JUNO nominated and Maple Blues Award winner Spencer Mackenzie will return with a new album, Empty Chairs, to be released by Gypsy SoulRecords on 20th February 2026. Produced by 2 times Juno nominated producer, mixer and engineer and Emmy Award winning recording mixer Ross Hayes Citrullo, the guitarist with The Commoners.
Spencer’s passion for the genre deepens as he explores the works of blues legends while simultaneously being influenced by the bold energy of renowned present-day blues rockers in this highly anticipated new album. This fusion of styles along with Spencer Mackenzie ‘s unique sound in his new upcoming album Empty Chairs embodies this gritty, introspective style with electrifying guitar, punchy riffs, soaring organ, dynamic vocals, and an explosive rhythm section.
Taken from the album is ‘Shoot Me Down’ his new single out now on all available digital platforms here, with a lyric video you can check out below.
Atmospheric soundscaping slide work gives you a buzz to hum along to on Spencer Mackenzie’s new single ‘Shoot Me Down’ and there’s something of a message present in those hollered-out verse vocals, but give it another play; there’s time enough well spent to soak all that in.
Cutting deep with its swampy slide guitar and stripped-down blues-rock grit, ‘Shoot Me Down’ is a raw reflection on one-sided love and the weight of carrying a relationship alone. “How can you hold up both ends if you’re the only one?” Every note feels like a push and pull between hope and frustration, the sound of giving everything to someone who won’t meet you halfway. With each slide and sting of the guitar, ‘Shoot Me Down’ reminds us that you can’t spend your life making up someone else’s mind if all they ever do is tear you down.
Previous single ‘What You Do’ makes you question when we say we are fine, are we really? Or are we just trying to save others over ourselves? We think we are doing the right thing, by holding up a lie, but we aren’t! “What You Do” is a high energy blues rock song that’s meant to bring your attention to the guessing game we all play and being able to see right through someone.
‘What You Do’ is available on all streaming platforms here and you can check out the official live video for it here at RAMzine, that was recorded at the Festival d’été de Québec in Canada.
Coming across lively and upbeat Spencer Mackenzie’s new single ‘What You Do’ grabs your attention quickly, listen more closely and its lyrics consider the more serious side of human nature without ramming it down our throats.
Mackenzie himself hails from Southern Ontario and has steadily earned accolades, and the attention of blues aficionados from around the world. For nearly a decade, he has been writing and recording true blues, showcasing the raw emotion and honesty the genre demands. There’s a familiarity and ease with which he approaches the music, almost as though it flows through rather than from him. The energy of his work is infectious, permeating through the listener until they, too, feel the heartbeat of the blues.
With numerous Canadian, European, and US shows performed, some of his most notable performances include the Montreal International Jazz Festival, Festival d’été de Quebec, Moulin Blues Ospel, Ribs & Blues Raalte and Kulturring Schöppingen Blues Festival alongside acts such as Walter Trout, Fantastic Negrito, Samantha Fish and Jesse Dayton. With an electrifying presence and his new album on the horizon, this left-handed guitar slinger shows no signs of slowing down, delivering performances that leaves the audience buzzing long after the final note.
Empty Chairs is a fusion of styles along with Spencer’s unique sound while simultaneously being influenced by the bold energy of renowned present-day blues rockers embodies this gritty, introspective style with electrifying guitar. As noted, it has been produced by Ross Hayes Citrullo, whose career has been defined by passion and creativity, earning multiple accolades for his work on albums that have topped charts and garnered millions of streams worldwide.
“What we caught on this album is honesty and fire,” said Citrullo. “Spencer’s playing is fearless, his voice wide open, and every take breathes like a live show you don’t want to end. Producing it was about chasing moments you can’t fake—tone that tells the truth, stories that cut deep, and performances that live in the room. It’s the blues, lit up with a rock edge—hitting with modern bite and a timeless feel.”
Empty Chairs features the tracks: ‘Empty Chairs’, ‘Trip’, ‘What You Do’, ‘Don’t Know Where I’m Going’, ‘Till I Get to You’, ‘Frozen Hearts’, ‘Helping Hands’, ‘Why’, ‘ Shoot Me Down’, ‘Won’t Find Her’ and ‘Evil’.
You can order Empty Chairs on CD and vinyl here and digitally here.
