Clocking in at 18 resilient, brilliant minutes of buoyant and tender piano pop, Couture’s first entirely piano-based project Safe Harbour was written in Couture’s new home, Toronto, and recorded with producer Jim Bryson (Oh Susanna, Kathleen Edwards) at his Fixed Hinge studio in Stittsville, just outside of Ottawa.

Lyrics and credits:

Like Water, Like Earth
Mother. Creature, in need of comfort
Her heart beating though buried in concrete
Hold them closer, hold them close
Like water, like earth, like soil and sky
Like firmament I am like water like birth
Like blood and like sky, like firmament
I am like water, like earth

Christa Couture — vocals
Peter von Althen — drums
Jim Bryson — acoustic guitar and piano
Philippe Charbonneau — upright bass
Kinley Dowling — violin

Far, Far Light of the Stars
Are you a writer?
Keeping your distance on paper
The medium is much safer
And maybe they’ll understand later
I can’t believe that anyone would ever cause you harm
But here you are in danger
I wish we were the far, far, far light of the stars
Chances are you won’t make it
Even if you fake it
But who are we to take it?
No matter the shape they will break it
I can’t believe that anyone would ever cause you harm
But here they are, and they hate it
I wish we were the far, far, far light of the stars
Don’t tell me that things will get better
There’s no sign of a change in the weather
And don’t tell me to calm down, settler
I see that you’re making no effort
I can’t believe that anyone would ever cause us harm
But here we are in armour
I wish we were
I wish we were
I wish we were
the far, far, far light of stars
shining at a safe distance

Christa Couture — vocals and piano
Jim Bryson — electric guitar
Philippe Charbonneau — bass
Peter von Althen — drums and percussion
Kinley Dowling — violin and viola

Tiptoe
We’ve got a secret you and I
Like we tiptoe through the morning
Careful not to disturb
And we’re gonna keep it you and I
In an envelope marked “sorry”
(But sorry isn’t the word)
Until it grows into a bird
Transient and blue
Until it flies away and fades from view
We’ve got a secret you and I
Like we translate into meaning
A language that isn’t our own
And we’re gonna keep it you and I
As the language of our feelings
Feelings we shouldn’t know
For they are transient and blue
Long overdue
To fly away and fade from view

Christa Couture — vocals and piano
Jim Bryson — electric guitar
Philippe Charbonneau — bass
Peter von Althen — drums and percussion
All present — hand claps

Rebuild
Know we’ll make it back, we’ll rebuild like always
And though under attack, we’ll rebuild always
Careful you’re in shock — like I’m on to talk
A lustrum of this loss and still in its grasp
Once it catches, all is ashes
This is quite important:
However it takes, let yourself be broken
Travel the ache
When you’re ready, tell your story
We know you’ll make it back, we’ll rebuild like always
Though under attack, we’ll rebuild always
I dream, I dream, I dream
If there is a buoy, a key to employ
Find a target for tend and adore
There is weight to those who claim you
We know you’ll make it back, we’ll rebuild like always
Though under attack, we’ll rebuild always
I dream, I dream, I dream

Christa Couture — vocals
Jim Bryson — piano and electric guitar
Marshal Bureau — drums
Ana Ruddick — electric bass

Water to Sail (Safe Harbour)
There’s a point that I get to
There’s a line that I cross
There’s a moment that I notice – I notice I’m lost
When I reach the horizon
When I reach for the flame
When I reach the conclusion there is no one to blame
Oh safe harbour, I see your light
I’m headed for you, ya I need you tonight
I’ve been weeping, You probably can tell
But only weeping gives me water to sail
I don’t know what to do here
I don’t know where to go
I don’t know what I’m saying
So I stutter – I stutter and choke
If you’re a canyon, I’m a plain
I’m a desert and I’m ready for rain
Oh safe harbour, I see your light
I’m headed for you, ya I need you tonight
I’ve been weeping, you probably can tell
But only weeping gives me water to sail
Call out my name I don’t want to be strange

Christa Couture — vocals and piano
Jim Bryson — vocals and electric guitar
Philippe Charbonneau — upright bass
Peter von Althen — drums and percussion

Waitlist Lullaby
I wake from dreaming
And call your name into the night
If I keep believing
Will it be true I’ve your heart?
I’ve your heart
Sternotomy, thoracotomy
They cut to that part of me
When I wake from dreaming

Christa Couture — vocals
Jim Bryson — piano and electric guitar
Philippe Charbonneau — bass
Ansley Simpson and Michelle St. John — vocals
Keri Latimer — theremin

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All songs by Christa Couture.

Produced by Jim Bryson.

Recorded by Jim Bryson at Fixed Hinge, Stitsville, ONT, except:
“Rebuild” was recorded by Tim Vesley at The Woodshed, Toronto, ONT; and Ansley Simson and Michelle St. John were recorded by Sam Gleason at Strawberry Studio in Toronto, ONT.

Mixed by Jim Bryson at Fixed Hinge.

Mastered by Philip Shaw Bova.

Photography by Jen Squires.

Hair and make-up (and eye for style) Kelty Lewis. Haircut by Israel Garcia.

Design by Andrew Oliver.

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Thank you, Jim, for saying yes to making this with me. You are fun and kind and I’m so glad, because I was a fan long before we met, and it would have been a small heartbreak if you were neither. Peter, Phillipe, Kerri, Kinley: thank you for your time and talents, it’s a delight to be in these songs with you. Ansley and Michelle, my heart soars to have your voices here. Thank you, Jen, who sees my ideas better than I see myself; Susan, my endless soundboard, virtual stylist, and longest friend; and Marsha, my love who listens to every note and thought along the way.

My last albums have been filled with losses and a need to understand them; this time, I got to write and record for the enjoyment, thoughtfulness and pleasure. I got to write from a safe harbour. “Like Water, Like Earth” was written for Maldewin Weskijinu / Blood Soaked Soil by Louis Esmé. “Rebuild” was written for the APTN series Amplify and is inspired by the book The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline. “Far, Far Light of the Stars” is for my QT + 2Spirit fam.