Stay On These Roads (Deluxe Edition)

SOTR was the mid-phase third lp for a-ha, who were denied a massive US success with their sweeping pop masterpiece “Scoundrel Days.” While there are some classic tracks such as the title song, the epic melodic “The Blood That Moves The Body” and depending on your taste, wonderful anthems like “Hurry Home” and even their goofiest yet catchiest tune, “Touchy,” the synth production isn’t as layered as “Scoundrel Days” and some tracks would benefit with richer arrangements that the band is obviously capable of — “Hurray Home” should be eight minutes with a full chorus. Still, I love SOTR as the band’s last hurrah to the synth 80’s before the radical acoustic nature of EOTSWOTM. The demos on these deluxe editions are the best thing about them and there’s a plethora of good stuff here. I was overjoyed to hear the demo for “Hurry Home” and you can even hear the theme for SOTR in the chorus which actually makes the song more epic. These releases are welcome additions to a-ha’s legend and I’m glad to prove all my doubting friends wrong that a-ha has survived to this day as a thriving musical entity.