No Fun in Chrysalis finds Them Coulee Boys Moving Forward

"We were asking the big questions," says thirty-three-year-old Them Coulee Boys lead singer Soren Staff, about their latest LP, No Fun in Chrysalis.  "This record was coming from a place where there were huge changes for me and the band."

The project felt change-oriented, explains Staff. "I was trying to figure it all out. I was getting to the point in life where I'm asking myself, 'Is this what I want to do?"

The band agrees that live streaming poses a financial challenge. "Distributing art to the masses often leaves the artist out of the rewards for success. This is the reality artists face these days."

Releasing their self-titled EP in 2013, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin band celebrates a varied musical background.

"We started out as a string band—just banjo, mandolin and guitar," recalls Staff, whose friendship with banjoist Beau Janke led them to recruit his younger brother Jens Staff on mandolin.

Adopting drums and electric instruments, the band, Staff points out, wasn't afraid to evolve. "We listen to what the songs are telling us in terms of style. We are very open to all kinds of sounds."

Bassist Neil Krause and drummer Stas Hable add their unique qualities to the mix. "Neil was kind of a punk rock kid in high school, and Stas is Czechoslovakian. He has a lot of cool Czech folk roots but is also into metal and dance-pop. He is our secret weapon when it comes to getting new sounds into our music because he listens to everything."

To expand their sound on the album, the band enlisted the help of session musicians.

"The coolest part about [No Fun In Chrysalis] was that we had some friends come play fiddle and peddle steal," the guitarist shares. "We had some fun synthesizer sounds on the record, too. We always wanted to have that kind of musical tapestry.

"With each album, I like to come to the guys with something that feels like it really challenges us, be that sound-wise or message-wise. 'Ghosts (In 4 Parts)', for example, took a whole lot of arranging."

Staff says the song serves as a stark warning about conservation. "It's like, hey, if we don't do what we can do now to fix this, we're not going to have a world to live in. It's one of my favorite songs on the record."

Keeping it all together was Grammy-winning producer Brian Joseph.

"This is the second record we made with Brian. We grew very close over that first album, Namesake." Staff says they felt more confident with No Fun in Chrysalis. "In the past, we deferred to him, knowing who he was, but this time we took more agency as songwriters. His superpower is making you comfortable. If we did a couple of takes that didn't feel right, he would say, 'Hey, let's go take a lap,' and we would walk on the trails outside of his studio."

Recording at The Hive in Eau Claire, Staff shares the band's deep connection to the city. "That is where we were playing our first shows. So many musicians have their roots in Eau Claire."

"We all grew up in small little towns in nowhere Wisconsin [Jokes]. Eau Claire is the closest metropolis. It was around the time Bon Iver was blowing up, and other bands from Eau Claire were seeing more success."

Going on, "It's more musically collaborative than competitive there," shares Staff who loves Eau Claire's vibe. "We thought, 'We've got to move to Eau Claire—that's the place to do it!'"

Still holding a day job, the guitarist says the music business is tough.

"The access to music has never been higher, which is incredible, but the compensation for the work as a musician has never been lower. There's no insurance, there's no safety net."

Them Coulee Boys plan to face the challenges ahead.

 "I think the business forces you to constantly evaluate if you're doing enough, especially if you're raising a family.  But the reality of this is that as artists, we find a way.  We want to do this because it's fulfilling, joyful, and meaningful.  I can't speak for all of us, but I don't think I'll ever 'quit' music.  It's an extension of the way I navigate the world—and there's no part of me that ever wants to cut that out.”