The musicianship on display in this live recording is simply stunning. Recorded in Tom Sands’ studio, Katie Spencer is accompanied by the gifted Max Clilverd, whose pedal steel is sublime. The blend of Clilverd’s subtle, haunting notes with Spencer’s warm, fingerstyle guitar is utterly captivating. Sands actually handcrafted Spencer’s guitar, using ancient cypress and ancient English bog oak, and the first piece played celebrates the rich resonance of this wonderful instrument before the duo play a gorgeous version of Spencer’s song ‘Stranger’.
After several minutes of hypnotic instrumentation, Spencer’s voice is really striking when she delivers the sensitive, heartfelt words of ‘Stranger’. Her vocal tone is as warm and rich as the characterful sound of her guitar, and the combined depths of her voice, fingerstyle playing, and ethereal pedal steel are genuinely beautiful.
‘Stranger’ appears on “What Love Is”, the Yorkshire songwriter’s third album, which was released in autumn 2025. Produced by Matt Ingram (Laura Marling, The Staves), the album features a collection of talented players, including Giacomo Smith (clarinet), Clilverd (pedal steel), Tom Mason (double bass) and Ingram (drums, synth). Together, they perform with style across Spencer’s elegant, intricately crafted songs. Immerse yourself in this and then absorb Spencer’s latest, timeless album.
