Asia-Phoenix

Studio Cd
2008
11 Tracks





1 Never Again
2 Nothing's Forever
3 Heroine
4 Sleeping Giant/No Way Back/Reprise
5 Alibis
6 I Will Remember You
7 Shadow of a Doubt
8 Parallel Worlds/Vortex/Déyà
9 Wish I'd Known All Along
10 Orchard of Mines
11 Over and Over Howe 3:33
12 An Extraordinary Life

PHOENIX is the Asia cd a lot of fans have been waiting for, the return of the original lineup. I for one was a big fan of the original lineup, but probably a bigger fan of the later day John Payne vocal era. Original vocalist John Wetton was always a fairly good in the studio, but live I always thought he was pretty crappy, off key and out of time. His solo cds following Asia were not better, actually they were worse. But something happened, he got off the booze, and straighted his life out. He got back with Asia keyboardists Downes and made an excellent cd called Icon. Now they, Downes and Wetton, have gotten rest of the original band together and made a great new cd.

PHOENIX starts out with one the best Asia songs ever, Never Again. I would put this song in my top 3 Asia songs, it is that good. From the opening guitar lick this song stands out. Wetton sings on this song and rest of this cd, in top form. As a matter of fact, he has never sounded better. And the same can be said for the rest of the band, they are all in top notch form.

I can think of nothing bad on this cd, the last time I listened to it was today, and I can only think of how good this cd is.

PHOENIX never falters. It is like taking a step back in time. This should have been the follow up cd to ALPHA. The only thing missing is Mike Stone, doing the production on the cd. That is really my only complaint about this cd. The production is not the big sound of the first three Asia cds, but now it is a more lean sound. But this lean sound fits the somberness and maturity of the music. But the production does seem a little heavy on the bass, and when cracking it up, it tends to thumpy and not enough top end.

I could go on about the songs, but if you don't like the first three songs on the cd, then it is not for you. Never Again, Nothings Forever, and Heroine are those songs. This how "classic" rock should sound.
A-