5 January 2022
What was the inspiration behind the album?
The songs on the album address a variety of themes, but change (personal and social) and our response to it is probably a common thread. Change obviously features in the album title: ‘Change in the Light’. I liked the ambiguity of that – a change in the light might make you think of something positive, as in coming out of darkness, or as a harbinger of something less desirable. The album itself was made over quite a long period, during which there were various changes in our lives – including a pandemic, of course – but also a growing awareness of environmental issues, the loss of a parent, our children growing up, living in an area prone to flooding. Those things – and thoughts and feelings about them – fed into the songs.
Did the pandemic have an impact when recording the album?
Yes. We had started recording the album but it wasn’t finished when the first lockdown happened. That meant some of the recording had to be finished at separate homes, or waited until restrictions allowed us to gather. The album was mixed during a period when we couldn’t meet, and that made the process more challenging. On the other hand, it perhaps also gave us permission to take our time and resulted in some changes/refinements.
How long did the album take to create from start to finish?
The process from the start of recording to mastering took just under 3 years. There was a process of writing before and during that (we all have day jobs).
Which track was written first?
The oldest song on the album is ‘Before I Change My Mind’. That was written not long after the first Ten Fields album came out and before the current line-up had come together. The first song that really crystalized things with the current band was ‘Bottles and Rust’. We felt we’d found a direction or sound that reflected all our common musical likes, especially with the vocal harmonies we created in the chorus.
Do you have any personal favourite tracks?
That’s a hard question. I’m quite proud of the song ‘Butterfly’. I didn’t write it in the normal way – it actually started out as an instrumental track, so has some changes that I probably wouldn’t have used if I’d been intending to write a song from the start. Debbie also contributed some really beautiful harmonies on it. I think the song ‘Small Wonder’ turned out pretty well too.
Were any tracks difficult to write?
Some of the arrangements did take time to get right, and we recorded more than one version of a couple of tracks. We recorded two versions of the song ‘A Kinder Love’ and it took a while to find the right speed and groove. The final song ‘Standing in the Space Between’ started life as a mid-tempo, fairly driving song in 4/4 time but we reimagined it as a piano-led waltz. I actually like both versions, but the piano version is a nice album closer.
What do you have coming up in the next 12 months?
We want to do some live gigs, but have actually booked some time at Rockfield Studios in June to make another EP.
Genre: Americana, Rock-Pop, Indie Folk Rock, Adult Contemporary
Released: 29th January 2022
West Yorkshire band Ten Fields are Rhys Kelly, Nathan Kelly, Rick Robinson, Deb Harris and Henry Barker. You can find out more about them via Amazon Music, Apple Music, Bandcamp, Deezer, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify or Twitter. The interview was conducted with Rhys Kelly.
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