East of the Sun, West of the Moon

Last updated
East of the Sun, West of the Moon
A-ha East of the Sun West of the Moon.jpg
Studio album by
Released27 October 1990 (1990-10-27) [1]
Recorded1989–1990
Genre Pop rock
Length45:48
Label Warner Bros.
Producer
A-ha chronology
Stay on These Roads
(1988)
East of the Sun, West of the Moon
(1990)
Memorial Beach
(1993)
Singles from East of the Sun, West of the Moon
  1. "Crying in the Rain"
    Released: 1 October 1990
  2. "I Call Your Name"
    Released: 3 December 1990
  3. "Early Morning"
    Released: 25 February 1991
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Entertainment Weekly D+ [4]
Melody Maker (favorable) [5]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Smash Hits Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg

East of the Sun, West of the Moon is the fourth studio album by Norwegian band A-ha, released on 27 October 1990 by Warner Bros. Records. Named after a Norwegian fairy tale, the album was something of a departure from the band's earlier radio-friendly sound to a darker, moodier tone. It peaked at number one in the band's native Norway and reached top 20 in various European countries and Japan. It was co-produced by Ian Stanley, formerly of the band Tears for Fears.

Contents

Critical reception

Entertainment Weekly wrote that "symphonic piano grandeur and alternating blues/metal/flamenco/funk additives collapse beneath the bloated synthesizer slush." [4]

AllMusic wrote: "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 and one that deserves a better reception than the one, unfortunately, that it seems to have gotten." [2]

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
1."Crying in the Rain" Howard Greenfield, Carole King Chris Neil 4:25
2."Early Morning" Pål Waaktaar, Magne Furuholmen Ian Stanley 2:59
3."I Call Your Name"P. Waaktaar, FuruholmenNeil4:54
4."Slender Frame"P. Waaktaar, FuruholmenNeil3:42
5."East of the Sun"P. WaaktaarStanley4:47
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
6."Sycamore Leaves"P. WaaktaarNeil5:22
7."Waiting for Her"P. Waaktaar, FuruholmenStanley4:49
8."Cold River"P. Waaktaar, Lauren SavoyNeil4:40
9."The Way We Talk"FuruholmenStanley1:30
10."Rolling Thunder"P. Waaktaar, FuruholmenNeil5:43
11."(Seemingly) Nonstop July"P. WaaktaarStanley2:55

2015 deluxe edition

Disc two
No.TitleLength
1."Early Morning" (early version) 
2."East of the Sun" (early version) 
3."I Call Your Name" (instrumental demo) 
4."Slender Frame" (demo) 
5."Waiting for Her" (demo) 
6."Cold River" (demo) 
7."Trees Will Not Grow on the Sand" (demo) 
8."Rolling Thunder" (demo) 
9."I Call Your Name" (NRK live) 
10."Manhattan Skyline" (NRK live) 
11."Early Morning" (NRK live) 
12."Slender Frame" (NRK live) 
13."Rolling Thunder" (NRK live) 
14."Sycamore Leaves" (NRK live) 
15."Crying in the Rain" (NRK live) 
16."East of the Sun" (NRK live) 
17."(Seemingly) Nonstop July" (NRK live) 
18."I've Been Losing You" (NRK live) 
DVD: Live in South America
No.TitleLength
1."The Sun Always Shines on T.V." 
2."Cry Wolf" 
3."I Call Your Name" 
4."Slender Frame" 
5."Touchy!" 
6."Scoundrel Days" 
7."Rolling Thunder" 
8."I've Been Losing You" 
9."Early Morning" 
10."Take On Me" 
11."Credits" 

Personnel

A-ha

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for East of the Sun, West of the Moon
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [24] Gold100,000*
France (SNEP) [25] Gold100,000*
Germany (BVMI) [26] Gold250,000^
Norway125,000 [27]
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [28] Gold25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [1] Silver60,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A-ha</span> Norwegian synth-pop band

A-ha is a Norwegian synth-pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. Founded by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, Magne Furuholmen, and Morten Harket, the band rose to fame during the mid-1980s.

<i>Stay on These Roads</i> 1988 studio album by A-ha

Stay on These Roads is the third studio album by Norwegian band A-ha, released on 3 May 1988 by Warner Bros. Records. Six singles were released from the album.

<i>Scoundrel Days</i> 1986 studio album by a-ha

Scoundrel Days is the second studio album by Norwegian band a-ha, released on 6 October 1986 by Warner Bros. Records. A remastered edition with additional tracks was released in 2010.

<i>The Seeds of Love</i> 1989 studio album by Tears for Fears

The Seeds of Love is the third studio album by English pop rock band Tears for Fears, released on 25 September 1989 by Fontana Records. It retained the band's epic sound while incorporating influences ranging from jazz and soul to Beatlesque pop. Its lengthy production and scrapped recording sessions cost over £1 million. The album spawned the title hit single "Sowing the Seeds of Love", as well as "Woman in Chains", and "Advice for the Young at Heart", both of which reached the top 40 in several countries.

<i>Hunting High and Low</i> 1985 studio album by a-ha

Hunting High and Low is the debut studio album by the Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha, first released on 10 June 1985 by Warner Bros. Records in Norway and the United States, an then released in the United Kingdom and Europe on 25 October 1985. The album was a huge commercial success, reaching high positions on charts worldwide. The album was recorded at Eel Pie Studios in Twickenham, London, and produced by Tony Mansfield, John Ratcliff and Alan Tarney.

<i>Memorial Beach</i> 1993 studio album by A-ha

Memorial Beach is the fifth studio album by the Norwegian band A-ha, released on 14 June 1993 by Warner Bros. Records.

<i>Minor Earth Major Sky</i> 2000 studio album by A-ha

Minor Earth Major Sky is the sixth studio album by Norwegian band A-ha, released on 14 April 2000 by WEA.

<i>Lifelines</i> (A-ha album) 2002 studio album by A-ha

Lifelines is the seventh studio album by the Norwegian band A-ha, released on 24 April 2002 by WEA. The album topped the charts in Norway and Germany, and reached the top 10 in Austria, Denmark, Poland and Switzerland. In 2019, Lifelines and Minor Earth Major Sky, both of A-ha's albums recorded for Warner Music Germany, were remastered and re-released with an extra disc, which contained demos, early versions and alternate mixes. They also received their first official vinyl releases.

<i>Analogue</i> (album) 2005 studio album by A-ha

Analogue is the eighth studio album by the Norwegian band A-ha, released in 2005. It is a-ha's first album on Polydor Records (Universal), having previously been signed to Warner Music. Four singles were also released from this record. The album's second single, "Analogue " became the group's first top 10 hit on the UK Singles Chart since "Stay on These Roads" (1988). The album reached No. 24 in the UK and got silver certification there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A-ha discography</span>

The discography of A-ha, a Norwegian synthpop/rock band, consists of eleven studio albums, eight compilation albums, six box sets, ten extended plays, and fifty singles. This list does not include solo material or other projects recorded by A-ha band members.

<i>How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head</i> 2003 live album by A-ha

How Can I Sleep with Your Voice in My Head is a live album by Norwegian band A-ha, released on 25 March 2003 by WEA Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take On Me</span> 1984 song by a-ha

"Take On Me" is a song by the Norwegian synth-pop band a-ha. The original version, recorded in 1984 and released in October of that same year, was produced by Tony Mansfield and remixed by John Ratcliff. The 1985 international hit version was produced by Alan Tarney for the group's debut studio album, Hunting High and Low (1985). The recording combines synth-pop with a varied instrumentation, including acoustic guitars, keyboards, and drums.

<i>Ending on a High Note: The Final Concert</i> 2011 live album by A-ha

Ending on a High Note: The Final Concert is a live album by Norwegian band a-ha, released on 1 April 2011. It was recorded at the Oslo Spektrum in Oslo on 4 December 2010, which was initially planned to be their final concert before their eventual reunion in 2015. The concert on the previous night was also recorded as a back-up. The album contains the entire set from the final concert with the exception of "The Bandstand" and "Bowling Green", the latter being an Everly Brothers cover the band performed as part of the final encore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morten Harket</span> Norwegian singer (born 1959)

Morten Harket is a Norwegian singer who is the lead vocalist of the synth-pop band a-ha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Call Your Name (A-ha song)</span> 1990 single by A-ha

"I Call Your Name" is a song by Norwegian band A-ha, released on 3 December 1990 as the second single from their fourth studio album, East of the Sun, West of the Moon (1990). It was written by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Magne Furuholmen.

<i>Cast in Steel</i> 2015 studio album by a-ha

Cast in Steel is the tenth studio album by Norwegian band A-ha. The album was released on 4 September 2015 by We Love Music and Polydor. It is their first studio album since Foot of the Mountain (2009), following their second reunion in early 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Move to Memphis</span> 1991 single by A-ha

"Move to Memphis" is a song by Norwegian band A-ha, which was released in October 1991 as a single from their greatest hits album Headlines and Deadlines: The Hits of A-ha (1991). It was written by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Magne Furuholmen, and produced by A-ha. "Move to Memphis" reached number two in Norway and number 47 in the United Kingdom.

<i>MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice</i> 2017 live album by A-ha

MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice is a live album by the Norwegian band a-ha, released on 6 October 2017 as part of the MTV Unplugged series. It was recorded live at the Harbour Hall at Ocean Sound Recordings in Giske, Norway, on 22 and 23 June 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Early Morning (song)</span> 1991 single by A-ha

"Early Morning" is a song by Norwegian band A-ha, which was released in 1991 as the third single from their fourth studio album, East of the Sun, West of the Moon (1990). It was written by Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Magne Furuholmen, and produced by Ian Stanley. "Early Morning" reached number 78 in the United Kingdom and number 29 in Ireland. A music video was filmed to promote the single, directed by Michael Burlingame, while the video's black-and-white footage was directed by Lauren Savoy.

<i>True North</i> (A-ha album) 2022 studio album by A-ha

True North is the eleventh studio album by Norwegian band A-ha. It was released on 21 October 2022 by RCA and Sony Music. The album's opening track "I'm In" was released as the first single on 8 July 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 "British album certifications – A Ha – East of the Sun, West of the Moon". British Phonographic Industry. 9 November 1990. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  2. 1 2 AllMusic review
  3. Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th Concise ed.). United Kingdom: Omnibus Press. p. 30. ISBN   978-1-84609-856-7.
  4. 1 2 "East of the Sun, West of the Moon". EW.com.
  5. Lester, Paul (1 December 1990). "Albums". Melody Maker . Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  6. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 1.
  7. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 9.
  8. "Response from ARIA re: a-ha ARIA chart history, received 22 December 2017" . Retrieved 9 December 2020 via Imgur.
  9. "Austriancharts.at – a-ha – East of the Sun, West of the Moon" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  10. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 1467". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  11. "Dutchcharts.nl – a-ha – East of the Sun, West of the Moon" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  12. "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 7, no. 46. 17 November 1990. p. VIII. OCLC   29800226 via World Radio History.
  13. "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Retrieved 7 February 2019.Select "A-HA" from the drop-down menu and click "OK".
  14. "Offiziellecharts.de – a-ha – East of the Sun, West of the Moon" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  15. "Ísland (LP-plötur)". DV (in Icelandic). 9 November 1990. p. 33. ISSN   1021-8254 via Timarit.is.
  16. a〜haのアルバム売り上げランキング [a-ha album sales ranking] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  17. "Norwegiancharts.com – a-ha – East of the Sun, West of the Moon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  18. "Swedishcharts.com – a-ha – East of the Sun, West of the Moon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  19. "Swisscharts.com – a-ha – East of the Sun, West of the Moon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  20. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  21. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2020. 42. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  22. "European Top 100 Albums – 1991" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51/52. 21 December 1991. p. 24. OCLC   29800226 via World Radio History.
  23. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1991" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  24. "Brazilian album certifications – A-ha – East of the Sun" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil . Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  25. "French album certifications – Aha – East of the Sun, West of the Moon" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 4 December 1990. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  26. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (A-ha; 'East of the Sun')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  27. "Scandinavia" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 5. 30 January 1993. p. 30. OCLC   29800226 via World Radio History.
  28. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('East of the Sun, West of the Moon')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 February 2019.