Astra

Astra is the third album on which ASIA moved toward a harder, edgier sound, centered on John Wetton’s soaring singing and Geoff Downes’ layered keyboards. On guitar, Mandy Meyer joined in place of Steve Howe, creating a slightly different push from the previous two albums. Keeping the beauty of the melody, the sound gains a more straightforward rock feel. The strong hook of “Go,” the wistfulness of “Too Late,” and songs like “Wishing” and “Voice of America” show the band’s pop constructive beauty well. Songs like “Rock and Roll Dream,” “Countdown to Zero” and “Suspicion” breathe dramatic development too. Binding a progressive background to a 1980s arena-rock feel, it is a shadow-rich, rewarding record. Though its commercial success did not match the previous two albums, its musical fullness still holds content worthy of reappraisal.