Cold Specks - Holland

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5...according to our Brian on Thu 20 Oct, 2011.

Powerful voice this lass has got. Evoking the dusky female blues of the Deep South, this young Canadian ex-pat sounds years older than her tender age and this song is a a genuine treat, like a Gothic soul-noir anthem with a fiery gospel-folk edge. I love the way her voice frames the sparse bones of the tune, the way it explodes forebodingly with minimal percussion, gentle piano and discreet choral backing to create a rousing chest-beater of a finale. The best thing I've heard on Transgressive for years, this is the real deal but weirdly will probably only sell to adventurous Adele fans & the kind of modern folkie who likes Laura Marling. The traditional number 'Old Stepstone' as performed on the flip is a truly beautiful acapella which showcases her voice to the very apex, coming across as feisty, tender, proud & rich in timbre! I genuinely look forward to hearing more from the curiously named & oddly moving Al Spx.....

Cold Specks is 23-year-old Al Spx from Etobicoke, Canada, who now lives in London.

Describing her sound as ‘Doom Soul’, Cold Specks’ music is steeped in the musical traditions of the Deep South.

No wonder then that Al cites the Lomax Field Recordings and James Carr as influences along with Bill Callahan and Tom Waits.

With a voice that evokes the ‘spirit feel’ of Mahalia Jackson and the visceral tones of Sister Rosetta Tharpe,

Cold Specks’ sparse arrangements and chaingang rhythms stop you dead in your tracks.

Cold Specks has just completed a tour with Howling Bells as main support,

and will be headlining the St Pancras Old Church on October 17th to celebrate the release of her debut Single.

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