Window to the Soul Reviews

• ASIA BUT NOT ASIA...

  
  By A33EDAMGVS18GY on 2006-09-26
  I am so pleased to be one of the first here to review GPS.
  
  I've been a HUGE fan of all the John Payne era ASIA music. (Never really a fan of the Wetton era ASIA music.) Imagine my surprise and disgust when it appeared on the Asia website several months ago that ARCHITECT OF TIME had been shelved. Seemed the original Asia had been reformed. Maybe that's good for so many Asia fans, but it was not good for me. I feel in love with John Payne's voice on AQUA and have been in love with it ever since. Mr. Payne's singing is dynamic, fresh, powerful.
  
  Ever since word surfaced about the forming of GPS, I've been on pins and needles to get their debut CD. But in a way it's not really a debut, is it, as these musical geniuses have been around a long time and involved with Asia. GPS has been the only CD in my CD player for over a week now and I'm sure it will remain in there for some time to come. Simply put... it's brilliant. It's amazing. In my opinion, it's bound to be bigger than Asia!
  
  WINDOW TO THE SOUL: From the beginning of the song (with John Payne's altered voice slowly evolving into his real voice) this is a powerful song. Very emotional.
  
  NEW JERUSALEM: This is one of the best songs on the CD. The message is powerful, emotional, and so fitting for the world today. WE CAN MAKE THIS KINGDOM COME NOT BY SWORD, NOT BY GUN. Could easily have been an Asia song. 8 minutes long, this is a true power ballad.
  
  HEAVEN CAN WAIT: Another excellent song on the CD for sure. So Asia-like. It reminds of TIME TO GO HOME from Aura. John Payne and crew are music writing geniuses.
  
  WRITTEN ON THE WIND: From the opening chords, this one gives you chills. Over six minutes long, the lyrics and the music are powerful. Probably the best song on the CD by far.
  
  I BELIEVE IN YESTERDAY: Doesn't sound Asia-ish to me at all. Probably a GPS original. Fantastic.
  
  THE OBJECTOR: If there is a song on the album I like the least, this is it. But hey, there has to a favorite song and a least favorite song on every CD, right? Still enjoyable, though, possibly Asia-ish.
  
  ALL MY LIFE: What can I say about this beauty other than the musical portions are touching and John's voice is amazing?
  
  GOLD: I would guess this is a song that evolved from ARCHITECTS OF TIME. Very powerful, excellent lyrics, excellent harmony.
  
  SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE: Definitely one that reminds me of John Payne era Asia songs. This song helps take away the sting that Payne and Downes are no longer creating genius music together.
  
  TAKEN DREAMS: An excellent ending to the this CD. Another power ballad, definitely not Asia.
  
  As a fan, I can't help but to compare these songs to Asia. After all, Johne Payne and Asia created 5 gorgeous albums together. But John Payne IS Asia, so of course his follow-up band will be compared. But GPS can stand on it's own with or without comparisions. Nearly all of the songs are 5 minutes or longer and each one of them are power ballads in their own right. This is an ambitious album, and I only hope that John can step out of the shadow of Asia and make GPS into another superstar band.
  
  Nowhere on this album am I disappointed. Every time I listen to it, I hear something new and exciting. These men have a strong future in store for them.
  
  (My only question is... I read one review else where that said some of these songs had been carried over from ARCHITECTS OF TIME. Wow, I want to know which songs!)
  
  

• the heart and soul of Asia

  
  By A2X7NBUETXC19E on 2006-09-26
  I don't think anyone was really surprised when Geoff Downes, unable to resist the lure of an easy payday and the chance to play some bigger venues again, announced plans to reunite the original Asia lineup. We all knew it was coming; it was just a matter of when. Of course this meant that longtime vocalist John Payne, who was a key member of Asia for more than a decade, was essentially kicked to the curb. This was a real shame, considering Payne had a large role in a string of terrific studio albums that helped define Asia's current sound.
  
  Fortunately, Payne was not content to remain on the sidelines. Instead he and fellow Asia bandmates Guthrie Govan and Jay Schellan would embark on a new musical venture called GPS. Added to the mix is Ryo Okumoto of Spock's Beard fame, one of progressive rock's finest keyboardists. Window to the Soul is GPS's debut album.
  
  If you enjoyed the Payne-era Asia albums, you're going to love Window to the Soul. The songs on this album are a natural extension of the material Payne has been writing over the past several years, so similarities to Asia are simply unavoidable. Some of the pop sensibility that Geoff Downes brought to the table are missing, but Window to the Soul is still a powerful and melodic AOR album with plenty of progressive elements. Payne has such a warm and emotional vocal style that the songs seem to go straight to your heart. You don't just hear his songs, you feel them. The guitar and keyboard solos are every bit as powerful, and enhance the way these songs resonate with the listener. There's not a weak moment on the album, but songs like Heaven Can Wait, Written on the Wind, and Since You've Been Gone stand out as some of the Window to the Soul's better tracks.
  
  I don't begrudge the original Asia lineup their success with this reunion tour; I just hate to think that this absolute gem of an album by an important former Asia member is going to go unnoticed by the band's fans. It is as good as, if not better than, anything Asia has released in a long time (except perhaps Aqua, which is still my favorite).
  
  
  

• Payne and Company make a name for themselves, GPS!

  
  By A27C3BL49GHCND on 2006-10-04
  Asia's John Payne, Guthrie Govan and Jay Schellen decided after Geoff Downes decided to reunite the original band lineup for a 25th anniversary tour, to release their own album as GPS.
  The disc, Window to the Soul is a great CD. Joined by Spock Beard's keyboardist Ryo Okumoto, the new band steps into the spotlight without the Asia name and creates an identity of its own.
  The disc comes right at you with the rocking, opening title track and continues throughout with amazing vocals and great musicianship.
  If you are an old or new Asia fan, check this disc out. It's excellent!
  
  
  

• Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

  
  By A3Q8RHBQVCSZT on 2006-11-06
  "All My Life"...you could torture someone by making them listen to this album for the rest of their life! Every corny 80's "progressive" (contradiction of terms?)cliche is here for your listening displeasure. There's a reason I don't own a single Asia album beyond the first two. I've read all the other reviews and I'm scratching my head wondering what it is about this vocalist that everyone that's bothered to review this album enjoys so much! NO DIRECTION! It's a shame to see grown men flounder about musically while the original member is off doing a "reunion" tour to reconfirm his 15 minutes of fame. I tried to be unbiased while listening to this cd and had to suppress my gag reaction to almost every song here. Please gentlemen, don't take this personally. You've been led down the "this is what progressive rock sounds like" path for way too long! It's NOT your fault. The songs on this album sound like they were written around the MTV era that made Asia so popular (I've heard THIS before!). Shame on anyone that even tries to compare this vocalist (what's his name?) to John Wetton! He sounds like a bad Ronnie James Dio clone! The internet has exposed me to SO many bands I would have never heard before. Pick up anything by Porcupine Tree or Frost's "Milliontown" Ciao!
  
  

• GPS Sends you in the direction of great music

  
  By A3O85SJANCG9KY on 2006-09-30
  "Window To The Soul" the debut album of former Asia members John Payne (bass/vocals), Guthrie Govan (guitar), and Jay Schellen (drums), and also Ryo Okumoto of Spock's Beard (keyboards) have themselves an awesome release. Payne's vocals are powerful throughout this album. Guthrie Govan burns up the frets with his guitar riffs especially on songs like "New Jerusalem" and "Taken Dreams." Guthrie and Ryo blend very nicely through many of the songs on this album, complementing each others talent. Jay's drumming is impeccable. This album has everything from great melody's, hard driving guitar and keyboard work to harmonizing and lead vocals. Think John Payne era Asia, but with a much more harder edge. There's no filler music in this album, just great musicianship. This is a must have for prog lovers or anyone else who loves great music!
  
  
• Govan - Payne - Schellen + Okumoto
  By AK8B26S9ATCN7 on 2006-10-01
  When news that the upcoming Asia album was shelved due to the long-awaited Asia reunion, the band's long-time vocalist and co-songwriter John Payne had to leave the band along with guitarist Guthrie Govan and drummer Jay Schellen. Needless to say, it was a sad departure, considering Payne had been in the band for nearly fifteen years and sung on some of Asia's finest albums, including their much overlooked previous effort Silent Nation. Thankfully, Payne and his friends wasted no time in getting together and bringing in Spock's Beard's amazing keyboard player Ryo Okumoto to round out the lineup of their new band GPS.
  
  The result is a powerful debut. Window to the Soul is far from a typical supergroup album. It works on various levels. For starters, as would be expected, comparisons to Asia will be drawn whether they are true or not, but it should be no surprise that some of the songs carry the trademark Asia sound. However, it seems little or no material was transfered onto this record from Architect of Time, which was supposed to be the follow-up to Asia's dark work Silent Nation. This disc is a lot more guitar-friendly and features a different vocal style from John Payne. Gone are his crystal clear, deep vocals that perfectly defined the sound of Silent Nation. Rather, Payne uses a slightly more gritty tone while singing in order to match the guitar-driven material. This is not to say the keyboards have been relegated to a supporting role. On the contrary, Ryo Okumoto's work is nothing short of amazing. He makes an invaluable contribution to this album, utilising excellent Hammond organ, awesome string arrangements, beautiful piano work, and some really searing synth leads.
  
  Guthrie Govan is arguably the most underrated guitar virtuoso from England. Even though his technical ability on his instrument is right up there with the likes of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson, little of it was displayed on his works with Asia. While still not as broad as his recent solo album, Window to the Soul has plenty of guitar crunch balancing out Okumoto's ethereal synth work, and also features lots of varied solos, from bluesy to funky to jazzy. Similarly, Payne's bass playing isn't as subdued as one some later Asia discs, he lets out lots of groovy licks that are complemented by Jay Schellen's confident drum beats.
  
  The first song "Window to the Soul" is also a great number that gives an overall summary about the album. Its slow and dark organ intro underscores Payne's deep, unmistakable vocals before a great rhythm drive of bass and drums enter the scene. As mentioned earlier, Payne's singing is a bit more aggressive fitting the musical environment seamlessly. The song ends with a great guitar and keyboard solo respectively. Govan's fretwork is both melodic and unconventional, delving into Vai territory in places; while Okumoto's extended piece is filled with exotic scales. On the longer songs, references to Asia can be heard on "New Jerusalem" during the clean midtempo vocal harmonies, but other than that, this song is graced by a cool Spock's Beard type of string arrangement, funky bass, and Blackmore-like guitar solo. There is also a very cool synth breakdown in the middle where Payne sings in whisper-like tone over fragile synth melodies. Okumoto's finishing lead work at the end is also his best on this disc. The solo is a deadly combination of speed and melody, and despite its two-minute running time, one cannot get enough of it.
  
  While none of the songs are boring in the least, I feel the last couple of tunes seem to slightly pale in comparison to the first half of the album. The first set of tracks are simply written to perfection, exuding killer vocals and top-notch performance. One track that especially deserves to be mentioned is "Written on the Wind", starting out with cool counterpoint acoustic guitars playing a nice folky melody before Payne's regretful tone delivers lyrics that seemingly address white man's arrival in America and killing the natives. By the time the haunting line "We gave you rules" is repeated over and over, the acoustic guitars have secretly transformed into a bluesy-driven solo, proving Govan's diversity. On this album, Govan gets to input a lot of character and impress the listener with both his sense of melody and complex fretwork. That said, one would have to hear his solo work to truly see how he pushes the boundaries of the guitar.
  
  The vocals at the end of "I Believe in Yesterday" induce goose bumps; Payne hasn't sung so well in a long time; while prog rock at its best is served on the epic "The Objector", which stands out for its invigorating keyboard and guitar duel, unusually complex structure, and stunning guitar acrobatics. The Asia-like pop of "Since You've Been Gone" and the more straightforward rocker of "Gold" also add to the diversity of the record.
  
  GPS plus Okumoto have released a more than satisfying debut and will hopefully stick together for a few more albums.
  
  
• ASIA BUT NOT ASIA...
  By A33EDAMGVS18GY on 2006-09-26
  I am so pleased to be one of the first here to review GPS.
  
  I've been a HUGE fan of all the John Payne era ASIA music. (Never really a fan of the Wetton era ASIA music.) Imagine my surprise and disgust when it appeared on the Asia website several months ago that ARCHITECT OF TIME had been shelved. Seemed the original Asia had been reformed. Maybe that's good for so many Asia fans, but it was not good for me. I feel in love with John Payne's voice on AQUA and have been in love with it ever since. Mr. Payne's singing is dynamic, fresh, powerful.
  
  Ever since word surfaced about the forming of GPS, I've been on pins and needles to get their debut CD. But in a way it's not really a debut, is it, as these musical geniuses have been around a long time and involved with Asia. GPS has been the only CD in my CD player for over a week now and I'm sure it will remain in there for some time to come. Simply put... it's brilliant. It's amazing. In my opinion, it's bound to be bigger than Asia!
  
  WINDOW TO THE SOUL: From the beginning of the song (with John Payne's altered voice slowly evolving into his real voice) this is a powerful song. Very emotional.
  
  NEW JERUSALEM: This is one of the best songs on the CD. The message is powerful, emotional, and so fitting for the world today. WE CAN MAKE THIS KINGDOM COME NOT BY SWORD, NOT BY GUN. Could easily have been an Asia song. 8 minutes long, this is a true power ballad.
  
  HEAVEN CAN WAIT: Another excellent song on the CD for sure. So Asia-like. It reminds of TIME TO GO HOME from Aura. John Payne and crew are music writing geniuses.
  
  WRITTEN ON THE WIND: From the opening chords, this one gives you chills. Over six minutes long, the lyrics and the music are powerful. Probably the best song on the CD by far.
  
  I BELIEVE IN YESTERDAY: Doesn't sound Asia-ish to me at all. Probably a GPS original. Fantastic.
  
  THE OBJECTOR: If there is a song on the album I like the least, this is it. But hey, there has to a favorite song and a least favorite song on every CD, right? Still enjoyable, though, possibly Asia-ish.
  
  ALL MY LIFE: What can I say about this beauty other than the musical portions are touching and John's voice is amazing?
  
  GOLD: I would guess this is a song that evolved from ARCHITECTS OF TIME. Very powerful, excellent lyrics, excellent harmony.
  
  SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE: Definitely one that reminds me of John Payne era Asia songs. This song helps take away the sting that Payne and Downes are no longer creating genius music together.
  
  TAKEN DREAMS: An excellent ending to the this CD. Another power ballad, definitely not Asia.
  
  As a fan, I can't help but to compare these songs to Asia. After all, Johne Payne and Asia created 5 gorgeous albums together. But John Payne IS Asia, so of course his follow-up band will be compared. But GPS can stand on it's own with or without comparisions. Nearly all of the songs are 5 minutes or longer and each one of them are power ballads in their own right. This is an ambitious album, and I only hope that John can step out of the shadow of Asia and make GPS into another superstar band.
  
  Nowhere on this album am I disappointed. Every time I listen to it, I hear something new and exciting. These men have a strong future in store for them.
  
  (My only question is... I read one review else where that said some of these songs had been carried over from ARCHITECTS OF TIME. Wow, I want to know which songs!)
  
  
• A great start for GPS
  By A1VF8L92HSTHOI on 2006-10-29
  Great music, great production. Some songs sound like asia-pane era, but others not. It is a truly progressive rock of this century!. Buy it.
  
  
  
• JOHN PAYNE & GPS deliver an album of powerful, passionate Prog-Rock & AOR. One of the finest releases of 2006.
  By A1JF8PSY0NPSYY on 2007-04-30
  As most reading this review will probably already know, "Window To the Soul" is the debut album from GPS, a band born out of the ashes of (the latter-day incarnation of) rock supergroup ASIA - featuring ex-Asia members John Payne (lead vocals, bass), Guthrie Govan (guitar)and Jay Schellen (drums), joined by new keyboard player Ryo Okumoto (Spock's Beard). Now, just to give you an idea of the perspective from which I am writting this review...Like many, I was extremely disappointed when the news first came across the Asiaworld website that Geoff Downes and John Payne had disolved their creative relationship, with Downes leaving to participate in a reunion tour with the original Asia line-up. While I enjoyed the original Asia band back in their heyday, I must say that over the years I have come to heavily prefer the John Payne-era. In fact, I believe Payne, with his soulful voice and thoughtful lyrics, gave the band a creative shot in the arm at a time when they could have just as easily turned into an irrelevant nostalgia act. Between 1994 and 2006 I saw the Payne-led Asia in concert five times, looked-forward to each new CD upon its release, met most of the band members, and even helped to arrange one of their acoustic "Asia Across America" dates. So, you could say I am something of a fanatic for Payne-era Asia. While others are certainly free to disagree, I honestly believe that Asia produced their most creative, progressive, and diverse music with Payne at the healm - with "Aura" and "Silent Nation" standing as the best albums of their career...So, how does the new band, GPS, stack up against the best work of Asia??? Incredibly well, I'm happy to report - but this is a band that, thankfully, does more than simply live up to past glories. While several of the recognizable hallmarks of Payne-era Asia are evident throughout this album, there are also some new elements to the sound that help to give GPS their own identity as a band. For one, many of the the song structures are much more progressive & dynamic - with several "epic" pieces clocking in the 8 to 10 minute range. The instrumental breaks are, likewise, more nusanced and complex. There is also a heavier, more agressive side to some of the music, but thankfully the heavy bits are infused with a strong sense of melody and song-craft, and never devolve into the annoying heavy metal "shreading" that weighs down the work of some of GPS' Inside Out labelmates. As for the indivdual performances - John Payne's distinctive voice is, as usual, quite stunning on this album, and his performances are full of passion, humanity, and (quite often) some aggressive grit! Payne's bass work also seems much more prominant in this new band. Drummer Jay Schellen (also known for his work with prog bands World Trade and Conspiracy) turns in some of his most impressive work to date, and helps add a lot of dynamic thunder to the arrangements. Guthrie Govan gets much more room to stretch out as a soloist than he did on the "Silent Nation" or "America" CDs, and his dexterious (but melodic) fret-work adds vibrant color to every track. Not being much of a Spock's Beard fan, I was initially worried about how Ryo Okumoto might fit into this band - but I now must admit he does an EXCELLENT job here! Ryo does not try to mimic Geoff Downes style at all, but brings a slightly more experimental, quirky keyboard sound to the band (just one more thing that helps to give GPS a distinct identity apart from Asia.) Ryo has some impressive solo spots throughout the album, and proves that he is indeed the right man for the job! Lyrically, this album continues Payne's exploration of spiritual and moral themes (see "New Jerusalem", "Written On the Wind", and the title track)- as well as continuing the tradition of powerful anti-war sentiments that have been a running-thread through nearly every Asia album ("The Objector" tells the story of a young conscientious objector who is forced onto the battlefield against his will and is tragically killed.) There are also a few standard rock & roll "relationship" lyrics ("Since You've Been Gone", "Gold"), but Payne is such an interesting writer that even his lighter fare has a strong emotional undertone. As for picking favorite songs; this is a bit difficult as I literally love every track on the album. But if I was hard-pressed, I would say that "New Jerusalem" and "Taken Dreams" are two tracks that nicely sum up everything that is great about this band...In closing, while the sudden disbanding of Payne-era Asia was unfortunate, I'm very glad to see that Payne, Govan, and Schellen have continued together to create some of the most creative, challenging music of their careers, rather than heading in a more commercially "safe" direction. As for the original Asia reunion??? Well, to put things in perspective, the newest song in their concert set list is from 1983! Let Downes and company have their nostalgia tours - but it's GPS that I choose to support with my time and money. All in all, "Window To the Soul" is a must for fans of John Payne, and also highly recommended to general Progeressive Rock/AOR fans.
  
  
• Absolutely Awesome
  By A3I8PROROCN7BX on 2006-10-21
  Excellent, excellent disc. Any fan of prog rock will love it. My favorite Payne-era Asia disc was Arena. This is better.
  
  
• ONE OF THE BEST CD'S For 2006
  By A1XDP9W48NQ3TF on 2006-10-22
  This new cd by GPS is excellent!!! Every track is great and the band is so tight.
  I hope they come to the U.S. I would spend the money to see them.Once again,this is one of the best for 2006. John Payne and CO have made one hell of a cd.
  
  
• Jawdropping greatness
  By AA93R56GCEG21 on 2006-11-12
  I was said to see the Geoff Downes chase the money, but he is a legend and is entitiled. But back to this disk. This is John Payne and compnay at their best. I see great things for this band, I just hope they tour the USA, Massachusetts area. John delivers a stellar performance as does every other memeber of the band. I hope John takes this band to the next level which I know he can. I can be reached at = s_bush_1969@yahoo.com
  if you want to comment on my review. I believe in Yesterday is my favorite song from the disc. I have played this disc at least 15 times and still love every moment of it. I hope you enjoy as much as I do.
  
  
• Yancie Kidd (Doctor of Audiology)
  By A17DYHSH1Y7FRN on 2006-12-30
  As an audiologist, I know sound. This is a great album from John Payne and company. It has cemented my feelings that the reason I have enjoyed the Payne-Era Asia so much is because of John Payne. Buy it, your ears will thank you!
  
  
• GPS Breaks Away From The ASIA Stigma
  By A3OC0ND0BLWRIN on 2007-02-01
  With impressive writing and production, the CD reveals the insights of John Payne, Guthrie Govan & Jay Schellen's unique deminsion in musical talent. Nothing is overdone in the track listing. Each track promotes new ideas, story telling and emotion. Ryo Okumoto gives a touch of his "master-keyboard" skills to give each track an added boost.
  
  This bands starting issue was a dire attempt at separating itself from there old "ASIA" lineup and stereotype. The album does well in making waves in giving the band their own unique style.
  
  A GREAT job by the new band!
  
  D. R. Quintana, Film Producer
  
  This is a MUST BUY for any pre Payne-Era ASIA fan!
  
  
• Excelente!!!
  By A1ZA3VAJDQRWG9 on 2007-04-10
  Yo he sido fanatico siempre de Asia, mas aun cuando llego John Paine, me parece que le dio la fuerza que le faltaba al grupo. Ahora en este nuevo proyecto de Paine, me parece que logro hacer un excelente trabajo junto a los otros miembros de la banda. Ojala sigan juntos y puedan grabar unos cuantos discos mas...
  
  
  

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