ASIA

Although this album is not what you'd expect seing the line-up and knowing what these guys did in the past, it is a naturall evolution from there latest works at these days. Wetton played in UK, which already was aiming at a popular market, Yes latest trick Drama featuring Howe and Downes was also very much focussed on comercial succes rather than on artistic achievement (though artistic it was) and Palmer has it's roots in the bombastic (comercial) prog of ELP (being the P in the band's name). When Wetton and Downes formed the band it was clear they were not going to repeat the seventies, and the aim was radio friendly sophisticated rock, without excuberant solo's or overblown pretentions. They hired Mike stone for the production, the same dude who engineered The News of the world album from Queen, with which is mentioned the sound, style and succes they wanted to emulate.

Remember this was 1982, prog was dead, Marillion hadn't happened yet, so old bands needed to reinvent prog, or reinvend themselves, being a new band Asia took the easy road to great succes, securing their place in music history, to some people's dissarray, but musically it was a succes, and the music sounded fresh new and exciting, some progressive tones, but basicaly it is adult orientated rock (AOR) music in the style of Boston, Queen, Journey and Blue Oyster Cult.

The album starts with the massive hit "Heat Of The Moment" a well known song, as is the following "Only Time Will Tell" and the brilliantly construed "Sole Survivor". I could go through the motion trying to describe the individual songs, but this music deserves to be heard and judged by you.

After this album they will loose themselves into the pop music market, forgetting that it was the progressive nature of their pop-rock that made it interesting to the pop market, as pure pop they didn't have the natural feel for contemporary art, luckily they refound themselves later on, but never again to comercial or even great artistic succes.

Though not progressive, this is a great record and it sits comfortable next to great albums like 90125 from yes and In visible Touch from Genesis, great music needn't be progressive to be enjoyed.

Enjoy the music. Maybe it's not a masterpiece of progressive music, it surely is a masterpiece of rock music in general.

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