Short Reviews [Downes Braide Association - 2023 - "Celestial Songs"]

Here we have the fifth studio album from keyboard player Geoff Downes (Buggles, Asia, Yes) and singer-songwriter-pianist Chris Braide (Sia, Lana Del Rey, Christina Aguilera, Beyonce, Paloma Faith, Britney Spears and Marc Almond), and as with their last release Almond again plays a cameo role on one song. It is interesting to note that the last of these provides lead vocals on one song, with the rest of the band now credited as such, having all worked on the last album as well, Ash Soan (drums), Andy Hodge (bass) and Dave Bainbridge (guitars). The vocals throughout this album are wonderful, as are the performances, but sadly the same cannot be said of the material. As has been the case with much of Downes’s work in the last few decades, there are times when the songs are truly wonderful and plenty of others when they are so middle of the road one wonders why we cannot hear the bumps of the cats’ eyes. When they get it right, and allow themselves to up the pace and style, as on “Will To Power”, then DBA are a joy to behold. Geoff provides the background, the rhythm section lock in while Dave is given the opportunity to show us what he can do, and then over the top Chris shows what a great singer he is. It is a song of sections which gradually builds and becomes a belter which would have not sounded out of place on a late Eighties Asia release. The problem is that this stands out so much among most of the album, and one realises that overall the artwork is superior to what is contained within then Houston we have a problem. Let us hope they can come up with a more positive direction on the next one but given Yes are now on tour one wonders if/when that is going to happen. 6/10