There are a lot of bands out there today with the number 8 included in the name. But The Coldspot 8 couldn’t be more different than, say, Blink 182 if it tried. Unlike the latter, the members of The Coldspot 8 actually can play instruments, but they have focused on another genre — several genres, in fact. Steering away from its original ska orientation, The Coldspot 8 say they now play “Jamaican R&B, rocksteady, and trad ska.”
The new variety is found on the CD “It’s the Feelgood,” where there are mellow instrumentals (“Explanation Dub”), reggae-pop bouncers (“I Can’t Explain”) and old-school ska tunes (“Because I Know”). The players are tight and tuneful, and lead singer John Pinto’s soulful voice works well for his particular singing-meets-toasting approach, especially on “What’s Coming to You.”
Running overtime with 15 songs, the CD may blur together for the average listener, but ska-jazz enthusiasts will likely dig all of it. I’d suggest catching one of the band’s many club dates before deciding if you’ve found your perfect figure 8s.
This article appears in Jun 21-27, 2000.