Asia "Alpha" (1983), Side A: Don't Cry, The Smile Has Left Your Eyes

Asia's 1983 album "Alpha", Side A: "Don't Cry", "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes", "Never in a Million Years", "My Own Time (I'll Do What I Want)" and "The Heat Goes On". With JW away, Dan and Raf get into how Raf discovered Asia, prog's turn to pop, and a production debate over a crowded mix and a buried Steve Howe, plus the album as the soundtrack to an eighth-grade breakup in the Walden Galleria food court. LISTEN TO THE ALBUM: - Asia “Alpha” CHAPTERS: - 0:00: All Things Considered - 0:21: Two Old Friends Take a Second Listen - 1:24: The Asia Trilogy & a One Direction Advocate - 3:45: Housekeeping & Schedule Switch - 8:50: Underrated vs. Overlooked: A Subreddit Rebuttal - 18:19: How Raf Discovered Asia - 22:40: When Prog Went Pop - 29:40: The Basics - 30:48: Asia, Le Studio & Pop-Prog Dynamics - 38:57: Production, Wall of Sound & Geffen Pressure - 44:32: Overall Impressions & Lyrics - 48:46: The Walden Galleria Food Court - 50:46: Side A, Track 1: Don't Cry - 56:31: Side A, Track 2: The Smile Has Left Your Eyes - 1:04:20: Side A, Track 3: Never in a Million Years - 1:10:27: Side A, Track 4: My Own Time (I'll Do What I Want) - 1:18:29: Side A, Track 5: The Heat Goes On - 1:22:37: Until Side B, the Heat Goes On BACKTRACKING SOCIALS: - Twitter: @backtrackingrox - YouTube: @backtrackingrox - Instagram: @backtrackingrox - Reddit: u/backtrackingrox BAND LINKS: - Asia Official Website | Facebook | X (Twitter) Welcome to Backtracking – the podcast where three old friends take a second listen to influential bands' albums, track by track. For our third season, we've each selected five albums that we think deserve a good old Backtracking. Don't cry, it's only an email: [email protected]