Customer Reviews

Caught in Crossfire

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

John Wetton is a funny guy. He possesses impeccable progressive rock credentials obtained from membership in both UK and King Crimson. In the early 80's, he soared to world-wide stardom as frontman for the band Asia -- a band that included the equally luminous prog-rockers Steve Howe, Carl Palmer and Geoff Downes. An unlikely rock star, Wetton's overtly commercial pop songs drenched with thick, romantic lyrics stood in stark contrast to his days with Robert Fripp's King Crimson. While the masses bought Asia albums by the millions, die-hard prog-rock fans wondered how a band that consisted of so much talent could actually be so bad. Don't get me wrong. I loved Asia -- and still do to this day. Why? There was a sincerity ("devout honesty" may be a better term) that Wetton unflinchingly emanated. That is to say, when he was singing about a break-up or lost love, you really believed that he experienced it. Through subsequent solo efforts, Wetton has maintained and even augmented this style. "Caught in the Crossfire" is a good example of Wetton beginning to move in this direction. "Turn on the Radio" is an airwave friendly pop tune that kicks off the disc. However, "Cold is the Night Without You" is a real harbinger of future work: soaring vocals, themes of loss and loneliness, etc. Very powerful stuff, to say the least. By the time the first Asia album was released, this solo album was already out of print. At the time, I searched many used record shops in several cities before I finally found the original vinyl recording. In recent years, I had occassion to witness Wetton perform live acousticly. His inclusion of one of the songs off this disc melded well with the Asia and post-Asia material performed that night. For Wetton fans, this disc is valuable part of his lexicon.

This is a great album. I see this as being one step away from what Asia became. John writes some great songs and his voice is right on the mark.

I really enjoyed Asia music for years. Wetton has a gifted voice. The music was definitely retro, but after playing it a few timers, I liked it. I'm not jumping up and down about it, but I liked it.

Originally released by E'G/Polydor Records, reissued in the U.S. by Passport/Jem/Caroline and elsewhere by Virgin. Had three other covers. I had heard half the album already on the 1987 compilation "King's Road 1973-80", and a live version of "Woman" on "Arkangel". I have the Australian LP, but most CD reissues have bonus tracks, and I went to a legal site for the mp3s. You know how it is. The album at first got little notice. A year or two later, Asia came to pass. The rest is history. It wouldn't be until after leaving Asia for good in the early '90s that John Wetton would the full-fledged solo career that once again takes a back seat to Asia.

Originally released by E'G/Polydor Records, reissued in the U.S. by Passport/Jem/Caroline and elsewhere by Virgin. Had three other covers. I had heard half the album already on the 1987 compilation "King's Road 1973-80", and a live version of "Woman" on "Arkangel". I have the Australian LP, but most CD reissues have bonus tracks, and I went to a legal site for the mp3s. You know how it is. The album at first got little notice. A year or two later, Asia came to pass. The rest is history. It wouldn't be until after leaving Asia in the early '90s that John Wetton would the full-fledged solo career that once again takes a back seat to Asia.

Originally released by E'G/Polydor Records, reissued in the U.S. by Passport/Jem/Caroline and elsewhere by Virgin. Had three other covers. I had heard half the album already on the 1987 compilation "King's Road 1973-80", and a live version of "Woman" on "Arkangel". I have the Australian LP, but another CD reissue has bonus tracks. You know how it is. The album at first got little notice. A year or two later, Asia came to pass. The rest is history. It wouldn't be until after leaving Asia in the early '90s that John Wetton would the full-fledged solo career that once again takes a back seat to Asia.

This 1980 album was John Wetton's very first solo album and it displays a transitional phase for the ex-king Crimson/U.K. bassist/singer/writer. It sits comfortable, in both timeline and in style, between his short-lived late 70's Roxy Music-meets-ELP fusion-rock band U.K., and the huge success of progressive power-pop combo Asia a year or so later. These are mostly songs of love, relationships, and hurt, and John puts his heart into his singing here, setting the stage for later work like 'Battle Lines'. 'Baby Come back', 'Turn On The Radio' and 'Paper Talk' are dead ringers for Asia, while the title track features Roxy's Phil Manzanera. 'Woman' was actually written for King Crimson in 1974 I beleive, but the band folded before anything was made of it.
Best moments include 'Get What You Want' which features lyrics by Pete Sinfield, 'I'll Be There'(catchy!), and one of the most excellent and emotional songs Wetton has ever written, 'Cold Is The Night'. Cold Is The Night is actually worth the price of the cd alone, powerful vocals, great song overall. You can't go wrong with John Wetton's first solo album, good songs, a somewhat Asia/U.K. hybrid which was a good turning point in his career which up untill this point had consisted of band contributions and session work. The remastered version of Caught In The Crossfire also has two bonus tracks, but they don't sound like they were from these sessiions but rather more like circa 1994-1997. They don't belong here, but they are extra Wetton songs which only add to the overall value of this disc.

Originally released by E'G/Polydor Records, reissued in the U.S. by Passport/Jem/Caroline and elsewhere by Virgin. Had three other covers. I had heard half the album already on the 1987 compilation "King's Road 1973-80", and a live version of "Woman" on "Arkangel". I have the Australian LP, but most CD reissues have bonus tracks, and I went to a legal site for the mp3s. You know how it is. The album at first got little notice. A year or two later, Asia came to pass. The rest is history. It wouldn't be until after leaving Asia for good in the early '90s that John Wetton would have the full-fledged solo career that once again takes a back seat to Asia.

Originally released by E'G/Polydor Records, reissued in the U.S. by Passport/Jem/Caroline and elsewhere by Virgin. Had three other covers. I had heard half the album already on the 1987 compilation "King's Road 1973-80", and a live version of "Woman" on "Arkangel". I have the Australian LP, but most CD reissues have bonus tracks, and I went to a legal site for the mp3s. You know how it is. The album at first got little notice. A year or two later, Asia came to pass. The rest is history. It wouldn't be until after leaving Asia for good in the early '90s that John Wetton would have the full-fledged solo career that once again takes a back seat to Asia.

Originally released by E'G/Polydor Records, reissued in the U.S. by Passport/Jem/Caroline and elsewhere by Virgin. Had three other covers. I had heard half the album already on the 1987 compilation "King's Road 1973-80", and a live version of "Woman" on "Arkangel". I have the Australian LP, but most CD reissues have bonus tracks, and I went to a legal site for the mp3s. You know how it is. The album at first got little notice. A year or two later, Asia came to pass. The rest is history. It wouldn't be until after leaving Asia in the early '90s that John Wetton would the full-fledged solo career that once again takes a back seat to Asia.