Lifelines

European edition of the Norwegian Pop trio's 2002 album, their second album to be released after their eight year sabbatical, which saw the band members dabble in their own side-projects. Though most people outside of Europe remember the band best for their bubbly hit single 'Take On Me', a-Ha were (and are) a band much more sophisticated and eclectic than that hit would lead you to believe. With Lifelines, the band's songs managed to blend the dark beauty of their 1988 album Stay On These Roads with the mature assuredness that age brings. Morten Harkett's voice still soars while the melodies grab hold of your senses and pull you in further with each listen. Warner.

Produced by Stephen Hague, Clive Langer, and Alan Winstanley, Lifelines--the follow-up to A-Ha's successful European comeback, Minor Earth, Major Sky--represents a further maturing of style. The instant synth-pop formula songs of their 1980s golden years have been replaced by a style that's more serious and solid. The sweeping title track that opens the album establishes from the get-go a philosophical, self-questioning theme that is continued on "There's a Reason for It" and "Less Than Pure." Despite the push toward a darker sound, the lyrics remain simple but sharp. "Turn the Lights Down" is an exquisite duet that could easily propel the group back to the top of the charts. But as the tone of the release suggests, the older, wiser A-Ha appear to no longer crave mass adoration, and are moving instead towards a more dynamic, credible musical future. --John Galilee