Them Coulee Boys - No Fun In The Chrysalis (2025)

From the first notes it’s obvious the recording was recorded with care with its pristine clarity on the vocals & instrumentation. It’s true many recordings are captured well nowadays but this sounds exceptional to my ears. With all that’s going on in each song, no one seems to step on other players’ toes. “Change, etc.” has a pleasant country exhilaration without sounding hokey, artificial, or ponderous.

It’s a well-delivered song. Yeah, this sounds like a bunch of good ole boys who know how to play their respective instruments & through the 11 protected layers of No Fun In The Chrysalis. The band’s 5th LP where these layers are challenged as in “Up Close” which is a rollicking full steam ahead country-rocker that leaves a gust of smoke in its wake. A superb body-shaking tune.

While their “sound” is consistent & strong they never lose their sense of diversification in their melodies & arrangements. The fun in “As Long As You Let Me,” is the saloon-type piano & treated instrumentation that doesn’t bog it down in a campy manner but enhances it. Singer Soren Staff (acoustic & electric guitars/piano) has the vocal-attraction quality that was so richly slathered throughout the repertoire of the English band Stackridge (who was also produced by The Beatles’ legendary producer George Martin).

With the addition of some nostalgic sound, a good song can go from just good to memorable. Wisconsin’s Them Coulee Boys seem to have that skill. “Mornings” is a nice segue into “Mountains,” & this is where the essence of their musicianship shows some inspiration & originality.

There have been a few artists who have approached from the same angle as TCB (Poi Dog Pondering – “Thanksgiving”) but the boys know how to rock through on their recipe, slip into a good country-bluegrass groove & sing with poignancy. Makes for an entertaining repertoire. By the time they reach “Ghosts (In 4 Parts),” the band is in full progressive rock mode & quite effective. They don’t stay & linger. I found this showcase to be satisfying with a few lags in between but despite that, it’s all performed with lots of presence & originality. The last 2 cuts were superb — “Harvey & Margie” & “I Am Not Sad.”