Asia's "Heat Of The Moment" vs. Asia's "Only Time Will Tell"

"...the brightest ring around the room, YOU TALK OF WHEN I DIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!"

"And now you find yourself in ay-tee-too"

Put me down for "Heat."

Heat it is.

[Although 'N Sync did cover "Sailing" at the end of their final CD].

AOR is still alive and kicking. But while 70s AOR had a lot of prog in it, and 80s AOR had a lot of metal in it, today's AOR has a lot of "alternative" rock in it. Think Dave Matthews Band, Third Eye Blind, Matchbox 20, Counting Crows, Hootie & The Blowfish...

> :On Sat, 13 Mar 1999, Michael Daddino wrote:

> Cultural Artifact of the Moment: Asia, "Heat of the Moment" (From a
> poorly done MP3. I wish the rhythm section wasn't so damned leaden, > but this is great pomp, especially with those shameless Spectory > > drum beats.)

The leaden qualities of Asia's rhythm section is actually a perverse
pleasure of mine. Anyways, their other hits were better. :)
While I'm at it, a personal observation: it kind of amuses me when people get absolutely indignant and shit on Asia at every available opportunity yet love The Beatles, since when you get to the core of Asia's best songs (and, admittedly, they did put out a lot of crap as well, even in their heyday), they are clearly modelled on post-A HARD DAY'S NIGHT era McCartney.

Go put on "Don't Cry," "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes," "Midnight Sun," or "One Step Closer," close your eyes, and picture Sir Paul singing this stuff back in 1965 and I guarantee you'll realize it's hardly a stretch.

Which is scarier, that I would write that in the first place, or that four years later (while admittedly way over-the-top in delivery) I still feel more or less the same way? Still love "Don't Cry" and "Midnight Sun", BTW; great tunes.

To answer the question, I'd cast my vote for "Only Time Will Tell"--sublime. That fade-out with "you were just using me/and there is no one you can use now...". oh yeah.

Fuck, really? I've been wrong all these damn years?

As for the topic at hand (ok, a year too late), "Only Time Will Tell" lords its nutsack-kicking trumpet synth line over "Heat of the Moment". Did anyone else think at the time that this song with the line "And now you find yourself in '82" was actually released in late '81?

But let us not forget the drama of OTWT's chorus:

NOW!
As sure as the sun will cross the sky,
This lie is over

LOST!
Like the tears that used to tide
Me over!!! (over, Over, OH-ho-ver!)

Did anyone notice, btw, what an utterly horrible guitarist Asia turned Steve Howe into? It's almost like he was replaced by a studio musician...

Also, big props to the melodrama of "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes" from the second record -- I think Wetton actually lisps in it...

This one remains my favorite Asia thread: How Much Money Would It Take For You To Listen To All These Asia Albums?

Two OK songs, but pseudo-Spector/"Be My Baby" drum intros >>>>>>>>> ghastly pseudo-proto-"The Final Countdown" synth-fanfare intros, so "Heat Of The Moment" takes it. I do prefer the "Only Time Will Tell" chorus. And "Don't Cry" beats' em both.

Incidentally, regarding that Asia debut:

1. Heat of the Moment 3:54
2. Only Time Will Tell 4:48
3. Sole Survivor 4:52
4. One Step Closer 4:18
5. Time Again 4:47
6. Wildest Dreams 5:11
7. Without You 5:07
8. Cutting It Fine 5:40
9. Here Comes the Feeling

Has ANY album ever featured as many utter clichés as song titles?

Oh man. That question should belong in its own awesome thread.

Indeed it does. And when somebody makes it, this will be tough to top:

Bryan Adams: Into The Fire

1. Heat of the Night
2. Into the Fire
3. Victim of Love
4. Another Day
5. Native Son
6. Only the Strong Survive
7. Rebel
8. Rememberance Day
9. Hearts on Fire
10. Home Again

1 Let It Rock
2 You Give Love a Bad Name
3 Livin' on a Prayer
4 Social Disease
5 Wanted Dead or Alive
6 Raise Your Hands
7 Without Love
8 I'd Die for You
9 Never Say Goodbye
10 Wild in the Streets

Anyway.

Re: Howe: from the interviews published at the time, I recall the idea was to de-emphasize the members' individual skills and go for a radio-friendly, mass-appeal sound. That said, Howe did do a brief solo acoustic spot at the show I saw.

Pomp-rock fans are directed post-haste to 'Lay Down Your Guns' and 'Who Will Stop the Rain' from the John Payne-era _Aqua_ (or was it _Aria_??)

Well, mission accomplished!

BTW, I'll never forget when MTV was airing a concert special on these guys (playing in Asia, I believe). And when I saw their new frontman, I was like, "Who's that fat tub of shit?"

Only later did I learn that fat tub of shit? None other than Greg Lake.

All their "Live In..." album covers remind me of Mystery Science Theater 3000. They also misspelled "Massachusetts" on their latest...

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drg300/g362/g36252gux2w.jpg

Yeah, I think that MTV show might have been the only gig Lake played with Asia. Wetton was back for the third LP _Astra_ (the one with the guitarist from Krokus (!!!)) but was gone again soon afterwards.

christ, get some Europe or America into this thread ASAP

teh video for Heat of the Moment is annoying and bad

Did you find yourself in '82 while watching it?

I said it before on ilm but Carl Palmer's drumming speeds up considerably into the choruses of Heat of the Moment, really annoys me. Enrages me in fact, he's such a bad drummer.

Oh that disco hotspot Ned....