How about here in the states?
It’s a little harder here to try to break through with something like this. We had a good plug in Europe– they seem to be much more open to new things. The medium over there makes it easier to get “round the block”. Over here, each state is a different scene. However, with the internet things are happening much faster now in a worldwide way.
On both albums you have a roster of notable guest band members. How do you choose vocalists and the players?
It really does evolve from people we’ve worked with on our record label. Usually, it’s just a natural thing. We just know who is perfect for it as we’re writing it. We won’t necessarily write it for them, but we’ll have an idea that it’s going to be right for someone in particular. There’s some great background vocals on this album by a woman named Elsa Cornish who we’ve done projects with before.
The tracks vary greatly on this CD. "Confused" sounds rather Radiohead-esque, "Good Thing" is jazzy and "Glow" has an electronic, loungy feeling. Does this wide spectrum make the album harder to market?
In a way, yeah. It’s such an eclectic mix – a little bit of this, a little bit of that. But I think in general when you hear the whole album, you can see how it also sticks together and has a nice flow.
How do you perceive Open Door?
It’s really a producer’s project. We’re taking advantage of what we do as producers—but at the same time, we’re not just thinking as producers but as producers in a band.
What bin or category would your music be listed under in a record store?
I would put it in electronica. Actually, at one point, we thought it would be nice to call it “progressive lounge” because it’s not just loungy — it’s got an edge to it.
How does this album differ from your first release, What's Behind Door #1?
The songs on So Close To Beautiful are a bit more cinematic in a sense; there’s more of a focused story, whereas the first album was more a compilation with a much broader range. SCTB is also being distributed through Koch International—so it has a much wider level distribution than our first album.
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1 - Jumpin' Jordan Lee
I say "Yes" to "So Close To Beautiful" by Open Door. Sensual music, inspiring music, universal music -- I take the trip whenever I can. I will not remove it from my car CD player -- I will not! Cannot recommend this CD enough -- to friends, lovers, enemies, politicians, grocers, cabdrivers, et al. Listen for yourself, hear it for the first time and know that you are indeed so close to beautiful that you can almost touch it!