Newcomers on the scene, the aptly named band, Cold Specks, debut their first album on 22 May. Their name is a reference to James Joyce’s epic classic, Ulysses and their album, I Predict Graceful Expulsion, is very much a traditional compilation of songs that tell a story. At the heart of the album is Canadian singer/songwriter, Al Spx, as she is known to the public. Her style has been dubbed ‘doom soul’ but that is more a way of describing Spx’s broken and bluesy sadness that transcends through what could be a songbook of brilliantly composed hymns.
Winter Solstice stands out on the album as a beautifully arranged and heart breaking song that rallies the listener to attention with the throbbing tempo and Spx’s chilling rasp of the lyrics.
Cold Specks – Winter Solstice by Cold Specks
Towards the end of the album, Blank Maps brings the purity and earthy quality of Gospel Sunday Songs. Spx’s voice trembles with emotion and the throatiness comes from a place that is soaked in sorrow and very unique.
Overall it is a carefully composed album that I’m sure will prove Cold Specks as a commendable force of new-school blues fusion.
