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Music CD - Asia: Phoenix
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Music CD: Phoenix
Artist: Asia
List Price: $18.98
Our Price: $7.40
Your Save: $ 11.58 ( 61% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Frontiers Records/EMI America
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Tracks:
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1. Never Again
2. Nothing's Forever
3. Heroine
4. Sleeping Giant / No Way Back / Reprise
5. Alibis
6. I Will Remember You
7. Shadow Of A Doubt
8. Parallel Worlds / Vortex / Deya
9. Wish I'd Known All Along
10. Orchard Of Mines
11. Over And Over
12. An Extraordinary Life
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 5099921286926
Label: Frontiers Records/EMI America
Manufacturer: Frontiers Records/EMI America
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Frontiers Records/EMI America
Release Date: 2008-04-15
Studio: Frontiers Records/EMI America
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Rock that doesn't rock
Comment: This CD has none of the fire that their earlier work had. It's very well done, very professional, but it lags and drags. Almost like an album of ballads...
Customer Rating:
Summary: It's an "OK" CD But Could Have Been Better
Comment: In my opinion is seems like this alblum was rushed a bit - too much borrowing from previous tunes and some of the 80's sounding keyboards sound like, well, 80's (could have lived without that). Also, I know John went through alot lattely and I'm glad that he's fine but it seems to me that he spends too much time writing about the joys of being alive, sounds more like motivational musicthen the cliche driven ASIA classics of the past. I guess the biggest disappointment for me was that after seeing them live (and they where excellent and so are the Asia live CDs and DVDs) the performances on this CD do not live up to their live performances. Again, my biggest disappoint was that this CD seemed rushed. Well, hope they spend more time on the next CD which may be a year out since Steve is touring with YES this summer (hopefully YES will release a new CD to follow the tour).
Customer Rating:
Summary: A solid CD
Comment: Same format as previous discs. It's good having all the old band together again. It's worth the $10 to add to a collection.
Customer Rating:
Summary: As great as the 80s
Comment: Saw ASIA in concert last year expecting a semi-cheesy 80s band reunion. Wrong! They rocked. Got the new cd when it came out and went to see them again since. The cd is reflective and the songs really seem to have personal meaning. I recommend listening to it more than once before you make your decision about it. I love it. They are a very talented group of musicians. Can't wait to see them again!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Very good, but not outstanding
Comment: I've given Phoenix at least a dozen listen-throughs, and feel now that I have enough exposure to write a fair review.
The overall song writing, as well as the musicianship, is excellent. The songs are thoughtful, and a few are down right exceptional. Never Again, Parallel Worlds, and of course Extraordinary Life make the album worth buying. John Wetton, in spite of his challenges and the toll of age, sounds just about as good as he ever did. I measure an album by how many songs I hit the "skip" button on, and there are only a couple that I've finally decided that gritting my teeth wasn't worth it, and moved on.
The heavy knock that I have to give Phoenix is the poor production. The instruments are all there, but they lack that "pop" that they should have. Carl Palmer, where art thou? Gone are the days when his thump powered the songs of Asia. There is but one decent drum solo on the whole album, and even THAT doesn't drive into you. I absolutely don't blame Palmer, but the producer. It's a shame, really. Sadly, it's the same with the keyboards and guitars. It's like they're all playing in your living room but don't want to turn up the volume for fear of disturbing the neighbors.
That being said, it's hard not to like the album as a whole. When four musical geniuses get together, it's pretty hard to produce garbage, and there's very little garbage here. If there's ever some enhanced remastering in the future, I may end up changing this to 5-stars.
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Editorial Reviews:
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Asia's eponymously titled debut album in 1982 was both ecstatically received and the biggest selling album of the year. It spawned a trio of US top 10 singles in "Heat of the Moment", "Only Time Will Tell" and "Sole Survivor." Over the greater part of the 80s, Asia racked up 15 million in global record sales.
Rising from the ashes in 2008, the Multi-Platinum Supergroup Asia returns with "Phoenix," the first new album featuring the original line up in 25 years. With a revered musical pedigree, Geoff Downes (Yes, The Buggles), Steve Howe (Yes), Carl Palmer (ELP), and John Wetton (King Crimson) have returned to their hit making roots. Featuring the anthemic lead track "Never Again", and the poignant "An Extraordinary Life," Asia's revived the sound that made them radio staples.
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