Asia: Phoenix Review
There are times when you need to put your biases behind you. In this case, I need to look past the fact that I find 80s pop-rock to be trite and uninspiring. It’s hard to admit that some of my favorite prog giants came together to form a band like Asia’s Phoenix is a solid album which sounds like it came out in the wrong decade but yet is more authentic than much of the music out today. We find bands all over the radio today trying to channel the music of the 80s. Bands like The Killers and other indie groups are incorporating the sounds of 80s pop in their music. I suppose it was only time for this to occur, since it was these people who grew up listening to what I would call, a lackluster decade.
Phoenix offers enough fist pumping anthems to get any arena rock fan going, i.e. “Never Again” and “No Way Back”. The album also offers plenty of melodic power ballads that would be sure to prompt a Bic lighter fest, songs like "Heroine" and "Orchard of Mines" do the trick. Considering the original four members (Wetton, Howe, Palmer and Downes) haven’t released an album together since 1983s Alpha, they deserve a lot of credit.
Grade: C
posted by Jeff at 11:31 PM
13 Comments:
I agree that you should put your bias aside to some extent, but that should not include putting aside your bias against bad music. This album was a near complete stinker. The opening track was okay if you like Asia (here I can see you putting your bias aside for the sake of objectivity), but after that, the parts that weren't terrible amounted to a few moments here and there, not whole songs. The only people this will appeal to are blind (or deaf rather) fans of Asia. It's one of those albums that I listen to and wonder how no one involved ever said, "You know, this is bad. It really shouldn't be released." But no one, not the band, the producer or the label, seems to have cared that it was awful. I'd suggest that you give it another listen, but I don't want to make you puke.
A lot of mixed reviews on this one, that's why I haven't grabbed it yet. There's really no middle ground either.....melodic rock fans are saying it's good but that's about it. This one's on my list but I'm in no rush.
Steve
Heavy Metal Addiction
Melodic rock? It might be melodic, but it certainly doesn't rock!
Bob - I didn't think it was that bad and I typically hate that kind of music. It's not something I would listen to on my free time but I thought it had some strong points in terms of the kind of music it is.
Steve - I just searched around at reviews on the Internet and found the same thing. Clearly Bob is not a fan of it but I have seen a number of positive reviews, and of course a number of negative ones. For me this sort of falls in the middle ground but I gave it a B- just because I figured, if I thought it was pretty good, and I don't even like that kind of music, then there is probably something there.
anDown with the 80s! Down with Asia (the band, I mean)! Start a revolution! Let's stop those clothes from coming back!
Huh.
I'd seen some blistering reviews that led me to believe this was bad by early 80s standards, not to mention that the band should know better by now.
Even though I enjoyed the debut and loved Alpha, I've outgrown the power ballad so much I find it hard to stomach. I'll see if the fist-pumpers are enough to get me into this album.
Mad Hatter - Are you sure you mean the band? lol
David - You will never see me listening to this album on my own terms but I think for the average AOR fan, they would like this. Maybe it was in my best interest to not review it, since I'm not a fan of the music, but I think it sounds good for those who enjoy the genre.
I've been sitting on the fence as to whether or not to get this. I love the vocals of John Wetton and I do tend to be a fan of Asia but the sound clips on Amazon.com didn't really grab me. Your review may very well have swayed me.
I'm a huge ASIA and John Wetton fan, but I'll be honest here and say the album is a disappointment, like the cover. There are some good tracks... Never Again, Extraordinary Life, Vortex, Orchard of Mines. There is no question that the album was rushed, made up of artifacts from the past that were left overs. The album itself lacks the edge of the first three albums, or albums of the Payne-era. Overall it is too soft, too poppy, and the songs are simply not very good. Even past Wetton and ICON projects have had better material than what these four talented legends were able to do with Phoenix. However Phoenix has had some limited success and hopefully these guys will regroup in 2009 and give us a real album that is worthy of the name ASIA.
To like Asia you have to understand and enjoy their roots. For guys pushing 60, the album is quite youthful. Give it a few spins and it will grow on you. You are not going to hear it on the radio and listening to 30 second snippets is not going to give you any idea of the quality of this work. You can hear it in its entirety at download.com. How old are you bob? Maybe 30? For fans of Asia this is a masterpiece. Saw them in Dallas 8 days ago and you should have heard the crowd go wild. The crowd had all age groups well represented. After the show they met everyone in the lobby and signed autographs. Right around now you are thinking..who the heck is this character... I am a musician who knows good music when he hears it. Yes I prefer art rock or progressive rock. But I don't like labels. I just let the music do the talking. So bob or any of you other children...go back and breakout your "My Chemical Romance" or NIN, or Metallica cds if you really want to "rock". You have no idea what you are talking about.
Woa, all I can say is woa, the first Asia album to feature all 4 original members – in a quarter of a century…quite a thing eh? Maybe it’s not what the world has been waiting for with baiting breath, but still the band managed to make it’s mark in the 80s on the strength of a few tunes and what…3 albums ?
Bringing together seasoned musicians from Yes, King Crimson, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Uriah Heep, U.K., and The Buggles, namely, Drummer Extraordinaire Carl Palmer, Keyboard wizard Geoff Downes, guitar supremo Steve Howe and vocal titan John Wetton, created an explosive and commercially very successful combination of rock and pomp with pop sensibilities and ornated with superb musical embelishments. In the heat of the moment – caught the fancy of countless fans the world over, making it an eternal classic and a smashing hit back in the day…there were of course more hits and 2 more albums Alpha and Astra, which although they not bad albums, themselves at all, somehow managed to loose the bands momentum whose course came to a crushing halt a while after that…
We all know and appreciate what happened next… the Payne years…. And to be quite honest, it feels rather akward to see two Asia’s and all this shenanigans … I mean – I could understand that this is some sort of arrangement… who knows…. Let’s focus on the music, shouldn’t we ?
Asia is stuck in the 80s. This could have been released in 1984 no problem. Nobody would know. Same sound, same brilliant production, hell even serious health problems (get and be well man) and 25 years seem to have affected John Wettons voice at ALL !!!? (And man what a voice he has …) It’s as if somebody de-frosted a cryogenically preserved version of the original band … kind spooky – but also interesting, because the band delivers exactly – what they were known for !
“Never Again” starts the album in fine form, an uplifting, keyboard rich anthem – in true Asia style… sly, ponderous, melodic, just an excellent way to start the album.
“Nothing’s forever” has a more cinematic feel to it – beginning with an acapella line – a keyboard paean – and continuing in a more introspective, melodic and rather melancholic but also optimistic at times motif… for some reason – I couldn’t help drawing parallels to “Let me live” by Queen, it created a similar sensation/atmosphere… filtered through Asia’s stlye of course.
“Heroine” is a powerful, balladesque song – rich in pomp and sophistication, with beautiful guitars and a soaring chorus… great indeed.
The trio of “Sleeping/No Way Back/Reprise” … I mean… just wow !
“Alibies”…. Well I never thought I ‘d like a song which includes the word procrastination so much …hahaha…. It’s just brilliant. A brilliant poppy tune, while still totally true to the Asia spirit. What a chorus…
“I will remember you” is another excellent ballad, which really reminded me of the recent – spine chilling MASTERPIECE “To catch a thief” from Icon’s Rubicon album… stylistically. Although not as monumental as the aforementioned composition, “I will remember you” is a total tear jerker…
“Shadow of a doubt” manages to nicely take a similar melody – but mixes it – with a much more vibrant and faster drum pattern than the basic accompaniment of the preceding piano laden ballad…which leads to a climatic chorus… really beautiful …
Another triplet,“Parallel Worlds / Vortex / Deya” follows… and what can I say… the blood in my veins is about to turn to jelly !!! This is possibly my favorite musical moment of the album. 8 minutes of genius…of quasi-operatic proportions. You got to hear this…to believe how beautiful this medley is.
“Wish I’d known all along” is a bizarre sort of a track – Wetton comes even more to the fore, carrying the song mostly on his own, he’s the focal point here. The phrasing is scandalously smart, really grabs your attention. Really a remarkable song.
“Orchard of mines” is a sentimentally charged and atmospheric song, that really gave me the chills…
“Over and over” is typical Asia fare, nothing out of the ordinary, not bad – but maybe a little not as evocative as the preceding tracks… maybe if I hear it “over and over” I will like it more …. Haha.
And to round of this really strong and memorable album – “An extraordinary life” based on John Wetton’s health problems, is a song that begins a little lethargically – but builds up to a VERY optimistic and uplifting – almost hymnal song…. Very anthemic, and a brilliant way to close the album…
Bravo. Asia – deliver an album – that I never though they had in them – not necessarily for the huge profits – that they will probably not reap from this record – but from their royalties from “Heat…” but for the LOVE OF THE GAME, for the love of music.
Bravo, I’m speechless...
One of the better ASIA albums in their entire and illustrious career.
Actually, I'm 37 and Asia was one of the first bands I really got into back in 1982. I did listen to the album in its entirety (sadly more than once) and it's a complete turd. Youthful for guys pushing 60? Even if that's true, it still sounds like it was made by adults. Blech!
For the truth, read my review:
http://rnrnonsense.toomanyvoices.com/2008/04/review-asia-phoenix.html
I have no interest in a limp rehashing of a negligibly good past. For a "supergroup," they never lived up to their pedigree, but Phoenix is a particular embarrassment. If anything on this album actually gave you chills, you need to get out and listen to music more, because your overly sensitive to silly AOR bombast.
My two cents:
They're having fun, they're still playing well. I would say most of us would like to have that life. They're all great musicians. Take it for what it is; some guys making a living at something they like doing and in the process they give it their all so some of us can find a little joy out of it. I think it’s great that they’re still playing at that level. It might not be everyone’s “cup-o-tea” but then, you don’t have to listen or go to the concert. I enjoy any music form if it’s done well. From what I’ve seen from their videos in this band, and former bands that they were in, in most cases, you have to give these guys credit for what they have accomplished. For example: Carl Palmer……….Atomic Rooster, Arthur Brown, ELP, Asia and the Carl Palmer Band……not too shabby for a rock drummer. And I think he’s just peaking!
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