Introduction - About the album 'Can We Return to the Heart'

I would not be telling the truth if I were to say I had a very clear vision about how this album would end up when I started writing it, but I can say I knew it would have themes to do with archetypes, Mother, Father, and the journey of the prodigal son/daughter. I feel myself to be more of a poet than a musician these days, but like the 'Bards' of the Ancient Celtic tradition I like to tell stories in verse and rhyme set to music. The difference is I suppose I set them to todays contemporary musical soundscapes. I grew up with Dylan, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Bowie and The Who, and I freely take musical inspiration from such artists, because I have an ongoing love affair with their work. They are all todays modern 'Mystics' and 'Heroes', communicating to a contemporary society, who are not following religions or dogma, but who are looking for answers to their lives, and music is the medium and carrier of Truth for them.

I also use freely the more ancient and shamanic musical instruments that I have studied over the years, for I am after all a drummer and percussionist. Someone once shouted out to me kind of jokingly 'You just beat on animal skins, that’s not 'Real'music'! To drum is pretty earthy stuff I guess, and not always appreciated, but something which I believe has helped shape my life and brought me to where I am musically. I now sing and write in the rhythm of words which we call 'poetry'. The drums, especially tabla and djembe, keep me grounded , the words and music help me to fly with the birds.

I suppose my fascination with doing Photography and Filmmaking has helped me to learrn the craft of telling a story, and also how to be an objective observer. However in my songs the communication of ideas and life experience seems to supersede stories of mundane life episodes and events. I do not write songs about going to the pub, being crashed out at a party, ditching my girlfriend etc., you have to look to other artists to tell you those stories.

The songs on this album are all about the mystery of being a human being, and biographically speaking, the writer grappling with trying to feel at ease and at peace in his life, in this somewhat surreal and crazy home we call planet Earth. Whether we like it or not Life is not all roses. It is a kind of school, and the themes of light and dark, up and down, seeking the balance of male and female, and positive negative are interlaced within the songs. 'It will be a bumpy road and bitter sweet to taste,' as written in the title track Can we Return to the Heart, says a lot about our journey. It is my own experience that at times I feel I am living in the middle of a dream, and paradoxically the more dreamlike I feel it to be, the easier it all gets. That is my experience, other people who feel it to be a dream just go a little mad. It's a razor's edge path I guess.

Beyond this I want to say no more, for I firmly believe it is a really good thing for the listener to make his own interpretations of the material presented here. We live in a society which explains everything, and that is when we lose all sense of discovery, mystery and imagination. This is also when our lives are directed and guided by the shallow and mundane..... newspapers and media guide us, then we automatically follow the cult of celebrity and sensationalism, rather than 'Wisdom' and common sense. That is somewhat of a tragic and bereft scenario.

So sit back, put on a good set of headphones and be taken on a journey. We are on a journey every day anyway 'Floating on a globe in starry space' (Urban Child) That’s a pretty weird, wild and wonderful thing.....isn't it? We just forget our need to remember this great Mystery.

Jules Franks October 26th 2007 Brighton England

All words and music by Jules (Julian) Franks except Brother Sun met Sister Moon, music by Julian Tardo
and Jules (Julian) Franks. Can We Return to the Heart music by Joel Franks and Jules ( Julian) Franks.
Produced and Arranged by Jules (Julian) Franks
Co-produced and engineered by Julian Tardo
All songs Recorded, mixed and mastered at Church Road Recording Company Hove East Sussex England by Julian Tardo.
CD & Website Design by Kate Wardman and Jules Franks
Photography by Adam Seaman
Words and music and Julian Franks
Great Mother's Hand Records / www.julesfranks.com / www.myspace.com/julianfranks
00441273 241768 or 00447887560312

Special Thanks to all the musicians, Joe, Matt, Carrie, Shannon, Linda, Krista, and especially to Genevieve Applebee, Ian Faller, Julian Tardo and Joel Franks
Thanks to the following people: Suzanne (for helping with my singing), Darragh, Ruth, Adam, Al, Kairen, Enrick and Joice, Julie and Kate, Jenny, My brother Ian, Pete at Copydog.
A special thank you to Morwenna for all her guidance. The song Brother Sun met Sister Moon is dedicated
to her fond memory. Special thanks to B.J. and the Muse who guides my pen .

This album is dedicated to the 'Great Mystery' of being Human on a planet called Earth, and to the 'Source'.

Some important musical Inspirations: The Beatles, Kate Bush, David Bowie, The Who, John McLaughlin, Patti Smith, Bob Dylan, Arcade Fire.