Katie Gregson-MacLeod's 'Love Me Too Well, I'll Retire Early' shows intimacy as art
- blondevibrations
- Jul 23
- 4 min read
Katie Gregson-Macleod has defined a chapter in her life, and captured the small moments within it tenderly in her latest EP, 'Love Me Too Well, I'll Retire Early'. Touching on building trust, love, and working towards deeper connection, this EP offers a collection of memories like a carefully preserved photo album. We are so lucky to be able to flick through, and soak in each moment.
Love Me Too Well, I'll Retire Early
Katie carries that nostalgic warmth in her voice from the very first note of this EP, the kind that transcends generations of listeners, effortlessly crafting a timeless feel to her art. Her lyrics cut deep in the titular track 'Love Me Too Well, I'll Retire Early', revealing an emotional mass in its entirety. With a gentle melody flowing through, something that may seem easy listening on the surface quickly allows a deeper sensation to kick in, a melancholy that washes over you. Katie's voice has a floating quality when at its most delicate, and this holds true during this track. It is soft, and takes you somewhere so real, so evocative. There is that unmistakable presence of yearning throughout the lyrics, and creates a landscape that is all too easy to lose yourself in, making this an unbelievably strong start to an EP.
James
The beat that leads us into the second track, 'James' carries a subtle lift in energy, but just as emotionally rich as the opener. A standout lyric, 'how will I know if its the real thing?' becomes the heart of the track and guides us through her string of thoughts, a question with so many branches. The song tackles the push and pull of desire and love, diving fully into their world and trusting the connection that is taking shape before you. The exposure of feelings Katie allows to run through each track creates the space for the lister to see themselves in it, and connect with that same feeling as she lays her emotions down in every line and lyric. We have all, in our own ways, sat with that uncertain ache of wanting to fully trust someone, but haunted by the fears of the past resurfacing.
Chess
'Chess' stands out as a highlight across this EP, feeling less like a song and more of a moment that we are invited into, a journal entry of something etched into Katie's memory for life. We are taken through this intimate narrative with gentle guitar strums softening each words, it feels deeply personal, and like a lullaby. This is where Katie shines, where she and her lyrics have the room to spill out like a stream of consciousness packed into a song. While thoughtful and tender, she is also unfiltered as this journey unfolds, it is much like a thought that never really ends - and we never want it to end.
I Just Think Of It All The Time
'I Just Think Of It All The Time' is another of the standout tracks on the EP, once again inviting us into a specific moment from this chapter of Katie’s life. It feels like a quiet, cozy exchange between her and her partner, an outpouring of all the thoughts she has been carrying. There is a sense that she truly knows this person, has taken the time to understand them deeply, and is willing to keep learning, for as long as it takes. Lyrics like 'If you're falling fast, you're just catching up / I write you like it's my first love and it wouldn't be the same if I could say it out loud' really highlight this sweet, earnest side to Katie's songwriting. She writes of the tenderness in experiencing milestones together or the first time, and the electricity of mutual feeling. She balances that thrill of reciprocation of honest love with sincerity of becoming more in tune with someone as you grow closer and open up more. This is a song that has her personality and care for this personal all over it, and is a sweet addition to the EP.
Mosh Pit
Despite the song name's suggestion of chaos, the track reveals itself as something far for gentle and ethereal in its delivery. 'Mosh Pit' would serve beautifully in a movie montage showing that all consuming feeling of falling deeply in love with someone simply being present in front of you. Lyrics like 'staring at the honey and the morning after cigarettes / laugh away our youth at the summer afternoons we lay in bed' against that acoustic that has travelled across the EP paint a picture of beauty and admiration. The track stumbles through simple utterances, untouched by complications to rain over the sunshine that the song brings. It is a fitting end to a magical collection that Katie can look back on in years to come with a deep sense of nostalgia. The beauty of her experiences remains preserved in her harmonies and the violin that carries us home.
Katie Gregson Macleod has delivered this 5-track insight into the many sides of being human, how fostering connection can shape your experience and perspective of the world, all with her signature flair.
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