Count Felix Begs Flaming by Reviewing Asia

To the typical Prog Rock fan, the existence of the group Asia is a horror. When you've got such esteemed Prog Rock alumni in one place (Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, John Wetton, and Geoff Downes), one would be more than in their right to cringe at the result. Asia, sent to stores in 1982, ended up being a pop rock album, and shamelessly so? What happened?

Well, though the pressures of commercialization hit this "supergroup" (and many other classic prog groups in the 80's), you take what you can get. I'm not going to defend Asia, say it's comparable to Wish You Were Here or Thick as a Brick, nor will I say it's as enjoyable a piece of early 80's pop in the same way Thriller or Remain in Light. But its not that bad, all things considered. While "Only Time Will Tell" just eats at you with its pure levels of 80's cheese and insincerity, this same fist-pumping, arena rock vibe can be so bad its good on tracks like "Heat of the Moment" and "Sole Survivor". This does have a certain nostalgia to it, and while not so appealing to a prog rock fan, it's certainly decent pop music.

It seems to me the majority of this album's criticizim is about what it's not, and not for what it is. While I would have loved to see with turn into a prog rock album, it isn't, and it must be accepted. When I saw Yes in concert, Asia opened for them. Half the audience was there to see Asia, the other half Yes. Clearly, they were making a product for someone, that was well liked, and their opening act was nearly as good as Yes themselves (mostly due to Carl Palmer- the dude is incredible). I think it's in the best interest of the prog fans to leave Asia alone, and just not listen to it if so inclined.

Really, not that horrid. Even for a hardcore Prog fan like myself, it's still so bad it's good. Grade: C-.