Great Rock Albums of 1982: Asia

When I returned from my second deployment in June of 1982, this debut album from Asia was there to greet me. It would be the first new album I would hear on my return. I did get a preview of what was to come when someone played the first single "Heat of the Moment" on the juke of a local bar (not the Driftwood) and that persuaded me to check out the rest of the album to which I was delighted to have done for this was a good album. On a totally unrelated note, this is the only album I know of that my sister and my ex wife both own, but don't tell either of them.

For me, Asia gave the sign that the progressive rock which defined the 1970s, would carry on strong into the following decade. The opening song and previously mentioned big single signifies that Asia were a good tight band who joined together to make great music. It starts with a cool attention grabbing guitar riff before being overpowered by some sublime keyboard work. The guitars don't totally go away but come back to begin each verse. The next couple of songs are keyboard lead but done very well and a guitar solo emerges on the track "One Step Closer" and goes on to take the song to its conclusion. A similar guitar riff starts "Time Again" but like some of the great progressive bands that went before such as Emerson, Lake and Palmer or Yes, there is some exciting intricate keyboard work laced throughout the song. However, the one song that certainly highlights the quality musicianship of the members of Asia is "Without You." I got to hear a little of everything here with the keyboards, electric guitar and even an acoustic guitar bit, all very well done. My verdict: Asia's self titled album reminds me of the day when musicians actually cared about the quality of the music they played.

Track Listing:

1. Heat of the Moment

2. Only Time Will Tell

3. Sole Survivor

4. One Step Closer

5. Time Again

6. Wildest Dreams

7. Without You

8. Cutting it Fine

9. Here Comes That Feeling

Geoff Downes- keyboards, vocals

Steve Howe- guitars, vocals

Carl Palmer- drums, percussion

John Wetton- bass, lead vocals

Very shortly after this album, what we know as progressive rock would disintegrate into what would become synth pop. For us who grew up with progressive rock, it would become sad times and I could remember seeing many a person from my era force feeding quarter into a juke box when they spotted a song from the olden times. Asia reminds me that in 1982, those sad times weren't upon us yet and there were still some out there who wanted to play some serious rock.

Next post: REO Speedwagon- Good Trouble

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Great Rock Albums of 1985: Loverboy- Get Lucky

Sometime halfway through my second deployment to the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean, while watching a backdated episode of America's Top 40 with Casey Kasem, I was treated to the Loverboy hit "Working for the Weekend." Admittedly, it didn't quite have the knock out punch I liked about "Turn Me Loose" but it was good enough to have me make a mental note on buying it when I either got to the PX in Rota, Spain or back to the States. It also brought back memories of the previous summer and the Driftwood, even though Twinkles had left a few months before the end of 1981.

True to my word, "Get Lucky" was the first new album I listened to when I returned that summer and I wasn't disappointed. It has just the right blend of progressive and hard rock to make it work. "When It's Over" is more proggy but the hard rock of "Jump" takes over nicely. Other good hard rock tracks come and go after leaving their own stamp on the album. "Emotional" reminds me of classic REO Speedwagon back when they were good in the 70s. "Lucky Ones" brings back fond memories of the first album and there's always has been something about "It's Your Life" that I liked. The album goes out on more a progressive note with "Take Me to the Top" but it's definitely the right closer for this album. Of all the songs on "Get Lucky," the one that stands well above the rest for me is "Gangs in the Street." I don't know if it's because it reminds me of my all time favourite film, "The Warriors" or because the video tries to make Loverboy look bad ass in an unconvincing way or probably just because I like the guitar solo. Whatever it is, the song works and is why this album is so good.

Track Listing:

1. Working for the Weekend

2. When It's Over

3. Jump

4. Gangs in the Street

5. Emotional

6. Lucky Ones

7. It's Your Life

8. Better Watch Out

9. Take Me To the Top

[caption id="attachment_2282" align="aligncenter" width="275"] Loverboy[/caption]

Mike Reno- vocals

Paul Dean- guitar, vocals

Doug Johnson- keyboards

Scott Smith- bass

Mike Frenette- drums

Loverboy seem to have been forgotten by many people now, not me, but back in the very early 80s, they staked their claim on the rock world with two very good albums. They were another reason why Canadian artists have never gotten the respect they deserved.

Next post: Asia

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Great Rock Albums of 1982: U2- October

U2's second album "October actually came to my attention at the tail end of 1981 when I saw it at a record store. However, I was still listening to their debut album "Boy," so I wasn't quite ready for their new album. That all changed while I was early into my second deployment to the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean when a fellow marine played the album opener "Gloria" that was on his self made cassette of punk tunes. Fact: believe it or not, back in 1981 and 2, U2 were considered punk by the mainstream. I've said this before and I know I'll say it again, back then, anything new or that mainstream commercial radio just didn't get was classed as punk.

Whether or not U2 were ever punk was not really an issue for me, all I know was that they were quickly growing on me. One reason why was that if I were to choose another name for "October," I would call it "Boy II" because to me, the second album sounds very much like the first. That's not a particularly bad thing by the way. Like "Boy," "October" begins with the best know single from that particular album. I won't make comparisons because "I Will Follow" will always be my favourite U2 song. Therefore I will not take anything away from the opener here. "I Fall Down" is a good follow on and I'm not sure what to make of "I Threw a Brick Through a Window" but it does stand out in the sense that I didn't hear anything like it on "Boy." For me, the album goes down the same road as its predecessor and you could argue "If it ain't broke then don't fix it." Even the end of the album slows down in the same way the closer on "Boy," "Shadows in Tall Trees" does. While I won't go as far as saying the two albums are completely identical, they are quite similar.

Track Listing:

1. Gloria

2. I Fall Down

3. I Threw a Brick Through a Window

4. Rejoice

5. Fire

6. Tomorrow

7. October

8. With a Shout (Jerusalem)

9. Stranger in a Strange Land

10. Scarlet

11. Is That All

[caption id="attachment_2198" align="aligncenter" width="233"] U2[/caption]

Bono- lead vocals

The Edge- guitar, piano, backing vocals

Adam Clayton- bass

Larry Mullen Jr- drums

As I said earlier, if it's not broke, don't fix it. What U2 did with "October" is take their first album as a blueprint and made another album along the same vein. However, it is done in a way that doesn't put the listener off. "October" would prove to be a small stepping stone towards the next album which would lead them to ultimate greatness in the golden decade. One thing I have always said about U2 was the fact that they were one band that metalheads and trendies both liked.

Next post: Loverboy- Get Lucky

To buy Rock And Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html

Also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London