20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Asia [Original recording remastered]

Asia | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 23, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Geffen Records
• ASIN: B0000C5RQM
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,811 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The 20th Century Masters series is the best-selling single-artist line in music history and is being re-released by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) in its ground-breaking, environmentally-friendly packaging format. A first for the music industry, the standard package (both sleeve and tray) will be completely paper-recyclable, continuing the company's long-standing commitment to being "green."

To further reduce the amount of paper in the Eco-Pack, the CD booklet will no longer be offered. Official liner notes are easily accessible on the Internet at http://www.ilovethatsong.com/green.

UMe is the first North American music company to replace the traditional jewel case with recycled paperboard sleeves and the plastic tray with trays made from PaperFoam®, a new packaging technology from Shorewood Packaging, a business of International Paper, that is paper-recyclable and biodegradable. Shorewood Packaging is the first North American packaging supplier to produce disc trays from PaperFoam®. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Asia on a budget, November 18, 2009

By 

Prog Nerd (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best of Asia - 20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection (Eco-Friendly Packaging) (Audio CD)

An okay collection of Asia's early hits with bassist/vocalist John Wetton. Geffen's Heat of the Moment: The Very Best of Asia is a lot better (despite a few track edits, you get your money's worth.)

If I were to describe Asia's early sound (1982-1991), I would say that they sounded like a more commercial UK, with the production and ballads of Foreigner, mixed with fierce instrumental breaks and layered with gorgeous Beach Boys-style harmonies on the choruses. The debut album is solid and almost-perfect; later albums got more watered-down and sappy; by 1992 there was different lineups, diversifying the sound and creating a smorgasboard of pop/prog influences. Lyrics mostly reflected the endless cycles of love lost and found, with occasional forays into Sci-Fi and war. In other words, if you're young (or young at heart), these songs have the ability to really grab you. If they do, it can make you immune to the angry thrashing of those fat and bald 70's prog zealots.

If you're new or unfamiliar with Asia, this a good grab if you're unwilling to splurge for bigger or better collections. If you're hungry or curious for their later world music/classic rock/prog-metal stuff in the 90's, grab Anthology. If you want full albums, start with the 1982 debut.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Awesome, August 5, 2004

By 

Squonk (The dark forests of Pennsylvania, where hunters follow by moonlight my silvery trail of tears) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Asia (Audio CD)

This is one of the greatest compilation CD's I've ever come across for any band. I am like a lot of people when it comes to such things; I only know two or three of the songs before I buy the thing, and I only listen to the others about once. This disc is different. I still only knew the first two tracks, but I grew to love the others after hearing them just once! The disc offers good coverage of the Wetton years of Asia, before all the breakups. It includes several songs from each of the early and middle albums, and puts them in order of their debut (Asia, Alpha, Astra, Then & Now). Geffen and 20th Century did an excellent job mastering the audio; it sounds excellent. Asia is never given due credit, but this band pioneered many of the aspects of music we take for granted today. This compilation offers all the songs one would ever need to hear to understand why the last sentence is 100% true. Happy listening.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dummies guide to Asia, July 5, 2006

By 

Micaloneus (the Cosmos) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Asia (Audio CD)

A good introduction to a great band. It's too bad that "Here Comes The Feeling" and "Wildest Dreams" from their debut were not included. The second album "Alpha" is well represented, including the rare b-side Daylight. The third album "Astra" is also well chosen. The disc ends with the one key track from the "Now & Then" disc. So overall, it's a good collection, but my suggestion would be to buy ASIA GOLD instead. Better value for the $.