Cold Specks

Industry showcases are usually about as much fun as a part-time data entry job, but there was a sense of excitement for one-time Etobicoke, ON resident Al Spx to make her full-band debut in Toronto. Introducing herself and her five-piece group collectively as Cold Specks, the self-styled "doom soul" singer set the mood with "The Mark" off her forthcoming record, I Expect a Great Expulsion, kicking off what would prove to be an near flawless set and proving that the few tracks that have surfaced so far are just the tip of the iceberg. Members floated in and out as the sextet made their way through the entire record, while Spx's world-weary gospel melodies filled the corners of this sometimes Anglican church. Between songs, Spx proved to be surprisingly chatty -- perhaps due to nervousness -- cracking jokes and even delivering a soulful rendition of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme. Already a hit in the UK, its hard to imagine Cold Specks not finding a huge audience quickly at home in North America