a-ha – Scoundrel Days

Ah the dreaded sophomore effort. An era most bands shy away from or just flat out fall apart during; this was not the case with Norway's A-ha. To a lot of people, this record is the last they heard from the band due to so many tuning out after it's release (here in the States, anyway, big surprise.) For me this is A-ha's finest hour. They came close to equaling it with last year's superb 'Foot of the Mountain.'

The pressure upon the band at the time of Scoundrel Days was beyond intense, it was absolutely insane. Imagine if you will, a band who had just topped the charts around the world and been catapulted into the rarefied atmosphere of pop music's uppermost ether. To say that Warner Brothers was intent on a high level of success from the boys is an understatement of the highest order. Magne, Morten and Pal got down to cases, forging ahead with their most brilliant work: the stark, moody and subtle Scoundrel Days.

This re-issue expands the scope of the album considerably, it includes a complete digital re-master of the original, also including the entire record in demo form. Also stuffed onto the second disc are a fistful of b-sides and outtakes. For myself, the greatest pleasure comes at the very end with some live versions I have waited over 20 years to hear properly (their earlier airings came only at the hands of second or even third-rate bootlegs).

You will find the more you listen to Scoundrel Days that although their debut got the lion's share of attention in the press and most people's rosy 80s memories are that goddamned pencil sketch video, this is the album where A-ha showed what they were all about. This was not some trio of pop flashes in the pan. The musicality and maturity of Scoundrel Days is something which was to set the tone for their future works, and in fact, if you put this on right before their 2000 comeback Minor Earth, Major Sky it fits in perfectly.

I generally don't have a lot of use for major record labels but the re-mastering and overall product design is top rate for this outing, so kudos to you Warner Brothers. Even though wmg are nothing but a bunch of residual chasing whores who have effectively maimed you tube, we're in truce for the duration of Scoundrel Days.

I really must thank the band at this point for going into the musty chambers to dig up so many many lost gems. This was when A-ha grew up, as did I. You cannot buy that level of experience with any amount of glitzy promotion or payola pyramid schemes. The work itself is what must stand the test of time, it's content is what will define the times. Scoundrel Days comes up aces on both counts.

Unlike Hunting High and Low, this one has not aged at all. From the ebullient well of synthie pop, they evolved quickly into a nuanced, articulate form. This is a palpable tome of the aching, longing suadade existence gifts some of us who can perceive it. They are incredibly talented to have channeled it.