Gravitas (Asia album)

Gravitas
Studio album by
Asia
Released19 March 2014
Recorded2013
StudioLiscombe Park, Buckinghamshire
GenreProgressive rock
Length47:46
LabelFrontiers
Producer
Asia chronology
XXX
(2012) 		Gravitas
(2014)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Gravitas is the thirteenth studio album by British rock group Asia, released in 2014. It is the group's final studio album with vocalist/bassist John Wetton before his death in 2017 and the only one to feature guitarist Sam Coulson.

Gravitas was released on CD, deluxe edition CD/DVD-Video (featuring bonus tracks, the "Valkyrie" music video, the making of the album and three tracks recorded live with a full symphonic orchestra in Plovdiv, Bulgaria) and LP. A music video for "Valkyrie" was shot in January 2014 in Los Angeles.[2]

Production

Asia began to work on the new album in the end of June 2013. As this time they decided not to invite an outside producer, it was produced by Wetton and keyboard player Geoff Downes. The instruments were recorded at Steve Rispin's Liscombe Park Studios, located in Buckinghamshire countryside west of Bedfordshire town Leighton Buzzard, where the group had worked on all their previous studio recordings since the reunion in 2006. The vocals were done at Aubitt Studios in Southampton, Hampshire, by Rob Aubrey. The album was mixed and mastered by John Mitchell at Outhouse Studios in Reading, Berkshire, from October to December 2013. "I Would Die for You" was written by Wetton and Downes in 1986 as opposed to the rest of the songs, which were composed in 2013.

Gravitas was originally announced under the name of Valkyrie,[3] but the title was later changed. The cover artwork was designed by Roger Dean, who had collaborated with Asia since their debut album, released in 1982.

Reception

Matt Collar gave the album a rating of three stars out of five on AllMusic. He noted that "Asia have always moved back and forth between their radio-friendly pop side and more classical-influenced progressive side" and Gravitas "bends more toward the latter, showcasing Downes and Wetton's longstanding partnership as thoughtful songwriters and technically proficient arrangers". "Valkyrie", "Nyctophobia" and "I Would Die for You" were selected as three "Track Picks".[1]

Gravitas was less successful in terms of sales than its predecessor, but still managed to reach the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Geoff Downes and John Wetton

No.TitleLength
1."Valkyrie"5:26
2."Gravitas"
  • (i). "Lento"
  • (ii). "Gravitas"
8:00
3."The Closer I Get to You"6:38
4."Nyctophobia"5:12
5."Russian Dolls"5:06
6."Heaven Help Me Now"
  • (i). "Wings of Angels"
  • (ii). "Prelude"
  • (iii.) "Heaven Help Me Now"
    		• 5:39
    7."I Would Die for You"3:11
    8."Joe DiMaggio's Glove"4:31
    9."Till We Meet Again"4:04
    Total length:47:46
    Japanese standard edition bonus track
    No.TitleLength
    10."Russian Dolls" (acoustic)4:47
    Total length:52:33
    European and North American deluxe edition bonus tracks
    No.TitleLength
    10."The Closer I Get to You" (acoustic)6:41
    11."Joe DiMaggio's Glove" (acoustic)4:34
    Total length:59:01
    Japanese deluxe edition bonus tracks
    No.TitleLength
    10."The Closer I Get to You" (acoustic)6:41
    11."Joe DiMaggio's Glove" (acoustic)4:34
    12."Russian Dolls" (acoustic)4:47
    Total length:63:48

    Personnel

    Asia

    Additional musicians

    • Katinka Kleijn – cello (on "Valkyrie")

    Technical personnel

    • Steve Rispin – engineer
    • Rob Aubrey – engineer (vocals) (at Aubitt Studios, Southampton, Hampshire)
    • John Mitchell – mixing and mastering engineer (at Outhouse Studios, Reading, Berkshire)
    • Devin DeHaven – producer and director ("Valkyrie" music video and the making of Gravitas)
    • Roger Dean – paintings, logotypes
    • Michael Inns – photography
    • John Price – photography

    Charts

    Chart (2014) Peak
    position
    Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[4] 135
    German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[5] 51
    Japanese Albums (Oricon)[6] 42
    Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[7] 24
    UK Albums (OCC)[8] 92
    UK Independent Albums (OCC)[9] 16
    US Billboard 200[10] 159
    US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[11] 45

    Release history

    Region Date Label Format
    Japan 19 March 2014 Ward
    • CD
    • Deluxe edition CD/DVD-V
    Europe 21 March 2014 Frontiers
    • CD
    • Deluxe edition CD/DVD-V
    Soulfood LP
    North America 25 March 2014 Frontiers
    • CD
    • Deluxe edition CD/DVD-V

    References

    1. ^ a b Collar, Matt. Asia: Gravitas > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
    2. ^ "Asia – Gravitas (Special Edition): Album Detail". Frontiers Music Srl. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
    3. ^ "ASIA Announce New Guitarist and 2013 Plans". Original Asia. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
    4. ^ "Ultratop.be – Asia – Gravitas" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
    5. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Asia – Gravitas" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
    6. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2014-03-31" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
    7. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Asia – Gravitas". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
    8. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
    9. ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
    10. ^ "Asia Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
    11. ^ "Asia Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 June 2023.