Never before released recordings of Geoff Downes and John Payne's score to the movie 'Salmon- Against The Tides', along with a project recorded for a CD Rom video game. 1999 release. Resurgence Records.
Never before released recordings of Geoff Downes and John Payne's score to the movie 'Salmon- Against The Tides', along with a project recorded for a CD Rom video game. 1999 release. Resurgence Records.
CD Reviews
A Good Place To Soak Your Mind For A While...
HJW | 10/29/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"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."
True Asia
Paul | USA | 12/26/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"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 , 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 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!"
Unusual, but exceptional, Asia
Paul | USA | 11/25/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"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."
Asia at their most ecletic
Burritoman "USA" | Pennsylvania | 08/13/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
""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."
Track Listings (22) - Disc #1