They say that one of the keys to good writing is to write about what you know. Delve into the minutiae of a subject you are intimately familiar with and your enthusiasm for it can be conveyed like an infectious smile. So how does Terra Spencer know so much about Other People’s Lives? The insight displayed on Spencer’s debut album suggests she might know a little too much…
Terra Spencer is very clearly a storyteller. Amidst small town stories and mills that produce more than just cotton, Spencer has woven a world of scandal and gossip, tempered by stoicism and classical guitar. Other People’s Lives provides such a rich tapestry of characters and stories we’re left wondering how much of herself Spencer has put in there. Fortunately, although Other People’s Lives’ storyline unravels a relationship in great detail, Spencer assures us that she happily dabbles in make-believe.
On the opening track, “Brooklyn,” Spencer lets us get a full verse in before pulling the rug out from under us with what constitutes the singer-songwriter’s equivalent of a bass drop. But from there on we are treated to something akin to a marriage of the gentle guitar work on Nick Drake’s “One of These Things First,” the intimate lyricism of Carole King, and the sort of classic low-key groove of The Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See.”
We’re introduced to Spencer’s characters from a place of innocence before they’re quickly picked up and plunged through romance and worse, into a myriad of complex emotions. Spencer paints the scene for us with “Cotton Mill,” her previously released single backed by Stewart Legere about the famously abandoned location in Windsor, Nova Scotia. The track provides a glimpse at the arching theme of the album: perseverance and finding solace in what works.
The rest of the album is so engaging it could play out easily as a novel, but thankfully we are treated to this musical odyssey. Spencer explores the themes of love and infidelity, complicated relationships, and dating in your thirties, but not so rigidly that it suffers from the fate of many concept albums burdened by an imposed plotline. Briefly dipping into reality with “Other People’s Wives,” Spencer offers a sort of confession or playfully endearing explanation of the album’s storytelling bent, but even that blends seamlessly with it’s greater theme of curious relationships. It’s an emotional showcase that bares one large statement: people are complicated.
Songs like “Everybody Knows” and “Age 38” can be merited for their heartbreakingly insightful lyrics and brilliant use of guitar to provide juxtaposition and sympathy as needed, but can’t be credited as “stand-out tracks” in light of the company they keep.
The album is simply a masterpiece from beginning to end. Spencer is a world class songwriter with the potential to rival greats like Henry Mancini, Leonard Cohen and Carole King.
Tour Dates:
01.18.19 – Windsor, NS @ Clifton House
01.25.19 – Burlington, NS @ Centre Burlington Hall
01.30.19 – Halifax, NS @ Dalhousie University
02.02.19 – Windsor, NS @ Schoolhouse Brewery
02.15.19 – Montreal, QC @ Folk Alliance International
05.16.19 – Kentville, NS @ Maritime Express Cider Company
05.26.19 – Dartmouth, NS @ GPS House Concerts