Asia-Phoenix

EMI
2008

Back in 1982 I couldn't afford albums yet so my main exposure to music was the radio. I was only 12 so I easily soaked in what was coming in to my room through the various rock and pop channels of the day. The radio would eventually lead me to bands like Van Halen, Judas Priest, Dio and others. However a number of pop, AOR and other forms also came to me. One of those was Asia as I was taken in by the melodies and highly polished hooks of songs off their self-titled debut. Subsequent albums like Alpha and Astra didn't quite have the same formula or appeal for me. They have bounced back and forth with various releases over the years, but now in 2008 we get the first release since 1983's Alpha to feature the entire original line-up. The opener "Never Again" comes on with a smooth and steady approach that was pleasing enough, but maybe a little flat. At this point I was thinking that it wasn't a bit start and if they could pick it up a little that this album might be something. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case as "Nothing's Forever" is an appropriate title because it's sappy vocals and damp music had me thinking that this band didn't have a whole lot left. It's gets worse though as track three "Heroine" is stomach churning, mind-killing sap at it's worse. It's so bad that it sounds like it could be a spoof of 1980's love songs, but they are actually trying to be serious so it really is that bad on many different levels. Several other songs after this fall into the same vat of syrupy worthless pulp as well. It just seems like Asia forgot about strong song structures, hooks and building up anything on this album. Instead it's full of a few brief flourishes of music here and there with lots of cliches and filler taking up the bulk of the time. The closer "An extraordinary life" might have some genuine life to it or it may just seem better than it is because many of the other songs before it are so poor and empty of any spirit. Overall Phoenix serves as a strong reminder that you can't always relive the past. Asia my be hoping that this album picks up on their success in the early 1980's, but one play will quickly have listeners thinking otherwise.