This is an odd release for Asia.  After the departure of Steve Howe and the lackluster reception of Astra, the band broke up without a lot of fanfare.  Fast forward to 1990, and Geffen Records releases this pseudo greatest hits package that contains 40 percent new material.  As a way to expose the fanbase to the newer version of the band, they broke out this material in the hopes that it would bring back some of that commercial magic the band had less than a decade earlier.  For fans of the band, this record deserves some attention due to the newer tunes, a couple of which really hit the mark.  For someone who is not familiar with the group, this is a good intro to the early stages of the band. 

This song just sounds like 1982.  It starts off with an infectious keyboard intro that builds into a little bit of a rocker with a little (albeit, very little) prog.  There are sections where the band also add some bombast to give the track that bit of heft and drama.

The first single off the debut gives Howe a moment to shine.  His riff ushers in this catchy little commercial hit.  Back in the day, you could not escape this tune on the radio.  Similar to the previous piece, this is a well-crafted song that brings together the pop sensibilities from the early 80s (which was new at the time) along with some of the prog rock musicianship that was fading out of fashion at that time.

Still sticking with the debut, this is the Asia that I enjoyed more.  Although it still has a slick commercial sound, it is less obvious as the band focuses more on their prog rock roots. 

Asia returned with their second album, and they basically gave us a more polished effort without much of the prog rock elements that were peppered in the debut.  Although not as strong as the first effort, there were some shining moments with “Don’t Cry” being one of them.  This stomping pop rocker brings together a catchy chorus, soaring vocals and pounding drums to create a sure-fire hit.  While prog rock is so far removed from this tune, it is still a worthwhile listen.

I think John Wetton was the driving force for the mellower ballads, and it does not get any more syrupy that this tune.  Although this was a bit of a hit, this is where the band seems to give up all their influences and chase the hit single dollars.

This is the first newer track on offer here and it is a slick AOR guitar-based piece that still contains plenty of those Downes’ keyboard flourishes on the chorus.  Steve Lukather adds his guitar talents to make this song a cross between Asia and Toto, giving the band an additional tone, stripping a bit of the gloss and giving it a bit more rock.

Bands need to stop using numbers for words in the title of songs.  That being said, this is the standout on the disc.  It helps that, although keyboards start the song, this is very much a heavier guitar oriented tune.  It contains all the hallmark aspects of “classic” Asia (catchy chorus, great vocal harmonies, etcetera) but with a heavier bent.  Quite honestly, this track sounds like something that the band Giant would put out.  I would get this CD for this song alone.

Just when I thought the newer version of the band was going to rock out more, they produce another sappy ballad that doesn’t go anywhere.  It is such a shame that great artists like the ones crafting this music abandon their talents to write songs for weddings.  It’s a hard pass on this one for me.

When presented with the last of these new tracks, this one sounds the most like material from the first two records.  It has that keyboard heavy sound along with that catchy chorus but is missing the heavier elements of the “newer” version of the band.  And just like their earlier material, this one really drives home the chorus, making it the perfect song for radio.