XXX (Asia album)
| XXX | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Asia | ||||
| Released |
20 June 2012 (see release history) | |||
| Recorded | January–March 2012 | |||
| Studio | Liscombe Park Studios, Buckinghamshire | |||
| Genre | Progressive rock, pop rock | |||
| Length | 49:41 | |||
| Label | Frontiers | |||
| Producer | Mike Paxman | |||
| Asia chronology | ||||
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XXX (pronounced either Triple X[1] or Thirty) is the thirteenth studio album by English rock band Asia, released in 2012. It is the third and final studio album with the reunited original line-up, consisting of Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and John Wetton, due to Howe's departure the following year.
The name features the Roman numeral 'XXX' in commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the release of their debut album. The cover artwork was created by Roger Dean. The flying dragon-fish indicates that 2012 was the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar.[1]
XXX was released on CD, Deluxe Edition CD/DVD (featuring new music videos and behind the scenes footage), and on a limited edition vinyl.[1]
Chart success
XXX debuted at No. 134 in the US on the Billboard 200 chart.[2] It also entered the UK Albums Chart, peaking at No. 69, the highest Asia chart position there since 1985's Astra.[3]
"Face on the Bridge", released digitally on 14 May 2012, was the album's first single.[1] It topped two charts: The Planet Rock UK Airplay Chart and Amazon UK MP3 Progressive Rock Chart.[4] The album itself reached No. 1 in two more charts: Amazon UK's DualDisc Music Category Chart and CD Universe's "Top Future Releases" Chart.[5]
Critical reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [6] |
| Classic Rock Revisited | B[7] |
XXX received favourable reviews from critics.
Jeb Wright of Classic Rock Revisited gave the album a "B" ("buy it"), and claimed that "XXX is worthy of being played right alongside the best the band has to offer." Wright concluded that Asia "have released, thirty years down the road, the best follow-up to the original release of their career."[7] William Clark of Guitar International gave the album a positive review, and called it "an incredible compilation of hard rock, progressive rock, and a few modern influences that come together brilliantly to make this a consistently thrilling Asia music hour."[8]
Track listing
All songs written and composed by John Wetton and Geoff Downes except when noted.
| CD edition | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "Tomorrow the World" | 06:47 |
| 2. | "Bury Me in Willow" | 06:01 |
| 3. | "No Religion" (Steve Howe, Wetton, Downes) | 06:36 |
| 4. | "Faithful" | 05:37 |
| 5. | "I Know How You Feel" | 04:53 |
| 6. | "Face on the Bridge" | 05:59 |
| 7. | "Al Gatto Nero" | 04:36 |
| 8. | "Judas" (Howe, Wetton, Downes) | 04:43 |
| 9. | "Ghost of a Chance" | 04:21 |
Total length: |
49:41 | |
| Deluxe Edition CD | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Tomorrow the World" | 06:47 | |
| 2. | "Bury Me in Willow" | 06:01 | |
| 3. | "No Religion" (Howe, Wetton, Downes) | 06:36 | |
| 4. | "Faithful" | 05:37 | |
| 5. | "I Know How You Feel" | 04:53 | |
| 6. | "Face on the Bridge" | 05:59 | |
| 7. | "Al Gatto Nero" | 04:36 | |
| 8. | "Judas" (Howe, Wetton, Downes) | 04:43 | |
| 9. | "Reno (Silver and Gold)" (bonus track) | 05:15 | |
| 10. | "Ghost of a Chance" | 04:21 | |
| 11. | "I Know How You Feel (Midnight Mix)" (bonus track) | 05:23 | |
Total length: |
60:20 | ||
| Deluxe Edition DVD | ||
|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length |
| 1. | "Face on the Bridge (Music Video)" | 04:33 |
| 2. | "Faithful (Music Video)" | 04:34 |
| 3. | "The Making of XXX (Featurette)" | 20:33 |
Total length: |
29:40 | |
Credits
Asia
|
Production
|
Release history
| Region | Date |
|---|---|
| Japan | 20 June 2012 |
| Mainland Europe | 29 June 2012 |
| UK | 2 July 2012 |
| North America | 3 July 2012 |
Charts
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC)[3] | 69 |
| US Billboard 200[2] | 134 |
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Asia Announces New Album and 30th Anniversary World Tour". www.noblepr.co.uk.
- 1 2 "XXX chart position in the US". Billboard.
- 1 2 "Asia chart positions in the UK". Official Charts Company.
- ↑ "“Face on the Bridge” Hits No. 1". www.originalasia.com.
- ↑ "“XXX” Reaches No. 1 on Two Charts". www.originalasia.com.
- ↑ Collar, Matt. "XXX review". Allmusic.
- 1 2 Wright, Jeb. "XXX review". Classic Rock Revisited.
- ↑ Clark, William. "XXX review". Guitar International.
External links
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