Asia: Alpha CD Track Listing

A list by checkmate

Asia Alpha (1983)
Originally Released 1983\nCD Edition Released \n\nAMG EXPERT REVIEW: The eagerly awaited follow-up to the supergroup's debut, Alpha landed with a resounding thud a year later. The album still managed to be a platinum-selling Top Ten hit, as did the leadoff single "Don't Cry," but where Asia managed to make old sounds fresh, Alpha fails miserably. Nothing on Alpha packs the sheer sonic force of the band's debut. Instead, much of the record is lightweight both lyrically and musically, leaning heavier on keyboard-laden ballads like "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes," which managed to scrape into the Top 40, and "My Own Time (I'll Do What I Want)." The only real meat on the record comes during the last cut, "Open Your Eyes" (and only at the end of the song). Rumored creative differences, the album's lukewarm reception, and flagging ticket sales for the ensuing tour led to lead singer John Wetton leaving the band before the year was out. Alpha is sorely disappointing, especially coming on the heels of a promising debut. -- Tom Demalon\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nNot nearly as good as first album... Some good stuff..., January 7, 2007\nReviewer: Darren S. Wools "duke 1980" (minneapolis)\n1983 - after a huge 1982 #1 freshman album it was hard to go back in the studio & equally impress a 2nd time. The same line up is here one final time (howe/downes/palmer/wetton) & tensions between wetton & the others, especially howe, were high. It was mostly over wetton's need for musical control as he obviously dominated the arrangements. Some will recall the MTV 1983 special in japan with greg lake (not able to handle wetton's demanding vocal arrangements) taking wetton's spot. Anyway, the same formula remains in Alpha but the tracks arejust not as strong. I liked don't cry just fine & the smile has left your eyes but I think they're both overproduced. I find myself listening to midnight sun & open your eyes as wetton's & downes's performances are both phenomenal. I am a huge wetton fan & he always has very demanding vocal tracks. Howe's guitaring is good but drowned out & muted. palmer is normal palmer with his typical ELP style. I think the ASIA albums would have benefitted from a larger drum set with higher toms & more technical drum fills. Well, that's carl palmer... Downes is doing his normal stuff & uses somes vocoder (which I love) on open your eyes. Overall, good album & the last time until now (2007) that all 4 guys will play together. \n\n\nAMAZON.COM CUSTOMER REVIEW\nUnderrated but Inconsistent, July 12, 2006\nReviewer: Jeff Hodges (Denton, TX United States)\n\nThe critics of "Alpha" commonly state that it is "more of the same" thing that their debut had to offer. For better or for worse, this is only half-true. Asia's debut was compellingly consistent and for the uninitiated, that is the place to start. However, "Alpha" is the first to display the inconsistencies that would plague the rest of the band's career in all of its forms. Don't misunderstand: "Alpha" is hardly unlistenable, and at times it genuinely captures the powerfully bombastic aesthetic of its predecessor, but it also represents the aesthetic and personal rifts that would ultimately force Geoff Downes to redefine Asia as a strictly studio project whose success would ultimately be marginal. \n\n"Alpha" was made at a time when the individual musicianship of the members of the project was allowed to define the sound of the group. At their height, Asia certainly displayed a certain amount of chemistry. At the very least, they had enough individual musicianship to circumvent any notion to the contrary. However, for the listener that is familiar with Asia and has an acute ear, Steve Howe's increasing marginalization on Alpha is perceptible \n\nHowe had been increasingly shut out of the writing process on Alpha for reasons that are still complex and interpersonal. As a result, much of his guitar work feels "added on", and certainly not as integrated as it was on "Asia". His rather "distinctive" style does not seem to work as well under these conditions, and although the parts are technically impressive, the end result is not the best example of his work. \n\nAccording to all reports, this exclusion came from the Wetton/Downes camp. Seeing where Asia was going with the heavier and increasingly relevant 80s pop-metal guitar sound (as Van Halen and Journey were popularizing) that was later apparent on "Astra" may provide some insight into this rift. In all probability, Wetton/Downes genuinely wanted to recreate the success of "Heat of the Moment", but possibly saw Howe's guitar work as archaic. One might wonder what happened in the alternate universe where Trevor Rabin ended up playing for Asia, who for a short time straddled the fence between prog, pop, and metal. Asia's longevity might have been different and Yes' fan base would not have had to come to terms with Rabin's reinvention of the group. Consider the relative dud "True Colors", which at times sounds remarkably like the winner "Changes" from "91025". I can't help but ponder how Rabin's contribution might have changed the overall sound of the group. \n\nIn the end it seems like it is Carl Palmer, who I usually enjoy taking a good poke at for his "unique" sense of time (listen to the band struggle to keep up with him during his drum solo on "Wildest Dreams" on their debut), that really holds "Alpha" together. His playing on "Do What I Want" is a high point and one that I wish Wetton would have similarly reached for in his vocal delivery. While he sounds great, a simple turn of the octave at the right time would allow it to reach the potentially emotional heights of the song. \n\nThe aforementioned inconsistencies take the form of a couple of duds on "Alpha". For example, "Eye to Eye" fails to convince, and "Never in a Million Years" sports clich

Categories

Latest lists

Asia: Alpha CD Track Listing

Category

Tags

cyList

Legal