SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DBA (DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION) – CELESTIAL SONGS

DBA (DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION)
CELESTIAL SONGS
CHERRY RED

Celestial Songs is the fifth studio release for Downes Braide Association (DBA). DBA is Geoff Downes of Yes, The Buggles, and Asia, and Chris Braide who has written songs for and worked with Sia, Beyoncé, and Marc Almond. They have perfected their sound Celestial Songs, which is full of fantastic melodies and brilliant playing.

A great deal of credit must be given to the musicians with whom they work on this album, which includes the seriously underrated Dave Bainbridge (Iona, Strawbs) on guitar and Andy Hodge on bass. The two flush out the sound that DBA wants to create. Bainbridge complements Downes keyboards and Braide’s vocals bring it all together. “Keep On Moving” is an excellent example of Downes and Bainbridge playing off one another and Downes’ solo is astounding.

Marc Almond makes a guest appearance on the chilling “Darker Side Of Fame”. It is a wonderful song, quite lively and almost pure pop music. Elsewhere, Andy Partridge pops up as the co-writer of the epic “Goodbye To You (Sister Shame)”. This is more psychedelic than new wave but is a great song.

Other songs take some left turns, such as “Hey Kid”, which is a lovely piano based ballad, that would not be out of place on a Blue Nile album. It comes midway through the album, and is a nice break. The second half, or side two if you prefer, is much more prog rock. The songs are much longer but need the length to make the song complete. “Heart Shaped Hole”, which clocks in just over nine minutes, is a good example. The guitar, the bass, keyboards all need time to build. But it is the last song on the album, “Beyond The Stars”, which is the masterpiece here. It has a Yes feel to it. It has a strong melody, lovely lyrics, and incredible arrangements.

Celestial Songs works on every level and it should earn them new fans. It has one foot in the past, with one foot firmly in the future. In some ways it is an album that many ongoing prog rock bands would like to make. All the songs come together to form a remarkable listening experience. Braid and Downes should also be congratulated on their production skills for this album.

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