I ONCE HAD A MARVELOUS DREAM
Bryce Thomas has created something special with Across the Neuro Seas… an album full of melody and positive energy… just right for drifting away to for awhile during these challenging times.
ANDY MAIZE, THE SKYDIGGERS
ACROSS THE NEURO SEAS was written, performed, recorded and produced by Bryce Thomas in his home studio in April – May of 2020. The album features 12 alternative folk, folk-rock and roots tales that echo the 1970s songwriting styles of artists like Billy Joel, Elton John, Cat Stevens and Bruce Springsteen.
“I knew I wanted this to be a true album in the sense of all the songs relating to each other in some way; to have a single arc from the first song Perpetual Motion Machines to the conclusion with We Shall Be Bound. For me, the common storytelling thread is love blooming and love lost, and the duality that exists in any relationship.”
Featured on the album are Toronto drummer Marito Marques, bassist Chris Monster on select tracks, guest brass musicians on select tracks, plus a duet with his wife Lisanne on the song Everything.
Written, produced, performed, and recorded by Bryce Thomas
Drums performed and recorded by Marito Marques
Mixed by Josh Bowman
Mastered by João Carvalho, JCM
Album art & photography by Bryce Thomas
© 2021 Bryce Thomas, All rights reserved
Bryce’s ACROSS THE NEURO SEAS bears all the hallmarks of a true folk-pop auteur, with a timeless sound sure to remain relevant long after we’re allowed to once again get together.
Jason Schneider, JSM
Across the Neuro Seas Lyrics & Track Credits
PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINES
I once had a marvellous dream, to build my own perpetual motion machine, It would dance all around make the strangest of sounds In my head Many more years have now passed I’m sitting at home looking at perpetual motion machines dancing round our big bed What have we done? I said, You just smile instead. Who would ever believe (we did it now) That dreams come true? Just me and you, I once had a marvellous dream to build my own ark in a freshwater stream that would carry both sides of my Gemini heart to the sea, Many more years are now gone And instead of an ark I set sail in a song And the flood waters rushed from your heart and they lifted me high When will this end? I cried, You just turned to me and smiled. Who would ever believe (we did it now), That dreams come true? Just me and you. I once had a marvellous dream
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Piano, Guitars
Chris Monster: Bass
Marito Marques: Drums
Bryan Bertrand: Trumpet
SUMMER NIGHTS IN SUMMERTIME
Can I lay down here next to you? If I lay down my troubles too? These words I speak can be misconstrued I’m just thankful for this rendezvous. Take the 401 out to the coast Leave the windows down and count each post There’s a part of you that’s one part ghost That part of you that won’t let go. Ooo summer nights, Ooo in summertime The ocean air it stings your eyes And heals the soul down deep inside There’s a million ways to run and hide But only those who seek can find. Ooo summer nights, Ooo in summer time. I stopped today to call you up Stared at my phone and a coffee cup There’s times I fear I’ve given up Times I fear I’m not enough She finds the light in every way Left a message most everyday Told me love is long past due Hurry up babe I’m waiting for you There’s a time and place to make amends For how each moment came and went Get those wheels rolling on their way back home Get your heart in gear and your head down low. Ooo summer nights, Ooo in summertime Can I lay down here next to you? If I lay down my troubles too? These words I speak can be misconstrued I’m just thankful for this rendezvous
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass
YOUNG LOVERS
She floats into town on the back of a northerly wind Says she knows exactly where she’s going; never where she’s been Smiles at the boys trying so hard to look like tough hard men They all wanna love her but she’ll never throw it back to them You met her at the beach all alone staring out at the sea Asks you for a light come the night; you know just what she means Takes your old guitar; sings a song; Buffy Sainte-Marie You used to have a choice; now that voice is gonna be your queen Look out! Look out, Young Lovers Cause your life is never gonna be the same Look out! Ya, Look out, Young Lovers Cause this life will snuff out your flame Get out, get out while you can, tonight An engine full of gas rolling fast; four tires; no tread You take the onramp as the clouds gather high over head She turns down the music; says the weather’s always been her friend You tell her that you love her; she laughs; turns up the music again Look out! Look out, Young Lovers Cause your life is never gonna be the same Look out! Ya, Look out, Young Lovers Cause this life will snuff out your flame Get out, get out while you can before the early morning light Get out, get out while you can tonight You flew out of town on the back of a southerly wind But driving through the rain ain’t the same when it’s two a.m. Look out! Look out, Young Lovers Cause your life is never gonna be the same Look out! Ya, Look out, Young Lovers, Cause this life will blow out your brains. Look out! Young Lovers, Look out! Young Lovers Get out, get out while you can tonight
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Piano, Guitars, Bass
Marito Marques: Drums
EVERYTHING
I was thinking You were something You were something I was thinking about And there was nothing But our hearts thump’n Our hearts were thump’n Doin’ nothing at all And there’s no one to blame For things we don’t say You get my meaning Our bodies speak every word That our ears have misheard Including four-letter words And it feels like Everything is nothing at all I was dreaming that you were singing Ya you were singing in a dream that I had And there was nothing To stop us hummin’ Your motor’s running It’s time to put it in gear Oh the things that we hear When there’s nobody near Just cue the soundtrack Your body speaks every word That my head has misheard Ya all those lovely three words And it feels like Everything is nothing at all
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Trumpet
Lisanne Thomas: Lead vocals
Marito Marques: Drums
UP AROUND THE BEND
Late night, headlights Split the road in two But I’ll thread the needle through and through and through You’re sleeping on my arm Dreaming dreams to another song I turn the music down to hear you breathe Could you ever be safe and sound with me? Or would you rather spin the wheel again? And could you ever be safe and sound with me? Or do you wonder how all this will end? Up around the bend The fog begins to break Trees swing into view You wake to find the whole world there for you This love’s a leaky boat But we’ll bail it out and make it float Just turn the music up and sing with me Could you ever be safe and sound with me? Or would you rather spin the wheel again? And could you ever be safe and sound with me? Or do you wonder how all this will end? Up around the bend Hey there mumble bee Could you ever be safe and sound with me? Or would you rather spin the wheel again? And could you ever be safe and sound with me? Or do you wonder how all this will end? Up around the bend
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Piano, Guitars, Organ
Chris Monster: Bass
Marito Marques: Drums
SAVANNAH BLUE
Late September Comes like a flood Slow in the veins Cold in the blood I was done waiting Hoping you’d change But sometimes the cure Is a good dose of pain Take the highway heading south Till the salt air fills your mouth And let it all out Take the pain down deep inside Let it drift out on the tide And come back alive Oh Savannah I still miss you Oh Savannah at least we tried Oh Savannah you tore my heart in two And left me feeling Savannah blue I still remember The gardens in bloom All of the good And the evil there too We’d meet at the river Walk on the stones Till you cast me away And set sail for home Oh Savannah I still miss you Oh Savannah at least we tried Oh Savannah you tore my heart in two And left me feeling Savannah blue
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Organ
Marito Marques: Drums
Nebyu Yohannes: Trombone
Morgan Gardner: Trumpet
Rebecca Hennessy: Trumpet
Eli Clarke: Tuba Anders Azzopardi: Trombone
TILL THE END OF TIME
Ballerina comes to me wrapped up in her memories Straight toothed but crooked smile She says it’s been a while Since anyone had found a way To heal her love with a hand grenade But sometimes a frightful blast Can shake loose all that broken glass She used to live downtown Said she can’t afford the rent She would have moved uptown Said she can’t stand the scent Of bankers in their morning suits Leisure ladies in their yoga pants And millions of free trade coffee cups That people only pay to rent I’m gonna love you Till the end of time Sometimes it’s a drug And sometimes it’s never enough And sometimes it’s a distant feeling And sometimes it’s never enough And sometimes it’s like a flood And sometimes she waiting for me She once hitched her way to the coast With a band on borrowed time Hooked up with a chosen son Slumming it for the summertime He thought he could keep her close But lightning only strikes the trees He tried to clip her wings But she took flight on the late-night breeze I’m gonna love you Ya I’m gonna love you Till the end of time Sometimes it’s a drug And sometimes it’s never enough And sometimes she whispers to me I’m gonna leave you At the end of time And I’m gonna love you Till the end of time
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Piano, Guitars
Chris Monster: Bass
Marito Marques: Drums
GETTING LOST IN PARIS
Getting lost Getting lost in Paris We’ll stop and ask directions in broken Québécois Feeling slow Feeling slow in cafes As pretty dresses sashay Past old boulangeries You don’t even know How your soul Outshines them all Getting lost in the light Getting lost in the night Getting lost in the sight of you Finding all that we are Drifting far down the Seine
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Backing Sounds
LIGHT IN MY DAY
I’ve got a sweet love this time Least I think that it’s mine Like a ray of sunshine Blasting through my dark mind And I know that some days I’m a beast in the cage But she keeps me quite tame With her whip and a stage Oh believe in the night And the calm in the fight And the wrong in the right And the song taking flight And the warmth of the rain And the peace in your pain What is left now to say? You’re the light in my day We don’t have lots of time But I’m quite sure it’s mine Pour a glass of wine or three One for you two for me Shall we dance a bit more Cut a path cross the floor You’re a vision, you’re pure Can I claim you? Je t’adore Oh believe in the night And the calm in the fight And the wrong in the right And the song taking flight And the warmth of the rain And the peace in your pain What is left now to say? You’re the light in my day Can you see the shooting stars above you? While I carry you, carry you, carry you home? If you reach your arms up high above you You can carry them, carry them, carry them home Watch the weather turn to grey As the car takes her away What is left now to say? She’s the light in my day
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Piano, Guitars, Bass
Marito Marques: Drums
WIDOW’S WALK
Watch the water break down the twisted rock And the rain tumble down the blackened sky Soon and then they’ll return from their watery graves Soon and then they’ll return across the thundering waves There’s a house on the shore Battered bones still remain With a face full of light; one eye blind And a halo of light to shred the darkening sky Soon and then she’ll return to her wooden grave Soon and then she’ll return to find her deepening age As the rain rains on As the rain rains on And on And on Watch the water break down the twisted rock And the rain tumble down the blackened sky Soon and then they’ll return from their watery graves Soon and then they’ll return to find her deepening age As the rain rains on As the rain rains on And on And on
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Piano, Guitars, Bass, Mandolin, Penny Whistle Marito
Marques: Drums
HOPE AND CHANCE
Hope is losing sleep Always gettin’ wrapped up in-between poly-cotton scenery The best she’s ever seen And Chance is not awake but he’ still pulling at the drapes He likes to touch the greenery, crouched down on bended knees He’s got the chemicals to prove it And the temperature to use them Hope just cleans the room while Chance is building his cocoon, It’s a locomotion tragedy, the best I’ve ever seen Hope must find a way but she’s still waiting for Chance to say “I love you to the moon and back” But Chance he ain’t ever comin’ back She’s got the temperature to prove it, And the chemicals to ease it Well how they gonna go when the goin’ just gets in the way? How they gonna live when the livin’ won’t hesitate? She said I’m tired of meeting people with a weak handshake Drinking too much wine and staying up so late I’d travel round the world but I never could do it alone Giving all I got but never what it takes I diet all the time but I’m still gainin’ weight Living all my life as though I’m living for yesterday Well hope springs eternal they say Once upon a time they had the whole world spinnin’ But further down the line they’re just spinning in a million little different ways Everyone tries to beat the race Standin’ in line or just sittin’ lookin’ pretty Lights will never change and we’re always feelin’ strange no matter where we go Life moves fast when you’re feelin’ slow We’ve got the temperature to prove it and the chemicals to ease it Well how we gonna go when the goin’ just gets in the way? How we gonna live when the livin’ won’t hesitate? I’m tired of meeting people with a weak handshake Drinking too much wine and staying up so late I’d travel round the world but I never could do it alone Giving all I got but never what it takes I diet all the time but I’m still gain’n weight Living all my life as though I’m living for yesterday Hope springs eternal they say But this hope has gone quite astray And our last chance faded away
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Piano, Guitars
Chris Monster: Bass
Marito Marques: Drums
Nebyu Yohannes: Trombone
Morgan Gardner: Trumpet
WE SHALL BE BOUND
I hear the early birds so clearly As they greet the morning sun And though a cloud is slowly forming They fear not from where it comes We all search for hidden meanings Look to the stars up in the sky Everyone has had that feeling Even children will ask why The kings and queens are all leaving Jesters now all wear the crown And though the earth has stopped its turning Through all this we shall be bound The marching feet have got their orders But mother nature’s still in charge I have seen their banners flying And their truth is written large The kings and queens are all leaving And all the Jesters now wear the crown And though the earth has stopped its turning Through all this we shall be bound Can you hear the birds more clearly? As you greet the morning sun? Yes, it’s true the clouds are forming But through all this we shall be bound
Bryce Thomas: Lead vocals, Backing Vocals, Piano, Guitars, Bass, Tambourine