John Wetton: voices, basses, classical & acoustic guitars
Geoffrey Downes: keys, vocoder
with:
John Mitchell: guitars
Stece Christey: drums
Hugh McDowell: cello
Guests:
Anneke van Giersbergen: voice (4, 5)
Katie Jacoby: violin (5, 6)
Produced by John Wetton/Geoffrey Downes
Engineered, mixed and mastered by Rob Aubrey during summer 2006
Sequenced by Steve Rispin
Sleeve and photography by Michael Inns
Management: Martin Darvill, assisted by Valentina Pianezzi
Tracks:
1. The Die is Cast [Wetton/Downes] (6:17)
2. Finger on the Trigger [Wetton/Downes] (4:00)
3. Reflections (Of My Life) [Wetton/Downes] (5:02)
4. To Catch a Thief [Wetton/Downes] (5:37)
5. Tears of Joy [Wetton/Downes/Jobson] (4:49)
6. Shannon [Wetton/Downes] (4:24)
7. The Hanging Tree [Wetton/Downes] (4:17)
8. The Glory of Winning [Wetton/Downes/Palmer-James] (4:12)
9. Whirlpool [Wetton/Downes] (5:28)
10. Rubicon [Wetton/Downes] (6:20)
Notes: (****) A version of (8) previously appeared on John Wetton & Richard Palmer-James' Monkey Business archival compilation. (5) was based on what Wetton has described as the last song he wrote with Eddie Jobson, his bandmate in UK, thus Jobson's co-credit. This was the first Wetton/Downes album released after the two were re-united in Asia: the Wetton/Downes project continued in parallel including a few live dates in Japan in Oct 2006, between legs on the Asia reunion tour. The duo see the two projects as being quite distinct. In a Mar 2006 interview, Downes said, "It's important to point out [...] that the Icon stuff is quite a different approach [...] So this is Icon, this is Asia. There are really two quite different styles we address to each one." This notwithstanding, Wetton/Downes continue to play Asia tunes live: the Oct 2006 set was set: "Pane Bruno" (intro), "Don't Cry", "Go", "Only Time will Tell", "The Die is Cast", "Voice of America", "Paradox/Let Me Go", "Meet Me at Midnight", "The Glory of Winning", "Never in a Million Years", Steve Christey solo, "Days Like These", "Rubicon", "Sole Survivor", "Open Your Eyes", "The Smile has Left Your Eyes", "Heat of the Moment". (HP, 20 May 07)