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AtomicCrimsonRush
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Topic: Top 5 proggiest Asia albums Posted: November 06 2012 at 06:36 |
Its probably been done before but buried in PA somewhere but I really wanna know!
I just heard the new Asia XXX and it is worse than the debut!
What is this AOR pap?
I know they are real prog but surely there must be more to them...
Look, there must be a decent prog Asia album with some prog in it
List the proggiest Asia albums please... then I will listen myself
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Snow Dog
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Posted: November 06 2012 at 06:56 |
The debut obviously. Aqua a bit. Don't know the rest enough.
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Triceratopsoil
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Posted: November 06 2012 at 07:35 |
I didn't know Asia had 5 albums.
I didn't even know Asia had prog albums.
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progbethyname
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Posted: November 06 2012 at 07:59 |
ASIA is classic rock to me. Much in the way Journey is. I'm surprised that both these bands are considered to be prog related.
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HolyMoly
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Posted: November 06 2012 at 08:01 |
Ya got me. I love the debut album, but mainly because it's a good pop album that came out when I was 13. Prog didn't mean much to me then. Alpha was ok, and Astra (with Mandy Meyer replacing Steve Howe on guitar) has its moments too, but I think the closest any of it comes to prog is stuff like "Sole Survivor" and "Wildest Dreams" on the debut, mainly for the dramatic song construction.
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SouthSideoftheSky
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Posted: November 06 2012 at 08:31 |
AtomicCrimsonRush wrote:
Its probably been done before but buried in PA somewhere but I really wanna know!
I just heard the new Asia XXX and it is worse than the debut!
What is this AOR pap?
I know they are real prog but surely there must be more to them...
Look, there must be a decent prog Asia album with some prog in it
List the proggiest Asia albums please... then I will listen myself
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Scott, I kind of like this often hated band. Though I agree with you about XXX, its one of the least good Asia albums.
Personally, I am a bit unorthodox in generally preferring the John Payne-era over the original Howe/Wetton/Palmer/Downes-line up.
My personal favourite Asia albums are: Aqua, Aria, Arena, and Silent Nation. Occasionally, there are progressive songs like the excellent nine + minute The Day Before The War from the Arena album, you have got to hear that one!! Genuine Prog, almost Prog Metal.
I'm looking forward to the upcoming Asia featuring John Payne album with the great Erik Norlander on keys.
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Tom Ozric
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Posted: November 06 2012 at 23:14 |
Their debut album struck me as the album with the most prog moments, though it really is Arena-Rock. I've tried a few after that with no success. I ordered the recent XXX on vinyl from the U.K. - it arrived warped but I managed a sneak preview - the opening track sounded fine, then typically down-hill A.O.R. blandness after that. Give me the 2 BUGGLES albums anyday over ASIA - I actually think those Buggles albums offer more Prog than any Asia I've heard !!
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richardh
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 02:04 |
The point of Asia was they were prog musicians that wanted to record songs not long instrumental peices. The last three albums all have decent songs but Phoenix is the only one that has a couple of songs that have multi parts.
Sleeping Giant/No Way Back/Reprise
Parallel Worlds/Vortex/Deya
both are over 8 minutes long
From the debut album Sole Survivor and Wildest Dreams stand out
Alpha has one decent track that has some good organ work but most of that album is horribly produced imo
I did have a CD of the John Payne era and it was very good actually (although I gave it to me boss as likes that sort of stuff more than me )
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Ytse_Jam
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 05:13 |
Asia is much more a very good AOR band rather than a prog one. I think the proggiest thing about Asia is the lineup.. And the top ability of its components allowed them to create some great AOR albums..
I think the debut has some good prog-related moments, hovewer..
Edited by Ytse_Jam - November 08 2012 at 05:14
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AtomicCrimsonRush
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 05:54 |
Yeah I hear you all so we have basically no prog on Asia then. Got that cleared up.
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Snow Dog
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 06:29 |
I think some of us said there was...
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AtomicCrimsonRush
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 06:38 |
Which ones?
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Anthony
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 07:45 |
progbethyname wrote:
ASIA is classic rock to me. Much in the way Journey is. I'm surprised that both these bands are considered to be prog related. |
Asia is only considered prog-related because of Wetton, Palmer and Howe. Now, if they only had a decent keyboard player instead of that Buggle, the band might have been more interesting.
Edited by Anthony - November 08 2012 at 07:45
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SouthSideoftheSky
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 10:18 |
AtomicCrimsonRush wrote:
Yeah I hear you all so we have basically no prog on Asia then. Got that cleared up. |
Well, I didn't say that. I said rather that Asia does not have any full albums of Prog, but many of their albums have full Prog songs, and many Prog elements. Sure, they are not a Prog band per se, but they have some good stuff that many Prog fans enjoy. I'm sure you could enjoy some of their stuff too.
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lazland
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 10:25 |
There is prog on Asia albums, but, as has been said before, they deliberately went for a pop/rock/prog lite sound, and did very well out of it indeed, thank you.
I love the debut. It is a great album. The second could have been a lot better, but still has some great moments, Midnight Sun especially. The comeback albums Phoenix and Omega both have some splendid moments, although XXX is truly awful and shockingly bad. So bad, I haven't had the heart to review it yet.
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AtomicCrimsonRush
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 14:58 |
lazland wrote:
There is prog on Asia albums, but, as has been said before, they deliberately went for a pop/rock/prog lite sound, and did very well out of it indeed, thank you.
I love the debut. It is a great album. The second could have been a lot better, but still has some great moments, Midnight Sun especially. The comeback albums Phoenix and Omega both have some splendid moments, although XXX is truly awful and shockingly bad. So bad, I haven't had the heart to review it yet. |
i will give those albums a listen soon. Hope its better than XXX
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AtomicCrimsonRush
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 17:02 |
lazland wrote:
There is prog on Asia albums, but, as has been said before, they deliberately went for a pop/rock/prog lite sound, and did very well out of it indeed, thank you.
I love the debut. It is a great album. The second could have been a lot better, but still has some great moments, Midnight Sun especially. The comeback albums Phoenix and Omega both have some splendid moments, although XXX is truly awful and shockingly bad. So bad, I haven't had the heart to review it yet. |
I just reviewed XXX and gave it a good old caning. Ordinary album - Go on, review it Lazland, i could do with a laugh.
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otto pankrock
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 17:44 |
Odd, I've always thought of Asia as the final nail in the coffin of the classic period.
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Aussie-Byrd-Brother
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 18:15 |
I have to admit...I really quite like the first album. I don't know if it's from a `guilty pleasure' point of view that makes me enjoy it? But I find many of the intros are pretty killer! Usually it's all downhill AFTER those intros, but I do somewhat defend that first album. Lord knows even the second album onwards are just a total waste of time. Shame, because almost all their album covers are stunners too. I actually find it really fascinating when prog bands attempt to find a balance between commercial accessibility and progressive arrangements! Of course, Asia REALLY tipped the scales too far one way! Good call, too, Scott, with the review of `XXX', it's a mostly dross album. I remember when my poor friend on here Tom Ozric had his LP copy of it arrived all warped and unplayable, I felt it was something of a mercy killing! Plenty of better stuff to spend prog cash on! :)
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prog4evr
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Posted: November 08 2012 at 21:03 |
Triceratopsoil wrote:
I didn't even know Asia had prog albums.
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