ASIA – Alpha +2 [SHM-SACD Limited Release remastered] Out Of Print

When released some years ago we featured here the Universal Japan reissue of the 3 first albums by ASIA on an awesomely sounding Platinum SHM-CD. The band’s third offering “Astra” was requested again, but now we got the rare SHM-SACD (SuperAudio CD) a limited edition now out of print.
If you ask me, SHM-SACD is equally good to the regular SHM-CD, yet I hear a slightly clearer bass, especially the wonderful harmonics.

In my musical book, “Alpha” is a definite classic, brimmed with terrific Melodic Rock songs and beautiful AOR melodies.
Highlights are the classics “Don’t Cry”, “The Smile Has Left Your Eyes”, “Open Your Eyes”, and “The Heat Goes On” accompanied by lesser known but still great cuts like “Never In A Million Years”, “My Own Time”, and “Eye To Eye”.

The musicianship is terrific. It is not just the fact that you have one of the best musicians around, gathered in a super-group (John Wetton / King Crimson, Steve Howe / Yes, Geoffrey Downes / Buggles, Yes and Carl Palmer / ELP) but that the album is also superbly produced by talented Mike Stone and as it was done in 1983, it sounds ahead of it’s time even today.

Soaring vocals from one of the best voices in the business (Mr. Wetton), fantastic guitars from Howe, keyboard magic from Downes and some of the best drumming in the world in Palmer’s hands.

This sound from this Japanese Limited Edition SHM-SACD is simply incredible, and the release worth every buck spend. Packed into a box and in cardboard sleeve nini-LP, each disc is done with direct HR cutting, uses DSD master in 2014 based on US original analog tape, and includes an OBI replicating the original first pressing edition of the Japanese 12” LP for the first time.

It also comes with two bonus tracks, the single b-sides “Daylight” (originally only appeared on the cassette tape version of the album as bonus) and “Lying To Yourself”.
‘Nuff said ; A Must Have

You’ve seen it first here, at 0dayrox

Universal Japan ～ UIGY-9551   ／  Ｈ Ｒ ｃｕｔ
【ＬＩＭＩＴＥＤ  ＥＤＩＴＩＯＮ  ＳＨＭ－ＳＡＣＤ】

01. Don’t Cry
02. The Smile Has Left Your Eyes
03. Never In A Million Years
04. My Own Time (I’ll Do What I Want)
05. The Heat Goes On
06. Eye To Eye
07. The Last To Know
08. True Colors
09. Midnight Sun
10. Open Your Eyes
BONUS TRACKS:
11. Daylight
12. Lying To Yourself

John Wetton – vocals, bass
Geoff Downes – keyboards
Steve Howe – guitars
Carl Palmer – drums, percussion

Out Of Print
www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/UIGY-9551
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