ASIA LIVE: 09-XI-90 MOCквA

This live album (the same as with the "Astra" album) shows (in my opinion) that Asia without Steve Howe wasn`t the same anymore. When I bought it I expected to hear a better guitarist that Mandy Meyer (who played on the "Astra" album). Pat Thrall is a good guitarist, but he is more in the style of Mandy Meyer: heavy rock. Thrall didn´t play the same guitar arrangements (originally played by Howe) that were, again in my opinion, essential to the sound of the songs. Some examples are the guitar parts of "Sole Survivor" and "Only time Will Tell". Thrall sounds better in the songs from the "Astra" album ("Rock and Roll Dream" and "Go"). Wetton, Palmer and Downes play very good, but the recording and the mixing of the album are not very good. The keyboards lack power due to the mix. Being recorded in a Stadium (like ELP`s "Works Live") is one of the problems, because the acoustics of the place are not as good as in other venues. I think that the best Asia line-up is the original line-up. I hope that some day will appear a very good official live recording of the original line-up, from the 1982-83 tours.