My Amazon Reviews: Asia "Asia (1982 Debut)"

Nice Roger Dean Cover
3 Out Of 5 Stars

One of the more oddball shotgun marriages in musical history was Asia, a "supergroup" comprised of one ELP member (drummer Carl Palmer), one Crimson King (vocalist/bass John Wetton), a YesMan (guitarist Steve Howe) and a Buggle (keyboardist Geoff Downes). With that kind of pedigree, you would expect long, self-indulgent soloing and piles of classically inspired virtuosity. Surprisingly, none of that appeared on their Geffen debut in 1982.

Instead, you got straight ahead arena rock with strong melodies and eager to please hooks on about half of the album. Yes, the album was stunningly well produced and played with verve, but these men were most certainly no pop-musicians. Downes might have been, considering the meager output of The Buggles, however it seems the man who wrote "Video Killed The Radio Star" really longed to write "Starship Trooper." He and Wetton co-wrote the bulk of the songs here, and while there's plenty of soloing going on, it's economical. (Which was the alleged reason Howe left after two albums, he wanted more.)

Again, though, these men are not pop writers. Which means that half the songs on "Asia" are utterly awful, long forgotten in the ongiong classic rock play for "Heat Of The Moment," "Only Time Will Tell" and "Wildest Dreams." Palmer gets to wail away on the drums during "Wildest Dreams," while it is Downes' keyboards that make the album sound like the band didn't just drop in from the seventies. That didn't stop "Asia" from hitting number one and getting a lot of pretentious "serious music" snobs to cream themselves over what they considered a rabbit punch to new wave. (Or critics from mocking the band for sounding like throwbacks IN the peak of new wave.)

Either way, Asia had the last laugh. Some 40 years later, the good stuff on the disc sounds cool, but that means you're probably just as well off with Asia Gold - which at least has a more up-to-date track mastering - than just buying this one.