XXX (Asia album)

{{Infobox album

| name = XXX

| type = studio

| artist = Asia

| cover = Asia_-_XXX_(2012)_front_cover.jpg

| border = yes

| released = 20 June 2012

| recorded = January–March 2012

| studio = Liscombe Park, Buckinghamshire

| genre =

| length = {{Duration|m=49|s=39}}

| label = Frontiers

| producer = Mike Paxman

| prev_title = Omega

| prev_year = 2010

| next_title = Gravitas

| next_year = 2014

| misc = {{Singles

| name = XXX

| type = studio

| single1 = Face on the Bridge

| single1date = 14 May 2012 (digital release)

}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{AllMusic |class=album |id=xxx-mw0002473443 |label=Asia: XXX > Review |first=Matt |last=Collar |access-date=28 April 2018}}

}}

XXX (pronounced "triple x") is the twelfth studio album by British rock band Asia, released in 2012. It is the fifth and final studio album with the original line-up due to guitarist Steve Howe's departure the following year and vocalist/bassist John Wetton's death in 2017.

XXX was released on CD, special edition CD/DVD-Video (featuring bonus tracks, new music videos and the making of the album) and LP. To promote the album, "Face on the Bridge" was made available as a digital download single and a music video on 14 May 2012.{{cite web |url=http://originalasia.com/asia-announce-new-album-and-30th-anniversary-world-tour/ |title=Asia Announces New Album and 30th Anniversary World Tour |website=Original Asia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622060257/http://originalasia.com/asia-announce-new-album-and-30th-anniversary-world-tour/ |archive-date=22 June 2012 |access-date=28 April 2018}}

Production

The recording sessions took place from January to March 2012 at Liscombe Park Studios, located in Buckinghamshire countryside west of Bedfordshire town Leighton Buzzard, where Asia had worked on their two previous albums. XXX was produced by Mike Paxman and engineered by Steve Rispin. The cover artwork was designed by Roger Dean, who had collaborated with Asia since their first album, released in 1982, and with Yes, which Howe and keyboard player Geoff Downes had previously been members of. Dean updated the symbolic flying dragon and orb to 2012, which is the Year of the Water Dragon in the Chinese calendar. The title of the album features the Roman numeral XXX in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the debut album.

Reception

XXX has received favorable reception from music critics and fans, with many hailing it as the group's best release since the 1980s.{{cite web |url=https://originalasia.com/about/ |title=About |last=Pilato |first=Bruce |last2=Gallant |first2=Dave |date=August 2012 |website=Original Asia |access-date=28 April 2018}} Matt Collar gave the album a rating of four-and-a-half stars out of five on AllMusic. "Bury Me in Willow", "No Religion" and "Face on the Bridge" were selected as three "Track Picks".

The album debuted at number 69 on the UK charts, peaking at the highest spot since Astra (1985). It reached number 33 in Germany and number 36 in Japan.

Track listing

{{Track listing

| total_length = 49:39

| all_writing = John Wetton and Geoff Downes, except "No Religion" and "Judas" written by Steve Howe, Wetton and Downes

| title1 = Tomorrow the World

| length1 = 6:47

| title2 = Bury Me in Willow

| length2 = 6:01

| title3 = No Religion

| length3 = 6:36

| title4 = Faithful

| length4 = 5:38

| title5 = I Know How You Feel

| length5 = 4:54

| title6 = Face on the Bridge

| length6 = 6:00

| title7 = Al Gatto Nero

| length7 = 4:37

| title8 = Judas

| length8 = 4:44

| title9 = Ghost of a Chance

| length9 = 4:22

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Special Edition CD

| total_length = 65:13

| title1 = Tomorrow the World

| length1 = 6:47

| title2 = Bury Me in Willow

| length2 = 6:01

| title3 = No Religion

| length3 = 6:36

| title4 = Faithful

| length4 = 5:38

| title5 = I Know How You Feel

| length5 = 4:54

| title6 = Face on the Bridge

| length6 = 6:00

| title7 = Al Gatto Nero

| length7 = 4:37

| title8 = Judas

| length8 = 4:44

| title9 = Reno (Silver and Gold)

| note9 = bonus track

| length9 = 5:16

| title10 = Ghost of a Chance

| length10 = 4:22

| title11 = I Know How You Feel (Midnight Mix)

| note11 = bonus track

| length11 = 5:24

| title12 = Faithful (Orchestral Version)

| note12 = Japan bonus track

| length12 = 4:55

}}

Personnel

=Asia=

John Wetton – vocals, bass guitar
Steve Howe – electric, acoustic and steel guitars, backing vocals
Geoff Downes – keyboards, backing vocals
Carl Palmer – drums, percussion

=Technical personnel=

Mike Paxman – producer
Steve Rispin – engineer
Mark "Tufty" Evans – mixing engineer (at Wispington Studios, Cookham, Berkshire)
Secondwave − mastering
Roger Dean – illustration, logotype

Charts

Chart (2012) ! Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
{{Album chart\|Wallonia\|134\|artist=Asia\|album=XXX\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|Germany4\|33\|id=200069\|artist=Asia\|album=XXX\|rowheader=true\|refname=German albums\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|Italy\|83\|artist=Asia\|album=XXX\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|Oricon\|36\|artist=Asia\|album=XXX\|date=2012-07-02\|refname=Japanese albums\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|Scotland\|86\|date=20120708\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|Sweden\|39\|artist=Asia\|album=XXX\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|Switzerland\|43\|artist=Asia\|album=XXX\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|UK2\|69\|date20120708=\|rowheader=true\|refname=UK albums\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|UKIndependent\|8\|date=20120708\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|Billboard200\|134\|artist=Asia\|refname=Billboard 200\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|BillboardRock\|45\|artist=Asia\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|BillboardIndependent\|21\|artist=Asia\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}
{{Album chart\|BillboardTastemaker\|9\|artist=Asia\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=28 June 2023}}

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format
class="wikitable"
Japan	20 June 2012	Avalon	{{flatlist\| CD Special edition CD/DVD-V }}
Mainland Europe	29 June 2012	rowspan="2" \| Frontiers	rowspan="2" \| {{flatlist\| CD Special edition CD/DVD-V LP }}
United Kingdom	2 July 2012
North America	3 July 2012	Scarecrow	Special edition CD/DVD-V

References

{{Asia (band)

| state = collapsed

}}

Category:Asia (band) albums

Category:2012 albums

Category:Frontiers Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Mike Paxman

Category:Albums with cover art by Roger Dean (artist)