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DISCID=6e09e80a
DTITLE=Asia / Alpha
DYEAR=1983
DGENRE=Progressive Rock
TTITLE0=Don't Cry
TTITLE1=The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
TTITLE2=Never In A Million Years
TTITLE3=My Own Time (I'll Do What I Want)
TTITLE4=The Heat Goes On
TTITLE5=Eye To Eye
TTITLE6=The Last To Know
TTITLE7=True Colors
TTITLE8=Midnight Sun
TTITLE9=Open Your Eyes
EXTD=Originally Released 1983\nCD Edition Released \n\nAMG EXPERT REVI
EXTD=EW: The eagerly awaited follow-up to the supergroup's debut, Alph
EXTD=a landed with a resounding thud a year later. The album still man
EXTD=aged to be a platinum-selling Top Ten hit, as did the leadoff sin
EXTD=gle "Don't Cry," but where Asia managed to make old sounds fresh,
EXTD= Alpha fails miserably. Nothing on Alpha packs the sheer sonic fo
EXTD=rce of the band's debut. Instead, much of the record is lightweig
EXTD=ht both lyrically and musically, leaning heavier on keyboard-lade
EXTD=n ballads like "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes," which managed to s
EXTD=crape into the Top 40, and "My Own Time (I'll Do What I Want)." T
EXTD=he only real meat on the record comes during the last cut, "Open 
EXTD=Your Eyes" (and only at the end of the song). Rumored creative di
EXTD=fferences, the album's lukewarm reception, and flagging ticket sa
EXTD=les for the ensuing tour led to lead singer John Wetton leaving t
EXTD=he band before the year was out. Alpha is sorely disappointing, e
EXTD=specially coming on the heels of a promising debut.  -- Tom Demal
EXTD=on\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nNot nearly as good as first alb
EXTD=um... Some good stuff..., January 7, 2007\nReviewer: Darren S. Wo
EXTD=ols "duke 1980" (minneapolis)\n1983 - after a huge 1982 #1 freshm
EXTD=an album it was hard to go back in the studio & equally impress a
EXTD= 2nd time. The same line up is here one final time (howe/downes/p
EXTD=almer/wetton) & tensions between wetton & the others, especially 
EXTD=howe, were high. It was mostly over wetton's need for musical con
EXTD=trol as he obviously dominated the arrangements. Some will recall
EXTD= the MTV 1983 special in japan with greg lake (not able to handle
EXTD= wetton's demanding vocal arrangements) taking wetton's spot. Any
EXTD=way, the same formula remains in Alpha but the tracks arejust not
EXTD= as strong. I liked don't cry just fine & the smile has left your
EXTD= eyes but I think they're both overproduced. I find myself listen
EXTD=ing to midnight sun & open your eyes as wetton's & downes's perfo
EXTD=rmances are both phenomenal. I am a huge wetton fan & he always h
EXTD=as very demanding vocal tracks. Howe's guitaring is good but drow
EXTD=ned out & muted. palmer is normal palmer with his typical ELP sty
EXTD=le. I think the ASIA albums would have benefitted from a larger d
EXTD=rum set with higher toms & more technical drum fills. Well, that'
EXTD=s carl palmer... Downes is doing his normal stuff & uses somes vo
EXTD=coder (which I love) on open your eyes. Overall, good album & the
EXTD= last time until now (2007) that all 4 guys will play together. \n
EXTD=\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nUnderrated but Inconsistent, July
EXTD= 12, 2006\nReviewer: Jeff Hodges (Denton, TX United States)\n\nTh
EXTD=e critics of "Alpha" commonly state that it is "more of the same"
EXTD= thing that their debut had to offer. For better or for worse, th
EXTD=is is only half-true. Asia's debut was compellingly consistent an
EXTD=d for the uninitiated, that is the place to start. However, "Alph
EXTD=a" is the first to display the inconsistencies that would plague 
EXTD=the rest of the band's career in all of its forms. Don't misunder
EXTD=stand: "Alpha" is hardly unlistenable, and at times it genuinely 
EXTD=captures the powerfully bombastic aesthetic of its predecessor, b
EXTD=ut it also represents the aesthetic and personal rifts that would
EXTD= ultimately force Geoff Downes to redefine Asia as a strictly stu
EXTD=dio project whose success would ultimately be marginal. \n\n"Alph
EXTD=a" was made at a time when the individual musicianship of the mem
EXTD=bers of the project was allowed to define the sound of the group.
EXTD= At their height, Asia certainly displayed a certain amount of ch
EXTD=emistry. At the very least, they had enough individual musiciansh
EXTD=ip to circumvent any notion to the contrary. However, for the lis
EXTD=tener that is familiar with Asia and has an acute ear, Steve Howe
EXTD='s increasing marginalization on Alpha is perceptible \n\nHowe ha
EXTD=d been increasingly shut out of the writing process on Alpha for 
EXTD=reasons that are still complex and interpersonal. As a result, mu
EXTD=ch of his guitar work feels "added on", and certainly not as inte
EXTD=grated as it was on "Asia". His rather "distinctive" style does n
EXTD=ot seem to work as well under these conditions, and although the 
EXTD=parts are technically impressive, the end result is not the best 
EXTD=example of his work. \n\nAccording to all reports, this exclusion
EXTD= came from the Wetton/Downes camp. Seeing where Asia was going wi
EXTD=th the heavier and increasingly relevant 80s pop-metal guitar sou
EXTD=nd (as Van Halen and Journey were popularizing) that was later ap
EXTD=parent on "Astra" may provide some insight into this rift. In all
EXTD= probability, Wetton/Downes genuinely wanted to recreate the succ
EXTD=ess of "Heat of the Moment", but possibly saw Howe's guitar work 
EXTD=as archaic. One might wonder what happened in the alternate unive
EXTD=rse where Trevor Rabin ended up playing for Asia, who for a short
EXTD= time straddled the fence between prog, pop, and metal. Asia's lo
EXTD=ngevity might have been different and Yes' fan base would not hav
EXTD=e had to come to terms with Rabin's reinvention of the group. Con
EXTD=sider the relative dud "True Colors", which at times sounds remar
EXTD=kably like the winner "Changes" from "91025". I can't help but po
EXTD=nder how Rabin's contribution might have changed the overall soun
EXTD=d of the group. \n\nIn the end it seems like it is Carl Palmer, w
EXTD=ho I usually enjoy taking a good poke at for his "unique" sense o
EXTD=f time (listen to the band struggle to keep up with him during hi
EXTD=s drum solo on "Wildest Dreams" on their debut), that really hold
EXTD=s "Alpha" together. His playing on "Do What I Want" is a high poi
EXTD=nt and one that I wish Wetton would have similarly reached for in
EXTD= his vocal delivery. While he sounds great, a simple turn of the 
EXTD=octave at the right time would allow it to reach the potentially 
EXTD=emotional heights of the song. \n\nThe aforementioned inconsisten
EXTD=cies take the form of a couple of duds on "Alpha". For example, "
EXTD=Eye to Eye" fails to convince, and "Never in a Million Years" spo
EXTD=rts clichs aplenty. The aforementioned "True Colors" and "Midnig
EXTD=ht Sun" might sound more comfortable on "Astra" with the more met
EXTD=allic Mandy Meyer on guitar. However, these songs also remind me 
EXTD=of more successful tunes like Yes' "Changes", which is where my p
EXTD=revious statements about Trevor Rabin come. \n\nHowever, there ar
EXTD=e several songs that reach and exceed the expectations that their
EXTD= debut set. "Don't Cry" is probably their most convincing follow-
EXTD=up to "Heat of the Moment". "Last to Know" is a moving prog-pop t
EXTD=une that is texturally related to "Is She Really Going Out With H
EXTD=im?" but that boasts the power of an emotionally bombastic chorus
EXTD=. Wetton sounds great on "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes", and whil
EXTD=e innovations may be relatively sparse, one would be deaf not to 
EXTD=hear the lightly tread crossroads between the Beach Boys and ELP 
EXTD=on "Open Your Eyes." \n\nThe Lowdown: For those of you just tunin
EXTD=g in, Asia has had a long and sordid history since the release of
EXTD= this album. However, if you see their debut "Asia" as a classic,
EXTD= then you will most likely at least hold "Alpha" in high regard.\n
EXTD=\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\n"Arena Rock" II, June 6, 2006\nRe
EXTD=viewer: Kid A (Boulder, CO)\nI've seen "Arena Rock" used quite a 
EXTD=bit to describe Asia. Although I don't generally agree with the t
EXTD=erm, I can certainly see where it comes from. Asia didn't move to
EXTD=o far away from its debut release when these tunes were composed.
EXTD= If you liked their first album, you will likely enjoy this one a
EXTD=s well. \n\nFor a bit more in-depth coverage, I'll say that I don
EXTD='t like Alpha nearly as much as the debut. Perhaps it's because I
EXTD= was hoping for a bit of growth and an effort to reach beyond wha
EXTD=t they accomplished with "Asia". \n\nThere are a few somewhat rem
EXTD=arkable tunes on this album, though. I would recommend "Don't Cry
EXTD=" (which everybody has probably heard) and "Eye To Eye". The best
EXTD= tune on this album, though, has got to be "The Heat Goes On". It
EXTD= has that same drive and fantastic guitar work from Steve Howe th
EXTD=at wooed me with "Time Again" from the first album. \n\nUnfortuna
EXTD=tely, a few good songs can't lift this album anywhere above a two
EXTD=-star release. The rest of the songs range from the mediocre (e.g
EXTD=. "The Heat Goes On", "True Colors" and "Open Your Eyes") to the 
EXTD=outright painful, such as "My Own Time", "The Last To Know" and "
EXTD=Midnight Sun". \n\nGenerally, Steve Howe's presence is much less 
EXTD=obvious on this release and is typically replaced with keyboard w
EXTD=ork from Geoff Downes. The good thing is that Downes is an engagi
EXTD=ng artist, albeit not nearly as much as Howe. \n\nThis album is p
EXTD=robably worth getting if you are a big Asia fan. Otherwise, beyon
EXTD=d their first album, there is plenty of generic '80s rock to go a
EXTD=round. Look elsewhere.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nMore exce
EXTD=llent music from the classic supergroup, August 7, 2005\nReviewer
EXTD=: Darth Kommissar (Las Vegas, NV (USA))\n\nINTRODUCTION: \nIn the
EXTD= early eighties, the classic rock supergroup Asia was formed. The
EXTD= group combined the talents of some of the finest progressive roc
EXTD=kers of the seventies into an excellent, pop-flavored, prog-power
EXTD= rock sound the world had never seen the like of before and would
EXTD= never see again. Geoffrey Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and J
EXTD=ohn Wetton were all together in the same band, and the results we
EXTD=re looking promising. Their first album, released in 1982, showed
EXTD= that their potential could be put to good use. They followed up 
EXTD=their self-titled debut with the Alpha album the following year. 
EXTD=Read on for my review. \n\nOVERVIEW/REVIEW: \nAsia's second album
EXTD= is essentially more of the same of what you'd come to expect fro
EXTD=m them on their first album. To put it in the simplest terms poss
EXTD=ible, if you liked the first album, you'll like this one too. If 
EXTD=you were expecting a total change in sounds, you're not likely to
EXTD= be satisfied, since the two albums are very similar. The album's
EXTD= stylings are so similar to the debut that they could have been r
EXTD=eleased as a double album at one point, and no one would likely k
EXTD=now there was a year in between the recordings of both of them. D
EXTD=espite the band reusing the stylings that made their debut so pop
EXTD=ular and so excellent an album, this one achieved very little pop
EXTD= success. With their first album achieving unparalleled popularit
EXTD=y, it must have been a rather devastating blow for this one to re
EXTD=cieve almost no recognition. This is a shame, because the music o
EXTD=n this album is very good. Despite the lack of any really big hit
EXTD=s that were on par with the popularity of the hits from the debut
EXTD=, the musical quality on this album is nothing less. Every song o
EXTD=n this album is excellent. The only reason I gave it four stars i
EXTD=s because, for lack of a better way of putting it, we've seen thi
EXTD=s before. I, like many other fans, would have preferred it if the
EXTD= band experimented with new sounds a little more. Despite this, i
EXTD=t's still a solid classic prog/power rock album that shouldn't fa
EXTD=il to please, if you're into this sort of thing. \n\nEDITION NOTE
EXTD=S: \nAsia's individual albums seem to be vanishing from store she
EXTD=lves, which is a real shame, since all of their albums are good. 
EXTD=Fortunately, in the case of the earlier releases, a solution has 
EXTD=arrived - the Anthologia collection! This new collection combines
EXTD= the first three albums and a series of rarities into a single, t
EXTD=wo-disc collection! At long last, these forgotten albums are gett
EXTD=ing a much-needed revival! Get THAT collection if you're just get
EXTD=ting into the band - don't get the albums separately. \n\nOVERALL
EXTD=: \nOverall I am very satisfied with the Alpha album, but I reall
EXTD=y do wish the band would have tried a few new things here. Oh, we
EXTD=ll. You can't change the past. In the end, this album flat out ro
EXTD=cks. If you like classic rock, pop rock, progressive rock, or pow
EXTD=er rock, or any of the above for that matter, Asia's sophomore al
EXTD=bum is just waiting to be discovered.\n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER RE
EXTD=VIEW\nCracks are starting to show . . ., August 28, 2004\nReviewe
EXTD=r: Progression "Writer, musician" (California)\nAsia's sophomore 
EXTD=album arrived in July 1983. This was quite a fast production, con
EXTD=sidering that their previous album had only come out in April of 
EXTD=1982, which was then followed by months and months of touring. \n
EXTD=\nBassist/vocalist John Wetton and keyboardist Geoff Downes had e
EXTD=merged as the main songwriting duo behind Asia, so they went off 
EXTD=to write in Los Angeles. As a result, every song on here, as oppo
EXTD=sed to Asia's debut, is purely a Wetton/Downes affair. And I thin
EXTD=k this is one reason why it's not as universally-accepted as the 
EXTD=debut album. Vocals and keyboards are a bit more dominant, Carl P
EXTD=almer's drums aren't mixed as well, and where's Steve Howe? His g
EXTD=uitars are a thin whisper on so many of the tracks. His sole song
EXTD=writing contribution to Alpha was "Lying To Yourself" and it was 
EXTD=filed away to be issued as a B-side. No wonder he left in '84. \n
EXTD=\nIt's not that I think Alpha is a bad album. In fact, it's quite
EXTD= stunning. It's just that it's more of the same, in some ways, bu
EXTD=t not nearly as good. It repeats itself too much, and doesn't fee
EXTD=l like a band affair. Too much money was up in the air, and Asia 
EXTD=had become too successful, too fast. Everyone had cabin fever and
EXTD= egos were starting to clash within the group. Mix this in with h
EXTD=uge arenas that had thousands of empty seats, as well as a growin
EXTD=g Euro-pop radio and MTV force, and Asia -- and other hard rock b
EXTD=ands -- were in trouble. \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nThe Be
EXTD=st Asia Album Ever, March 21, 2004\nReviewer: Stock In (TX)\nWhil
EXTD=e the debut album was brilliant, it had a real clunker of a song 
EXTD=(One Step Closer) which sounded like Steve Howe (a great guitaris
EXTD=t, but at best a background singer) tried to sing it, but was ove
EXTD=rdubbed by John Wetton. ALPHA is more consistent. Every song is a
EXTD= keeper. The best tracks are: Midnight Sun, My Own Time, The Heat
EXTD= Goes On and best of all, Open Your Eyes - an art-rock tear-jerke
EXTD=r that would make Justin Hayward proud!\nWhile the opening track 
EXTD=(Don't Cry) is an upbeat pop-song the album becomes angrier and s
EXTD=adder with each song except for Midnight Sun. \n\nWhat's even sad
EXTD=der is the fact that just a few months after ALPHA was released, 
EXTD=singer/ bassist John Wetton was fired from the group by manager B
EXTD=rian Lane. Apparently, guitarist Steve Howe (like Lane, a YES-man
EXTD=) resented the fact that while Asia was at first considered Howe'
EXTD=s band, it was John Wetton who was the star of the show: Wetton, 
EXTD=not Howe was invited to host on MTV, radio interviews, etc. Even 
EXTD=when Wetton returned in 1984 (and repaid Howe by sacking him), th
EXTD=e magic was gone. A textbook example of "Jumping the shark".\n\n\n
EXTD=Half.com Details \nProducer: Mike Stone \n\nAlbum Notes\nAsia: Jo
EXTD=hn Wetton (vocals, bass); Steve Howe (guitar); Geoff Downes (keyb
EXTD=oards); Carl Palmer (drums).\n\nRecorded at Le Studio, Quebec Cit
EXTD=y, Canada and Manta Sound, Toronto, Canada between February and M
EXTD=ay 1983.\n\nWith Asia's sophomore effort, 1983's ALPHA, the prog-
EXTD=rock supergroup scored another sizeable hit, though it wasn't as 
EXTD=big as the band's hit self-titled debut one year earlier. A bit m
EXTD=ore polished and not as rough around the edges as its predecessor
EXTD=, ALPHA contains such standouts as the anthemic "Don't Cry," and 
EXTD=the melodic rockers "The Heat Goes On," "The Smile Has Left Your 
EXTD=Eyes," and "Open Your Eyes."\nALPHA would prove to be the last al
EXTD=bum to feature Asia's original line-up, as guitarist Steve Howe w
EXTD=as replaced by Mandy Meyer for its third release, ASTRA, in 1985.
EXTD= Singer John Wetton also quit, but returned in time for Asia's th
EXTD=ird album.\n\n\nROLLING STONE REVIEW\nAlpha isn't so much an albu
EXTD=m of music as it is a sort of sonic confection, a concoction of t
EXTD=asty medodies, sweet harmonies and goopy lyrics intended more for
EXTD= greedy consumption than for artistic appreciation. It isn't simp
EXTD=ly that Asia is basically shallow; it's that this is a group whos
EXTD=e members have mastered the musical tricks of making pleasantly i
EXTD=mpressive noises, and have, in turn, discovered that such noises 
EXTD=can make them very wealthy. Art, at this point, is no longer a pa
EXTD=rt of the equation--Asia's music is pure commodity.\n\nIn all fai
EXTD=rness, it must be admitted that Asia is remarkably good at what i
EXTD=t does. John Wetton's voice is strong enough to sail easily throu
EXTD=gh the band's dense textures and is particularly impressive when 
EXTD=massed into blocks of vocal harmony, as it frequently is. Keyboar
EXTD=dist Geoff Downes has an uncanny knack for texture and color, and
EXTD= though his synthesizer parts are invariably bombastic, they neve
EXTD=rtheless complement Wetton's choral indulgences. In addition, Asi
EXTD=a manages to squeeze in the excesses of two more players, guitari
EXTD=st Steve Howe and drummer Carl Palmer, while still maintaining a 
EXTD=sound that's impressively loud without being overburdened.\n\nFor
EXTD= all its mechanical ingenuity, however, Asia's music remains empt
EXTD=y. There's no sense of passion, mystery or excitement, nor any of
EXTD= the emotional power than can make rock & roll something more tha
EXTD=n just entertainment. Alpha may be full of aural come-ons, but wh
EXTD=at it delivers is so hollow, so ultimately meaningless, that it w
EXTD=inds up being an utter disgrace. (RS 404 - Sep 15, 1983)  -- J.D.
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