Then & Now (Asia album)
Then & Now is a compilation album by British rock band Asia, released on 14 August 1990 by Geffen Records. It consists of two parts titled as Then and Now. Then comprises songs from the band's first two albums, Asia and Alpha, which featured the band's original line-up of Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer, and John Wetton. Now comprises songs recorded by the band after Howe's departure (including "Voice of America" from the band's third album, Astra).
Then & Now | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | 14 August 1990 | |||
Recorded | 1981–1985 (tracks 1–5 and 10), 1989–1990 (tracks 6–9) | |||
Genre | Progressive rock | |||
Length | 42:29 | |||
Label | Geffen | |||
Producer |
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Asia chronology | ||||
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Singles from Then & Now | ||||
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Reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Entertainment Weekly | C[2] |
Then & Now has received negative reception from music critics. Greg Sandow in his review for Entertainment Weekly gave the album a rating of C. He wrote that the old hits such as "Heat of the Moment" and "Don't Cry" "are empty symphonic rock, full of strings and predictable melodic hooks", while the new songs "aren’t as lush", "hit the beat a little harder, but in essence [they’re] just as bland".[2] Tom Demalon has given the compilation a retrospective rating of one-and-a-half stars out of five on AllMusic. He has noted that Asia were not able to repeat their early success with the new material, which has been described as "flaccid musically and insipid lyrically". "Days Like These", written by Steve Jones (the past leader for The Unforgiven), has been singled out as an exception, "which nearly matches the band's strong debut material".[1]
The album only peaked at number 114 on the Billboard 200[3] and did not reach UK Albums Chart at all. However, it sold steadily over years and was certified gold on 23 July 1998 for over half a million copies shipped in the United States, where remains the group's third best selling album, trailing Asia and Alpha.[4] To promote Then & Now, "Days Like These" was released as a single. The song gained substantial airplay during the summer of 1990 and was a number two hit on the Mainstream Rock chart.[5] Despite this, the single stumbled at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100[6] and has been the last to date chart entry for Asia in the United States.
Track listing
All tracks are written by John Wetton and Geoff Downes, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Only Time Will Tell" | 4:46 | |
2. | "Heat of the Moment" | 3:52 | |
3. | "Wildest Dreams" | 5:10 | |
4. | "Don't Cry" | 3:40 | |
5. | "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes" | Wetton | 3:14 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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6. | "Days Like These" | Steve Jones | 4:05 |
7. | "Prayin' 4 a Miracle" | Wetton, Sue Shifrin, David Cassidy | 4:22 |
8. | "Am I in Love?" | 4:24 | |
9. | "Summer (Can't Last Too Long)" | 4:16 | |
10. | "Voice of America" | 4:18 | |
Total length: | 42:29 |
Personnel
Asia
- John Wetton – lead vocals, backing vocals, bass; producer (tracks 7, 9)
- Geoff Downes – keyboards; producer (tracks 9, 10)
- Carl Palmer – drums, percussion
- Steve Howe – guitar (tracks 1–5)
- Mandy Meyer – guitar (tracks 8, 10)
Guest musicians
- Steve Lukather – guitar (track 6)
- Ron Komie – guitar (track 7)
- Scott Gorham – guitar (track 9)
Technical personnel
- Mike Stone – producer (tracks 1–5, 8, 10), engineer (tracks 1–5, 8), mixing engineer (tracks 9, 10)
- Paul Northfield – engineer (tracks 4, 5)
- Frank Wolf – producer and engineer (track 6), mixing engineer (track 7), additional engineer (track 9)
- Sue Shifrin – producer (track 7)
- David Cassidy – producer (track 7)
- Guy Roche – producer (track 7)
- Greg Ladanyi – mixing engineer (track 10)
- Alan Douglas – mixing engineer (track 10)
- Dan Hersch – mastering engineer (at DigiPrep, Los Angeles)
- Gabrielle Raumberger – art direction
- Janet Wolsborn – design
- Caroline Greyshock – photography
- Jean-Francois Podevin – illustration
- Roger Dean – images from previous albums
Charts
Chart (1990) | Peak position |
---|---|
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7] | 82 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[8] | 39 |
US Billboard 200[3] | 114 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United States (RIAA)[4] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^shipments figures based on certification alone |
References
- Demalon, Tom. Asia: Then & Now > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- Sandow, Greg (17 August 1990). "Then & Now". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- "Asia Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- "American album certifications – Asia – Then and Now". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.
- "Asia Chart History (Billboard Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
- "Asia Chart History (Billboard Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
- "Top RPM Albums: Issue 1347". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- "Swisscharts.com – Asia – Then & Now". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 May 2018.