Canadian singer-songwriter Andrew Spice today unveils his second album ‘With Animals’, which emerges a lengthy 22 years after his ‘Pretty Demons’ debut made him one of the nation’s most hotly-tipped artists – a gap comparable to the time between Keith Richards’ ‘Main Offender’ and ‘Crosseyed Heart’ or Pixies’ ‘Trompe le Monde’ and ‘Indy Cindy’. Andrew’s story is a fascinating example of how life often deviates from your expectations – but whatever path you take, triumphs and tragedies will become part of the tale. Making a second album all those years ago would have been the obvious route, but fate had other plans. Instead he became a clinical psychologist, a second career that he continues to excel in to this day. He hadn’t written music in years until his friend Emm Gryner (a key David Bowie collaborator) encouraged him to write a one-minute song at a time when he was struggling with life. That became ‘Gentle Sentinel’, a tribute to his beloved and much-missed cat Bea, and also his personal favourite on this album. It unlocked something deep within him, and suddenly Andrew felt compelled to find catharsis by writing about everything which impacted upon his life. The album’s previous singles have seen him address relatable experiences in song, from coming to term with grief via the simple pleasure of walking his dog (‘High Park’), swearing vengeance against those who have wronged him (‘Rage Stage’), and becoming downhearted by the prospect of ever finding true love (‘Terrible Date’). Andrew says, “This record represents my return to music after 20+ years, bringing my career as an artist back to join my career as a psychologist, the singular power of music to move through life’s traumas, and a tribute to my beloved pets.” While Andrew often finds a caustic, self-deprecating sense of humour in his songs, the album’s new focus track ‘Junk’ stares unflinchingly at the darkness he saw at the outset of this project. Feeling like a flamboyant male-vocal equivalent to a Tori Amos song, Andrew looks at the inner turmoil, PTSD and insomnia that took him to his lowest point. And then something extraordinary happens: a jazz-tinged piano solo lifts the song’s mood and Andrew’s lyrics see him taking the first tentative steps to a happier future. Andrew describes ‘Junk’ as “a realization that psychiatric medication was erasing far more than just the pain for me, and the fight to feel like myself again.” Elsewhere, identity is a powerful recurring motif throughout the record. ‘Manitoba’ sees Andrew looking back to his early life as a queer teenager growing up in Manitoba, while ‘My Body’ and ‘No Justice’ both reflect on experiences of sexual violence at different stages in his life. ‘Polished’ is a more universal feeling, the dilemma of who you really are versus the person that you present to the world. But ‘I’m So Glad’ closes the record on an upbeat note, with Andrew paying tribute to his husband Adam Moço, aka ‘Canada’s Drag Race’ star Miss Moço. Also calling on newer influences such as Tom Odell and Metric, the entire record was written by Andrew Spice and was produced by the two-time JUNO Award nominee Matthew Barber. Other key collaborators include the Grammy-nominated string-arranger Drew Jurecka, plus Adrian Gordon Cook (MorMor) and Mike Tompa (Silverstein). Andrew will follow the release of ‘With Animals’ by playing select shows with Emm Gryner in Canada before 2025 is out. First up is Ottawa’s National Arts Centre (September 20th), followed by Hugh’s Room in Toronto (October 9th, also featuring Gentleman Reg) and The Aeolian in London, Ontario (November 28th). | 
