The Story
audio commentary
Hear Chris Conway's spoken commentary about the songs on Close the Circle
hear audio commentary 11mb mp3
background commentary 1mb mp3

interview
Chris Conway talks to Dorain Morian (Songwriting Today) about Close The Circle.

Q. It's been nearly 5 years since your last CD(s) of songs. Why the long break from songs?

A. After the 2 song albums I made in 2002 I kinda got into other things - lots of things actually - electronic music, ambient, Celtic, new age - I fact I recorded 22 albums since then - some live song recordings - just not new songs. I also thought those 2 song albums were hard to beat. Then early in 2006 I got seriously into songwriting again.

Q. So what's different about Close the Circle? What's changed in 5 years?

A. Hmnn... The way I handle harmonies is a big difference. I use more counterpoint harmonies, canons, and banks of them. I'm also 5 years older - perhaps that leads to different subjects - I'm in a different point in my life.

Q. The harmony vocals are amazing on the album - who influenced you in that?

A. I've always loved bands with great harmonies - Mamas & the Papas, Crosby Stills & Nash, Jefferson Airplane and the West Coast harmonies. While I was recording this I was listening a lot to The Free Design - their adventurous way with harmonies certainly spurred me on in that direction. Also classical choral groups like Singer Pur, The 5th Dimension and of course Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys - I'm a harmony nut!

Q. Why the title Close the Circle?

A. there's a feeling about returning - getting back to songs - coming back into the world after a time away. The mainstream world can work to isolate individuals - that was the story of my last My Minds Island album - this is about returning to the world. The desire to be a part of something. Plus when the album was recorded I noticed connections with my 1st album Sounds Like Rain. it was like coming full circle.

Q. on previous song albums you had either a band or some guests - apart from Neil Segrott on 4 tracks, you played and sang everything. Why was that?

A. 2 reasons really - I chose to do all the harmonies myself to get a different sound to my other albums - it allowed me to experiment more with the harmonies. It also felt like a personal - up close album. Doing so much of the music myself made it feel like that.

Q. what's with the 0, 90, 180, 270 degree interludes and their titles?

A. I was thinking of the chorus from the song Lifespell - Love, Blood, Future, Past - and thought of how the album could divide into quarters .Then I thought of the seasons and matched those with the Lifespell sections. It then seemed cool that the songs seemed to fall into the catagories Love, Blood, Future, Past - or it's accompanying season. The little interludes act to divide the quarters and give a hint sound wise of their title.

Q. your song albums often have a theme or overall idea. What would that be here?

A. There's a personal journey - returning. To songs - to life - to the start. Re-integration. Coming home.