By: David de Young
 Coach Said Not To at Mario's Keller Bar - Photo by David de Young (click for full-sized version) |
Eva Mohn - Guitar / vocals Official website: http://www.coachsaidnotto.com |
Reviewed by David de Young
According to their website, Minneapolis band Coach Said Not To "employs 3-part harmonies, varied instrumentation and ornamental sounds." They play songs that range thematically "from dark to light-hearted, cynical to sympathetic and is often times satirical." Though such words could describe dozens of bands, it is with more than feigned enthusiasm that I announce I've recently discovered one of my new local favorites.
I first caught Coach Said Not To at Shadowbox's Uptown Bar show last Thursday. Although I couldn't give full attention to their set at the time, I immediately noticed they were doing something that sets them apart from your typical fare of rock and pop bands. Their songs had an Ani DiFranco-esque, semi-frantic quality to them, yet were presented calmly, intelligently and with tautness and coyness that begs for your full attention. When I heard they'd be opening for Raven Wednesday at Mario's Keller Bar I was delighted to have another opportunity to see them so soon.
After being serenaded by accordion renditions of "Smoke on the Water," and "Stairway to Heaven" in Mario's main floor dining room, we descended to the keller (aka the basement) to strains of Ani DiFranco chosen as pre-set music on the house sound system.
About 9:40 drummer Nate Perbix introduced the band, and then in keeping with Mario's deutsch atmosphere, introduced them again in German. He then asked if there were any takers to translate their name into Italian. This was just the start of the playful in between song banter that would be a theme throughout the night. Such banter was in direct contrast to the remarkably tight set that suggests more experience than the 7 months the fairly new band has. CSNT technically only solidified its lineup in January of this year.
The story goes that ideas for collaborating as a group emerged years ago between sisters Eva and Linnea Mohn "when they realized they shared a common gene pool." The Mohn sisters met Lee Violet 10 years ago and the three women endured several years of dance instruction together, taking their name from the much verbal abuse they received from dance coaches. To the equation, add experienced drummer Perbix, a friend of Violet's, (and drummer for Cowboy Curtis) and you practically have a ready-made super-group just waiting to be discovered.
Since the band as yet has no CD, I have to make do with my two listens to them live, my minimal notes and a set list. Good news for fans though: according to Perbix, CSNT does have plans to take time off and record a CD this fall. A disk it will be most welcome as the band has gotten so many requests for CD's that they did bring a few along to sell, one of which was a Boz Scaggs album. (I'm not sure if they succeeded unloading it or not.)
Two CSNT songs, however, are available for download in MP3 format from their website. "Tongue in Cheek" and "Shadow Puppet" will give you an idea of what the band sounds like. The mix on these demo-quality MP3's leaves a little to be desired, so you'll need to trust me that the band sounds even better and tighter live.
The first song, a multi-part piece called "Saint Chapelle" starts out fast then features a middle section with weird ambient keyboards and operatic vocals--all three women are excellent vocalists). Then the drums kick back in and the song ends rather suddenly shortly afterwards. Several of the bands songs are so varied in tempo and style that I counted 10 songs despite the fact the set list only listed 8. Guitarist and front woman Eva Mohn thanked the friends and family in attendance, and also "all the people we haven't met yet." The intimate crowd present when the band started grew by the set's end to what you could only call "small," but it was an enthusiastic and supportive bunch.
Song two, which the setlist calls "Cynical" has extremely fast spoken words and a sweet and coy pop chorus that was catchy and memorable and stood out from my first listen to the band the week before. The harmonies on this song--as on many--can only be described as classically-influenced.
On the set list, the third song is called simply "Lady," as one of the lyrics states, "I was a lady rock star on a carousel / making a revolution every time I turned 'round." This song can be downloaded from their website as "Tongue in Cheek," an apt title. This song has a spooky and campy slow start and then a quick, punched seven stroke guitar and drum part as a bridge. I could easily see this becoming a signature song for the band.
"Shadow Puppet" has another spooky start with haunting keyboards and bass and a gentle touch on the guitar from Mohn. During this song I was struck by the powerful fans at Marios, and I don't mean the ones there to see the show, but the ones that blow air through the cooling system. Everytime the air-conditioning kicked it I felt I would practically be blown over. It was refreshing, however.
Discussion of anatomically incorrect foods filled the space between the next song, whose full title may have been something to the effect of "My Mom's a Surf Chump." Mohn did a Chuck Berry-like walk across the stage with her guitar while sister Linnea took up the lead vocal.
Initially I wasn't sure whether the next song, by "Yum Yum" was a cover or a reference to the character of that name in Gilbert and Sullivan's Mikado I'm not sure. (Given the subject matter and cleverness in CSNT's songs, I wouldn't put a Mikado reference past them.) Actually, it was a cover of "Dan Loves Patti" by obscure Chicago-based musician Chris Holmes, aka Yum Yum.
On the last two songs I made notes to the effect that I'd expect to see these guys on the first Avenue Main Stage by Christmas--they're moving that fast; and the fact that Perbix as a drummer is no small addition to this band, his dynamic range being very impressive and his sense of humor fitting him nicely into a band that is 75% female. Get in on a good thing early and see CSNT as soon as possible. Intelligent, fun, and musical, they're a band that withstands close attention to detail as a listener. Their next show is August 7th at the Dinkytowner.
Location Info:
Mario's Keller Bar
Artist Info: Coach Said Not To
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