East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon (1990)

a-ha's fourth album, East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon, marked a departure from their previous albums. Acoustic guitars were added into the mix, and the piano replaced the keyboard/synthesizer of previous albums. The album also features the first non-Morten lead vocals, by Magne on "The Way We Talk."

Paul: "We put together a band with Norwegian musicians, and did full takes on all the songs. It was something completely different, it was a much more human expression. You can listen to it several times and find nuances, 'cause it ain't a machine spitting it out."

In 1991, a-ha was yet again on tour. This time they made history with the largest paying audience at a concert: 198,000 attended a-ha's concert at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Steven McDonald, AllMusic Guide: "This is a nicely crafted collection of songs, performed and sung beautifully, with lots of echoes and suggestions tucked into the music. While not an album one can discuss at length, it's an album that's a pleasure to listen to..."

Liner Notes:

PRODUCED BY CHRIS NEIL, EXCEPT FOR "EARLY MORNING," "EAST OF THE SUN," "WAITING FOR HER," "THE WAY WE TALK" AND "(SEEMINGLY) NONSTOP JULY" BY IAN STANLEY.