Photo Credit red.eye.film
Despite this interview being the first time that I had personally met Spenser, the following conversation which played out matched the relaxed and casual energy of two mates simply catching up. Spenser’s raw excitement and earnest love for all things music was infectious to say the least and led to a conversation that felt incredibly natural and free-flowing (we'd often sidetrack from the interview questions as we found ourselves discussing our favourite bands and lyrics in deep music-nerd fashion).
This isn’t the first time that the Couchdog family have been in cahoots with Spenser mind you. Back in 2022 we reviewed The Imposter, the debut EP that gave us the first taste of his unravelling journey as a solo artist. So now as the second chapter of his discography has been released to the world, we took the opportunity to fill in the gaps of then-and-now and to delve deep into what Australialand has to offer.
When I first listened to this three-track EP, I fondly recall being struck with a powerful feeling of comfort and ease. Written and recorded in his home studio and using virtually all real instruments for its recording process, Australialand rings with a refreshing tone of naturality that perfectly reflects the humble and down-to-earth person that I met. From the warm and heavy vocals to pouring soundscapes of acoustic guitar, chirping birds and distant laughter, there’s a unique feeling of tranquillity and serenity to this EP. Describing his tracks as ‘songy songs’, a primary factor behind the making of Australialand was Spenser’s desire to, simply, make good stories. While certain aspects of their narratives may take inspiration from Spenser’s personal life, songs like the opening track ‘Australia’ provide a narrative of your classic love story with an Aussie spin.
You can check out Spenser performing the EP at his home studio here^
Further on, Spencer wants to make good stories with an Australian backdrop. Now, If you haven’t gathered from its namesake, Australia and its community plays a vital role in the lyricism and storytelling of Australialand as this record encapsulates Spenser’s changing relationship with the land that he was born and raised on. In one way or another, the era of Covid 19 had a lasting effect on nearly each and everyone of us. And for Spenser, that effect was a new life perspective; Describing his life prior to 2020 as living in a bubble, the ensuing years of lockdowns and social isolation had allowed him to see his surroundings in a new light; the result being a deep appreciation of Melbourne, friends and a mantra to just “get out there, live it up and just embrace what’s around you.” This soak-it-up attitude that Spencer has acquired towards life flows perfectly into Australialand as each of the three tracks manages provide its own unique story strewn with descriptive, picture-painting lyrics that immediately sets a familiar and serene image in it’s audience’s head (the opening line of “Early morning birds are drinking from cool ceramic bowls'' in Another Light serves as a favourite example of mine.)
On top of everything else Australialand continues to display Spenser’s growth as a compelling multi-instrumentalist and storyteller. More importantly however, Spenser’s journey as a solo artist definitely ain’t stopping here as the Couchdog family was to expect another EP of his before this year comes to a close.
Keep up to date with Spenser Here
You can check out the EP on Spotify Here
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