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grantman View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: uk and asia (first releases)
    Posted: April 03 2016 at 14:58
After listening to both asia and uk first albums ,I decided that both have strong points that are the basis for comparing the two,a lot who rather say that it is like chalk and cheese. I think that there are striking similarities for one both have john wetton very powerful vocalist, and somewhat now becoming commercial, in sound but  found carl palmer and eddie jobson, complemented greatly to each band ,but sadly I think allan holdsworth is fantastic, but tend to find steve howe, arrangements,a little more colourful or grandiose on scale. Although both are decidedly great works of prog. I lean to asia, as a more filling because of the dare I say,pop anthems, as opposed to the melancholy songs of uk,like to know different opinions because not everyone shares the same sediment,different points of view, I love to hear them . Once again thanks for reading  Smile  

Edited by grantman - April 03 2016 at 16:10
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Tom Ozric View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 03 2016 at 15:21
^ sediment
Guess I'm a sedimental fool
I've most likely spent more time with Asia's debut, mainly because it is a catchy album with a 'crunchy' sound. Well played, clever and really sticks with you.
With U.K. - the debut is my least favourite - I am very fond of the live release. Sure, the debut has Bruford and Holdsworth, has many brilliant moments (Nevermore being my favourite) but the Dead Of Night and Alaska tracks sound much better live. I've always found the debut to sound a bit 'clinical'. It's been years since I spun my LP. And I've spun my Asia record not so long ago.

Edited by Tom Ozric - April 03 2016 at 15:22
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 03 2016 at 22:59
Actually, both rather dissapointed me. With Asia I already had the idea I would be dissapointed before buying it, because I knew what I was getting into... which is not prog at all, but pop. I still love mostly "Only time will tell", and to a lesser degree "Heat of the moment", but the rest of the album is just OK. However, from UK I did expect more, because I had read lot's of praise for it around here, and it was a full blown prog album... and prog it is indeed... only that I didn't like much from it. The melodies just aren't as beautiful nor as memorable as I would like, and Wetton's vocals still aren't ones I would enjoy. With King Crimson the music was so good that I could ignore being bothered by the vocals... but not so with UK. In Asia, something happened that Wetton's vocals do sound enjoyable (at least on studio, for live once again there's something I just can't like).
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 04 2016 at 09:29
UK well over Asia for me......plenty of good prog on the first UK and imho Asia was a big let down with primarily radio friendly stuff.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 04 2016 at 10:30
Originally posted by dr wu23 dr wu23 wrote:


UK well over Asia for me......plenty of good prog on the first UK and imho Asia was a big let down with primarily radio friendly stuff.
I'm with Wu.
"It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 04 2016 at 11:39
Although neither UK nor Asia is to my taste, I have heard albums of both. The second U.K. album is more in the Asia vein. The first U.K album is definitely preferable to Asia to me, heck, Asia could be linked to Europe (sonically rather than geographically in this case -- they could have formed "Eurasia - An AOR Odyssey).

Edited by Logan - April 04 2016 at 11:42
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 04 2016 at 11:51
Originally posted by Rednight Rednight wrote:

Originally posted by dr wu23 dr wu23 wrote:


UK well over Asia for me......plenty of good prog on the first UK and imho Asia was a big let down with primarily radio friendly stuff.
I'm with Wu.

Me tWu. 

The only song on the first Asia LP I really like is "Sole Survivor," it features some excellent Howe guitar work with wah-wah.  

The first UK LP was amazing, and I'm lucky to have seen Wetton with LTIA KC, UK and Asia.  He's one of my favorite vocalists/bassists.  The guy can play and sing at the same time in amazing fashion.  
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 04 2016 at 11:59
I like the UK debut album, but I really enjoy the Asia album. I really only got into both much after their release, so there was no sense of disappointment because I knew what I was getting, and wasn't expecting Asia to be prog. If you take away the expectations, I think it's a solid AOR album, and I really like some of the songs, particularly Without You (really excellent guitar solo plus very good vocals from Wetton).
 
 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 04 2016 at 13:21
From Danger Money....which only sounds like Asia to the extent that Wetton is singing.
Far far better than anything Asia ever attempted...imho.



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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 04 2016 at 13:47
indeed
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 04 2016 at 18:54
The debut UK is my fave of their 3 though it did take me somewhat by surprise.  I'd known of Jobson from his work in Roxy and with the rhythm section of my fave piece of Crimson history I was expecting heavy prog.  I've come to appreciate Holdsworth's magic and contributions to the album as the years have passed, but the jazz-fusion aspects of the album wasn't at all what I was expecting.

I bought Asia's debut when it came out and except for Sole Survivor which I liked, was bitterly disappointed.  I couldn't believe that putting 4 of the premier prog virtuoso's would yield stuff this musically uninspired and radio oriented.  Wetton's watered down bass playing didn't surprise me and I love his voice no matter what he sings but I was blown away that Howe and CP would turn their backs on their incredible abilities...but hey, even prog masters gotta eat and after so many years on the fringes of the big time I just figured they deserved a shot at the pie...but that didn't mean I had to listen to it Wink


Edited by The.Crimson.King - April 05 2016 at 10:10
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 05 2016 at 01:57
There's a few outstanding tracks on the Asia album as far as I'm concerned ; Sole Survivor, Time Again and Cutting It Fine. These songs are not as 'simple' as they seem. Only Time Will Tell is also a worthy song.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 05 2016 at 03:20
Originally posted by Rednight Rednight wrote:

Originally posted by dr wu23 dr wu23 wrote:


UK well over Asia for me......plenty of good prog on the first UK and imho Asia was a big let down with primarily radio friendly stuff.
I'm with Wu.


I'm with Wu too.  Rednight is on the money with his summary.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 05 2016 at 03:36
Originally posted by Roj Roj wrote:

Originally posted by Rednight Rednight wrote:

Originally posted by dr wu23 dr wu23 wrote:


UK well over Asia for me......plenty of good prog on the first UK and imho Asia was a big let down with primarily radio friendly stuff.
I'm with Wu.


I'm with Wu too.  Rednight is on the money with his summary.

That makes four. The UK debut is 4+/5. Danger Money is in my top 10.


Edited by someone_else - April 05 2016 at 03:37
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Tom Ozric View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 05 2016 at 04:10
For the record - I've tried several Asia albums over the years - and bar 1 or 2 tracks, they don't come up to the knee-caps of the debut. I do have this oddly shaped pic-disc of Don't Cry (rubbish song) but the B-side True Colours, is the only really good song on Astra I liked.
For U.K. - Danger Money is the best !! What Asia 'should have' been styled like.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 05 2016 at 10:14
Originally posted by cstack3 cstack3 wrote:

The first UK LP was amazing, and I'm lucky to have seen Wetton with LTIA KC, UK and Asia.  He's one of my favorite vocalists/bassists.  The guy can play and sing at the same time in amazing fashion.  

Agreed.  Wetton's ability to play bass lines that are a counterpoint melody or even in a different rhythm from his vocal lines is remarkable.  The only other bassist/lead vocalist I can think of with that advanced level of ability is Geddy Lee (Squire gets an honorable mention for his backing vocals/bass parts).

I missed the 1st UK tour but saw the Wetton/Jobson/Bozzio lineup open for Tull in '78...next to Gentle Giant opening for Yes in '76, that UK/Tull pairing could be the best prog bill I ever saw Wink 


Edited by The.Crimson.King - April 05 2016 at 10:16
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 05 2016 at 11:17
Eddie jobson had a band called zinc I think it was, heard the album call green on cassette not bad from what I remember ?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 05 2016 at 16:07
^ It has its moments. Gary Green (Gentle Giant) guested on it. The 80's production values lets it down somewhat but it's a respectable album.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 05 2016 at 16:48
^I bought a very clean used copy of it on vinyl. Never listened to it though. Is it worth any money?
"It just has none of the qualities of your work that I find interesting. Abandon [?] it." - Eno
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 05 2016 at 16:54
^ I doubt it fetches much on the market. I bought a near-mint copy, gawd, must've been around 1990, for 6 bucks. I haven't spun it in years, but I've got some of the songs going in my head right now, so the music has made an imprint in my mind. I think I reviewed it with 3 stars - that's the last time I heard it.
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