The sweet rise of harmony vocals opens “Valkyrie,” a song that flows into the catchy first tune on Asia’s 2014 studio release Gravitas. We’re down to three-quarters of the original lineup that includes Carl Palmer, Geoff Downes and John Wetton (singing better then ever), with Sam Coulson replacing Steve Howe, who announced his departure from the group in 2013. The album is light, pop rock collection of nine songs.
“Gravitas,” the album’s titled track, begins with a sweetly played keyboard mélange from Downes, starting with synth strings, moving to piano, then the band jumping in. The chorus here is full organ and vocal shot-out-of-a-cannon commercial and the beat solid. Even with Coulson’s thick leading at the end of the tune, there’s not much else happening here.
I like Downes’ slow piano and Wetton’s vocal on the ballad “The Closer I Get” – at least until we get those over-the-top harmonies on those chorus. Train effects and harpsichord-like keys open “Russian Dolls,” a tune showcasing Wetton’s rich lower register with one of the best lyrics on the record, a short bass solo and a clunky chorus. “Heaven Help Me” sees more of that Beach Boys-like vocal layering at its beginning, then we get Downes’ big keyboard bombast and a slow up after muted guitar chord verses, Wetton’s vocal and Palmer’s straight ahead snare. A surely delineated Coulson guitar solo shows the man can certainly pick the right thing to play in the right way.
Things get all high-end and sparkling with keys and acoustic on “Joe DiMaggio’s Glove.” The vocal really lifts this tune even higher then it probably should. “Till We Meet Again” features acoustic guitar with Palmer throw down on his floor toms. Wetton really kicks it out of the park with his vocal here, as Downes lays in heavy on the organ on this sea shanty-like send-up for me, the best tune on Gravitas. On this record, there’s heavy reliance on harmony vocal production in an attempt to give it a commercial edge. Sure, they’ve always been about melding pop with a prog sensibility, and they can write decent songs and still play. But, aside from a couple sparks of energy here and there, there’s little magic to what I’m hearing on Gravitas.
~ Ralph Greco, Jr.
