DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION – Suburban Ghosts (2015)

The duo of Yes / Asia keyboardist Geoff Downes and songwriter Chris Braide DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION are launching their new record “Suburban Ghosts“, the follow-up to DBA’s great debut (presented here on the blog).
We really liked the first DBA album and gave it a suitably effusive review. The truth is that a record like that – and now its successor “Suburban Ghosts” – is really born out of its time with musicians who are not afraid to step outside of current listener expectations and who just do what they do.
In short, in a different age these albums would be huge.

For new people to this duo, Chris Braide is a Brit-born, L.A.-based songwriter who in the interim has released his own excellent solo album (also featured here on the blog) whilst Geoff Downes … well, can he do no wrong?
Downes of course has form on this, and as one half of pop duo The Buggles with Trevor Horn knows a thing or two about commercial pop/rock. He also delivered some tremendous work with Asia / Yes combining with mastery Neo Prog with AORish sounds.
Braide on the other hand has written for the likes of Kylie and Britney Spears whilst producing for artists like Lana De Rey and Paloma Faith.

A musical marriage made in heaven? Not at all, but “Suburban Ghosts” is like a breath of fresh air with a heady mix of classy songwriting and musical craftsmanship.
Yeah, it looks back to the ’80s in terms of influence (and ambiance) and has that decade’s stylistic foundation of keyboards, harmony and an easy accessibility.
Just take lead track ‘Machinery Of Fate’ as example: this is a pure gold of power pop with intelligent vocal arrangements – far from ordinary – and catchy at the same time. Or the title track (Part 1 & 2), lifted by its guitar solo play-out against rich harmony vocals.

Those are just two of the many highlights on “Suburban Ghosts”, always catchy and poppy but with essence.
In a musical world with no tone-deaf executives, ‘North Sea’, if properly promoted, would be a number 1 hit, while ‘Dreaming Of England’ is epic, immense, a lush elaborated piece with an almost AOR feel to it.
Aside from his higher profile stuff with Yes and Asia, Geoff Downes has produced a string of projects in recent years which are well worthy of your consideration, like ‘The Producers’ (featured on the blog as well) also with Chris Braide and Trevor Horn.

As a whole, “Suburban Ghosts” is wonderful mix of sophisticated rock&pop with a prog-rock twist.
Comparisons with Downes’ first band The Buggles are inevitable, yet there are also hints of 10cc and even 90125 era Yes. The songwriting and production – despite the electronic rhythms – are classy with hooky melodies mixed with quirky key changes.
Radio friendly in an age that favours YouTube and Soundcloud, crafted songs in an age that favours disposability, it seems DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION’s latest offering may be totally off-beam.
Dare to be different and you win. DBA did it in “Suburban Ghosts”.
Highly Recommended.

01 – Machinery of Fate
02 – Suburban Ghosts – Parts 1 & 2
03 – Suburban Ghosts – Part 3
04 – Vanity
05 – Number One
06 – Interlude
07 – North Sea
08 – One of the Few
09 – Time Goes Fast
10 – Live Twice
11 – Dreaming of England
12 – Finale

Geoff Downes: Keyboards, Vocals, Programming
Chris Braide: Vocals, Guitar, Bass

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