Across 2021 and 2022, we shared a couple of releases from American singer songwriter Spencer LaJoye, yet we haven’t had the opportunity to share more from them since.
By Graeme Smith
Feature photo by Misty Lyn Bergaron
That’s now all about to change through the release of their latest EP, Death Drive. The EP follows on from their 2024 studio album, Shadow Puppets, the first released under their chosen name, and strikes a darker tone, exploring “relational turbulence” over five tracks.
It’s been a journey for Spencer. We first got acquainted with their sound when Jane ran the rule over their single, Remember the Oxygen. She described the track as “beautiful indie-folk” that was “understated… poppy” and “never too commercialised.” In 2022, I followed that up with a share of their single Plowshare Prayer which provided a “role-call of those who have been marginalised.” It’s a topic very close to Spencer’s heart, and its honesty saw the track go viral.
Since then, their “big, public, long-term, happy queer romance” has come to an end and they turned to the creation of Death Drive as a form of therapy. Two singles have been released from the collection already. The moody and morose title track came to light in October 2024, and opens the EP with an emotional, storytelling moment. Resistance to a Move followed in November and provides a lighter yet devastating story of heartbreak. A stripped-back verse gives plenty of space to Spencer’s characterful vocals and striking lyrics.
Joining the two tracks on the EP are To Tell the Truth, Collecting, and An Amazing Song. The former is a simmering and contemplative number while Collecting is delicate and intimate. A harmonious chorus will stick with you. An Amazing Song closes the EP with a tempered brightness. There’s a sense of catharsis about it that nicely contrasts the heaviness of the rest of the collection.
The raw honesty of Spencer’s song writing is what makes them such a compelling artist. They’re truly one of a kind, and not afraid to wear their heart of their sleeve. Their stories are paired with some beautifully emotional soundscapes that show us the best of modern indie folk.
Death Drive was produced and engineered by Chris DuPont of Ypsilanti, Michigan who also plays guitars, synths, bass, harmonica, and ukulele on the album. The record also features the vocals of Kylee Phillips on To Tell the Truth and An Amazing Song.
The EP is out now and you can give it a listen below.
