When the Canadian singer-songwriter who performs as Al Spx had to categorize her music, she made up a new genre: “doom soul/gothic gospel.” It was a joke, but it stuck, because it’s not really inaccurate. Her songs are decidedly dark, but themes of loss and hardship are balanced by hopeful lyrics and uplifting harmonies. Cold Specks, the band she put together, released its debut album I Predict a Graceful Expulsion earlier this year.
Spx wrote the album’s songs alone in Toronto and admits she was reticent to share them. “It was this incredibly daunting experience,” she tells Kurt Andersen. “I didn’t know the people playing on the record very well, I didn’t know my songs very well — there were a lot of unknowns.”
The recording process gave Spx the confidence to hit the road with her band, but she still finds comfort in her pseudonym. “I think the artist is a separate individual from the person,” she says. “It wasn’t until I embraced the Al Spx persona on stage that I was able to play these songs.”
Cold Specks performs “Send Your Youth,” “Elephant Head,” and “Blank Maps” live in the studio.
Winter Solstice
Artist: Cold SpecksAlbum: I Predict a Graceful ExpulsionLabel: Mute ArtistsPurchase: AmazonHector
Artist: Cold SpecksAlbum: I Predict a Graceful ExpulsionLabel: Mute ArtistsPurchase: AmazonHeavy Hands
Artist: Cold SpecksAlbum: I Predict a Graceful ExpulsionLabel: Mute ArtistsPurchase: AmazonHolland
Artist: Cold SpecksAlbum: I Predict a Graceful ExpulsionLabel: Mute ArtistsPurchase: AmazonSend Your Youth
Artist: Cold SpecksAlbum: LIVE in Studio 360Elephant Head
Artist: Cold SpecksAlbum: LIVE in Studio 360Blank Maps
Artist: Cold SpecksAlbum: LIVE in Studio 360Guests:
Cold SpecksProduced by:
Sean Rameswaram





Comments [6]
Beautiful and moving.
It sounds like Arcade Fire/Adele. Boring, bad music. When a musician "makes up their own genre," they are wasting their time on marketing when they should be working on bettering their poor singing voices and bad poetry. This music should be relegated to Starbucks.
Truly wonderful! Just saw her/ them in SF. GREAT SHOW!
@Steve Davis, until I see your wife on stage somewhere I'll stick with artists like Al Spx, and remember the old adage, if you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all. This is entertainment not politics, war or religion, those you can complain about, but not music or art, they are for stimulation and self examination, for growth and experience. You didn't elect Cold Specks, you chose to listen, you elected your mayor, if he messes up then you can chastise him, but remember you did vote for him. As for your radio you chose to listen to Studio 360, and you are listening to one persons view of music or whatever, change the channel, don't go back to that restaurant, most people go out or listen to divergent thoughts to expand their mind, not to find fault in the choice they made.
So next time you hear something you don't like that you chose or ate out at some cafe or saw in a movie or at a museum, remember, no one to blame but your own self, you took your self there, and there you are.
Great show, but sorry, her voice is grating and off key. The supporting music is uninteresting. Who picks this music? My wife is a better singer & songwriter.
Simply beautiful music
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