Come and Live – Haydon Spenceley

Lots of new Drowned in Sound reviews + whatever else

Hello everyone

I realise I’ve been negligent in my keeping in touch recently. To be honest I’ve been busy, enjoying life and mostly quite tired when not doing so. Apologies if you’ve been waiting on tenterhooks for me to pronounce on any particular topics. I figure there are enough opinions in the world without me constantly feeling the need to add my own.

I haven’t been writing much recently, but when I have, it’s been for Drowned in Sound. I’ve been reviewing various albums for them, which is a fun diversion. I doubt they’d be too happy with me if I started reproducing pieces here, but my writer’s page for that site is here so you can keep up with the various things that I’ve been putting in my ears recently there.

One of the things that’s happened since I’ve started doing pieces there is that lots of bands, artists and PR people have been emailing me. Mostly they’ve been pitching music to me that I’ve never heard of. This has been quite an aural adventure. I can’t write about everything for Drowned in Sound, due to the fact that they assign their own reviews, and I would struggle to write about everything I get sent because I have a job which I like, and a wife which I like a lot more, and so = lack of time. However, I’ve got in mind to write pieces about some of these bands and artists which are new to me every so often on here. There’s so much good music in the world. The majority of it never gets the attention that it is due. Anything small I can do to help that is worth doing. As a former independent musician myself, I know how hard it is to pour heart and soul into your work and then have it ignored by the world at large.

On that note, I hope by now you’ve heard Mirrors, my album from 2014, which is out worldwide (for free) on Come and Live! If not, now’s your chance.

But for now, real life calls and I must return to writing about Lazarus. See you around soon, and Happy Easter!

Haydon

Mirrors released on Come and Live!

I am really excited today to be able to say that Mirrors is available from Come and Live! Come and Live! is run by Chad Johnson, who is an amazing guy and a great friend. Chad’s desire is to release Christian music that is high quality, has integrity, and which points people to Jesus, so it’s pretty exciting for me that he thinks Mirrors, and I personally, fit the bill. He also likes to give it away for free. So, from today, you can download my album for free from the Come and Live! website (hover over the last sentence to get to my page on the website).

One of the best things about Come and Live! is that it isn’t a record label. It’s a collective of musicians and ministers based on relationship. Come and Live! is putting out Mirrors because Chad and I have been friends for a long time now. I first nearly had an album out on Come and Live! when Heart Strings came out in 2010. It’s been a long time coming. It is so inspiring to partner with a group of people who don’t just “get” music and musicians, but whose passion is seeing people meet with God through that music and the people who made it.

I won’t be suddenly becoming a full-time musician, or anything like it. I don’t know if I’ll ever make another album. I hope that I’ll continue making the different bits of my life match up and have integrity. I doubt I’ll make a penny from this, but the sense of partnership in walking alongside Come and Live! in the gospel and as friends is better than any amount of money.

Also, it’s beyond exciting for me to part of the community that brought Ascend the Hill, The Ember Days, Least of These and others to the world. If you don’t know who they are, you should.

And lastly, I beg you, watch the Columbia documentary on the Come and Live! website. It will make you marvel, I have no doubt.

Get downloading

(and I know they spelt my name wrong. To be fair I have two names which are very difficult to spell!)