Chris Conway & Dan Britton - Wonder

background
Two years on the making, Wonder encountered some breaks for bereavement, and health issues, butthey kept chipping away at it, and new songs came along to push out other ones. Then there was a dash to get it ready for a November 2019 tour which did not happen as planned.

It was decided to release it officially in January 2020 (so it will be a "2020 release" all year) , but to sell CD pre-release copies and downloads from Bandcamp from late-November 2019. Other download & streaming sites from early January 2020.

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2 songs were originally planned to be on the Wonder album, but as it was taking so long were released on a digital LP. Chris & Dan each chose a song from their debut solo albums to rework.
Better Times In Sight - from CC's 1995 debut "Sounds Like Rain" album features special guest Sally Barker.
Magical Time is from Dan's 1998 debut "Riding The Red Whie & Black Horses"

Check out the EP on Bandcamp , Apple Music, Spotify

influences
David Crosby, Alan Stivell, Stephen Stills, Van Morrisson, Bob Lind, Mike Scott, Waterboys, Neil Young, Paul Kantner, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Jesse Colin Young.

trivia
The album features 2 new recordings of old songs.
Wonder was first recorded on Chris's 2002 album Alien Salad Abduction.
Now We Know was first recorded on The Storm Thieves 1994 Endless Freefall album.

notes

1. Wonder (Conway)
A little cosmic love song.

2. Now We Know (Britton)
Dan revisits a song from his youth when Chris & Dan were in The Storm Thieves group, and a song of youthful ambition - "We're destined for higher things...".

3. The Waters Of Time (Conway)
Another of CC's Celtic, kalimba, drone songs this time about special people and and the prescious nature of time.

4. Three Years (Britton)
A special heartfelt song written in memory of Dan's father.

5. Satan Park Mall (Conway & Britton)
Chris & Dan started writing the lyrics to this song together by text as Dan was having a nightmare trip to the out of town mall.

6. The Violet And The Rose (Conway)
This big ballad is an allegory of diversity and tolerance.

7. Bad Things In The Name Of Love (Britton)
Dan wrote this song quite a few years ago, and it has been in the live set for a while and now at last is recorded.

8. Moth (Conway & Britton)
A little spontaneous improvised instrumental for twin whsitles and bodhran.

9. Back To You (Conway)
A strange song about a magical temporal picture shows your past and furtures and shows the difference being bold and taking chances in life can make.

10. Barefoot On the Cobbles (Britton)
Another song about Dan's family home of Devon inspired by the book of the same name by Janet Few.

11. Voices (Conway)
Voices, voices everywhere, spinning around in your head and driving you crazy. This leads to a great Celtic jazz jam section.

12. Daytime Star (Britton)
This little ballad about the star that shines in the day time is the perfect close to the album.

CHRIS CONWAY & DAN BRITTON
****
Wonder
The latest collaborative recording from Chris Conway and Dan Britton opens with the lush-sounding title track, a fittingly harmonious declaration from a man who knows he’s been lucky in love. It’s a classic song from the Conway pen, bearing all the easy-on-the-ear hallmarks I’ve come to expect from him. Britton’s ‘Three Years’ is a sweetly touching tribute to his late father. ‘Satan Park Mall’ (Conway/Britton) might have materialised from some 70s West Coast recording session, The Doors’ Ray Manzarek having dropped in to contribute some tasty electric piano.

‘The Violet And The Rose’ is another mellifluous Conway number, a timely hymn to diversity, while Britton’s gently confessional ‘Bad Things In The Name Of Love’ is honest self-reflection graced by more piano, Conway’s jazz experience splendidly distilled. Indeed, one of Wonder’s many strengths comes from the pair’s contrasting backgrounds – Conway an American long resident in the U.K. and Britton a native of Devonshire. Fine singers and songwriters, this collection is a worthy successor to their Safe Harbour album of 2017.

- David White RnR Magazine - June 2020