ASIA

Now, Now...folks! One must keep things in perspective when thinking of Asia. Just because Asia delivered choruses within their prog.rock does not a bad band make. Compare them with all the other stuff on the airwaves at the time, and Asia weren't too shabby. There's plenty of excellent instrumental work in between the choruses and catchy licks. Clearly, this is the Steve Howe and Carl Palmer show. The track "Time Again" is a prog.rock classic as far as I'm concerned with some times changes that rival the greats - and some of Steve Howe's best guitar runs. Heck, it wouldn't have sounded out of place on the Yes - "Drama" LP. Carl Palmer sounds like he's having on this one, rather than his usual clinical playing. The track "Here Comes The Feeling" takes the cake for best unknown hit EVER! Yeah...I'm afraid to say I enjoyed Asia when they came out...and it's certainly far and above in quality to the Yes reunion in the '80s and what Genesis put out after "Abacab". This first Asia album gets a humble 4 stars from this listener...and I'm more prone to enjoying Soft Machine, King Crimson and Camel. But what the heck...this was the '80s...and Asia delivered in aces! Thanks to Geoff, Steve, John & Carl for the excellent "songs". A masterpiece of "Top 40" prog.rock(if that genre exists).