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Scoundrel Days Like it's predecesor, Scoundrel Days is one of the best New Wave albums of the 80s, although a-ha is still labeled as a pop group. In fact, it appears that the fact that Scoundrel Days didn't have a huge hit like "Take On Me" may have inspired a transition in the group's sound for the third and fourth albums towards a more pop sound rather than one that is primarily New Wave. However, as shouldn't be a surprise to my readers, I'm actually quite partial to the New Wave sound, and I think that Scoundrel Days is quite possibly the best album the group ever did, although it's a real close call with Hunting High and Low. It starts off extremely strong with a string of danceable and artistic songs that lead off with the title song, "Scoundrel Days." It starts off a little slow, but builds in intensity and energy to a spectacular chorus, featuring Morten Harket's beautiful tenor voice and showing what he was really capable of. "The Swing of Things" is also full of dark energy, with an emotional bridge near the end. The third song, "I've Been Losing You" is quite similar in style and theme, but features some silly sounding organ foot-pedal sounds. "October" is one of those artistic songs that you try to get but you're never really sure if you have or not. It's slow, and features nice lyrics, but it's still skip material to me. However, "Manhattan Skyline" is possibly one of my favorite songs of all time, as well as one of the most passionately evocative songs ever written and performed. The wistful verses with dreamy, subdued sounds and vocals are such a counterpoint to the bitter and hurt chorus, that the song literally gives me the chills when I listen to it. I don't think there are very many songs that are so good at expressing a pure emotion. All in all, I rank this song right up there with Depeche Mode's "Blasphemous Rumours" as far as strong emotional content go. I think "Cry Wolf" may have been a single release, although I certainly never heard it here. Although it was initially one of my favorite songs on the cd, I've found that it is actually pretty boring to listen to now, and it hasn't endured well. But "We're Looking For the Whales" has endured much better, and is now one of my favorites. It's not danceable, nor is it particularly emotional, yet it's beautifully crafted and timeless. "The Weight of the Wind" is more of a filler song, and the quirky little number "Maybe Maybe" is fun, but pretty silly overall. Finally, the cd ends on a slow yet melancholy note with "The Soft Rains of April." This is a good song, but since "Manhattan Skyline" totally blows any other slow song on the album out of the water, it comes across as not quite as good as one would expect. Scoundrel Days does have a few weak moments. However, when it's strong, it's one of the best New Wave albums of the entire decade, and some of the songs, notably "Scoundrel Days," "The Swing of Things," "Manhattan Skyline" and "We're Looking For the Whales" are timeless classics.