Asia’s XXX released

XXX Asia

Released: June 20, 2012 Peak: 134 US, 69 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: heritage rock

Tracks: (Click for codes to singles charts.) Song Title (Writers) [Time] (chart date, peaks on charts) Tomorrow the World Bury Me in Willow No Religion (Wetton, Downes, Howe) Faithful (2012, --) I Know How You Feel Face on the Bridge (5/14/12, --) Al Gatto Nero Judas (Wetton, Downes, Howe) Ghost of a Chance All songs written by John Wetton and Geoff Downes unless noted otherwise. Total Running Time: 49:39 The Players: John Wetton (vocals, bass) Steve Howe (guitar) Geoff Downes (keyboards) Carl Palmer (drums)

Rating: 3.500 out of 5.00 (average of 3 ratings) Quotable: “Asia’s best album since its classic early ‘80s releases.” – Amazon review

About the Album: The original Asia lineup of John Wetton, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and Geoff Downes released their self-titled debut album in 1982. The supergroup soared to the top of the charts, spending 9 weeks at #1 on the album chart. The follow-up, Alpha, was a top-ten album, but then the original lineup disintegrated. Geoff Downes maintained the group for two more decades with some of the original members dropping in now and then. In 2008, the original lineup produced their first album (Phoenix) in more than a quarter century after a successful reunion tour. While it seemed like it might be a one-time thing, they went on to make Omega two years later. Now they’ve returned again with XXX – named in honor of the band’s 30th anniversary. The album would end up being the last one featuring the original four members as Howe would leave the next year and Wetton died in 2017. The album also features original artwork from Roger Dean, who also did the original Asia album cover. He also did famous covers for Yes, which Howe and Downes had both been members of. An Amazon review said it “is being hailed as Asia’s best album since its classic early ‘80s releases.” AZ Chart-wise, it only reached #69 on the UK charts, but it was the highest position for Asia since 1985’s Astra. Notes: A special edition added three bonus tracks – the song “Reno (Silver and Gold)” and alternate mixes of “I Know How You Feel” and “Faithful.”

Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Asia AZ Amazon WK Wikipedia Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 9/7/2020; updated 8/6/2021.