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Love is War (EP)

by Jack Byrne

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1.
The Visitor 03:43
This morning the news predicted scattered showers, and I predict that I'll stay home. It's just me and my pajamas and a record player now. No sooner do I sit down to a cup of coffee there's tapping on my window And there you are, smiling, like you don't even know you're soaked to the bone I don't know what's gotten into you I bite my lip as you track mud all over the apartment and I offer you a towel. And I say, "you should have called, I would have been happy to pick you up." Oh, two of us with nothing better to do this Sunday but make sure we get nothing done, which would have been annoying if it were anybody else. There's nothing I'd rather do than waste my time with you.
2.
Lioness 03:23
Hey little lioness I've walked into your path Be careful what you wish for Be careful what you wish for You have my undivided attention I wouldn't think to turn and run Your mouth is your most dangerous weapon Oh, lioness, what have you done? Hello fearless woman We're alone here in your room Be careful what you wish for Be careful what you wish for You have my undivided attention I wouldn't dare turn and run Your mouth is your most dangerous weapon Oh, girl, what have you done? Hey there Miss Loneliness What's gotten into you? Be careful what you wish for Be careful what you wish for You have my undivided attention I didn't think you'd turn and run Your heart is your most dangerous weapon Oh, lioness, what have you done?
3.
I kind of like it here The silence is so comforting I get nervous when you're near That's why I've driven myself out I'll take what I can find, Build shelter out of sticks and stones Nothing happens here, but I don't mind I guess that's sort of the point I think I like this place No one will ever find me here Out here my heart can't break You can't reach when it's this far away I've set my boat on fire So I'm absolutely certain there's no way back The sea is stretched out for miles And I'm safe here in my hiding place
4.
Open Up 04:25
Decades passed, and seemed to rot this house Do you remember when the tulips used to grow all yellow in their pots on our front window? Cracked clay remains, holding the dirt they once called home But no amount of flowers can fill an empty nest You haven't said a word to me since Michael left I've always been able to read through your silence I've always felt a little doubtful that we'd last The air grows cold as autumn's ending Not as cold as we're more than just pretending to be Open up your heart and let me in For now, open up your arms Hiding where you know I'll find you out Hoping I will ask you why you are there Counting on my need for reassurance If love is war, you are a seasoned veteran But the truth would be your weapon Your words raining down on us And once it's in the air, we can't claim it never was Oh, when you're gone I swear I'll make this house look better than it did years ago when I carried you through the door The years grow long, my heart has withered I write to you from a house reduced to splinters My love Open up your heart and let me in For now, open up your arms
5.
I cannot pretend that I have seen the stars so clear before tonight They don't appear like this back home My ears haven't stopped ringing since we left the city on Monday And I haven't looked back since yesterday morning When you told me that I was yours Oh, the unforgettable night before Do you think anybody wonders where we've disappeared to this time? When do you think they'll send the search party? My pulse hasn't stopped racing since we left them all on Monday And we haven't looked at a map since the Park Street train Whether they like it or not, we're lost Oh, we're as untraceable as we want
6.
7.
Hobo Poetry 03:38
The lie that you call your life It scares me to death that you aren't bothered I have dreams in my head And I told you all about them And you dared to listen Then you looked at me like I was borderline crazy The things I screamed back at you got me thinking I may be I won't let you tell me how it's all gonna end up I won't sit in a box with a tie on for the rest of my life I wonder what you were like ten years ago Were you boring then too? What couldn't you risk back then that I don't have now? And was it all worth it? Oh, you don't know anything Every word you say proves it And you can't say anything You've never been through it You're crazy You're unbelievable You're sick And you're twisted If you think I'll be dragged down with you Then you're missing the point

about

Jack Byrne has greatly refined his six-string stylings on his 2010 EP Love Is War, a collection of heartfelt acoustic tunes. While many singer/songwriters employ backing bands or use involved arrangements, Byrne allows his natural talents to shine through, letting his compositions focus almost exclusively on his strong guitar-playing and singing.

In his music, Byrne channels the hushed folky tones of greats like Iron & Wine or Simon and Garfunkel. While the vocals of these artists can often be more subdued, Byrne’s voice is powerful and present—it’s truly an additional part of the instrumentation and not just a method to convey his lyrics. Thematically, this is an introspective record that focuses on, as you might have guessed, love. Even at their most narrative, the lyrics still reveal a deeper emotional insight into each track’s subject.

The songs are at their best when Byrne weaves his intricate finger-picking and vocal harmonies into his arrangements. This is most notable in standout tracks “Lioness” and “I Ate Civilization,” with the latter featuring amazing ghostly layered harmony, quite reminiscent of Grizzly Bear. Another highlight is “Without Looking Back,” where Byrne does his best Sufjan Stevens imitation, breaking into an unfaltering falsetto, while singing about sneaking away from the world with a lover. Overall, this is an excellent EP, well worth a listen for enjoying the complexity of its simplicity.

-Kevin Junker of Supertonicmedia.com

credits

released April 27, 2010

All songs written, produced, and recorded by Jack Byrne. Cover art by Kaitie Fry.

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Jack Byrne Boston, Massachusetts

Indie-Folk singer songwriter from Boston, MA

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