Preston Frazier’s Best of 2021 Rock, Pop and R&B includes Peter Frampton, Terry Blade, Joseph Williams, Henry Bateman and a host of related prog projects from Yes and its members:
DOWNES BRAIDE ASSOCIATION – HALCYON HYMNS (PROG POP): 2021 could well be the year where we got the best Yes albums ever. You could pick songs from Downes Braide Association’s Halcyon Hymns, Yes’ The Quest, the Prog Collective’s Worlds on Hold, and the Arc of Life’s self-titled debut and come up with a great double disc. Of these albums, Halcyon Hymns is the least progressive but the most consistent. Chris Braides vocals are fantastic, with a Genesis feel, while its lyrics are vivid and intriguing. On the band’s fifth collaboration, Geoff Downes flexes his considerable rock-pop muscles with music and arrangements which are timeless. “King of the Sunset” and “Your Heart Will Find Way” are prime examples of rock craftsmanship. If you haven’t picked up Halcyon Hymns yet, what are are you waiting for?
TERRY BLADE – AMERICAN DESCENDANT OF SLAVERY (R&B): My next Best of 2021 entry is an unflinchingly powerful debut from Chicago-based artist Terry Blade. Combining folk, rock, and soul elements, Blade delivers 19 songs that confront racism, LGBTQ+ and social-justice issues. “Black Hurts” is an unflinching look at the impact being Black in America has on the likelihood of justice, while “Ms. Mizell” tackles coming out in America. Blade’s minimalist approach to casting these songs only enhances his hard-hitting lyrics and message. If you’re looking for straightforward R&B, this is not the album for you. However, if you want well-crafted songs that contain a mixture of soul, rap, and rock, give American Descendant of Slavery a listen.
DARWIN – DARWIN 3: UNPLUGGED (PROG ROCK): Most unplugged albums verge on easy-listening snoozefest versions of their original releases. DarWin, when faced with the heady task of following up the stellar 2020 album, Darwin 2: A Frozen War, didn’t take the safe route. The results is a prog-rock enigma which is equally mind blowing. Darwin 3: Unplugged is a collection of primarily orchestral arrangements with input by a stellar band which features producer/drummer Simon Phillips, guitarist Greg Howe and bassists Matt Bissonette and Billy Sheehan. The results are unexpectedly brilliant. My favorite tracks are the a capella version of “Another Year” and the powerful “Slowly Melting.” If you aren’t already a fan of DarWin, you’ll want to dive into their entire catalog after sampling a song or two from this collection.
THE DARK MONARCHY – ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME (PROG ROCK): Dark Monarchy’s follow-up to one of my declared best of 2020 albums pulls no punches. The duo of Mark Anthony K and Joe Bailey succeeds in blending sonically dazzling guitars rumbling bass and soaring vocals. This time, the keyboard game is taken to a whole new level but it’s never at the expense of a story which is self-contained for each of the six songs, but vibrant and engaging. I love “The Light of Day” and “I Lucifer.” They are epic, driving, and relevant to our time. All Roads Lead to Rome is compelling musical work.
MONEY CHICHA – CHICHA SUMMIT (LATIN ROCK): Always adventurous and powerful, Austin-based Money Chicha returns with 12 powerful songs for Chicha Summit. Recording at the Lechehouse and Sonic Ranch studios, the band mixes in its own musical history. The rhythms are powerful as expected, while the angular guitars and muscular singing add to a setting which is nearly unparalleled. My favorite songs? “Te Acordaras,” with his pulsating bass and inviting timbale work; and the slow-burning “Lagrimas de Amor,” which boasts an irresistible guitar theme and yearning vocals. Money Chicha knows how to groove while telling a captivating musical story.
YES – THE QUEST (PROG ROCK): Is this the best Yes album since 1980’s Drama? Maybe not, but it’s a great Yes album. The production by Steve Howe gets high marks, allowing each member to highlight his strengths. Billy Sherwood’s work with Alan White produces some of the best drum parts on a Yes album since 1997’s The Ladder, and Sherwood’s bass parts are up to the impossibly high standards expected of the world’s greatest progressive rock band. Jon Davison’s lead and harmony vocals are equally strong. Davison’s lyrics are impressive, with more direct references than Yes fans are use to. “Minus the Man” is yet another strong Sherwood/Davison collaboration, and “A Living Island,” written with Geoff Downes, is near the top of my list as well. Howe provides a fascinating mixture of guitars and Downes employs a mix of analog and digital keyboards. Combined with the album’s orchestrations, they make The Quest one of the best musical rides from Yes in years.
HENRY BATEMAN – A GHOST INSIDE (POP/ROCK): It seems like took forever for this Best of 2021 honoree to arrive after U.K.-based guitarist and songwriter Henry Bateman teased us with the song “Seinfeld Street.” His guitar acumen is evident on the opener, “I’m Worth More Than This.” However, Bateman’s rock-composition acumen and strong vocals shine through on “In My Blood” and the closer, “You Make Me Happy.” He handles production, composition and arranging of A Ghost Inside, resulting in a compelling and cohesive album from start to finish.
TONY KAYE – END OF INNOCENCE (PROG ROCK): Hard to believe that there hasn’t been a Tony Kaye solo album. The keyboardist made significant early contributions with Yes, then returned to collaborate on Yes’ highly successful 90125 and Big Generator albums. His keyboards took more of a background role on the succeeding Union and Talk projects, but Kaye’s presence on stage during his second tenure with the world’s greatest progressive rock band and during the Yes 50 tour was very welcome. End of Innocence, Kaye’s requiem for the tragic events of 9/11, isn’t the hard-rocking progressive-rock album some we’re hoping for. It is, however, compelling.
THE LOS SUNDOWNS – THE LOS SUNDOWNS (R&B): Guitarist Beto Martinez never seems to rest – and given this collaboration with Daniel Villarreal, I’m glad he doesn’t. Recording under the moniker the Los Sundowns, the duo delivers driving Latin-tinged soul music. No stranger to powerful funk (Brownout, Grupo Fantasma) Martinez seems to be a storehouse of taste vintage funk and soul licks. The collaboration with Villarreal’s rhythmic chops honed from his drumming and DJ background creates something powerful and organic. The songs were produced by Martinezm as well as written and engineered by him, and span a range of Latin soul. There’s also a strong cast of supporting players such as vocalist Alex Chavez on “Al Final de La Tarde” and Fermin Sanchez from the group CDMX on “Los Angelos.” The Los Sundowns is six soul-feeding joy songs.
PETER FRAMPTON BAND – FRAMPTON FORGETS THE WORDS (ROCK): Peter Frampton has continued to hone his craft even while concluding his touring career. All Blues from 2019 allowed the iconic guitarist to re-explore his blues leanings. His 2020 autobiography Do You Feel Like I Do?: A Memoir offered a fascinating look back at a storied career. Frampton and engineer/co-producer Chuck Ainlay then delivered yet another treat with his all-instrumental album. Forgoing original material, Peter Frampton and his tough three-piece band deliver bluesy takes on contemporary rock songs. “Reckoner,” composed initially by Radiohead, is a perfect example of how Frampton can employ his arranging acumen to power a great song even further. He and his band also touch on David Bowie, Stevie Wonder and Lenny Kravitz on Frampton Forgets the Words. Racing back to George Harrison’s “Isn’t It a Pity” is another example of how fortunate we are to have Peter Frampton still in the game.
Best of 2021 Rock, Pop and R&B Honorable Mentions
JOSEPH WILLIAMS – DENIZEN TENANT (POP ROCK): The best new collection of Toto songs isn’t a Toto album. Toto vocalist Joseph Williams pulls together a collection of stunning originals (”Never Saw You Coming” and “Liberty Man”) along with equally moving covers (most notably ”Don’t Give Up”) to create a collection of songs that are guaranteed to entice. Add to that, Williams prowess as a producer and a high level of musicianship including Michael Landau, Simon Phillips and David Paich and what you have is William’s best solo work.
ALAN CLARK – BACKSTORY (POP ROCK): If you are a fan of Dire Straits or have read the recently released book about the band by bassist John Illsley, you know the impact keyboardist Alan Clark had on the band’s arrangements. Backstory features fresh arrangements of Dire Straits songs that Clark originally played on. Utilizing just his piano, Clark is able to conjure new magic around “Romeo and Juliet” and “Love Over Gold,” as well as Bob Dylan’s “I and I.” A noted composer and producer in his own right, Clark reminds us of the impact he has had on the rock and pop world over the years, and for that, we thank him.
PROG COLLECTIVE – WORLDS ON HOLD (PROG ROCK): If you don’t own the prior two Prog Collective albums, 2012’s The Prog Collective and 2013’s Epilogue, get them. Worlds on Hold does not stray too far from the formula. Billy Sherwood again handles all the songwriting on the original songs, as well as most of the drum, guitar, keyboards and, of course, bass playing. But what distinguishes the Prog Collective albums from a Sherwood solo album is his special guests. Queensryche vocalist Geoff Tate provides an impassioned vocal on “Two Trajectories,” while Bumblefoot Thal’s lead guitar takes the song to the stratosphere. Fellow Yesman Jon Davison takes over the lead vocal on “Anything But Goodbye.” The song, which also features band alum Patrick Moraz, is so strong that I wonder why it wasn’t saved for Yes’ The Quest.
LUCAS LEE – SINDROME de ESTOCOLMO (PROG ROCK): Lucas Lee returns with his most aggressive and ambitious release to date. Sindrome de Estocolmo finds Lee is a more adventurous mood than his stellar 2018 release, Lowered Expectations. Kicking the album off with the dense and brooding epic “Final Insurgence,” Lee provides a progressive-rock gem, keeping the listener at the edge of the seat. The instrumental album paints vivid pictures. Lee’s guitar work is always daring, but his effective use of acoustic piano and ’70s-style synthesizers add to his sonic textures. Drummer Marco Minnemann is back as the only other musician, adding his expected percussive flair. This eight-song, 70-minute album isn’t easy listening, but Sindrome de Estocolmo is compelling work and an engaging set of songs for progressive-rock fans.
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