James Spencer – My Hand & My Heart (2023)

A natural storyteller with a desire to share tales of life, loss and love with audiences, singer-songwriter James Spencer captivates listeners with his magical musings. While his solo project began in 2019 with the well-received debut album Shine The Light, Spencer has been making music for the masses since 2015 performing with popular duo Bicycle Repair Man. This is my introduction to Spencer, but he has garnered a fanbase on an international level. With tours across Europe, he has gained a reputation for engaging, heartfelt and confident shows. Alongside these moving gigs, Spencer has featured in numerous publications as a solo artist, part of Bicycle Repair Man and with his full band The Wreckers.

Following his single ‘Lucky Man’, ‘My Hand & My Heart’ is one of the latest tracks from Spencer’s upcoming album Lucky Man. Releasing a series of singles leading up to Lucky Man, he captures several real-life topics ranging from the feelings experienced during the pandemic years (‘Black Dog’) to following your dreams (‘Your Ship’s Coming In’). ‘My Hand & My Heart’, however, speaks to those suffering within their minds to return to the light.

“Following the pandemic, the lockdowns and the mental health issues that have arisen from them, I feel that being there for your friends is more important now than ever. That’s what the song is about. It is an emotionally charged ballad about being there for a friend in a dark place.” – James Spencer on ‘My Hand & My Heart’

Already a fan-favourite at live performances, ‘My Hand & My Heart’ is a folk-rock ballad tinged with Celtic undertones. A combination of guitars and drums build a rock-inspired foundation while mandolin hooks add the Celtic edge. Add the haunting violin and sweet flute and the intimacy of the Celtic edginess flairs atop the overall melody. One aspect I find intriguing is how the use of classical violin, mandolin and flute help capture the vulnerability of the theme but also introduce a tender hopefulness into ‘My Hand & My Heart’.

In addition to the single, James Spencer released an official music video for ‘My Hand & My Heart’. The video can be viewed below or on his YouTube channel.

For more from James Spencer, check out his official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.

This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator

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