AURA

This has to be ASIA at its very best.I think its very different from other ASIA albums of the past, its got everything you could ask for from mellow haunting traks like Ready to go home to all out damn good heavy rock like FREE, which is my favourite track. I honestly believe that if the darkness can reach the top then ASIA must have a great chance to be back where they belong THE TOP.

Asia go for Gold

Quite a soft album for the Asia brand, well away from the work of the early super-group, and even from more recent albums such as "Aria". "Aura "is though, a fine album with much to recommend it.

The first three tracks are probably the best, kicking off with "Awake". There's an uplifting, spiritual feel to this track, complete with choral vocals. The following 2 tracks, plus several others are written by Graham Gouldman (ex 10CC) and Andrew Gold who record together in their own right as "Wax". "Wherever you are" is a good pop/soft rock song (prog it ain't!). "Ready to go home" is a power ballad, and for me the best track on the album. It has an almost hymnal feel, the lyrics being reflective, but positive. The line which goes "When time has run its course for me and I'm ready to go home" puts a lump in my throat every time. Strange as it may seem to say, this song would be perfect for a prog funeral.

There are other worthy tracks, especially "Free", the longest and most progressive song on the album. The only relatively weak moment is the instrumental title track, which is a basic guitar jazz-rock piece.

The digipak release has 3 bonus tracks not included on the standard version, which are well up to the standard of the rest of the album.

In 2000 there seem to be a rumor there would be a reunion of the original members of Asia. The reunion didn't suceed, in 2001 Asia re-appeared as a duo with the original member Geoff Downes on the keyboards and John Payne on the vocals along with a lot of session musicians like Ian Crichton from Saga, Elliott Randal, Tony Levin and original guitarist Steve Howe amongst many others. Cover artist Roger Dean did a fine job in creating another masterpiece which refers to Alpha, the second Asia record. On Aura the band sounds more FM-orientated as ever. No more heavy Aor riffs here, but a bunch of tasteful melodic (soft)pop songs. Strange enough this album has 2 covers of 10 CC in the tracklisting : "whenever you are" and "ready to go home". Is the well of inspiration is getting dry ? If you don't know the original versions you couldn't tell the difference between these songs and the rest of the tracks. This album is surely enjoyable but don't expect a real progressive rock album. Aura sounds as an album from Mike + the mecanics with much more keyboards. But also the guitars are doing a fine job here which isn't a surprise as you know that Asia uses the skills of 5 guitarist of world fame. Fans of progressive rock will like "Free" the only epic on this album. The instrumental title track is also fine and reminds me of the first solo effort of Downes. The real surprise of this album are the extra tracks which were originally intended to get a new record deal. "Come make my day" and "Hands of time" may lack the excellent sound quality of the Aura-tracks but they sound as Asia used to sound in the eighties, great songs ! Most of the other music of the album is sounding to easy and soft for progressive rock fans.

This is IT! It's got it all: atmosphere by the truckload, melody, rhythm, passion and that unmistakable ASIA-style. I liked it when I heard it first and the CD only grew on me after that. Two songs which stand out even more than the rest are 'Kings Of the Day' and 'The Last Time': they blew me away from Downes' first sounds and still do! I can't find a thing wrong with this album, except maybe, it should've lasted even longer! Buy it, download it or steal it for that matter: it's a gottahave! All Simply Incredibly Awe-inspiring!

Definitely the best Asia album of the Payne era... and probably the best Asia album ever. The sound is much softer here, with a clear taste for ballads and soft rock, but this time with no cheesy track at all.

Highlights on this album would be the Ten CC cover "Ready To Go Home" (remixed with a nice Asia feel), "Kings Of The Day" (classical Downes/Payne song), "Free" (awesome epic track), "You're The Stranger" (nice soft rock track) and "The Longest Night" (a nice ballad).

Rating: 90/100

AURA is one of the best Asia's albums. Don't try to compare this album with Wetton's era. They are really different. This is for Payne's fans like me. You can find great songs, well composed by the Genious Payne and Downes. AURA is the first album with the great guitarrrist Govan.

I think it is 5-rated album. A lot of great songs: "You're the stranger, Free, Awake, Kings of the Day, In the coldest day in hell...

So, if you are an ASIA fan like me, don't hesitate in purchasing it.

See ya guys...

yeah, this album is excellent. there's a really nice feeling and atmosphere throughout the album, which was probably helped by the collaboration between so many musicians. the art work goes really well with it too, and overrall, it's an excellent album. well worth buying, even if you didn't like the original Asia lineup's albums. this is nothing like that! (although, i like the old stuff too, but i do think this is their best album).

I don't understand the average rating of this album, but anyway, I also don't understand Quantum Physics (and both, I guess I never will.)

I'll be honest, I don't own any other ASIA albums but this one (and I guess I never will); I haven't even heard any other music by ASIA but the one on this album (and I guess I never will), so my opinion will be absolutely, 100% based on this, my first-ever ASIA album (and I guess my last, too.)

At last I will fulfill my promise of writing my shortest review ever. I've started reviews with that sentence more than a couple of times, never actually having done it. But there's no way I could go past three or four paragraphs with AURA, the lone ASIA album in my collection (and I guess it will always be the lone one).

This music is just completely uninspired, completely mundane, completely repetitive, completely un-prog to be even considered for a song-by-song review. I just can't think of any real standout track on the whole album (and I guess I never will.)

The music? Pop-rock with just hints, read HINTS of prog. And by hints I mean: elements so few, so far between, so SECRET, that it's very easy to even ignore they are actually there. In fact, if I hadn't known which was the band playing the music when I heard it, I wouldn't have thought they were part of the Archives (and I guess I never will.)

Don't get me wrong: there's some instrumental talent in these band members: we know Vinnie Colaiuta is a great drummer (though from hearing this album I guess you'd never think so), Steve Howe played in Yes (though just from what we heard on this album, I guess you would never believe it); in general, all are talented musicians, but the kind of music they chose to play is so...mediocre. Yes, that's the word. Average. Mediocre. Nothing. I can't remember any single moment in the album where I found myself saying "there's some interesting music right here!". I couldn't find one (and I guess I never will.)

So, I'll be a little politically-incorrect and call Asia's AURA from what I think it is: ELEVATOR- PROG-MUSIC. Nothing else, nothing less.

And that's an elevator I don't think I'll ever want to rclimb on (and I guess, to my surprise, i never will).

Not Recommended for: fans of progressive-rock music that actually want some "prog" in their music without having to hire the services of a FBI investigator and a Egyptian-Tombs archeologist to find any hint of it.

Recommended for: well, fans of Good Old Elevator-Music played by former prog- musicians...

...Maybe their other albums are fantastic. Right now I don't want to find out.... (and I guess.. you know the drill.)

Aura is perhaps ASIA's best album. I own many albums from this band and I must say this is the most beloved and played in my house. I can't say I'm a fan of Wetton's era or a fan of Payne's era. I enjoy both vocalists. This is, certainly, the best album with John Payne.

Aura seems to me a conceptual album...maybe it is, but songs are without any doubt one better than the other. From the first song, the music concept is strong and keeps you awake for almost 80 minutes. Besides Payne and the restless keyboardist Geoff Downes, many famous musicians contributed to the success of this album (Steve Howe-present on the first two ASIA albums, Pat Thrall -on guitar, Tony Levin-on bass and M. Sturgis-drums). Its hard on me to describe each song, anyone I would choose is great. Personally, my favourite songs are Awake, the splendid love song Wherever You Are and On the Coldest Day in Hell. Payne's warm and peaceful voice is very expressive to the concept of the album-the unity between LOVE and FREEDOM (my own vision here...). Excellent instrumental parts-the music really is beautiful and very, very enjoyable. Not a trace of harsh guitar sound or extravagant keyboard effect, everything is pure melodic and progressive. It's simply ASIA at it's best!!!

So, to you all progressive music lovers...buy it! You won't regret!

The end of an aura

Aura continues on the path started with the previous album, Arena, towards a more lightweight and much less hard edged sound. By the time of the release of this album, Asia was reduced to a Geoff Downes and John Payne project with all other roles played by session musicians. Admittedly it is an impressive list of session players, but the band feeling that was present on albums like Aria and the classic debut is completely left behind here. This results in a serious lack of punch. If you listen to Aria, Silent Nation, or the track The Day Before The War from the Arena album, and compare that with the music of Aura, you will understand what I think is missing on this album.

I will not deny that the songs are well written and that the album is well recorded and, indeed, that everything is very well executed here from vocals to production. But this is somehow too perfect, the result is far too "glossy" and commercial for my tastes. In terms of Prog content, this is close to empty. This is nothing but a very well crafted, Pop album, plain and simple. The Rock edge of earlier efforts is gone.

One major problem lies in the rhythm section. The drums are rather boring and sterile. Thankfully, they don't use drum machines here, but sometimes you wonder whether it is human being or a robot sitting behind the drum kit! I also think that the keyboards are too stale and comes off as sterile. This framework does not leave room for the more organic and dynamic band sound that I like about (progressive) rock music. The sound of Aura therefore becomes somewhat artificial, I think.

The lead guitar work is great when it is present, but there is not a lot of it here and when it finally arrives it somehow feels out of place among all the Pop sensibilities. Steve Howe plays on the album, but his presence can be felt only very slightly, his distinctive guitar sound is there only on a few tracks and when it arrives it is quenched by the restrictive framework of the music leaving him and the other guitarists no room to breathe. Don't expect anything like Howe's contribution to previous Asia albums. Even on Aqua, where Howe also is merely a guest, his presence was stronger than it is here.

If there are any stand out tracks on Aura at all it will have to be the ballad Ready To Go Home. The longest track, Free, is slightly progressive, and a decent song. For the band's hard core fans, this album will still be worth seeking out, I guess. But if you are a fan of progressive Rock in general and want to look into the Payne-era of Asia, I would certainly not recommend you to start with this album. Indeed, for me this is the least good Asia album, period!

Aura was also the last Asia album to have a title beginning and ending with the letter A and also the last Payne-era album to have a cover art picture by the great Roger Dean. In those two respects this constituted the end of en era, or should I perhaps say an end of an aura? However, there would be one further Payne-fronted Asia album in Silent Nation, which is a much better album than Aura.

Aura is the only album of Asia that I own, and it really makes me wonder how bad their other albums must be if this is rated highest here. I saw this album being in a bargain bin and knew Asia by name, that it had Wetton, Palmer, Howe and Downes. Then when I looked at the back cover I saw to my disappointment that this album has only Downes, and Howe guesting on a few tracks. But because the price was so cheap and the musicians guesting here were top class, I decided to buy it.

I think I should not have, as the contents were really a letdown. I could not find anything inspired or even catchy as this surely wants to be a pop album, not a prog album. I'm no blockheaded prog aficionado, I listen to all kinds of music, and I expect a pop album to be a lot more catchy than this. The lyrics, the singing, the synth sounds, all just ooze cliché, cliché, cliché. I had to listen very hard to even recognize Howe's playing. And Tony Levin was so underused on the track he guested in. I would mention the strongest songs here, if there were any. But unfortunately after some five or so listens, I can't remember any of the songs here.

The only redeeming factor of this album is the artwork, which is great as always from Roger Dean. But there's a funny thing about my copy. It's been released by First Entertainment in 2002 and has the cover in BLUE. I tried to find something about this edition but couldn't find anything. The track list is without the bonus songs.

I'm sorry, but I really have to give this only one star. I don't think I'm going to listen to this much.

I find "Aura" to be a pleasing if not particularly "progressive" rock album. The thing I appreciate most about it is John Payne's voice. When "Aqua" debuted I found his singing over the top, representative of the heavy metal milieu. By the time of "Aura" Mr. Payne had learned restraint and many of the songs feature beautiful vocals and superb vocal harmonies. I thoroughly enjoy his singing on this album.

All the players are top notch and the guitar work varies between understated and pyrotechnical which suits the mood of the various sections of the songs. Steve Howe appears on some songs but is for the most part drowned out by the flashy pyrotechnics of the other guitarists (not that Mr. Howe can't play with fire; he just seems more restrained here when he does show up).

Geoff's keyboard orchestrations are lush and varied and intelligently conceived. The chord progressions are rather standard for the most part, however. Some jazz-tinged harmonic bits here and there do liven things up, but some songs are only a few chords that repeat for long stretches ("You're The Stranger" for example). But somehow the groove, playing and singing make them work.

"Free" is the "big epic" although again it is fairly simple in its harmonic and rhythmic approaches. Still powerfully performed, however.

My favorite track is one of the "bonus" tunes: "Come Make My Day" which has a very nice instrumental middle section that modulates a bit and takes you on a brief journey before bringing you back to the rather conventional chorus.

If you're in the mood for conservatively composed, expertly performed symphonic rock, "Aura" should fit the bill.

The best album from Asia? Unless for me it is, and the ratings on this great site seem to follow the same idea. Aura has the best and more progressive track that Asia was ever did: the track FREE. An almost 9 minutes epic which a modern prog rock feel, in the vein of Genesis post Abacab long prog tracks. A five stars track in which Downes combines his fantastic keyboards with a great electric guitar work, which includes the master Steve Howe. All over a superb bass line by John Payne. The melody line is great in the verse and in the chorus, and the track evolves between two stunning instrumental interludes. The instrumental Aura is the other prog track, far better than many or almost all that Asia did before and after. The last track called In the Hands of Time is the other prog related track with a good instrumental passage in which the Keyboards takes the main rol.

The rest is AOR wich some progressive elements in some cases. The opening Awake is a superb atmospheric track based in a guitar pattern with a choir joining in the chorus. A very good track. The second and third, are two great soft tracks, one of them a cover from 10CC called Ready to go home. I did not know the original version, but this one is really good.

The last time, Kings of the day, The longest night and Come make my day are good tracks too.

The rest is in an inferior level, but not bad.

Because Free, and the overall quality of the album, I consider it a good addition for any progressvie rock collection

Another fairly great Asia album, two in a row! Though most of the musicians from the debut are gone, Geoff Downes pulls it together with tons of session musicians and John Payne, who has stayed with the band since the 1992 release Aqua. This album is in the same vein as Asia's 1996 album, Arena, which takes in some slightly Jazz influences, and this album is no different. There is a mellower vibe than other albums, and is certainly excellent in some songs.

1.Awake - A fairly good opening track, though it does not sound like the rest of the album. It's fairly poppy, but much different from mainstream pop, as though sound much more upbeat, with lush keyboards, and slightly jazzy guitar playing. The vocal melody is great, and the vocals are excellent. The lyrics, as always, have room for improvement, but do the job, for this kind of music, just fine. A great way to start the album. (8.5/10)

2.Wherever You Are - An average track, nothing really special. It's mellower than other Asia tracks, but it sometimes seems to be a forced laid back, for this song at least. It's too standard, and can't really get anything other than decent musicianship and cheesey lyrics. (7/10)

3.Ready to go Home - An interesting track, with absolutly terrible lyrics. The music itself is fairly nice, some good jazz influences mixed with pop rock, but it's the lyrics. Everything just seems to not work for the lyrics. The music wins a little bit, but it's almost skip worthy because of this flaw. (7/10)

4.The Last Time - Certainly better than the past two average tracks, it's a sophisticated and classy pop track, with a fairly great hook played on the keyboard that starts the song. The vocals and lyrics are sang with passion, and make the sometimes boring lyrics seem a bit better. This track is a personal favourite because of it's subtle virtuosity. (8.5/10)

5.Forgive Me - An almost futuristic intro is played on the keyboards is augmented by a repeating guitar line, not much is really going on. Asia have tried this before with some success, and that happens again here. The track turns into a heavy jazz type song, very upbeat type of track. Nice playing throughout. (8/10)

6.Kings of the Day - A very dramatic track. The song has some lush keyboards and excellently played guitar, tinged with some jazz influences about. The drumming on this track is very nice, actually. The whole rhythm section is really working out here, and puts the song in the forefront. The lyrics arent great, as usual with Asia, but the music overpowers. (9/10)

7.On the Coldest Day in Hell - Another great track here, with some story telling lyrics that actually seem structured and better than anything Asia has done before, lyrically at least. The music is fairly soft rock, but has a feel that cannot be matched from the other tracks and stands as one of my favourite guitar parts on the album. Of course the steady drumbeat is also appreciated. (9/10)

8.Free - The best track on the album, hands down, and the most progressive of all the tracks. A steady technology rocker opens with soft keyboards, then turns into a synth dosed futuristic rocking track that cannot be missed. The chord progression is simple, but sounds so good with the hard attack of the bass line. The fast drumbeat is always a toe tapper and is always forceful. Nice lyrics as well. (10/10)

9.You're the Stranger - Something of an oddity, not really that grand, but still has a very large and jazzy, smooth sound. This is always a favourite as well, nice drumbeat is played with lush keyboard playing. The guitar playing is very good, jazzy feeling that is always keeping up with the rest of the band. Payne's vocal performance is excellent. (9.5/10)

10.The Longest Night - A overly dramatic track with searing guitar, pompus drums, and lusher-than-life keyboards. The vocal melodies seem to be average to me, but they work with this kind of song. A layered track that isn't very memorable, but musically speaking, is very good. (8/10)

11.Aura - Favourite after favourite it seems with this album, everything about this track is emotional and great. The steady and fast jazz beat is always heavy and will make anyone grooze. Great keyboards layer on eachother, with lighting fast jazz guitar playing that is so excellent, you will not recognize it's Asia. Jazz pop at it's best. (10/10)

This is the album that I consider my favourite, and cannot be touched by any other Asia albums. The music is jazzy, sophisticated, and, at times, progressive in many cases. This is a 4 star album all the way through, and it cannot really get any better with jazz rock pop (besides Steely Dan of course), but for Asia, it's a milestone.

First and foremost, I consider myself a fan of Asia(all line-ups). Yes, I have taken into context that this is not the Asia of the first 3 albums(having more line-up changes than Deep Purple and Uriah Heep combined). It says a lot about a band when the best tracks on "Aura" are due to outside help from some prog.rock heavies like Ian Crichton of Saga, Steve Howe of Yes, Simon Phillips and Tony Levin. Graham Gouldman of 10cc helps out in the writing department as well. I wouldn't necessarily consider this an Asia album, but more of a collaboration between prog.rock stars in the "pop prog." genre. Consider this a super supergroup. :-) The first 3 tracks are melodic soft rock AOR that might even sound good on a regular rotation if this were the year 1987, although "Awake" is a real keeper with back-up choir near the conclusion. A fine start. "The Last Time"(which is the 4th track) is the best track here; where you can tell Howe and Crichton are present on guitar. "Free" is the most progressive track with some great keyboard work from Geoff Downes and the outside prog.rock "heavies" I had mentioned. The instrumental "Aura" has a sound not unlike Santana(more like the band Malo...Carlos Santana's brother "Jorge"'s band). Other than that, nothing else is a stand out. 1 of 3 bonus tracks on the Windstorm Records label re-issue called "Hands Of Time" is a real keeper. Sounds like a cross between modern Uriah Heep and the harmony vocals a la Spock's Beard). Good album and the best of the Payne-era. The album gets better with repeated listens as it reveals many subtleties. If you're a fan of the last 2 albums by Canadian band MYSTERY and dare I say BIG BIG TRAIN from the U.K.; Asia's "Aura" would appeal to you.

Well, I was a little skeptical about this one from the very start: when I saw on the booklet that the band was now reduced to Geoff Downes and John Payne I knew I should not expect much. Besides, the number of guests musicians was stunning (13!). And that included former members Steve Howe, Eliott Randall and Pat Thrall, terrific prog musicians like Simon Phillips, Tony Levin and even Ian Crichton (Saga). All to no avail, since they are merely session players here and their styles rarely surfaces on this album (except of course for Howe´s guitar licks, but even then, very few times).

This is Asia on name only. It sounds like a John Payne solo album featuring Geoff Downes, or vice-versa. There is no team work here that you hear so well on albums like Silent Nation, Aria and Aqua (even if the latter was recorded with several musicians, it did sound like a band work). Arena was the beginning of the fall, I see now, and Aura is definitly their lowest. Not that is totally bad: it has some nice tracks, but the music here is pure pop, totally devoided of any edge. The rock element is missing much of the time and the prog aspect is almost nonexistent. the 8 minute long Free is probably the most interesting song on the album, followed by the first three tracks. And yet they are all below what we should expect from such seasoned and talented musicians.

Production is, of course, very good and clean, but the songs are not as strong as before. I´m really amazed that the three extra tracks are even more popier than the original album (thank god they were scrapped before they recorded another album). And it is even more incredible to think that the follow up of this weak album was one of their best, Silent Nation. Maybe the lesson was learned.

Conclusion: a real disappointment. Not totally bad, expecially if you like well played but simple pop songs. But probably Asia´s weakest efford ever. this one is surely for hardcore fans, collectors and completionists. NOT a good album to start if you´re a newsbie (this was the case of one reviewer here. Hey, The T, give them another chance!). 2 stars.

Progressive Rock? Hah! Prog Related? Ummm... even that's a far stretch with Asia's Aura. The only thing prog related about this album is that Geoff Downes once played on Yes' Drama album and Steve Howe guests on a couple of tracks (althought I can barely even tell).

I really had high hopes for this album. After all, on their Arena album Asia actually took a stab at making some prog numbers: the neo prog numbers The Day Before the War and U Bring Me Down. Don't let the longer than usual times of the songs on Aura deceive you. These are basically AOR/pop rock songs with a few ballads thrown in giving this album a mediocre "sameness" almost throughout the whole thing. The longer times are a result of extending many of the songs longer than they needed to be (i.e., choruses that go on forever, etc.).

The only exception is the 8+ minute long song Free. It's one of the better tracks Asia has done, but it's really nothing to get excited about. There isn't really anything complicated about it at all and sounds much like a generic neo prog song that a typical neo prog band would use as filler.

For fans only. Others should seriously avoid.

This is a very good MELODIC ROCK album that gets a bit dragged down by its existing track order. In its original form, the album seems to suffer from too many similar mid-to-slow tempo songs one after another.

However, if you re-sequence the tracks to create some ups and downs in the overall dynamic, there can be a much more satisfying flow to your listening experience.

First off, you'll want to find a copy of the original Digi-Pack version with "bonus" tracks. Oddly enough, it's the three bonus tracks that are closest to the classic ASIA sound.

Anyway-- Below is the track order that I suggest. Hope you enjoy it.

Hands of Time... Forgive Me... Come Make My Day... Free...

The Last Time... Wherever You Are... Aura... Ready to Go Home...

Awake... The Longest Night... Under the Gun...

You're the Stranger... On the Coldest Day in Hell... Kings of the Day

Unfortunately, the best song recorded during these sessions, titled "Never the Way", was only available on an exclusive ASIA fan club CD from 2001 called ARMADA 1.

2 stars on the Prog-o-meter

4 stars on the Personal-taste-meter

2 stars overall for this site.