Sybris/Coins

Sybris played a Free Monday at Empty Bottle, I believe that was 13 Monday and then Coins played Hideout Friday 17 December. Angela sings in both. That Monday night was full of awesome bands. It was Secret Colours, it was Apteka, and then Sybris. Every one of these bands have headlined shows and have their own fan base. To have them all in one place is awesome and rare. It was one of them nights that felt like a weekend. Sybris played the 'Bottle to promote their new CD. I believe it is their third. I didn't even look at it. I was too broke. I had enough for that first CD. That was just $5. I had a passive awareness of them for years and then I finally went to see them at Schubas I think in early 2009. I was sold with "Burnout Babies", from their second CD Into The Trees. I was real impressed with Angela Mullenhour's raw uninhibited delivery. You could hear it. You could see it in her face. Here is what I mean by that. There are artists that are in such control of their performance that they can show off, or not at all and show composure as they do their thing. That's cool and awesome. Then there are those performers who lose themselves, sink into their world, tune out the audience, and surrender control to the moment of the song. At least for me that's Angela in some small way. She has that pre-articulated, sincere delivery that has even goths dancing. You know goths are normally suspicious of cheery. Yet here we were dancing under Angela, that Monday night. And so 'Trees became a part of the soundtrack for me in 2009, in the mental landscape. I know I saw Sybris at least one more time at an outdoor park festival. I know far less about Ellen Bunch. I know she was also in another band called Reds and Blues....I think. The first time I saw them both as Coins was at Whistler, a year or so. So, I'm already a fan of Sybris. Naturally I will be curious about what Angela does next. How different will it be from her previous work? How shall it relate? Coins is very different as it turns out. They are far more minimal, sweet and mysterious. Coins is bigger on the inside. The song that hooked me was "Cave Life" from their newly released Recital Pressures . Ellen plays keys and sings. Angela plays guitar, and sings. "Cave Life" has an imprint with a slight time delay. It sneaks up on you, so let it. Trust the wonder and follow.

Zig