Customer Reviews

Rare

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If you enjoy newage-style instrumental music in general (eg. Tangerine Dream, Vangelis) and have an appreciation for the higher artistic element of early Asia & ELP art rock...I'm betting that you will like "Rare". This album contains no lyrics and is almost purely instrumental, with one track flowing into the next as you journey through its generous 22 tracks inside of 50 minutes. This is definitely Asia for the new millennium....spiritual, beautiful, hypnotic, aesthetically engaging, and very well done.

Asia is a band that has had a long and tumultuous history. Many great musicians have passed through Asia since 1982, and all have left their mark. Not just Steve Howe, Carl Palmer and John Wetton, but Al Pitrelli, Mandy Meyers, Elliott Randall, Michael Sturgis, Aziz Ibrahim and Pat Thrall to name a few. The band has never stopped evolving and the music they leave behind is never short of amazing. Since 1991 Asia has been led by Geoff Downes and John Payne, and it is this modern era which has proven the most creative if not the most commercially successful. I fear that QUALITY does NOT equal sales, a sad fact but true nonetheless. As for this cd called <Rare>, it is without a doubt Asia's most hauntingly beautiful album to date. It leaves behind the progressive-rock leanings of the band in favour of highly ambient instrumental tracks that strongly feature Geoff's marvelous keyboard talents. John is here as well, but it is mainly Geoff's show, and while <Rare> is totally unlike anything that Asia has ever released before, it is real, true Asia. And that is saying enough. Don't make the mistake of believing the bad reviews!

This may very well be Asia's greatest music. But it isn't pop or even really rock music at all; it's New Age instrumentals. As such, RARE succeeds as tremendously relaxing and engaging background music, especially good for winding down after a hard day at work. Listen to the sound samples so you'll know what to expect. This is a great, but different, cd from Asia.

"Rare" is an outstanding album truth be told, definitely one of the greatest genre experiments that a rock band has ever undertaken. On "Rare" the two members of Asia-keyboardist Geoff Downes and bassist/guitarist (also, on other Asia recordings, vocalist) John Payne- leave the traditions completely behind and create new, brilliant and exciting instrumentals which range from awe-inspiring soundscapes (these are soundtrack recordings) to near-dancehall, touching base with Asia fans while drastically re-interpreting the band's mission. It all works out wonderfully, it is very good music, take my word for it. You feel good after hearing these tracks, and although it doesn't sound like old Asia at all, we can proudly say that "Rare" does sound like contemporary Asia. Which is to say, "Rare" is completely new territory for Asia, as all of the Asia albums from the 1991/ present Downes-Payne lineup have been. And again it succeeds, wildly. While some fans of the original '80's lineup refuse to accept John Payne as a replacement for John Wetton, that is indeed their loss. A very clear, succinct and victorious argument can be made for the superiority of Payne, as Asia has improved by leaps and bounds, and become far more experimental and diversified, since his arrival. And "Rare" is indeed one of those rare albums that just flow, mystically, into your entire attitude. The concepts are obvious; there really are no idealistic pretenses, this cd is very straightforward in it's various styles. The salmon documentary tracks are breathtaking in their beauty and scope of reach; one day these will be highly regarded recordings. The video game tracks are very different, obviously, but still very exciting and up to Asia's ever increasing standards of excellence. Noone can go wrong by purchasing this cd, period. It is that good. But just don't pick this up expecting the prog- rock-jazz of contemporary Asia or the prog-rock-pop of an earlier lineup. "Rare" is an instrumental marvel, much better than any of Rick Wakeman's albums. It's only peers are George Harrison's Indian raga rock soundtrack of "Wonderwall", Steely Dan's soundtrack (half instrumental) to "You Gotta Walk It Like You Talk It" and Peter Green's "End Of The Game". PRIME Asia originality.

I didn't really know what to expect when I bought this album, but it blew me away when I first heard it. Some say that this album shouldn't be marketed under the name Asia since it is all instrumental mood music. I don't know why - Instumental mood music has been a staple of Asia since Aqua in 1992. The tracks run the gamut, from the soft, relaxing background music of "The Whales", to the pulse-pounding rhythms of "The Game" to the fast-paced "theme" music of the closing track. Definitely different for Asia, but also definitely worth it. This is a feast for those who love good keyboard work. I hope that Asia continues to make this type of music, and perhaps another similar release in the future. It's a shame that Asia is no longer filling up stadiums, like they did in 1982 and 1983. Their musical ability is just as strong as it was then, even if their sound has changed somewhat.

It's amusing to see some people complain that Rare "Isn't the real Asia." This truly shows where their ignorance lay. If they truly paid any attention to Asia's debut album, there was a song called "Cutting It Fine", which ended with a 2-minute symphonic/electronic outro played by Downes. So, as you can see, Rare is simply an evolution and extension to the existing Asia framework that was always there since the beginning. Post-1991 Asia was all about being progressive (you know, like prog-rock used to be) and experimental, trying new styles and techniques within the ever-present Asia trademarks of melody, harmony, and symphonic flourishes.

Recorded around 1995-97, this is a hidden side to Asia that not many fans are aware of. Judging from the track names and sounds, only the last two were recorded for the aborted Playstation game (does anyone know what game it was to be for?) "The Game" and "The Exodus" have an almost techno/indusrial flavor to them, with heavy distorted beats and screeching guitars. They wouldn't sound out of place next to a song by Nine Inch Nails.

The rest are softer pieces from the salmon nature documentary (does anyone know where a DVD or VHS is available?), and run the gamut from symphonic and ambient, to soothing and humourous. There's some truly gorgeous work in here, with a lot of keyboard, piano, and smooth wordless vocals from Payne. Occasionally an electric or acoustic guitar will flesh things out and keep things moving. Favorite tracks include the "Journey" pieces, "The Ghosts", "The Indians", and "The Angels." In some ways, the closest-sounding albums I can think of would be Downes' The Light Program (1986), The World Service (2000), or Shadows & Reflections (2003). Oh, and Rare makes a wonderful soundtrack for a road trip or going on a crosstown bike trek.

The ambient and MIDI keyboard patches of Geoff Downes have always been my favorite aspect to the Asia sound, and is a large part of what drew me in as a latecomer fan in 1998-99. Whenever I heard any of their music, it always subconciously reminded me of nostalgic, romantic memories of growing up in the 80's and 90's, playing videogames with my friends, not to mention all of the flowery "lost love" lyrics. Melodrama at its best.

Listen to the samples before you purchase. Rare is not for everybody. You have to have an appreciation for ambient/electronic music, an open mind towards the Asia name, and a willingness to put your trust in something good and beautiful. Don't listen to the bitter reviews by pseudo-fans with no girlfriends who are stuck in 1983. You can't trust anybody with a balding mullet.

The liner notes in the booklet make it VERY clear that this is not an ASIA album in any sense, even stating "Their first non-ASIA project..." when describing Downes and Payne's participation.

The booklet further explains this is music D&P created for a never-produced CD-ROM video game, based on a David Attenborough nature film called "Salmon: Against The Tides", which D&P also composed the music for.

Geoff Downes either owns, or co-owns, the rights to the ASIA name, so he can slap it wherever he wants. Obviously, "ASIA" was going to attract more buyers than a "Downes & Payne"-labeled disc, so it was mis-applied here.

If you're a fan of ambient, instrumental or background music while working you're working, then this CD will probably appeal to you. However, if it's ASIA you're looking for, this will, also probably, not be your cuppa.

With the criteria I mentioned above, it's a semi-interesting disc. However, it isn't ASIA, no matter what iteration of that (multi-personnel-revolving-door) band you've a fan of.

I don't think there's been a better instrumental cd issued this year. I love it. John Payne and Geoff Downes are geniuses. BUY THIS

This CD isn't really rare tracks by Asia - it is music by two members of Asia, John Payne and Geoff Downes, which they wrote for a documentary called "Salmon: Against the Tides." The music is highly recommended: it is beautiful and interesting and sounds at times like Tangerine Dream and Moby. However, the CD really should have been titled "John Payne and Geoff Downes: Salmon: Against the Tides" and not marketed under the Asia name.

I don't know...what to expect from Asia. It doesn't matter to me what they have accomplished as a rock band. Whatever, I am sure they are good at it. Fine. But this album really get's the juices flowing, really gets the music clear. There hasn't been another New Age cd that has meant as much to the followers of the genre, in years. The last time an album as important as "Rare" was issued, Enya had the credit. Whether or not "Rare" is important to Asia fans is completely irrelevant--the music stands for itself. And "Rare" is a very valuable record. Asia can shift gears in a nanosecond, proving what an outstanding band they are. This is a superb listening experience; the surprises will make this highly psychedelic album ring true.