Julie Byrne – The Greater Wings
A sonically patient, cinematic and hopeful record, The Greater Wings grabs you and pulls you down into Byrne’s slowly breathing world of all-encompassing grief
Following 2017's unexpected hit Not Even Happiness was always going to be challenging for singer Julie Byrne, but her third album The Greater Wings also bears the scars of her longtime creative partner, producer and close friend Eric Littmann, who suddenly passed away during the making of the record at the age of 31. It means that his memory is deeply woven into the fabric of The Greater Wings. Not only does his own production and performance appear throughout, but the album plays as an ode to Littmann from start to finish.
From the very beginning, Byrne invites us on her journey as she tries to make sense of this incredibly tragic event. The lyrics detail snatches of memories; reflections on the universe and the point of it all; fiercely loving tributes to Littmann, as if willing him to hear the record through the ether: 'You're always in the band / Forever underground / Name my grief to let it sing / To carry you up on the greater wings'.
The record essentially grabs you and pulls you down into Byrne’s slowly breathing world of all-encompassing grief. Her voice is excellent throughout – defiant and unwavering over Littmann’s production – and sonically it is patient, cinematic and hopeful. A refuge, perhaps, for anyone who has been on the receiving end of the confounding and cosmic world of grief.
Listen to: The Greater Wings, Summer’s End