Cold Specks

COLD SPECKS IN CONCERT:Close your eyes at a Cold Specks concert and you're immediately transported to the soulful landscape of the Deep South. That's because Al Spx -- who goes by the stage name Cold Specks -- is armed with an enormous gospel voice that lends itself beautifully to what she likes to call "doom soul". It's a fitting description, as Spx's catalog is comprised of gothic imagery, claustrophobic melodies, touches of Tom Waits-inspired blues, and a velvety, husky voice that rises above it all. In concert she creates an intimate, engaging atmosphere that finds her seamlessly transitioning between a cappella solos and lead vocals for a six-piece band complete with dazzling trumpet solos and thumping percussion.