Catch & Release
23 Jun 2021
This soothing song was written by Gordon McKean and recorded with Louis Abbott during lockdown in 2020.
On creating the song, Gordon says: “The song Catch & Release originated from reflecting on issues of trust, relationships, courage and the risks we are sometimes required to take when faced with new and challenging situations.
Catch & Release had a long gestation, but trapeze artists, life models and refugee families seeking a better, safer life all eventually informed the lyrics (the phrase ‘life begins where your comfort zone ends’ was always at the back of my mind as I was writing).
The recording of this song was completed during lockdown. Whilst this task had its challenges, I found collaborating with Louis to be a very exciting, affirming and inspiring process. The thrill of hearing the ‘circus’ arrangement for the middle 8 was a highpoint for me, as it captured perfectly what I heard in my head, but didn’t have the musical vocabulary to be able to express on my own.”
Louis was similarly enthusiastic about the collaboration:
“I love working with Gordon. His songs always have really interesting melodic lines and the odd unexpected chord or two. With this song he essentially gave me a bit of freedom to add instrumentation as I saw fit. What you hear is the two of us playing two acoustic guitar parts in a room together and then everything else layered in top. I was hoping I could talk Gordon into singing the song himself as he has a great voice. Maybe next time…”
Sometimes I sleep
And dream of boats
That take me far away
Far from home
Distant voices
Distant shores
Sometimes there’s gold
The earth can’t hold.
Catch and release
My heart in my mouth
Catch and release
Your life in my hands
Falling and tumbling
Feeling the tension
Losing my momentum
A charcoal smudge
Pen and ink
I sketch your skin
It’s paper thin
I heard you sing
Above your top note
I played the wrong chord
At the right time
The air holds your shape
When you strike a pose
When push came to shove
You gave me a nudge