Description
Greg Bryce – Helium Heart
CD review by Tony Smith
TN076-100 – $25
TN180 Sep 26
The cover of this 1998 album shows Greg Bryce releasing a balloon.
Love involves letting go.
As he says in the sleeve notes, these songs are about love between people, the beauty of nature and meetings with great souls and ‘even deeper love that exists, often untapped, within our own heart’.
Bryce, a founding member of Jigzag, sings and plays guitar, box drum and bells.
Supporting musicians include Lara Goodridge (violin, vocals), Charlie Cole (keyboards), Paul Robert Burton (double bass), Michael Hawke (flute, recorder, tenor and soprano sax), Marcus Holden (violin, jiang), Michale Vidale (electric bass), Peter Kennard (percussion) and Pete Figures (drums).
‘Shiny Sun’, ‘Your Grace’, ‘Love is Everywhere’, ‘Burning Flame’ and ‘Cinderellie’ are yearning sorts of songs.
‘Michelangelo’ lifts the mood, the sax is especially effective here.
There are references to gravity and the possible effect on your heart.
‘Hope I Didn’t Embarrass You’ is among the more original sounding tracks.
It is wistful but poignant.
His ‘helium heart just hit the ceiling’.
The chorus with vocal backing is simple enough but memorable, ‘la la la la love is something higher … than our small desire’.
In style, the track is reminiscent of Bob Marley at his best.
‘Murrumbidgee’ is among the more memorable songs.
Each verse opens with three lines of recitation.
The chorus is strong: ‘By the roaring rushing river in love we sank.
‘Did the water make me shiver or the touch of your hand’.
There is more recitation in ‘Walking Real Straight’, so these tracks suggest that Bryce is very much a lyric driven songwriter.
The musical settings are arranged to maximise the impact of the words.
‘Fare Thee Well’ and ‘Train’ are tracks which are almost sub-genres in themselves.
They both concern leaving and parting and hoping.
‘Love Be Blind’ is simple but effective.
It has that earthy sound that a Dobro gives and good fiddle playing enhances.
Nothing else matters when you are in love. There is no need to look around.
‘Fionananda’ is a self conscious song.
It refers to song writing and use of the Rickenbacker.
It makes an appropriate way to end an album about inner emotions.
Perhaps it is Greg Bryce’s use of analogy which lifts these songs above the everyday.
In describing his love or his beloved, he refers to marshmallow, fires, sleeping beasts, fresh cut lawn, bombs, crystal, karma, Grace, angels, Isaac Newton, Buddha, feathers, eternity, trees, mountains, breeze, rain and poets.
All experiences and surroundings gain fresh meanings when seen through the eyes of love.
Greg Bryce uses his wide experience of the world and his deep experience of musical forms to bring these highly personal love songs to life.
Ed. Greg Bryce has four albums for sale from the Trad&Now website, all of which can be heard on Trad&NowLive! from time to time.
Additional musicians: Lara Goodridge – violin, Carlie Cole – keyboards, Paul Robert Burton – double bass, Michael Hawke – flute, recorder, tenor and soprano sax, Marcus Holden – violin, jiang, Peter Kennard – percussion, Pete Figures – drums
Original songs by Greg Bryce from Jigzag from moments of inspiration during 1995-96
