In an eagerly anticipated return, East Yorkshire’s own Katie Spencer is set to unveil her third album, ‘What Love Is’, in October 2025 (pre-order now), preceded by the poignant lead single and video, ‘Come Back and Find Me.’ Known for her assured guitar style and songwriting that evokes open skies and widening rivers, Spencer now delves into deeper inner spaces, inviting listeners into a realm of heartfelt and intricately crafted songs.
‘Come Back and Find Me’, the first of four singles, offers a profound glimpse into the album’s thematic core. The playing throughout is superb; Spencer’s fingerwork is meticulous, and her guitar’s timbre is especially beautiful, providing the perfect balance to her distinctive deep vibrato. Meanwhile, Tom Mason‘s double bass and Matt Ingram’s drums set an infectious groove while the addition of clarinet, courtesy of Giacomo Smith, is a beautiful and unexpected touch that lifts the whole piece. It’s a very strong and confident single to lead on.
She says:
“Come Back and Find Me is a song written about this huge longing for wholeness that many of us share. It is a plead for pause and softness, in a world that is becoming increasingly louder. I felt slightly bewildered whilst writing most of this record, and so many of the songs document that non-linear process of reaching for reassurance and sometimes finding it. Creating this song in the midst of grief was a way of focusing on that inner ability to reflect, channel and comment on this collection of wild emotions that many of us experience, and trying to find some completeness and peace within that process. Many of the songs on this upcoming album explore love and how it weaves through our lives in lots of different ways. I wanted this particular song to be a mirror for human nature, and not to become an individualistic self-portrait and I hope I have achieved that.”
Produced by Matt Ingram (Laura Marling, The Staves) and recorded at London’s Urchin Studios, ‘What Love Is’ promises an intimate collection of ten new songs. The album, featuring prominent players like the aforementioned Giacomo Smith (clarinet) and Max Clilverd (pedal steel), is said to evoke the spirit of Joni Mitchell’s later works, honouring without emulating. Spencer’s sound, deeply influenced by artists such as Mitchell, Judee Sill, and Michael Chapman, absorbs these inspirations while remaining inimitably her own.
From wide-open jazz-tinged soundscapes influenced by Pharoah Sanders to her admired folk-baroque fingerpicking, the album showcases Spencer’s innovative and confident musicianship. Her singing is powerful yet warm, a pristine delivery that liberates the accompanying instrumentation. ‘What Love Is’ is poised to be a master-class of inspired and beautifully-sounding craftsmanship, exploring the multifaceted ways love weaves through our lives.
Pre-Order What Love Is (Lightship Records – LR-002) via Bandcamp: https://katiespencerofficial.bandcamp.com/
Catch Katie on the road this summer: https://www.katiespencer.net/tour