Morten Harket - Letter From Egypt (19.05.08)

Morten's second English sung solo album "Letter From Egypt" was released in Norway on 19 May 2008. The cover features a shot of Morten in Morocco, standing just outside a circle of rocks which have red religious symbols painted on them. In the background there is a girl standing by a deserted telephone box and a car on a distant track. Above the picture, "morten harket" is included in white hand written letters, with the title "LETTER FROM EGYPT" typed in black typewriter font underneath. The cover gives the effect to look like it has a big crease down the centre and along the bottom of the sleeve.

The album is available in both a digi-pak edition and in a jewel case in Norway, but include a different Catalogue number on each one. Both have the same album cover design and come with an eight page "dirty looking and coffee stained" booklet featuring the lyrics and track information. It also includes some album credits at the end. The booklet, which comes with the digi-pak has been printed in slightly darker tones. Along the bottom of each lyric page is some grey hand-written quotes, which read: "As I was walking down the street last night". "The streets were no longer mine". "I was heading for the park". "A dog strayed in front of me". "It was the night of the sleepless people". "Their clouds drifting above the treetops". "But it was the youth in the park that really owned the night". "Exuberant amidst the flickering shadows". "None of this, however, belonged to me, yet still I was included". "A door here and there slammed to and the stars started to appear". "It was the end of August". "In this troubled, angelic town". "Which you don’t leave before you receive its blessings". The discs are black with white titles and text. "morten harket" is again displayed handwritten below the centre ring with the album title "LETTER FROM EGYPT" in typewriter font underneath. There is some record company production and copyright information included: "℗ Swerve © 2008 Universal Music GmbH Germany / Universal Music AS, Norway. All rights of the producer and of the owner of the work reserved. Unauthorised copying, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting of this recording is prohibited! All rights reserved". The Catalogue number for the digipak edition Cat. No: 0602517732674 – LC 00309 and the jewel case edition Cat. No: 0602517732650 – LC 00309 are also located at the bottom of each disc, as is the "UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP" and "Polydor" logos. On the back cover, it includes a picture of a deserted telephone box in Morocco, printed on the same folded dirty looking paper. The full track listing (shown in grey) is located at the bottom left-hand side, with the same "UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP" and "polydor" logos, and record company production and copyright information, which appears on the discs, printed in black on the right-hand side. The Catalogue numbers for each edition is also included in addition to a barcode containing the same relevant number on each one. The inside of the digi-pak is plain and features more of the dirty folded paper and no further artworks. The booklet housed within the casing on the left hand side of the digi-pak and the disc held in a plastic transparent tray on the right.

Tracks: Darkspace / Send Me An Angel / We'll Never Speak Again / There Are Many Ways To Die / With You - With Me / Letter From Egypt / A Name Is A Name / Movies / Shooting Star / Anyone / Should The Rain Fall / The One You Are

All tracks are written by Morten Harket and/or Ole Sverre Olsen with music by Morten and/or Kjetil Bjerkestrand, except "Send Me An Angel" written by Ole Sverre Olsen and Tanya; "We'll Never Speak Again" written by Magne Furuholmen with music by Magne and Kjetil Bjerkestrand and "Movies" written by Kåre Vestrheim, Georg Buljo, Hans Jørgen Støp, Thomas Tofte and Anders Engen. The album was produced and arranged by Kjetil Bjerkestrand and co-produced by Morten. Musicians on the album include Morten Harket (vocals and guitar), Kjetil Bjerkestrand (keyboards), Per Lindvall (drums), Jenny Sjo (bass), Frode Alnæs (guitar), Eivind Aarset (guitar), Kjetil Steensnæs (guitar), Gunnar Andreas Berg (guitar), Petur Jonsson (guitar), Helge Norbakken (percussion), Ashild Breie Nyhus (viola), Magne Furuholmen (additional vocals - track 3)

There is a Norwegian 4-track promo album sampler. The disc is white with "Fire spor fra Morten Harket Letter from Egypt Som kommer 19. Mai" printed at the top of the disc and the four tracks: We'll Never Speak Again / Send Me An Angel / With You - With Me / A Name Is A Name" printed at the bottom. The Polydor and Universal logos are printed on the right hand and left hand side of the disc respectively. It doesn't come with a sleeve.

Variations

Germany

The German edition comes in similar packaging and artwork to the Norwegian digi-pak, but the track listing differs slightly with "Slanted Floor" in place of "Shooting Star". The handwritten "morten harket" along the top of the front cover is now printed in grey instead of white. There is an additional red rectangular sticker on the front cover with some black and white text: "THE VOICE OF A-HA! 12 NEW SONGS incl. ‘DARKSPACE (You’re with me)’ & ‘MOVIES’". It also includes a website address "www.letterfromegypt.com" and the Catalogue number 0625 1762283 which differs to the Norwegian digi-pak. On the reverse of the digi-pak, the usual "polydor" and "UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP" logos are included, but the production and copyright information has been slightly revised compared to the Norwegian digi-pak: "℗ 2008 Swerve AS, under exclusive licence to Universal Music Domestic Pop/Mainstream, a division of Universal Music GmbH. © 2008 Universal Music Domestic Pop/Mainstream, a division of Universal Music GmbH. All rights reserved. Unauthorised copying, reproduction, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting prohibited. Made in the EU. LC00309. 0602517622838". The reverse of the digi-pak also includes the revised German Catalogue number and the barcode, which includes the different number 0602517622838 and comes with an additional white background to it. The disc is the same as the Norwegian edition black with white text, displaying handwritten "morten harket" and typewriter font title "LETTER FROM EGYPT" below the centre ring, the revised production and copyright text which appears on the back cover is also included along with the German Catalogue number and "polydor" and "UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP" logos. The inside of the digipak includes the eight page "dirty looking and coffee stained" booklet featuring the lyrics and revised track listing information. It also includes the regular album credits at the end.

Tracks: Darkspace / Send Me An Angel / We'll Never Speak Again / There Are Many Ways To Die / With You - With Me / Letter From Egypt / A Name Is A Name / Movies / Slanted Floor / Anyone / Should The Rain Fall / The One You Are

There is a German promo 6 track acetate EP which comes with a white paper sleeve with black titles. The back of the sleeve features a track list and details. The disc is a regular CD-R with black titles. The title on the CD reads "Letters From Egypt" and the spacing on the cover suggests that the "'s" was removed after printing, so it is assumed that there was a last minute slight change to the title. The disc includes the tracks: Darkspace (You're With Me) / We Will Never Speak Again / There Are Many Ways To Die / With You With Me / Movies / The One You Are.

There is also a German promotional 12-track acetate album, which comes with an A4 grey Universal Music International Division cardboard wallet with 2 page German information sheet and photo.

The CD comes in a slim-line CD case with a German "UNIVERSAL" copyright sticker, which wraps round and seals the case. The front section of the sticker displays the "UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP" logo with the German copyright text; "PROMO-CD MIT WASSERZEICHEN NICHT KOPIEREN", which translates to; "DO NOT COPY PROMO CD WITH WATERMARK". On the reverse of the sticker, the same German copyright text is again included, along with some other terms of use information; "Nutzungsbedingungen: 1. Diese CD wird lhnen nur zum Anhören zur Verügung gestellt. Durch Öffnen der CD-Verpackung erklären Sie, dass Sie keine Aufnahmen auf der CD oder die CD selbst kopieren, verbreiten (physisch/ non-physisch). verkaufen, versteigern oder sonstwie Dritten verfügbar machen. 2. Die Aufnahmen auf der CD sind mit einem individuellen Wasserzeichen versehen, das Universal Music GmbH erlaubt, jegliche Kopien hiervon zu finden und lhnen als Empfänger zuzuordnen. 3. Diese CD Steht im Eigentum der Universal Music GmbH. Im Falle der Zuwiderhandlung werden die notwendigen rechtlichen Schritte gegen Sie eingeleitet. 4. Sollten Sie mit diesen Bedingungen nicht einverstanden sein, senden Sie diese CD bitte ungeöffnet auf unsere Kosten an Universal Music GmbH. Stralauer Allee 1. 10245 Berlin zurück". When translated, it reads: "Terms of Use: 1. This CD is only available for you to listen to. By opening the CD packaging you declare that you are not copying, distributing (physical / non-physical) recordings on the CD or the CD itself. sell, auction or otherwise make available to third parties. 2. The recordings on the CD are provided with an individual watermark, which allows Universal Music GmbH to find any copies of them and assign them to you as the recipient. 3. This CD is owned by Universal Music GmbH. In the event of an infringement, the necessary legal steps will be taken against you. 4. If you do not agree to these conditions, please send this CD unopened to Universal Music GmbH at our expense. Stralauer Allee 1. 10245 Berlin back". The disc is silver with a black 'handwritten' printed title "Morten Harket ‘Letter From Egypt’" along the top and full track listing printed in black at the bottom. The disc also includes the LC00309 coding and "polydor" logo on the left-hand side and the "UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP" record label on the right-hand side, plus the text "Not For Sale - For Promotion Only" under the track listing at the bottom. Additionally, around the centre ring of the disc is some manufacturing and record company contact information; "Manufactured by RECORD PARTNER Berlin - Tel.: +30/520072090 - Fax: +30/520072091 - e-mail: [email protected]".

Israel

The German digi-pak edition (featuring Slanted Floors) was available in Israel. It has a white info sticker on the front in hebrew and a white helicon records on the back.

Malaysia

The Malaysian printed edition of "Letter From Egypt" appears to be the same as the German digi-pak edition containing the same front and back cover artworks, and including the same (but darker), red rectangular sticker with the black and white text: "THE VOICE OF A-HA! 12 NEW SONGS incl. ‘DARKSPACE (You’re with me)’ & ‘MOVIES’". The "www.letterfromegypt.com" website address and same Catalogue number 060251762283 are also included. There is an additional silver square "TULEN KPON & HEP ORIGINAL" hologram sticker on the front sleeve. On the back cover, the production and copyright information has changed to show an address in Malaysia printed on the sleeve; "℗ 2008 Swerve AS, under exclusive license to Universal Music Domestic Pop/Mainstream, a division of Universal Music GmbH. © 2008 Universal Music Domestic Pop/Mainstream, a division of Universal Music GmbH. All rights reserved. Unauthorised copying, reproduction, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting prohibited. Edaran Oleh Universal Music Sdn. Bhd. (51112-M) G.01 Ground Floor, Wisma Academy, 4A Jalan 19/1, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. 0602517622838". The barcode on the back sleeve also includes the same number as the German edition, but it comes with an additional white background. The disc itself is coloured the regular black with the white printed text and coming with a similar layout to the German edition, but includes that it was "Manufactured and Printed in Malaysia". The regular "polydor" and "UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP" logos are also included on both the disc and on the back sleeve.

Russia

The Russian edition of "Letter From Egypt" comes in a jewel case and includes a picture obi-strip with smaller versions of the two album cover pictures taken from the front and back sleeve. "MORTEN HARKET" is in large black type faced lettering above the album cover pictures with the title "LETTER FROM EGYPT" underneath in smaller type faced lettering. At the lower half of the front obi, the album title is again included, but displayed in the same way as the front cover, with the handwritten "morten harket" and typewriter font "LETTER FROM EGYPT". There is some additional Russian text "СОЛЬНЫЙ АЛЬБОМ ВОКАЛИСТА ГРУППЫ" which translates to "SOLO VOCALIST'S ALBUM A-HA", plus an orange triangular shaped logo advertising "ЭТО MAXIMUM МУЗЫКА" (It’s Maximum Music). On the spine of the obi, the album title (like the top of the front obi) is included along with the "UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP" logo at the bottom. On the back of the obi, there are adverts for two albums by other artists JOVANOTTI "SAFARI" and BRYAN ADAMS "11" with some Russian text in black underneath for each one; "Новый альбом энаменитого итальянского певца, который уже 20 лет борется с Адриано Челентано эалервое место на итальянской сцене". (The new album of the famous Italian singer who has been struggling with Adriano Celentano for the first time on the Italian stage for 20 years). "11 -й студийный альбом легендарного певца и гитариста. 11 песен, эаписанных в лучших традициях мастера рок-баллад". (The 11th studio album of the legendary singer and guitarist. 11 songs recorded in the best tradition of a rock ballad master). There is a grey coloured triangular shaped pattern of squares to the right of each advert. At the bottom of the back obi, it includes a black curved box with black and navy blue text containing some other Russian text "ВСЕ САМЫЕ ПОСЛЕДНИЕ НОВОСТИ ОБ АРТИСТАХ И РЕЛИЗАХ UNIVERSAL MUSIC - НА САЙТЕ" which advertises "ALL THE LATEST NEWS ABOUT ARTISTS AND RELEASES VISIT THE WWW.UNIVERSAL.MUSIC.RU" on-line website. A white barcode is also included at the bottom, but displaying a different number "4 605026 007819" compared to the German release. The album has the same track listing as the German edition and includes "Slanted Floors". The front cover includes the same shot of Morten in Morocco, standing just outside a circle of rocks, which have red religious symbols painted on them. The grey handwritten "morten harket" is included along the top with the title "LETTER FROM EGYPT" typed in the usual black typewriter font lettering underneath. The cover also has the effect to look like it has a big crease down the centre and along the bottom of the sleeve. In the bottom right-hand corner, there is an additional printed black and white Russian WATER DISC. DIVISION IN RUSSIA. UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP GIVING DISTRIBUTION TO THE TERRITORIES OF RUSSIA AND THE CIS symbol diplaying; "АИЦЕНЭИОННЫЙ ДИСК. ПРОИЭВЕ ДЕННЫЙ В РОССИИ. UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP ДАЯ РАСПРОСТРАНЕНИЯ НА ТЕРРИТОРИЙ РОССИИ И СНГ" in a squared logo. Also included on the front of the CD case is a silver Universal Music Ltd. For sale in the CIS (except Ukraine); "ООО Юниверсал Мьюзик Для продажи в СНГ (кроме Украины)" hologram sticker with some black coding AA 751112. The layout of the back sleeve contains the regular picture of a deserted telephone box in Morocco, printed on the same folded dirty looking paper. The full track listing (shown in grey) is located at the bottom left hand side, with the same "UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP" and "polydor" logos, but the white barcode included contains a different number "4 605026 007819". There is some additional production and copyright information included at the bottom right-hand corner printed in both Russian and English.

Thailand

The Thailand made edition comes in a digi-pak similar to the German edition but with an additional black circular sticker with white and yellow text on the front sleeve, rather than the usual red rectangular one. The back cover also includes a white sticker with some other Thailand text in black. The artwork and layout including the track listing and full eight page "dirty looking and coffee stained" booklet is the same as the German edition. The production and copyright information printed on the back sleeve has however been slightly amended to show that the album was from Thailand; "℗ 2008 Swerve AS, under exclusive license to Universal Music Domestic Pop/Mainstream, a division of Universal Music GmbH © 2008 Universal Music Domestic Pop/Mainstream, a division of Universal Music GmbH All rights of the producer and of the owner of the work reserved. Unauthorised copying, hiring, lending, public performance and broadcasting of this recording is prohibited!. Manufactured and Printed in Thailand. Cat. No: 176 228-3 - LC 00309". The disc is black with the white text displaying the regular handwritten "morten harket" and typewriter font title "LETTER FROM EGYPT" below the centre ring of the disc. The same Universal Music production and copyright information is included which appears on the back sleeve, and the fact that the album was again "Manufactured and Printed in Thailand". The regular "UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP", "polydor" and "COMPACT disc DIGITAL AUDIO" logos are also included. There is also a promotional edition of the album, but coming without any stickers on the front or back sleeve. There has been an additional hole punched through the barcode on the back sleeve, and some red text "Promotion only not for sale" printed around the centre ring of the disc.

Ukraine

The Ukrainian release is like the German digipak edition but coming instead in a standard jewel case with the front and back cover artwork printed slightly darker. The regular grey handwritten "morten harket" is displayed along the top of the front sleeve, with the typewriter font title "LETTER FROM EGYPT" in black underneath. The album picture shot of Morten in Morocco is also included. On the back sleeve, the regular "polydor" and "UNIVERSAL" logos are shown along with the usual record company production and copyright information; "℗ 2008 Swerve AS, under exclusive lisense to Universal Music Domestic Pop/Mainstream, a division of Universal Music GmbH. © 2008 Universal Music Domestic Pop/Mainstream, a division of Universal Pop/Mainstream, a division of Universal Music GmbH". It also includes some other additional Ukrainian copyright text, and that the album was "For sale in the Ukraine" printed and displayed above the bar code; "Всі права захищено. Незаконне копіювання, прокат, публічне відтворення та передача в ефір без дозволу правовласника запиису заборонені. Для продажу на території України". The barcode itself is slightly larger than the German digipak edition but includes the same number "0602517 622838". There is also a silver hologram control mark "КОНТРОЛЬНА МАРКА" sticker with Morten Harket "Letter From Egypt" and a reference "К 239545 ЄД" in black. The inside of the album comes without any track lyrics and includes only a folded insert containing the track listing and album credits, rather than the full eight page "dirty looking and coffee stained" booklet. The disc is also like the German edition, plain black with white titles and white printed text. "morten harket" is again displayed handwritten below the centre ring with the album title "LETTER FROM EGYPT" in typewriter font underneath. The same Universal Music production and copyright information and Ukrainian text, which appears on the back sleeve, is included. The "UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP", "polydor" and "COMPACT disc DIGITAL AUDIO" logos are also present.

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