CHRIS CONWAY: Close The Circle

Chris Conway

Close The Circle

© 2006 Chris Conway (634479395642)

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Songs with stunning harmonies and touches of US West Coast, Celtic, jazz, world music & electronica

notes

Close The Circle - a cycle of 12 beautiful songs and 4 short interludes from an amazing singer-songwriter, featuring breathtaking harmonies, an incredible production and a raft of instruments.

Harmonies
Hear beautiful harmonies that just make you melt inside, calling to mind great harmony groups like Crosby Stills & Nash or The Free Design.

Layers of sound

Production - classic and contemporary
The production is incredible - layers of sound casting the mind to the classic 60s era (Brian Wilson? did someone say theremin?? - Simon & Garfunkle?) but at the same time feeling crisp and bang up to date - lilting, mellow, but quirky with exotic instrumentation.

The voice
Chris Conway's voice has a subtle warmth that is in the same ballpark as David Crosby or James Taylor but is all it's own. There is a closeness - a warmth to it.

In a world of its own…

The backdrop
The songs are set against a changing backdrop of styles. Hear US West Coast acoustic songs alongside powerful piano ballads. There are Celtic music touching realms inhabited by the likes of Alan Stivell & Donal Lunny.
Jazz, bossa, and electronica moments also appear along the way to make a unique whole that makes sense. The music creates its own world.

The songs
You'll find the melodies go round in your head and stay there. Songs of a man coming into his own at last. Leaving the mindless everyday noise and connecting with what is really important. Things taken half a lifetime to discover. Close the Circle takes you on that journey.


Chris Conway

Who? Producing a string of quality albums for a range of small labels and touring for last 10 years, quite why his music is not better known is a mystery to his fans. He has, after all, played with members of Jethro Tull and Fairport Convention, and punching his name into Amazon UK will show 19 albums of his, or his bands, available. But still he hides under the media’s radar.

The release of Close the Circle, his 8th solo songs album, and the growth of interest in his music on the internet may well change all that. It’s a truly amazing album. After years in relative obscurity there is a groundswell of interest in his music. As he sings on the classic Homecoming, “The journey’s over, the day is done, I’m coming home”

Origins. Hailing from Michigan USA but growing out of a very healthy acoustic scene in Leicester, UK, it was immediately obvious that Chris Conway’s songs were something special. As then, the US West Coast influences are striking, as is his love of harmonies and often unusual instrumentation. Comparisons in the early days were made with David Crosby. But then there’s the Celtic tinge that creeps in, and the jazz touches, and electronica, and more… Chris says, “I used to worry a lot about all the different styles. Now it’s just all about the songs and about whether they communicate a feeling.”

Time Out Magazine said of him - "Rootsy multi-instrumentalist Conway is a master of witty, touching acoustic songs. He purveys a lilting and melodic music of depth and emotion”. They got that right!

His lyrics, together with his amazingly expressive voice, pack a real emotional punch. Subtle moods and ideas, things that one recognises but perhaps hasn’t thought of, flights of fancy, life’s road, love and loss. It’s all there wrapped up with a huge gift for melody and harmony and his trademark layered sound production.

For too long now he been a well kept secret to his loyal fans at his concerts and on the web.
Have you discovered Chris Conway yet?


More on Chris Conway -
www.chrisconway.org

More on Close the Circle -
http://www.btinternet.com/~unclechristo/cd_ctc.html

reviews

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  • a gentle and reflective album, deftly played and expressively sung.
    author: Holding Together Magazine

    Those of you who saw Jefferson Starship when they played at Market Harborough last year may have been lucky enough to catch Chris Conway and Dan Britton opening the gig that ight with a fine support set. If you enjoyed that, you are bound to like this , Chris's eighth solo album. It's actually been a few years since the last collection of new songs ; in between Chris has explored electronic and ambient music. So this is a very welcome return - and the title "Close the Circle" is in part a recognition that Conway is returning to the song-writing muse that spawned his album "Sounds Like Rain" To further develop the circle motif, the album is devided into thematic quadrants (0 degrees - Future/Summer, 90 degrees - Pas/Autumn, 180 degrees = Blood/Winter, and 270 degrees - Love/Spring) and the songs of each quartile are linked to that section's theme. Chris played all the instruments himself (acoustic and electric guitars, piano, keyboards, theremin, kalimba, zither, whistles and percussion) except for the fretless bass which was provided by Neil Segrott on four tracks. He also handled all of the vocals including the harmonies - which are really stunning. Chris has always been a big fan of Jefferson Airplane, Crosby Stills & Nash, the Mamas & the Papas and the whle West Coast harmony sound they produced and it is that sensibility that infuses these recordings - David Crosby, James Taylor, and CS&N are the obvious reference points for Chris's voice and layered harmonies he lays down. But in addition tot he shimmering CS&N approach, the structure of soem of the songs is also highly reminiscent of the way Grace Slick was writing in the 1980s (from "Dreams" right through to "Common Market Madrigal" on the Airplane reunion album) Close the Circle is a gentle and reflective album, deftly played and expressively sung. "I Cast My Soul", Wake Me Up When It's Over", "Empty House Time Machine" and "Dreaming of You" are your reviewers favourite cuts but this is really a most impressive recording and you are urged to check it out at www.chrisconway.org.

  • author: Fatea Records Magazine

    "Close The Circle" is an old fashioned song cycle, set in contemporary songwriting. Themed around the season's, Chris surprisingly starts off the cycle with Summer. I guess that gives him the chance to end with Spring and rebirth, but in it's self unusual. Chris is an experienced recording artist and it shows. The album is as crisp as granny smith and just as sharp, though not without a hint of sweetness to enhance the flavour. "Close the Circle" feels like a journey away from home and a slow winding return. Drawing on the hope of arrival. Fatea Records Magazine Reviews

  • one of the UK music scene's best kept secrets
    author: Rock n Reel Magazine

    Leicester-based American singer-songwriter Chris Conway is, bemusingly, one of the UK music scene's best kept secrets. A prolific talent, Conway can turn his hand to roots, pop, folk, jazz, New Age, Celtic and electronic musical styles, sounding entirely at home in all of them. I discovered one of his early song-based albums back in the 90s and have been a fan ever since. A great voice, and a writer of stylish, easy-on-the-ear material, his considerable abilities as an arranger and producer ensure that quality control remains in-house and at a very high level. That his recordings are, in the main, self -released too, merely confirms that Conway knows what he's doing, and that he does it very well indeed. His latest collection of songs epitomises all those attributes. A masterclass in the DIY approach to music making. I usually end my reviews of his recordings musing as to the shortsightedness of major labels in letting this genuine talent pass them by. This one's no different. Dave White - Rock n Reel Magazine

  • this impressively produced set deserves to reach a wider audience.
    author: Maverick Magazine

    Born in the United States but based in Leicester; multi-instrumentalist and writer Chris Conway issues ambitious solo project. Chris Conway is arguably the pick of Leicestershire based singer songwriters. He is a naturally creative musician; equally accomplished on guitar, piano, or Celtic sounding whistles and effects. Conway's main problem may be his versatility; this music isn't easily pigeon holed. A look at his back catalogue reveals a plethora of releases; including eight instrumental (jazz, ambient, world) and eight previous solo 'song' albums. Vocally he recalls David Crosby; with his smooth delivery teetering on the edge of Jazz. Indeed, anyone who enjoys Crosby's side project, CPR or Marc Cohn, will find this release very much to their taste. Close The Circle's twelve songs are divided into four sections introduced by brief instrumental snatches; Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. An Old Fashioned Future is a fine song with its acoustic guitars, percussion and perfectly layered harmonies. The Celtic sounding Songrise, breezy and optimistic; captures the 'summer' vibe; 'Let the winter take its toll, I feel a change in the wind …' The autumn section is equally impressive with perhaps Castle, Seed & Candle being the standout here. Winters' The Great Escapist is a tour de force with a gorgeous mid-tempo melody; very reminiscent of Joni Mitchell. Neil Segrott excels on bass here too. Arguably the real highlights are when Chris pairs down the instrumentation for a stark piano number like Empty House Time Machine, where the author revisits his past. Brilliant song! Another standout track for me is Springs' Homecoming. Again this piano ballad has a beautiful melody and a lyric of contentment; 'with this new found wisdom and the love of good friends the journey never really ends.' Recorded at home, and in San Francisco, this impressively produced set deserves to reach a wider audience. John Brindle - Maverick Magazine

  • Beautiful
    author: Pete Kenny

    Chris Conway's new CD is full to the brim with great songs, arranged in four sections to reflect the seasons, and their significance for us mortals. Don't worry though - it wears the conceit lightly - it works fine if you're of a new age disposition and doesn't get in the way if you're not. The playing and singing is lovely, with special mention for the vocal harmonies which give the whole CD a lush West Coast feel. Amazingly the whole album is just Chris with some bass from Neil Segrott. This is clearly a labour of love. The subjects range from love songs (as in got a love, not lost a love), politics "some of us still dream", bereavement, memory, lost love and meditations on life, it's challenges and meaning. Chris' songs are full of soul and he's a man for whom the sun rises in the morning - it's got a really positive feel about it. My personal favourite is "Cast my soul" but there's another half dozen that are really close and nothing that gets me reaching for the remote! Good work - I hope it sells a bucket load.

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