2001 studio album for the Asia, U.K. vocalist, one of the classic voices of British rock music. Additional artists include Robert Fripp and Ian McDonald (King Crimson), Steve Hackett (Genesis), John Young (Asia/Qango), Mar... more »tin Orford (IQ/Jadis) and John Mitchell (Arena). Tracks include, 'Heart Of Darkness', 'No Ordinary Miracle' and 'Second Best'. Standard jewel case.« less
2001 studio album for the Asia, U.K. vocalist, one of the classic voices of British rock music. Additional artists include Robert Fripp and Ian McDonald (King Crimson), Steve Hackett (Genesis), John Young (Asia/Qango), Martin Orford (IQ/Jadis) and John Mitchell (Arena). Tracks include, 'Heart Of Darkness', 'No Ordinary Miracle' and 'Second Best'. Standard jewel case.
CD Reviews
John Wetton's 2001 studio release "Sinister"
02/06/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is an excellent cd!!!! If you are looking for that Asia sound with alot of John's own backing vocals, this is it! Every song could be a hit on the charts if it were released here in the US. I thought all but one song was strong- it was an instrumental. It was very good, I just prefer lyrics. I have "Caught in the Crossfire" and "Chasing the Dragon" and this is, by far, my favorite yet. Excellent album!"
Moving in the Right direction....
ANTHONY GIANDILETTI | New Jersey | 05/14/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Wetton brings back some of his early ASIA sounds to this cd. For a moment it seems as though Downes is playing along with Wetton on a few songs! A fresh sound and future classic song co written with Ringo Starr, with Steve Hacket on harmonica!!, "Real World" is a wonderful ending to this CD, the last of 3 of his latest releases. "Twist of the Knife" is really good too! The instumental sounds wonderful with the help from a King Crimson legacy. :)"
Good stuff, but wish there was more
srob1024 | Chicago, IL USA | 05/25/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Sinister finds John Wetton returning more to pop-oriented stylings after the dark, introspective tone of 1998's Arkangel. Despite the upbeat sounds, however, the disc retains a very personal tone. Collaborators abound on this effort, Wetton's 4th solo release and his 3rd since departing English supergroup Asia. Co-conspirators include Jim Vallance (Bryan Adams) and Ringo Starr.Highlights include "No Ordinary Miracle" (co-written by songwriter extraordinaire Jim Peterik), a beautiful effort inspired by the birth of Wetton's son, Dylan. "Before Your Eyes" is an intimate look at Wetton's failed marriage, and features haunting flute work by long-time bandmate Martin Offord. (The strength of BYE also is owed to co-author and keyboardist John Young, whose work with Wetton the past decade is as good, if not better, than Wetton's prior collaborations with Geoff Downes and Richard Palmer-James.) "Second Best" finds Wetton returning to work with the songwriting team of David Cassidy and Sue Shifrin, and this effort more than compensates for the abysmal "Prayin 4 a Miracle" from Asia's Then & Now release. A pure pop hook, to be sure, but one that would fit smoothly into many an AOR format.If there is a criticism of the album, it is it's length - a meager 37 minutes. A Japanese release of Sinister (re-titled "Welcome to Heaven") featured 2 additional tracks - the rousing, guitar-heavy "Love Is" and a slower tempo version of "Space & Time" (previously released on Wetton's 1995 solo release, Battle Lines). Both tracks would have been welcome additions; Wetton fans are a loyal bunch, and deserve to be rewarded for their loyalty."
THE WORLD's GREATEST VOICE RETURNS
cardinals4ever | KY, USA | 04/10/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Following two other 5 star albums (BATTLE LINES and ARKANGEL),John Wetton's SINISTER is another great album.Sounding more like his asia and BATTLE LINES music than ARKANGEL,Wetton soars on the powerful leadoff track HEART OF DARKNESS.NO ORDINARY MIRACLE is a terrific ballad that Wetton shines on.Former crimson band mates Robert Fripp and Ian Mcdonald guest on the instrumental E-SCAPE.SECOND BEST,SILENTLY,ANOTHER TWIST OF THE KNIFE and WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE are all typical Wetton:awesome vocals,solid musicianship,and great songs.There is not a weak spot on SINISTER."
View it as a new beginning
mcduck | Minnesota, USA | 09/19/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Although Wetton suggests that this is the third of a musical trilogy that began with BATTLE LINES and continued with ARkANGEL, I think it is better to view SINISTER as the first part of Wetton's "rebuilding" phase. The production on this album is generally weak, and many of the songs sound like glorified demo recordings, albeit cleaned up nicely. The songwriting, however, is top notch, and this album features some of Wetton's most rousing solo material to date. (I still feel that the Japanese bonus track, "Love Is," was indispensable, but Wetton must have felt otherwise.) Many longtime Wetton collaborators are featured on the album, which is also the first to include John Mitchell and Steve Christie in supporting positions. They returned on Wetton's next solo album (ROCK OF FAITH), and they became essential members of the ICON band in 2005, which reunited Wetton with Geoffrey Downes. From a group of friends on SINISTER, to a core solo band for FAITH, the rebuilding of Wetton's musical vision then culminated with ICON. All three albums are highly recommended to classic ASIA and Wetton fans."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1