One Track Mind: Asia, “Valkyrie” from Gravitas (2014)

Once the proposed title for the first album from this new iteration of Asia, “Valkyrie” finds John Wetton fashioning an epic tale of struggle and of redemption — something that couldn’t be further away from the compact pop of signature hits like “Heat of the Moment.”

That’s not all that’s new, of course. Guitarist Sam Coulson has replaced founder Steve Howe since 2012’s XXX, though for much of “Valkyrie” he is largely a bit player. This advance song feels more like a showcase for the continued development of Asia’s principal songwriter partnership between Wetton and keyboardist Geoff Downes, rather than a debut platform for Coulson.

As such, it remains to be seen whether the rest of the forthcoming Gravitas, due March 25, 2014 from Frontiers Records, will give us more meaningful insight into what Coulson’s arrival means for this long-running group.

That’s not to say, however, that his presence isn’t felt here. When Wetton, who simply soars over surging strings, gives pauses in this evocative narrative, it’s Coulson who steps boldly forward. The youngster isn’t given much space to work, but nevertheless, unleashes a compact and angular solo, playing with far more fizzy aggression than we’ve heard from Asia in the Howe years. It’s an intriguing start.

[amazon_enhanced asin=”B00HZOBD3M” container=”” container_class=”” price=”All” background_color=”FFFFFF” link_color=”000000″ text_color=”0000FF” /] [amazon_enhanced asin=”B008CWD17M” container=”” container_class=”” price=”All” background_color=”FFFFFF” link_color=”000000″ text_color=”0000FF” /] [amazon_enhanced asin=”B000000OMB” container=”” container_class=”” price=”All” background_color=”FFFFFF” link_color=”000000″ text_color=”0000FF” /] [amazon_enhanced asin=”B00HZOBBM0″ container=”” container_class=”” price=”All” background_color=”FFFFFF” link_color=”000000″ text_color=”0000FF” /] [amazon_enhanced asin=”B009GJCFL8″ container=”” container_class=”” price=”All” background_color=”FFFFFF” link_color=”000000″ text_color=”0000FF” /]

• Author
• Recent Posts

Nick DeRiso

Nick DeRiso has written for USA Today, American Songwriter, All About Jazz, and a host of others. Honored as columnist of the year five times by the Associated Press, Louisiana Press Association and Louisiana Sports Writers Association, he oversaw a daily section named Top 10 in the U.S. by the AP before co-founding Something Else! Nick is now assistant managing editor with Townsqaure Media. Listen to NICKRADIO here: bit.ly/NICKRADIO.

Latest posts by Nick DeRiso (see all)

• The Band’s ‘Christmas Must Be Tonight’ Remains an Unjustly Overlooked Holiday Classic - December 25, 2016
• Nick DeRiso’s Best of 2015 (Rock + Pop): Death Cab for Cutie, Joe Jackson, Toto + Others - January 18, 2016
• Nick DeRiso’s Best of 2015 (Blues, Jazz + R&B): Boz Scaggs, Gavin Harrison, Alabama Shakes - January 10, 2016

You May Also Like:

John Wetton’s complex relationship with a signature Asia tune: ‘American guys went: Yes!’ John Wetton, Geoff Downes say success nearly killed Asia: ‘The pressure got to some of us’ John Wetton + Robert Fripp, “Raised in Captivity” from Studio Recordings Anthology (2015)