Cold Cave's Wesley Eisold Blames Lineup Changes on Being 'Restless'

Cold Cave's music can range anywhere from '80s New Wave to goth, but no matter where you look on the spectrum, you probably won't find terms like "cheerful" or "upbeat" in reference to the New York City trio. That applies to their live performance as well; that is, unless you're discussing the band's appearance at last month's Coachella festival in California.

"We thought it was funny," lead singer Wesley Eisold tells Spinner. "We tend to play, like, close to pitch blackness sometimes, but we were playing in the sun and it was fun."

But don't expect Eisold to make a habit of lounging around sunny outdoor festivals. "I had never been to Coachella because I don't like sitting in the sun that long; it didn't sound that cool to me, hanging out in the desert."

Though he was intrigued by the contradiction between his band's aesthetic and the picturesque California scenery -- no surprise, considering Cold Cave thrives on duality when it comes to their sound.

"It's lot of pop, mainstream-sounding music, but they're presented with this other aspect of darker lyrical content," says Eisold of the band's style. He points to 'Confetti,' off the their latest release, 'Cherish the Light Years,' as an example. "It sounds mainstream but the lyrics are totally self-destructive."

Eisold will likely stick with the same vibe for future material. He reveals that the next album which still needs to be fleshed out once Cold Cave takes a break from touring, could mark a slight departure.

"I haven't written any vocals yet, but I think it'll be more minimal," he says, "I want it to sound bigger but with less instruments, in a way."

Does that mean less musicians in the mix then?

"I think I just like bringing people in and out," says Eisold, who is the only constant in Cold Cave's ever-changing lineup. "I think it mixes it up and changes the chemistry; sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But everyone I've worked with have been people I really respected."

The band currently consists of Eisold, Dominick Fernow and drummer Jennifer Clavin, but don't expect this to last long.

"I'm restless," Eisold says. "I can't pay attention and my friends always make fun of me because I'm walking away while they're talking to me and I don't realize, or they would ask a question and I will answer them with a totally different subject."

"I'm trying to do better with paying attention," he adds, "but I think things will continue to change."

Watch Cold Cave's Video for 'Life Magazine'