The pandemic and the lockdown the followed caused a lot of artists to look inward and vintage rocker and master keyboardist Neal Francis was one of them. He emerged with a new set of songs that reveals that slaying the dragon of drug addiction didn’t mean life is happily ever after (he found himself living alone in a church after a relationship soured) but at least Francis can turn that experience into good music. He went into the studio with his working band (Kellen Boersma on guitar, bassist Mike Starr and drummer Collin O’Brien) to tape the tunes that came from this period of intense contemplation.
In Plain Sight, released earlier in November, 2021, is what resulted. It continues with the musical style Francis introduced on his solo debut Changes a couple of years earlier, incorporating rock, RnB, funk and a smattering of other pleasing elements to render an earnest approximation of the better popular music that came out in the 70s. Added to all that this time is an intensely introspective theme.
A healthy dose of self-reflection all throughout In Plain Sight doesn’t drag the album down one bit, however; feel-good music is too deeply embedded inside Francis. His mind can wander in dark places but he keeps his soul in the sunshine. The album starts with the with vigor of Ben Folds for “Alameda Apartments,” where like Folds, Francis has this talent of wrapping a jaunty melody around despair and failure. On “Problems” he’s wary of getting into another bad relationship, but here he feels strong enough out of the funk to resist the temptation…maybe. Francis takes the confessional part of the confessional songwriter very seriously, admitting to his own vanity on “Sentimental Garbage,” but the song is also notable for stretching out and giving Boersma’s squalling guitar plenty of room.
The 70’s boogie rock vibe is strongest on “Can’t Stop The Rain,” this time completed with an Allman Brothers-styled slide guitar provided by — who else? — Derek Trucks. The pretty intro to “Prometheus” quickly gives way to the guitar-driven propulsion. Francis beckons you to dance under the disco ball with seductive retro-funk numbers like “BNYLV” and “Say Your Prayers”, which finish out the album even stronger than how it started.
Neal Francis bares his soul on In Plain Sight but also shows how to do it without dragging down his listeners in the process. That’s because like Changes, In Plain Sight‘s primary mission is to satisfy the soul. It’s built in the man’s musical DNA.
In Plain Sight comes to us from ATO Records. Go get it now from Bandcamp.
- Joel Frahm Trio, “Vesper Flights” from ‘Lumination’ (2024): Video premiere - September 27, 2024
- Jupiter – ‘Jupiter’ (2024) - September 26, 2024
- Satoko Fujii Quartet – ‘Dog Days of Summer’ (2024) - September 19, 2024
