 80's heavy synthesized sound, with electric drum machines and synthesizers in the forefront. Aside from the 5 singles mentioned above, the other songs were good, but felt a bit like filler (didn't really stand out). I was hoping that another of their songs would impress me enough to topple Take On Me from my "favourite song" slot, and that is what The Sun Always Shines On T.V. did. Not that I don't like Take On Me, but it just got played to death, so it lost a lot of its grandeur over the years of repetition. The Sun Always Shines On T.V. starts off slow, but is a real rockin' 80's pop song. Overall, not a bad record. Probably not something I would revisit, but I can see how it may have been influential in the 80's. Favourite songs: The Sun Always Shines On T.V., Take On Me, Love Is Reason, Hunting High and Low Least favourite songs: And You Tell Me 3/5
Very 80s. Not as bad as I remember, but no classic
Kan setta pris på litt a-ha i blant
Un album typique 80s comme on les connait
"Take on me" is quintessential 80s synth pop and likely the only reason this is on the list. That doesn't make it good and reconfirms that 1985 is possibly the worst year in music history
Just another pop album
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Take on me, Hunting high and low, And you tell me
A pleasant listen, but definitely of it’s time. “Take On Me” and “The Sun Always Shines on TV” are highlights.
Surprisingly average. Like a tepid version of The Killers.
Kind of forgettable. What's next?
Your typical electro 80s album, kind of disappointing honestly. Opened real strong with the first two songs or so then everything sounded the same.
LOL
Super 80s, but this album only had a fee bangers besides Take On Me.
Enjoyable easy listen
Nice
Good 80s vibe and sound
Take on me good. The rest bit mediocre in my opinion
Ça aurait dû être un single
rien d’exceptionnel
take on me! first album of Norwegian new wave 1985, wowza
An slightly above average 80s pop album. Maybe would listen to it again when the moods come. For me i believe there are only few songs that stand out. The rest are okay.
As a child of the 80s, it was hard not to be completely caught up in "Take On Me," but in the years since high school, it's become so ubiquitous and overplayed that it's not really a favorite anymore. So I wasn't sure what to expect from the rest of the album -- I'd listened to it here and there as a kid, but probably not since the early 90s. New Wave hasn't ever really been a huge draw for me, but this album is a lot more musically complex than I was expecting. I'm not sure that it's going to figure heavily into my regular rotation of stuff I listen to, but it's very well done.
Take on me- one of those timeless songs that never manages to be overplayed. Just so anthemic and joyful 👍 Train of thought- Wish the lyrics hit harder in places and it had a catchier hook, but a very solid song 👍 Hunting high and low- Slower more heartfelt song👍 The blue sky- pretty standard synthpop Living a boys adventure tale- I think the title perfectly encapuslates the clumsiness of this track The suns always shines on TV- great bombastic instrumental, wish lyrics were a bit more connected👍 And You tell me- Mercifully short Love is reason- Inoffensive filler I dream myself alive- Again feel like it could be lyrically elevated, I love the name and think more can be done with the concept. Still a good song👍 Here I stand and face the rain- Love a bit of layering to finish an album, another solid song👍 A beyond iconic song with some nice synthpop tracks to go with it. Really not groundbreaking but I’m glad I listened to it. 3/5
A decent synth-pop album. At its best it sounds like a more pop oriented Laughing Stock era Talk Talk, but more often then not it is a generic synth pop album that occasionally strikes all the right chords. The quality of the song writng makes it a slight cut above 3 stars
Take on Me is one of those 80s synth pop songs that I liked. The next track has the same sound although I don't remember it. I was ready to call them a one hit wonder but thought I should check first and discovered that they released 10 albums. Who knew? Speaking of Who, this album was recorded at the boathouse converted into Eel Pie Studios which was owned by Pete Townshend. (Pete liked it since he could drive his boat there after his driving license was taken away.) The 80s sound starts to wear and the backing vocals on tracks like Blue Sky drive me nuts. The Sun Always Shines on TV kicks it up a notch which works. This album was noted as influencing Coldplay. I considered -1 for this but let it go.
Wow, 1.2 BILLION listens on Spotify for Take Me On! I always did like that song and the singer really belts it out on the chorus, not aided by Autotune. A couple of other tunes were bearable, but there were a couple of stinkers as well. I was thinking a 2, but I think that's what I gave Duran Duran and this is definitely better.
Back in the mid-80s I was a huge fan of a group that Tony Mansfield headed up called New Musik. Yeah I know that's not a very inspiring name. They were an early synthpop band from London that released the pioneering album, From A to B that actually was one of the best of this emerging genre. But unfortunately most people have never heard of them. Gawd I'm sure I wore out the copy of that album because I was heavily into this "new wave" thing that was sweeping the airwaves back then. I'm bringing him up because Mansfield went on to produce this album from the Norwegian band, A-ha. Much of his strong production values are evident here, but it's also obviously geared towards mainstream airplay so this album is quite "poppy" sounding. Take on me might be their biggest hit, but IMO the Sun always shines on TV is definitely their best song. Unfortunately, the rest of the album sounds like a very commercial and dated sounding Depeche mode and is not very compelling to listen to.
With "Hunting High and Low", a-ha are out to become reigning champions of 1980's synth pop, one programmed beat and stratospheric falsetto line at a time. It's a very competent, accomplished and sophisticated piece of work, if not always genuinely exciting. The whole album is pristinely engineered, almost to a fault. A synthesised orchestra unfurls across each arrangement, giving all the bombast of a Beethoven symphony mixed in with digitised sounds, programmed trebly drum machines, one-note bass synths. It all sounds pure and utopian, but there were times when I was hoping for a little more grit or authenticity in the mix. I was surprised to hear that half of this album’s tracks were singles. “Take on Me” is absolutely ubiquitous, and none of the other singles come close to exhibiting the duo’s same knack for crafting earworms or utilising Morten Harket’s stunning upper range. The closest they get is “The Sun Always Shines on TV”, with its urgent, aching cry of “Touch me / how can it be?” The other singles (“Love Is Reason”, “Train of Thought”, “Hunting High and Low”) don’t seem to occupy anywhere near the same space in public consciousness as the lead single 40 years on. They’re also, to put it plainly, just not as engaging. “Train of Thought” is reasonably solid- and cast in a darker and more paranoid shade than “Take on Me”- with a decent hook and rising vocal throughout its chorus. But then “Love Is Reason” sounds horrendously dated with its squeaky clean synth refrain and a bland central melody and lyric. Across the rest of the album, it’s a similar story: “The Blue Sky” and “Living a Boy’s Adventure Tale” are okay, with some good woodwind and falsetto in the latter. “You Tell Me” is a wandering sophisti-pop interlude to sap away any energy. Ending “Here I Stand and Face the Rain” brings things to a sweeping close with its crashing minor chords and brooding, ominous mood: going out on a dark note in an era of Cold War paranoia. All of it is very well recorded and engineered, with a sublime vocal performance from Harket. I just wish there was more of the same heights achieved by its two biggest singles.
Hunting High And Low starts well with a classic the rest of the album can't live up to, instead sinking to 80s depths we don't want to hear very often. 2.
Quite enjoyed bits of this, but did feel that it dragged (although it's less than 40 minutes long). It's fun, synthy pop music - not a huge amount of complexity, nuance, or variation. I didn't know any of the tracks apart from Take On Me, they're all in the same vein as that but without the same levels of catchy energy. 2/5.
Great listen! So many great moments, some energetic, some poignant and beautiful.
Better than anticipated, generally enjoyable. very 80s though
I had never listened to a-ha beyond That One Song, but I understanding their place in the synthpop family tree now. Clear connections to Bowie, New Order, and beyond.
Another 80s sleeper with a one hit wonder
I mean take on me is the real takeaway here.
Take on Me is just so well known the rest of the album just kind of fades into oblivion. But I did enjoy the title track and Here I Stand and Face the Rain is a nice closer.
This didn't do much for me - "Take On Me" without the video really loses something, too. Fave track - "The Sun Always Shines On TV" maybe, but that's because I've heard some cover versions I like more? "Here I Stand and Fave the Rain", maybe, as it gets a little gothy....
Hittibiisi on kova ja pari muutakin ihan kovaa seassa. Taipuu kolmoseen.
Ei yhdellä hitillä kovin pitkälle pötkinyt. Muutama toivonpyrähdys siellä täällä, mutta aika pitkälti Take On Men varassa koko levy. Varma kagonen
Geweldige 80s synth-pop! Dit album bevat alleen maar toppers!! *****
I was way too hungover for this one
I am a sucker for 80's synth-pop, so of course I liked this. Everybody knows Take on Me, but these deep cuts are also very good!
Overall not that impressed, there were a couple decent tracks, but not enough to save it from a mediocre rating.
Unique, would give it another listen
Fun electropop, nothing too outstanding
Never been a fan of a-ha and nothing here that is of any surprise. Bland, glossy, insubstantial
Really enjoyed it. Have heard Take on Me a million times, but have never listened to any other a-Ha tracks. Good album
80’s rubbish, maybe being harsh but not my thing. Take on me saves the album getting a 1.
one hit surrounded by a lot of 80s synth pop. It does deserve its placement on the list for the influence it's wielded for almost 40 years - that has to count for something. 3/5.
This album is definitely 80s. Take Me On is the biggest hit. I enjoyed it for the most part and it was relatively short. I still don't see myself revisiting this album though. Close to being a 4.
Sounds good!
80s synth pop fun but I wish the rest of the album lived up to "Take on Me'
If the rest of the album could have been half as good as Take on Me we would have easily had a 4-star album. Unfortunately, it falls off pretty hard after the first song.
This is a fun new wave pop album from the mid-80s thats a bit one dimensional. Take On Me is an absolute banger, obviously. The rest kind of fails to live up to their hit.
It was all downhill after Take On Me. Pace slowed, and went into crooner mode. It was fine.
The Sun Always Shines on T.V., Take on me.
There is something ironic about a disc being included by a band that is frequently near the top of one-hit wonder lists. For what it's worth, they are not on my OHW list because of The Sun Always Shines on T.V., which peaked at 20 on the Hot 100 (although was a huge hit in most major European markets). Obviously Take On Me is an enduring classic. Clearly from the 80s, but less dated than many other 80s hits. This is a solid set throughout, with solid tunes in addition to the two tracks mentioned. Morten Harket's vocals are a high point (pun intended) and displays impressive tonal and stylistic range. Love Is Reason, Hunting High and Low and Train of Thought are all top-notch. While remaining popular overseas for many years, they were essentially a one and done here. There were plenty of those bands in the 80s that deserved that fate. A-ha deserved much better.