ASIA

Maybe the very first album of prog (or at least related to prog) I ever heard - at the age of 14. So it must have had an influence on my then developing taste. But it's the only Asia album I appreciate. There is a simple reason why this is the best Asia: these songs had time to mature unlike Alpha's which was done in a hurry. And then the decay of the lineup... I've heard only one later Asia album and found it REAL crap.

Here only 'Heat of the Moment' sounds too AOR to me. I remember how powerfully e.g. 'Without You' and 'Here Comes the Feeling' grabbed me. A suitable amount of strong emotion and bombastic playing - and delicious progressive touch also. Never mind the lousy lyrics. Sadly Downes and Howe don't play as innovatively as on Drama, but occasionally you hear the relation. Years later when I shifted temporarily away from prog, this was - with Marillion's Script - the most hard to listen to of all my earlier favourite albums. I guess nowadays I might enjoy this every now and then - or maybe I still would get irritated by Wetton's nearly shouting singing style.