  
Frontiers/BAM
ASIA is at least 75% ASIA these days. Steve Howe has left, so this will be evidence of his part in the mix. As mostly there are; Geoff Palmer, keyboards, Carl Palmer, drums and John Wetton, bass/vocals. The interesting newbie is guitarist Sam Coulson. Much revered n the business he is still young enough to me grandson to any of the geezers. A world tour is in the making and they all had so much great things to say of this album, will everything click?
Opener “Valkyrie” provides the feeling of being in good hands. The refrain, the choruses, the keyboards etc, everything is familiar. The title track is dragged down by a lengthy intro while I went...go on... It all left me thinking it was definitely well arranged but was it engaging? The storytelling of everyday relations is of the highest order. “The Closer I get”, “Russian Dolls” etc are all telling me an engaging story. I find the exquisite arrangements of “Valkyrie”, the archetypal “Nyclophoba”, the fashinating story telling of “Russian Dolls” and the caressing and Hammond-topped romantic piece “Joe DiMaggio´s Glove” the best on offer here. The overly retro, and monotonous, “I Would Die for You”, and the odd ending of the slightly southern rock tinged “Till We Meet Again” the most boring parts. I wish for a bit more guitars courtesy of Sam for next time...unless the unsettled Howe is back by then?
Track List
Valkyrie
Gravitas
The Closer I Get
Nyclophobia
Russian Dolls
Heaven Help Me
I Would Die for You
Joe DiMaggio´s Glove
Till We Meet Again
www.frontiers .it www.originalasia.com
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