Asia - Alpha (1983)

Note: this release was originally purchased as a cassette tape, later replaced by a CD.

A prime example of a sophomore jinx. Not much prog-rock here; the band sticks pretty much to a pop-rock formula. The music has the same sound as the band's 1982 debut album, but the writing isn't good and guitarist Steve Howe is practically a no-show (maybe those are related?). Even if the band hadn't split after this release, I'm not sure I would have bought any subsequent releases. I had the cassette version which contained a bonus track, Daylight, which wasn't on the LP and also, curiously, not on this CD. What's up with that? It's a shame because Daylight was one of the better tracks on the tape.

Interesting side note: as of today, the CD can be purchased for $2.82 from Amazon while the mp3 download for this music is $7.38. Hmmm...

Press of the time:

• Rolling Stone (★½): "No sense of passion, mystery or excitement"
• Smash Hits (7½ out of 10): "some beautiful melodies and dazzling musicianship"
• Stereo Review: "a response to the dictates of the marketplace and the law of supply and demand"
• Billboard: "very much of a piece with Asia's top-selling debut"
• Musician: "these guys aren't failed art rockers - they're just Toto with more ego."

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #6
• Billboard Rock: #2
• CashBox: #5
• Rolling Stone: #8

Tracks: To be honest, it's hard to be objective because I listened to this album so often after it was first released. The better tracks are Don't Cry, The Last To Know, Midnight Sun (with it's mellow verses in 7/4), and the closer, Open Your Eyes, which is about as prog-rock as this album gets. Music that I thought was awesome at the time, but hasn't aged well: Never In A Million Years and My Own Time. True Colors was skip-worthy back in 1983 and remains so today.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This came out in late July, 1983* and I'm sure I bought it immediately. It reminds me of driving the Markmobile (sans a/c) to summer band practices in August of that year. Admittedly, I may be remembering it wrong, but I seem to remember having practice 5 mornings and 1 night each week for the 3 weeks prior to school. If many of my friends hadn't been in band, I'm not sure I would have endured that. And how different would my life be if I hadn't endured those practices and quit the school band?!?

*further research indicates a release date of August 3, 1983 (see Billboard magazine, 8/6/83, page 4).

Previously revisited for the blog:
Phoenix (2008)
Fantasia: Live in Tokyo (2007)