Asia’s original lineup returns for Phoenix

Phoenix Asia

Released: April 11, 2008 Peak: 73 US, 166 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: heritage rock

Tracks: Never Again (2008, --) Nothing’s Forever Heroine Sleeping Giant/ No Way Back/ Reprise Alibis I Will Remember You Shadow of a Doubt Parallel Worlds/ Vortex/ Deya Wish I’d Known All Along Orchard of Mines Over and Over An Extraordinary Life (2008, --) The Players: Geoff Downes (keyboards) Steve Howe (guitar) Carl Palmer (drums) John Wetton (vocals/ bass)

Rating: 3.396 out of 5.00 (average of 6 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “Like the Phoenix of the title of their 2008 album, Asia has risen from the ashes” STE “hot from a year and a half successful reunion tour” JC “and made their first studio album with their original lineup in a quarter century.” STE “With a revered musical pedigree, Geoff Downes (Yes, The Buggles), Steve Howe (Yes), Carl Palmer (ELP), and John Wetton (King Crimson) have returned to their hit making roots” AZ and in the process managed to “relive those glory years” JC and “beat the odds and…released an accomplished record.” JC “Asia’s eponymously titled debut album in 1982 was both ecstatically received and the biggest selling album of the year. It spawned…‘Heat of the Moment,’ ‘Only Time Will Tell’ and ‘Sole Survivor.’ Over the greater part of the 80s, Asia racked up 15 million in global record sales.” AZ “Howe and Palmer have more than kept up their chops over the years with Yes and ELP reunions plus various side projects. But the real treat, as always with Asia, is the songwriting of Wetton and Downes. For really, Asia is a balance of two great songwriters and two virtuoso musicians.” JC “This is a good mix of progressive music and pop melody.” JC “Featuring the anthemic lead track Never Again, and the poignant An Extraordinary Life,” AZ “which the band currently showcases live,” JC “Asia’s revived the sound that made them radio staples.” AZ “The remarkable thing about Phoenix is that in pure sonic terms, it could have appeared as the sequel to Alpha in 1985 instead of the Steve Howe-less Astra, which is a remarkable achievement in many ways.” STE “Some tunes may be very similiar to the recent Wetton/Downes Icon projects (also highly recommended) and others are definitely a throwback to the sound of the 80’s, these songs are informed with heart and vision worthy of the band’s phenomal first record.” JC “What makes the album more interesting is that it is suffused with a sense of mortality. This is no doubt due in part to singer/ songwriter/ bassist John Wetton’s brush with death via open heart surgery…but his frankness in regards to death gives Phoenix an emotional pull that Asia lacked on their twin blockbusters of 1982’s Asia and 1983’s Alpha.” STE “This makes Phoenix a richer experience, but the nice thing about the album is that it’s also easy to appreciate on a simpler musical level, in how the band has a suppleness when they stretch out into multi-part suites while retaining a knack for big, arena pop hooks. All this adds up to a comeback that is surprisingly compelling and surprisingly moving, something that only die-hard fans may have suspected the band still had in them.” STE

Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Asia AZ Amazon.com JC J. Cummins, Barnes & Noble (customer review) STE Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 6/24/2010; updated 8/9/2021.