I was just a teen when Take On Me hit the airwaves in the US. The song was/is like no other, as was the video. The ONLY bad thing about this album is that it's too short. If it had 30 songs on it, it would still be too short. It is just like a good book, never long enough.

All the songs on this cd are excellent, and my favorites are Living A Boys Adventure Tale, The Sun Always Shines On Tv and of course, Take On Me.

But if you live in the U.S., then you must think that Take On Me is the only song ever put out by this misunderstood and mislead band. Well I have learned that the radio is NOT the place to go to if you want to listen to good music.

a-ha's second (Scoundrel Days), and third (Stay On These Roads)albums are also excellent and the band sticks to their previous style and sound as in Hunting High and Low. They are both worthy additions to your library. But read on.

But if you want to understand what a mistake the U.S. has made with this band, Warner Bros. especially, then I would recommend you also pick up East of The Sun, West of the Moon and Memoral Beach. These two albums show just how mature the band has become. The songwriting is excellent and the sound is like none other. These albums are TOTALLY different from Hunting High and Low, but then again, why would you want the same thing? Early Morning on EOSWOM and Cold as Stone on Memorial Beach are two examples of this bands greatness. Both could be hits in the U.S. today, if they could just get a little radio airtime. Yeah, right. Most of what is on the radio today is TRASH! Record companies today are signing one album wonders instead of promoting AND supporting good musicians, which in the long run, is beneficial to both parties involved. Radio broadcasters have their songs preselected for them and don't dare play anything not on their list. What a shame and a sham.

Pick up Hunting High and Low, then pick up one of their most recent releases. Go into a quiet room, turn off the lights and simply listen to the albums 3 or 4 times. You won't be dissapointed.

When I first heard "Take on me" back in the 80's when I was 11-12 years old, I thought it was a cool new sound defining the growing new wave movement. I bought the cassette a couple of years later expecting it to be "take on me" and filler, as no other singles had been played from it. I was amazed as track after track of fantastic music kept me soaring on a musical cloud. They were immediately my favorite band, and I listen to a ton of other stuff. I have played this tape and it's replacement over and over for years, awestruck every time. The beautiful strings and guitar ballad "Hunting high and low" is one of the best songs ever written, a real tear-jerker. I play this song as part of my own musical repertoire, a-ha kept me inspired to become a musician myself. The child-like "Living a boy's adventure tale", with the band's first use of clarinet is a masterpiece. The album includes vastly contrasted themes such as the dark and teen-spirited "Dream myself alive" and "Here I stand and face the rain", probably my favorite song on the album with it's ethereal synths and haunting acoustic guitar and mysterious lyrics. The whole album rocks, soothes you, and trips you out from one song to the next. Lots of changing sounds and textures. Very talented musicians. I would say they are one of the top 5 most skilled users of synths. Skilled because they don't sound like computer music but rather like a pop orchestra with the great singer, lyrics, guitar, cool rhythms, nothing is overshadowed. All of their other albums are good too, but I agree with other reviewers that after "Scoundrel Days", something was lost and the magic was not as strong as their first two albums. Their music became more organic, less youthful and dark, less colorful and changing. This album and really "Scoundrel Days" too, are must-haves for any music collection. I just wish they'd remaster them.

You know the "curse", right? Once a group or singer wins "best new artist" of the year on any music awards show, they seem to be doomed. At least in the USA that is what happened to a-ha. A pity becauase there isn't a single track on this album that I didn't like. The lyrics speak of a yearning and a searching, and if you saw any of the videos they were well matched to the lyrics. But ultimately a-ha was very pop and the British accent very strong and the "curse" kicked in. If you have only heard their sole American hit, listen to a few of these and then buy this album if you like what you hear.

...as soon as the electronic drum beats spilled from my speakers, i was hooked. i immediately got the tape, and played it so much, it broke. the CD was quickly added to my extensive music collection. every track on this release is amazing. from the eerie "hunting high and low" to the "living a boys adventure tale", every song has spoken to me over the years...and over the thousands upon thousands of time i have listend to this album. yeah, i've gotten slammed over the years for loving this band (i have every album), but who cares, once u find a group that speaks to you through excellent musicianship, wonderful lyrics, and ear melting, creative music, why let go? this album sounds better now than it did that summer of '86. do yourself a favor...please get this CD...you will thank me and all the other a-ha fans around the world who have said the same thing time and time again.

Hunting High & Low came out in 1985, and the single 'Take On Me' raced up the Australian charts like everywhere else. Great song, great video. The following 2 singles 'Sun ALways Shines on TV' and 'Hunting High and Low' didn't chart as well but you'd have to agree that the guys knew how to pull a melody together. While the sound is perhaps a little dated now (real 80's synth pop), this album is worth having to complete your retro collection - it has certainly gained a spot in my favourite top 10 albums of the 80's. The song 'Hunting High & Low' is probably the only acception to the rest of the songs as it doesnt sounds like synth pop - it sounds as fresh today as it did then. This particular song is one of the most beautiful ballads to be released in the 80's, turn it up loud and it will send shivers up your spine ! Other favourite tracks include 'Blue Sky' and 'Train of Thought'. Like other reviewers, I am surprised that A-Ha did not receive the recognition they deserved - they seemed to be labelled 'one hit wonders'. While this album may have also categorised them into a syntho pop group, it is actually so far removed from how they sound today. Radio needs to support these brilliant songwriters, as their latest material is awesome too.