Silent Nation

A couple of plays later and I was well and truly hooked, this album is just brilliant. Here's the reason why track by track.

1) What about love - a fairly low-key opening track is pretty standard Asia fare and possibly is the albums weakest track. 6/10

2) Long way from home - A fairly wonderful song with harmonies, hooks and licks that gets you humming and tapping your feet. 9/10

3) Midnight - Another great tune. It has one of those bits near the end where you think it's suddenly stopped but then it starts up again. 9/10

4) Blue Moon Monday - For me the albums greatest moment. A fairly slow tempo song with a great chorus and superb harmony on the line "I will return again". The song almost peters out but then strikes up with some gorgeous acoustic/Spanish type guitar and then plays an extended instrumental section which reminds me of those 12" singles of the 80s which had extended versions of the track with instrumental bits tagged on the end or in the middle. I played a whole round of golf the other day and could not get this tune out of my head. 10/10

5) Silent Nation - The title track with an atmospheric opening instrumental section complete with tinkling keyboards which lasts for well over a minute and a half. There are some juicy bass lines on the fade out and another stonking chorus. 9/10

6) Ghost in the Mirror - Funny this one has a riff which reminds me very much of 'Smoke on the Water' but it's another very strong song and one of only two sub five minute tracks on the album; both of which are co-written with Billy Sherwood of Yes fame (all the other tracks are written by the prolific Geoff Downes/John Payne team). 9/10

7) Gone too far - Quite a slow song which comes to life late on and erupts into a magnificent guitar solo complete with very cathedral-like vocal harmonies...then the guitar cuts out abruptly leaving just the unaccompanied vocals which then fade into the distance. 8/10

8) I will be there for you - The second track co-written with Billy Sherwood and the most up-tempo track on the album and another one that creeps into your head and refuses to leave ! Only just over four minutes long but quality prevails including a great guitar solo after an ambient pause for breath. 9/10

9) Darkness Day - A very distinctive melodic riff pervades this track which features some more cathedral-like harmony vocals. It's a very insistent type song and another great vocal performance from John Payne. 8/10

10) The Prophet - Beautiful end to a great album. Starts slowly with two verses and two goes at the chorus and then it's a final burst from the guitar before moodily fading out. Not a grand finale but more like the end of a fulfilling journey. 10/10

So there you have it. I'm not one for giving lots of 10/10 as it devalues the mark but compared to some albums I would rate this a just under an hour of great music which like most of Asias other recent efforts will go largely unheard by most of the population and more's the pity.

I was a huge fan of the John Wetton-Asia era and when John Payne took over, I wasn't really sure if his vocal style would fit but by God on this album it sure does. They have returned back to a traditional four piece with a ten track album (do we actually remember when all albums were like that or is it just my age showing?)

Buy it, you won't be disappointed.