Canadian Prairie Roots Band Steve Coffey & The Lokels are thrilled to announce the release of their freshly minted CD
'Twirlin' Girl Boogie'. Recorded over the last six months(March-August 2008), Steve & The Band have put together an uplifting, upbeat colorful collage of dance-able, lyrical anecdotes. "'Tis the moment to contrast these 'darker' times in which we live, To hell with it! It's time to boogie!... Long live the 'TWIRL'!!" BB-BHouseBlue-2008
The Lokels are:
Russ Baker; Dave Bauer; Steve Coffey; Matt Herne;
Lance Loree; Toby Malloy; Pat Phillips
We will be posting reviews of 'Twirlin' Girl Boogie' as they come in.
Stay Tuned!
Red Deer Advocate Fri. Feb 20/ 2009
By Donald Teplyske Roots Music
Steve Coffey & the Lokels
Twirlin’ Girl Boogie
I don’t know how known Steve Coffey is outside of Alberta, but I’m certain it isn’t well enough!
Steve Coffey remains a well-kept secret deserving of greater acclaim. Coffey has the voice and the words required in the roots world; he is every bit as gifted as the fellows who get headlines in the media — the Justin Rutledges and Jason Isbells. Heck, I’ll listen to Coffey before Ryan Adams any time.
What separates Coffey from others is the ability to arrange numerous musicians and sounds into a clean, full-bodied brew. His originals are masterful bits of Alberta poetry, revealing the inner workings of relationships and places.
Rolling Beds, in which Coffey reveals his inner Eaglesmith, is a standout. Matt Herne’s banjo tracks, shipped around the world from Australia, add a notable clip to Five Kids and Words N Beer. Wrong Things Right isn’t fancy; it is simply a model country song of unapologetic regret.
Calgary’s Dave Bauer platoons on a variety of instruments, including mandolin, banjo, and guitar, while Lance Loree appears on various guitars — steel, Dobro and electric.
In contrast to the vibrantly coloured artwork housing the disc, Coffey’s music — while dynamic — depends more on shade and hue. Like a flickering old film, the vignettes shared by Coffey and the Lokels provide glimpses of character and scenario, often leaving the complete tale to the listener’s imagination.
Steve Coffey & the Lokels are nothing if not consistent. Twirlin’ Girl Boogie is their fourth tremendous release, and will satisfy all fans of their country-folk, roots blend.
Fast Forward Magazine, Thurs. Jan 15,2009
Home-brewed hooks
Prairie renaissance man Steve Coffey releases earthy, toe-tappin’ triumph
"...They’ve played together for years, and their compatibility and cohesiveness permeate every lick and groove. Throughout Twirlin Girl Boogie, bassist Russ Baker and drummer Pat Phillips hold down massive grooves that are loose and comfy, yet rock-steady and solid. Nothing ever seems forced or contrived. Without straying far from their roots, Coffey and the Lokels manage to cover a wide swath of terrain, serving up various brands of danceable country that sweep you up and carry you along through the good times and the bad."
-Mark Stewart
RedDeer Express; Sunday, Nov 9th.
Twirlin’ Girl Boogie
Steve Coffey & The Lokels
(Independent)
Featuring 10 new tunes by this superb band, Twirlin’ Girl Boogie follows right along in a fine tradition of country-flavoured, folk tunes.
Those with a love for simply-crafted, honest songs will appreciate what Steve and the guys aim for with their records – lots of great storytelling, songwriting and melodies melded into warm, textured works that blend seamlessly.
Things get off to a rollicking start with Five Kids, continue with a feisty freshness with Follow Her and the title track lives up to what its moniker suggests.
Woman in You shows a more personal, reflective side to the band whereas the Johnny Cash classic I Got Stripes shows their willingness to have fun with a tune and do a bang-up job covering a tune at the same time.
Of course, most of their material is original and that’s something those with a love for folk-oriented tunes can be thankful for.
There’s no question these guys are having a hoot putting these pieces together. That joy in unrestrained creativity inevitably shines through to listeners.
Rating: 4 out of 5
-Mark Weber
Fri, November 7, 2008
Coffey's career perking along
The Calgary Sun By RICK OVERWATER
To say that Steve Coffey is one of the Calgary area's most prolific artists is an understatement.
Less than two years after releasing his excellent album Same Boy and an accompanying short movie that aired several times on the Bravo network -- all the while paying the bills as an artist -- Coffey is back with a new CD, Twirlin' Girl Boogie, and a new collection of paintings to boot.
Coffey has always been known for the way he draws inspiration from his Alberta surroundings.
That's been amplified in recent years, following his move from Calgary south to the town of Vulcan.
"The power of the landscape down here certainly affects me," he says.
"I think it's had a quite a bearing on this last album. Same Boy, I drew a lot from my old catalogue whereas this time, these songs are pretty fresh."
Not that you'd really detect much of a shift in Coffey's approach. Thematically, his music and paintings have always shared common elements.
Sooner or later, in song or on canvas, trains make an appearance. This time they are particularly present in the tune Rolling Beds.
"Trains are some of the real key elements in my life, in my past," says Coffey, detailing how his grandfather was a railroad man, how his trip with his mother and siblings west to a new life in Alberta was by train, and how he grew up next to railroad tracks.
"Growing up with that massive machine tearing through right next to you -- I've had trouble sleeping when it's not there."
Not relegated strictly to the new CD, it's a theme in his latest batch of paintings as well.
Calgarians are fortunate in that they can check out both at the Kensington Fine Art Gallery when he begins an exhibition that runs from Nov. 29 until Dec. 13.
Coffey will be present on the first day.
At 8 p.m. he'll play several tunes from Twirlin' Girl Boogie with his backing band the Lokels, following opening act Juanita Brandt.
Featuring some of the area's best players, including Russ Baker on bass, Lance Loree on pedal steel (and other guitars), Dave Bauer on guitar and Pat Phillips on drums, the Lokels aren't to be missed.
Technically, their newest CD isn't slated for release until 2009, so Calgarians are lucky to get an early taste, as it will only be available at Megatunes and online at CD Baby until the new year.
Those that grab a copy will be treated to some roots and country twang you might expect. But the overtones of ragged heartland rock are also present.
"You can certainly hear that for sure," says Coffey, citing Neil Young as one influence.
"And I was so influenced by the band growing up. They're one of my favourite acts and then you can go on down the line there from Johnny Cash to Leonard Cohen."
Not one to just sing the praises of prairie life, there is also a fair amount of sociopolitical subtext.
Sometimes it's subtle. Sometimes not so much, like in the tune Contradict in which Coffey sings, "it's an artist's job to contradict, not a politician's."
"Sometime's I don't even know it's there till later," says Coffey.
"When I have a chance to interpret my own work a bit and then I discover it."
Even when it turns out to be more overt than originally intended, Coffey doesn't mind sharing it -- or any other comment he might have -- from the stage.
"It's like Lance Loree always says to me," says Coffey. "We got mics, we might as well use them."
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