AHa - Memorial Beach (10 tracks) +Album Reviews

A-HA 's "ROCKS" THIS TIME AROUND

07/24/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is probably A-HA's most over-looked album. Unfairly so. Maybe their listeners weren't expecting a "rock" album from them. And this is definitly their "rock" album. A very good rock album at that! It sounds very much influenced by "60's classic rock & psychedelia". Several of the tunes remind's one of "THE DOORS". Especially "LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER" & "LOCUST"(the spoken word part towards the end echos the poetry of 'Jim Morrison'. The beautiful & mesmerizing title track("MEMORIAL BEACH"),sounds like a relative of "The Door's" "Riders On The Storm". Other songs have strong elements of 60's rock influences. "COLD AS STONE" is one. What a great song! At over 8 minutes they really get into every corner of it for us; the guitar work is great. A couple of the songs sound a little like "U2" however; namely "DARK IS THE NIGHT FOR ALL" & the pretty "ANGEL IN THE SNOW". Still, all the songs flow together nicely. A-HA seems to put out a great CD no matter what style they choose to cover. This one just happened to 'rock'. If you like good music,great melody, you'll like any one of their CD's. MEMORIAL BEACH is a must have if you like 'rock'; or just like good music."

Excellent music, lackluster promotion

Alysen | Atlanta, GA | 04/06/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you are looking for teenie-bopper dance music, you won't find it here. Memorial Beach is a dark, melancholic album full of intense music and beautiful singing--what a-ha has always been about--from the haunting guitar in "Cold as Stone" to the lovely melodic "Angel in the Snow." Although the album never got the recognition or airplay that it deserved here in the U.S., that does not lessen the talent behind its making one bit. Paul Waaktaar-Savoy is probably one of the greatest songwriters in the world and it shows in everything he does. That, combined with Morten Harket's perfectly executed vocals, prove that a-ha's international fame is still duly deserved."

Haunting memories

C. Garces | Plantation, Florida United States | 07/04/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was a young teen in 1993, grunge was in full force, I would listen to bands like Screaming Trees, Tad, Paw and ofcourse the mighty Nirvana. Then I fell in love with a girl from Norway and she was into this band A-HA. This album came out and what I thought I would hate became an album that has stayed in my collection since 1993 and that always brings out a melancholic side to a day. Even as I sit here in this beautifull warm day in summer, as Memorial Beach comes out of the speakers I am taken back to a time when everything was so much more simple and innocent. Be it "Memorial beach" haunting piano and chorus, or "Angel in the Snow", with its hearfelt lyrics and romantic guitar, this album is all around solid. Not being an old school A-HA fan or anything, I cant compare it to other albums or anything, but as a lover of good music I strongly recomend this album. It just has all the elements that make an album great such as amazing lyrics, in that the music actually reaches inside and touches you. Anyway, once again I recomend this album, you wont regret it."

Memorable Album

Ravi S. Madapati | California, US | 07/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Though I have been a A-Ha fan for over ten years, I havent been able to keep in touch with the happening in their world largely due to the long sabbatical the band had taken, until they released Minor Earth...When my brother gave excellent reviews for that album, I heard it. I could not believe what I heard. Then I went back and heard Memorial Beach. Again, I just could not believe what I heard. This is one of the best A-ha albums ever released. The album begins with the incredible "Dark is the Night". Its slow and is painfully melodious. The sweetness of the song is followed in "Angel" and "Cold as Stone". Again, A-ha hit the sad and superb melody notes only they can hit. "Locust" and "Memorial Beach" are my personal favourite songs from the album. Locust is not something you might like immediatly, it will grow into you. and the same with the tittle track. I think "Lamb" is another masterpeice, and the rest of all songs are good. Rest assured there isnt a single bad song in the CD. So your money is well well well spent. Its worth it, in case you do not have this CD, you will not regret buying it, it will appeal to all A-ha fans. The band has not tried anything new or innovative here, its pure old melody...and this is what makes A-ha one of the finest talents available in music."

The Right Track

Brian Kious | Saint Charles, Missouri United States | 09/01/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It looks like A-ha found a track in their 'train of thought' and have stuck with it. Continuing work with the rhythm section that appeared in "East of the Sun, West of the Moon", A-ha turn out a dynamite set. They almost regained American ground with "Lie Down In Darkness" as it was on moderate rotation. The songs on this album have almost a storm cloud tastefully hovering over them as the subject matter leans a more somber direction. It's not as diabolical as "Scoundrel Days", but it is dark and it's a great album to play on rainy (really rainy) days. Pal Waaktaar, this time around, seems to be playing with new guitar sounds that really carry it along, and from the way the credits read, this may as well have been HIS album, as eight of the ten songs were penned exclusively by him. He must've been in rare form as one song after another is quite pleasing (with the exception of "Between Your Mama & Yourself" which is actually kind of stupid). High points: "Dark Is The Night", "Cold As Stone", "Angel In The Snow", "Locust"."

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