XXX

Well, once again it's an embarassing moment when someone- fond of AOR music- ask me for reviewing a new album by Asia...but for a while their respectable career let me forget the glorious past of each member as former prog stars, above all when the business exigencies lead the strategies of the music market...this way I recognize the interesting features of such a melodic pop rock, still representing a true "trademark" and not only inside the solo albums by John! After all a good track like "Bury Me in Willow", despite the lyrics, is well arranged and the simple chorus well done too: the music is in the vein of their controversial debut album and quite acceptable today... of course if I compare it to "In The Spirit of Things" by Kansas or Journey's music of '81, the present AOR by Asia is a little bit "strident" and out of time as well!! Instead "Tomorrow The World", is the only tune whose keyboards are almost equal to those ones which characterized the second side of their first issue, enriched by means of the intelligent arrangement regarding the guitar lines by Steve and a decent rhytmical section as well! Talking about the hit single "Face On The Bridge" , I don't like it as a simplistic song and it doesn't add anything to the present 30th Anniversary...perhaps "Faithful" with their strong chorus and a good team work in general could be an exception, but it doesn't change my evaluation: 2 stars at P.A. and 3 stars 1/2 in a AOR discography