Synopsis

Presented in stark black and white, "Release" is a stylized performance video rather than a conventional narrative. The Tea Party perform in a stark, period-inspired setting, with the members' heavily made-up faces recalling the exaggerated look of 1920s silent-film performers. Images filmed in Toronto and Paris give the clip a striking sense of distance and movement, while the austere photography reflects the song's serious subject: the desire to free someone from fear, harm, and emotional control.

Factoids & Trivia

• Jeff Martin wrote "Release" after watching a BBC report about the state of women's rights around the world. He described the song as an apology to women.

• The single was released in Canada as a charity release supporting the White Ribbon Campaign, an organization focused on ending men's violence against women. In the United States, it was issued as a promotional single.

• The video is one of the band's rare black-and-white clips. Its makeup and visual styling deliberately recall silent cinema from the 1920s.

• Filming took place in both Toronto and Paris, giving the production an international visual scope despite its compact, performance-driven format.

• "Release" appeared during the Transmission era and was issued as a single in April 1998. The official Canadian release included alternate mixes as well as versions of "Temptation" and "Save Me."

• The song was later performed at the band's White Ribbon benefit concert in Toronto on June 6, 2000.