Asia - Phoenix

Asia’s eponymously titled debut album in 1982 was both ecstatically received and the biggest selling album of the year. It spawned a trio of US top 10 singles in "Heat of the Moment", "Only Time Will Tell" and "Sole Survivor." Over the greater part of the 80s, Asia racked up 15 million in global record sales.

Rising from the ashes in 2008, the Multi-Platinum Supergroup Asia returns with "Phoenix," the first new album featuring the original line up in 25 years. With a revered musical pedigree, Geoff Downes (Yes, The Buggles), Steve Howe (Yes), Carl Palmer (ELP), and John Wetton (King Crimson) have returned to their hit making roots. Featuring the anthemic lead track "Never Again", and the poignant "An Extraordinary Life," Asia’s revived the sound that made them radio staples. Amazon.com

EXTRAORDINARY ACCOMPLISHMENT - 25 YEARS LATER!!!

The 1982 release of "ASIA" was the first cassette album I purchased for my walkman (remember those?) back in the beginning throws of my teenager years. It opened a personal path for me to hear music that would become mine. 'Mine' in the sense that it wasn't the music my parents had me listen to, nor music others were into that I did not enjoy. The music of Asia provided me much needed solitude while riding my bicycle around the city bike paths and gave me a sense of freedom and escape from the stresses of youth. I connected with the music very quickly and found myself almost always selecting Asia as the band of listening choice when going on my rides.

Music is a very personal thing. I never find it worth while to spend time writing how I hate a band or their music. This being the first and only review I have written should lend some idea as to just how much I have enjoyed the music from the original Asia lineup. I not only loved Asia's debut album, but the "ALPHA" album continued to fill my craving for music I could connect with. Even to this day, these albums transfer me to a time gone by and allow me to reflect on my youthful past. It wasn't just the lyrics I liked, but the MUSIC.

I was excited to learn of the band's reunion and trip to the recording studio. These four musicians bring together talents that are becoming more rare in the music field. While "PHOENIX" brings elements of their trademark sounds from the early 80's, the maturity of each contributor is evident on this record. John's voice is in absolute top form. Steve, Geoff, and Carl give proper attention to the instrumental work. If you carefully listen each time you play the album, like the "ASIA" and "ALPHA" albums, you will notice and, hopefully, appreciate the intricate layers of sound, vocal harmonizing, and wonderful musicianship that went into the making of "PHOENIX". The songs have become imbedded in my head and I have a hard time listening to anything else since purchasing the album.

I highly recommend this album to any fan of the original ASIA. Listen to it. Not just once, but OVER and OVER. Hear the beautiful music that works so well together. Each song has qualities of a gem within them and all of the songs flow well on the album.

My hat goes off to John, Geoff, Steve, and Carl for the EXTRAORDINARY work put into this album. I hope you will continue to work together in the future and provide more wonderful, quality music for us. October 8, 2008

A Weird CD

Asia Phoenix is a weird CD. It's as if we're back in 1982. The keyboard sound is pure analog synth. As at least one other reviewer noted, it does sound like Chicago circa 1982 but without horns.

Instrumentation aside, there are some strong songs that stand up well against their classic debut. Wetton's voice is still strong as are the instrumentalists.

If you like their classic 1982 recording, you will enjoy this one as well. You may be disappointed if expecting otherwise.

[DW] September 18, 2008

Not as bad as I thought!

I put off buying this CD for a long time. The samples I heard, like others have said, sounded too much like something from a Wetton solo album, and there didn't seem to be much of interest going on in the musical/instrumental side of things. The first time I listened to it, my fears seemed confirmed. I felt pretty disappointed with it, but there were some interesting things going on instrumentally that I knew right away I wanted to come back to. After listening a second, a third, and a fourth time, I was hooked. The songs are very catchy and I have difficulty keeping them out of my head. There are some cheesy cliches in most of the songs, but the first two Asia albums, which I've cherished for years, are cheesy, too. There is a new maturity present in all four members. Steve Howe is my favorite guitar player, and his style has become very streamlined here. His newer simplified, more tasteful approach began with his Turbulence solo album, then he brought it to Yes with the Keys To Ascension studio tracks, and the evolution continues here in Asia. It's part of why I was initially let down---at first, it hardly seemed like Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, and Carl Palmer were doing anything much at all, but they ARE, and some very interesting things, at that. The proof of that, and the highlight of the album for me, is the breathtaking instrumental ending of "Deya". It's simply stunning. September 18, 2008

This is good but should be better

This is an excellent CD for those that love Asia, as I do, there are a couple of really excellent songs, such as Extraordinary life and Shadow of a doubt, there isn't a bad song on the CD, is very well engineered and produced, but there is nothing that is a standout song. For anyone that has been an Asia fan from the 80's, when they really changed a lot of the music world with what they did, this will be a good, but not a great cd. If you are someone who has listened to Asia before, you will enjoy this, but if you haven't, this CD probably isn't for you. Even with the original members all together again, there is nothing groundbreaking here, and you will either like the original sound or not. September 15, 2008

Return of a Supergroup

This is a classic Asia album. Not just a collection of beautiful, lasting songs but an album and that's something you don't find too often these days. Four original members of Asia reunited first on stage and now with this great cd. I do hope there is more to come because, like this album tells, they are in fine form. In 80's they were entitled a "Supergroup" in 2008 they are still firmly in power. September 12, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...