Single of the Week: Bryde – ‘Help Yourself’

I understand you’re reading this on a Monday – if you’re reading on the day of posting – but this song is such a Sunday song. It’s doing my Sunday absolute wonders. I mean, you can listen to it anytime, it’s a great song like that; it’s not exclusive to days. However, you had to be here yesterday, you’re missing out. Mind you, you’ve got another Sunday coming up in a few days, you can experience it then. For now though, it’s whatever day you’re reading this, and it doesn’t matter anyway.

I say this is a Sunday song, though, because it comes with a smoky, melancholic apathy; fed up, tired, and burned out. It’s hungover and broken up, sure, but underneath that is a fiery resolve that is all fight and passion. Broken, maybe, tired of the world, the people who’ve hurt you, and the mistakes you’ve made, but not too broken to retaliate, to kick back at the world, and make this the day things change. It’s an infectious spirit to experience, helped further along by the fact that the chorus is so fucking catchy.

What could become marred by its solemnity and bitterness, is instead an impassioned rallying call that has had just about enough of its own shit, but isn’t too far gone to give up. Dust yourself off, start again, help yourself. Maybe I was wrong, maybe it’s perfect for Monday; something to ignite that belly fire enough to see you through not just Monday mo(u)rning, but the whole day. Actually, it’s probably perfect for any day of the week.

The track is only Brixton-based singer-songwriter Bryde’s second single, but it sounds like she’s taken her own pep-talk to heart because this song doesn’t just stride confidently, it glides, soaring skyward through its powerful and emotive choruses, headstrong. It’s clearly cathartic, but not just aimless and explosive, it is instead guided and direct with a complete conviction in itself. A strong but raw vocal performance only enhances the earnest lyrical sentiment.