28.
ASIA
ALPHAPop Rockreleased July 26th, 1983
via Geffen Records
1. Don’t Cry [3:33]
2. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes [3:13]
3. Never In A Million Years [3:47]
4. My Own Time (I’ll Do What I Want) [4:50]
5. The Heat Goes On [4:57]
6. Eye to Eye [3:13]
7. The Last to Know [4:39]
8. True Colors [3:51]
9. Midnight Sun [3:48]
10. Open Your Eyes [6:25]
ALPHA is
John Wetton R.I.P. 2017 (Vocals / Bass)
Geoff Downes (Keyboards)
Steve Howe (Guitars)
Carl Palmer (Drums)
The sound of this album makes me think of comforting imagery, without fail, every time I hear it. A quiet, empty dining room with streams of orange-gold from the late afternoon sun pouring through the blinds. The low winter sun in a cloudless midmorning sky, shining on a fresh layer of untouched snow. A big stereo playing music from the radio by a pool in the summer.
The common theme in those images in sunshine. This album makes me think of sunshine. It’s like a warm embrace, a comforting, sweet record not interested in progressive or heavy metal wankery and letting the music dictate where to go from section to section. No, it’s just a collection of straightforward pop songs, with a couple rockers tossed in for good measure. It’s a quiet record that’s super heavy on the treble and allows the synths and keys to dominate over the guitars, who are mixed so low it’s easy to wonder if there’s a guitarist in the band at all. But the sweetness is cut ever so slightly by John Wetton’s baritone voice, which is a healthy dose of huskiness this fluffy, airy album needs.
Songs like “My Own Time” and “The Last to Know” really invoke the imagery I previously described, and are my two favorite tracks on this album. Right down to individual lines, the lyrics resonate deeply with me and there are instrumental, musical decisions that seem like choices I would make if I were the one writing this kind of music. Of course the rest of the record hits me in this way, too – “Never In A Million Years” and “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes” are touching and memorable tunes. The “Asia keyboard sound” – not sure what it is, a combination of synth brass horns and possibly a mellow sawtooth lead? – is infectious in my opinion and it’s used heavily throughout the album along with shimmering bells and synth pads, all sonic textures I will happily devour like the fat kid eating the chocolate cake in Matilda. Hook me up to an IV drip of this all day long, please.
In Summary: This record has the definitive “80s production” sound in my opinion. Heavy treble, quiet mixing, tons of tinny reverb, but it adds a charm to this particular record instead of detracting from the experience. I love a good unabashed pop rock record and hits all the marks in my opinion. It’s just plain good super catchy songwriting with romantic lyrics and a multitude of beautiful synths layered like a decadent cake on top of a sweet ice cream base. “My Own Time” has become one of my most favorite songs ever, a real personal theme song/anthem/whatever you want to call it, and I encourage you to check it out! This album proves talented musicians do not have to make overly complicated, unnecessarily long songs to be make good music. Sometimes, you just need a beat and a melody to make magic. John Payne may have forever fucked up this band but this album is a work of art and I love it love it love it.
Katt’s Favorites: The Smile Has Left Your Eyes,
My Own Time (I’ll Do What I Want),
The Heat Goes On,
The Last To KnowListen to “Alpha” by Asia on Spotify