Keeton Coffman

The 71's, We Are The Seventy Ones

The 71’s, <em>We Are The Seventy Ones</em>

The more I listen to We Are The Seventy Ones, the more it feels like it’s both an album out of its time and one that’s just right for right now. Better still, it’s damn sneaky about it.

See, it took me a little while to realize why the music The 71's make on a lot of WATSO — not all of it, mind you, but we’ll get to that — sounded so freaking familiar. There’s a heavy Foo Fighters resemblance here, definitely (which is always cool by me), but that wasn’t it, not quite.

A minute or two into “Victimology,” halfway through the album, that’s when it hit me: what these guys have done here is essentially resurrect and rework the down-and-dirty, arena-sized rawk from the tail end of the ’80s. I’m talking metal, baby, in the sense that bands like Great White or Kix or Guns N’ Roses were/are metal.

I’m not trying to nail The 71's to the wall for this, mind you; the opposite, actually. I’m glad to see bands like this taking a step backwards and reclaiming honest-to-God rock, taking it back from the alt-rock meatheads and the money-grabbing wannabes looking to cash in on being the next Nickelback or something. Fuck that, people.

No, what I’m liking is bands that grab those heavy, dirty guitars, big choruses, and gritty vocals and make them new, grafting ‘em onto the sturdy, solid bones of the post-grunge era. There’s a whole weird pseudo-niche of other bands out there right now that are doing stuff like this, bands like The Bright Light Social Hour out of Austin, Brits Band of Skulls, Atlanta band MonstrO, and Canadian dudes Priestess (okay, not so much Prior to the Fire, but listen to “Confession” and try not to imagine it segueing into “Run Home,” off Hello Master).

After that critical realization, We Are The Seventy Ones suddenly made perfect, perfect, awesome sense. I literally had to go back and listen to the whole damn thing all over again with this new theory in mind, and I found further evidence on each and every track, loving the hell out of it more and more as it rolled on.

The band kicks things off nicely with “Blue Blood,” a straight-up, snarling-yet-tuneful chunk of rock goodness that dwells over on the Foo Fighters side of things — my one issue with the song would be the use of that weird watery vocal effect; c’mon, guys, you don’t need that. Keeton Coffman’s alternately soaring and howling voice is badass just the way it is.

I mean, just listen to “Waves,” where Coffman roars and screams like a man on the edge as the band barrels through a heavy, dirty blast of bluesy rock ‘n roll. No effects necessary, just balls-out rock.

Then there’s “Adeline,” which is burning, ’60s-tinged throwback-rock that simultaneously points at The Darkness and The Detroit Cobras’ version of “I’ll Keep Holding On.” The 71's surge and stomp like a gigantic beast coming ashore to crush all in their collective path, and it’s impossible not to stomp along yourself.

For “Taken,” the band plays it a little more straight, going for skyward-pointing arena rock and hitting the mark beautifully, and then there’s the bluesy, heavy “Victimology,” all low and dark and murky like some unholy (yet great) crossbreed between Billy Idol and Red Fang. And hell, it works — oh, man, does it ever work.

The band takes a funky, dirty turn on “Much Too Much” and “Prince,” both of which see Coffman spitting lyrics rapid-fire like they’re poison in his mouth and then jumping smoothly into a falsetto.

And again, if you squint at ‘em, they could be straight out of the tail end of the ’80s, especially “Prince,” with those raspy-edged vocals, whoa-oh-oh dude-backups, and stomping guitars. One listen, and you’ll want to go stand on the roof of a Camaro somewhere out in the teeth of a storm, lighter in the air, howling along.

In between all of that, though, Coffman and his cohorts — guitarist Ryan Cecil, bassist Jacob Lisenbe, and drummer Tank Lisenbe — take a dramatic turn sideways with “10,000 Miles,” stepping downwards into speedy, nimble, impassioned piano-rock that brings to mind Marc Cohn, weirdly enough.

It’s sweet and fragile, heartfelt without feeling clichéd, and then they hit the break, and it explodes into this utterly massive, Coldplay-ish moment…whoa, where the fuck did that come from?

Near the album’s end, “Heaven” hits a similar note, quiet and delicate, and I’m loving those fast-moving, Eric Johnson-esque guitars as they dance in and around one another, never quite touching. It’s touching and sweet; the lyrics are oblique, but the song feels like a tribute to a lost-but-never-forgotten parent.

The band closes with “Monsters,” a track that rootsy and uplifting at the same time, almost gospel-tinged, with a great organ line and Coffman flying high, and that’d be great as it is, but it’s a fake-out. The song fades away, and then around 4:45, a whole other song comes in, and it’s damn awesome, with some badass, propulsiv - Space City Rock

In a perfect world you’d be able to turn on the radio on any given day and hear a band like The 71’s playing. However, this isn’t a perfect world, and Houston is definitely not a perfect radio market.

Get out of the car

It should give you comfort that there are places like Cactus Music where you can still hear and see great bands like The 71’s perform. The one stipulation is you have to get out of your car to see and hear them, but that’s a small price to pay to see a true rock band play live.

Hopefully, you were among those who decided to give up on the radio, since it has obviously given up on you, the true music fan. If you ducked into Cactus Music on that lazy Saturday afternoon to see The 71’s, you realized quickly that you made the right decision. For starters, if you’re a fan of beer, especially the free kind, beverages were provided by St. Arnold’s Brewing Co. during the in store performance. If you’re not a beer drinker, there was the music by The 71’s, and their music and its effect would resonate much longer than even the best beer buzz.

The 71’s, are a Houston-based rock band which took its name from Highway 71 which runs between Houston and Austin where the band members met while attending the University of Texas.

Meet The 71’s

The 71’s are Keeton Coffman - vocals and guitars, Ryan Cecil - guitars and vocals, Jacob Lisenbe - bass and vocals, and Tank Lisenbe - drums and vocals. If you have a rock band, and your drummer’s name is Tank, you get extra bonus points before the music even starts playing.

When the music did start playing at Cactus, The 71’s delivered with a vengeance, a rock and roll blast of energy and sincerity that hungry Houston music fans, had abandoned their cars and their radios to find.

Let the music do the talking

Early in The 71’s set, it was obvious that those aforementioned “Tank” bonus points would not be needed. The music spoke for itself. The band performed songs from their new CD “We Are the 71’s” like “Taken, and “Lucky to Lose.” Caught by surprise by an audience request for one of their older tunes, (Keeton confessed, that it was the first time the band had a request for one of their songs) the band delivered a rocking rendition of “Get Up and Dance,” which Keeton described as a great concert pick up tune. However, during the song, he realized it was awkward picking up a date during the afternoon in a record store, so he called an audible and turned it into a sing along. The Cactus audience enthusiastically joined in.

The 71’s, moved from this upbeat song about “meeting the right girl,” to the polar opposite sauntering, primal blues of “Victimology,” a song about “hanging out with the wrong kind of girl.” The band closed the show with their stirring, ruthlessly infectious, multi tempo rock ballad “Monsters” off the new album. This tune fired up the crowd even more and confirmed the status of The 71's as a true rock band, if there had ever been any doubt.

Click here to see The 71’s performance of “Monsters” at Cactus Music.

Keeton expressed the band’s appreciation as they ended the show with a rallying cry of “Long live Cactus Records!” A sentiment most likely shared by the true music fans in the audience as they returned to their cars and the inadequate familiarity of their radios.

You can see The 71’s perform at OktoberFest Houston on October 20, and at Fitzgerald’s on December 14. You can also follow the band on Facebook and Twitter.
- The Examiner, Bob Langham

Fans of the band have raised a mind-boggling $12,541 for the recording of the third act of their amazing Rock and Rock Reaction trilogy...The 71's are recording RRR. Vol. 3 entirely on tape for the fullness of the sound. - Houston Press

The title to the Houston rock band The 71’s latest effort is very catchy – “Rock and Roll Reaction 1”.

The name itself inspires a feeling that can’t be denied. History is full of rock and roll reactions and the future will be filled with them too.

And over the past weekend at Mainstage on Main in Houston, TX, The 71’s released the first in a trilogy of bold, fresh music.

On “RRR1”, the songs are quality - something that The 71’s do very well. “All Tied Up” is extremely catchy and lets the guitar shine. “Fire Tonight” is a beautiful slow song, but has heavy melodic sound (think manly ballad). “Heart Attack” has a sexy southern rock feel to it and doesn’t let up. Grab a fan when it’s over. “Ready For War”, despite the title, is a funky song with a big ending. “Love Slave” has cool drum intro, heavy bass and a punk feel. “Ready For My Love” has a 70’s feel to me with emotional vocals and may just be my favorite song in the EP.

At The 71’s live show, it’s so easy to just jump around to the music and forget about all the cares in the world. But the band takes it to another level. They may look wholesome, but don’t let that fool you. The gleam in the member’s eyes while onstage lets the fans know they have some tricks up the sleeves of their plaid shirts or leather jackets… And they did.

In addition to their original music, The 71’s covered Tom Petty’s “American Girl” and Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”. For sure, the air conditioning was needed to cool the venue down after THAT song!

2010 has been a great year for The 71’s with multiple TV appearances; regional touring and they are not slowing up. Currently, the band is promoting their new release, touring and writing songs for the next EP aptly titled “Rock And Roll Reaction 2” to be released in early 2011.

To view a full set of live performance photos on Flickr, please click here.

The 71’s is comprised of Keeton Coffman (vocals, guitar), Ryan Cecil (guitar, vocals), Jacob Lisenbe (bass, vocals), and Tank Lisenbe (drums, vocals).

Check out The 71’s on their website and watch the impromptu “Start Again” video that has made the band infamous and knocked off the Wal-Mart guest list for good (just kidding, big hug!), check out their tour dates, blog, social media links, Street Team information and FREE music. - Examiner.com

Infectious.
Energetic.
Anthems.
All of these words come to mind when you mention The 71’s.
I had heard plenty of good things about The 71’s before seeing their performance live at Moody Gardens in Galveston, TX last Saturday night.
By the way - have you seen THE “WalMart video” a/k/a the official video for “Start Again”? “Start Again” is one of the anthems I was referring to above. You NEED to see it if you haven’t. I mean getting people in the shoe department excited about the song you are singing is very cool. The video is below. Take three minutes and watch - you will love it and it will bring a smile to your face.


Anyhow, the show was exactly how I thought it would be and my hopes had been high. It was energetic and very hard to sit still to focus on taking photos. But isn’t that the point of a rock show? Keep the energy up with some seriously solid and upbeat songs…The 71’s delivered and did not disappoint.

Also, what is interesting to note here in the article it that The 71’s are coined a “Christian rock band”. I think it’s more correct in saying they are a rock band made up of Christians…and their music reflects that. Kind of like the rock and roll music is a treasure box with the gems inside being the lyrics and the message.

Simply put, these are the positive type tunes you can bring home to meet the family…
FURTHERMORE, on their Facebook page, The 71’s list their interests as: “Saving The World and Making Rock History... but for now, making music that changes people.” At the very least, songs like “Start Again” and “Blue Room” are inspiring to their fans. I know they inspire this fan.

On Saturday, July 17th, at Fitzgerald’s, The 71’s will be releasing the first of three EP’s called “Rock and Roll Reaction 1” and after that they will be touring several cities in Texas. They are currently writing material for their second EP “Rock and Roll Reaction 2” which is scheduled to be out later this year. Their full length CD “We Are Locomotive” was released in late 2008 and can be purchased onITunes. Also on ITunes for purchase are their first two EP’s “The 71’s” (2006) and “Want You To Know” (2007).
The 71’s is comprised of Keeton Coffman (vocals, guitar), Ryan Cecil (guitar, vocals), Jacob Lisenbe (bass, vocals), and Tank Lisenbe (drums, vocals).

Check out their website for a FREE download of “Start Again”. Their website has links to The 71’s social sites too like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and Youtube. - Examiner.com

Infectious.
Energetic.
Anthems.
All of these words come to mind when you mention The 71’s.
I had heard plenty of good things about The 71’s before seeing their performance live at Moody Gardens in Galveston, TX last Saturday night.
By the way - have you seen THE “WalMart video” a/k/a the official video for “Start Again”? “Start Again” is one of the anthems I was referring to above. You NEED to see it if you haven’t. I mean getting people in the shoe department excited about the song you are singing is very cool. The video is below. Take three minutes and watch - you will love it and it will bring a smile to your face.


Anyhow, the show was exactly how I thought it would be and my hopes had been high. It was energetic and very hard to sit still to focus on taking photos. But isn’t that the point of a rock show? Keep the energy up with some seriously solid and upbeat songs…The 71’s delivered and did not disappoint.

Also, what is interesting to note here in the article it that The 71’s are coined a “Christian rock band”. I think it’s more correct in saying they are a rock band made up of Christians…and their music reflects that. Kind of like the rock and roll music is a treasure box with the gems inside being the lyrics and the message.

Simply put, these are the positive type tunes you can bring home to meet the family…
FURTHERMORE, on their Facebook page, The 71’s list their interests as: “Saving The World and Making Rock History... but for now, making music that changes people.” At the very least, songs like “Start Again” and “Blue Room” are inspiring to their fans. I know they inspire this fan.

On Saturday, July 17th, at Fitzgerald’s, The 71’s will be releasing the first of three EP’s called “Rock and Roll Reaction 1” and after that they will be touring several cities in Texas. They are currently writing material for their second EP “Rock and Roll Reaction 2” which is scheduled to be out later this year. Their full length CD “We Are Locomotive” was released in late 2008 and can be purchased onITunes. Also on ITunes for purchase are their first two EP’s “The 71’s” (2006) and “Want You To Know” (2007).
The 71’s is comprised of Keeton Coffman (vocals, guitar), Ryan Cecil (guitar, vocals), Jacob Lisenbe (bass, vocals), and Tank Lisenbe (drums, vocals).

Check out their website for a FREE download of “Start Again”. Their website has links to The 71’s social sites too like Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and Youtube. - Examiner.com

?The 71s remain a quiet but powerful force in Houston, and continue to tumble higher and higher into choice gigs. Their latest EP, Rock and Roll Reaction, was very much a force to be reckoned with in the realm of pure pop-rock paradise, and this morning they assault Channel 11's airwaves this morning at 9 a.m. as part of Great Day Houston's Christmas celebration.

The 71's have also released a new music video. They made headlines here earlier this year when they filmed a guerilla-style music video in a local Walmart before being ejected from the premises for rocking too damn hard. Admittedly, it doesn't take too much rocking to rock harder than your average Walmart, but Rocks Off admired the 71's' gusto.

Their new video, "All Tied Up," is a glimpse of the band's incredible ability in a live setting. It's truly uncanny how the down-to-earth quartet can inspire slavish devotion and primal excitement with just a few power chords and some rugged good looks.

And so... Rocks Off decided to call guitarist and vocalist Keeton Coffman and ask him about the vid.

Rocks Off: Hey K. Did I wake you up?

Keeton Coffman: I'm sick.

RO: That explains it. You're usually more Muppet-like in your greeting.

KC: I took the day off to get some rest for the Channel 11 gig tomorrow, and the one at Mainstage with Bright Light Social Hour in the evening.

RO: Well, I won't take too much time. Let's talk about this video. Where did you film it?

KC: At the CD release in October. It kind of happened by accident, really. A dozen friends guerrilla-cammed the whole thing. After the show, they all made sure we got the tape... or whatever the digital equivalent is.

I was so excited to basically have a whole concert filmed. We're releasing edited videos of it every couple of weeks as a way to tide over fans until the next record.

RO: The audio is pretty rough. Did that come out of the cameras?

KC: Yep, straight from. I like it, though. It gives it such a raw feel.

RO: You're very comfortable with guerrilla filmmaking.

KC: Actually, that's how we got the Channel 11 gig. They heard about us through the story you ran on us about the Walmart vid, and since then we keep getting invited back. We sent them the new record, and they really enjoyed "Fire Tonight," so that's what we're gonna play this morning.

RO: You nervous?

KC: Not really. I don't want to sound cocky, but we've been there before. We're looking forward to it!
- The Houston Press

Here we are again, me rambling about another awesome band from Texas. This time, we have The 71's from Houston. They’ve been on my list to check out for awhile (I find everyone through Twitter these days) and I’m glad I did. Their pop/rock sound is right up my alley, and frontman Keeton Coffman’s voice has the perfect amount of edge to it. Ryan Cecil, Jacob Lisenbe, & Tank Lisenbe round out the band.

I was happy to discover that simply by joining their mailing list, you would receive a copy of their single “All Tied Up”. Lately I can’t get enough of this track. It comes from their October 2010 release of Rock and Roll Reaction, Vol. 1. When I saw this live version, I felt like these guys are the quintessential rock band. Talented, energetic performers feeding off the crowd and each other, and simply loving what they do. How do you come to that conclusion after a 4.5 minute video? I don’t know, but I stand by my thoughts. :)

The band’s 2008 record, We Are Locomotive, features this song “Start Again”. Once more, this group has showcased their compulsory appeal to me, and hopefully to my readers as well. They seem to embody all the characteristics of artists I love to feature, and so The 71's definitely are worthy of a listen…or two…or more.

For my Texas people, go see these guys at HOB Houston on the 14th. For everyone else, click here to join their mailing list and score the download of “All Tied Up”! - The Hidden Mixtape

Here we are again, me rambling about another awesome band from Texas. This time, we have The 71's from Houston. They’ve been on my list to check out for awhile (I find everyone through Twitter these days) and I’m glad I did. Their pop/rock sound is right up my alley, and frontman Keeton Coffman’s voice has the perfect amount of edge to it. Ryan Cecil, Jacob Lisenbe, & Tank Lisenbe round out the band.

I was happy to discover that simply by joining their mailing list, you would receive a copy of their single “All Tied Up”. Lately I can’t get enough of this track. It comes from their October 2010 release of Rock and Roll Reaction, Vol. 1. When I saw this live version, I felt like these guys are the quintessential rock band. Talented, energetic performers feeding off the crowd and each other, and simply loving what they do. How do you come to that conclusion after a 4.5 minute video? I don’t know, but I stand by my thoughts. :)

The band’s 2008 record, We Are Locomotive, features this song “Start Again”. Once more, this group has showcased their compulsory appeal to me, and hopefully to my readers as well. They seem to embody all the characteristics of artists I love to feature, and so The 71's definitely are worthy of a listen…or two…or more.

For my Texas people, go see these guys at HOB Houston on the 14th. For everyone else, click here to join their mailing list and score the download of “All Tied Up”! - The Hidden Mixtape

The 71's are a band that by all rights Rocks Off should be throwing rocks at instead of embracing warmly in our ear canals. Their rock is poppy, sincere, and inspired by faith in a God we want nothing to do with. So why do we love their new EP Rock and Roll Reaction Part 1 so damned much?
Part of the reason is that buried under the cynicism and unholier-than-thou attitude that makes up the war gear of a Houston goth is a kid in ripped jeans who though Smash by The Offspring was the greatest album ever written. We find ourselves hungry for an unpretentious and sincere jamboree of power chords and youth energy. The 71's have always delivered those things in spades.

RRR Part 1 is the first in a three part series of EPs, and also an experiment in bringing fans closer to the band.

"Our first album, We Are Locomotive, was a very polished record," said vocalist Keeton Coffman in a phone interview as the band sped towards Waco for a concert. "This album was done in-house, and is much rawer. We wanted to trim the fat, and give our fans more of a direct glimpse into what we're doing as we're doing it."
Admittedly, RRR Part 1 lacks the polishing of Locomotive. But the songs themselves shine through even brighter than their previous albums. What comes through most, and most ironically, is a purely rock and roll devil-may-care attitude. We always say The 71's are a Christian Rock band rather than a Christian rock band, and nowhere is that more apparent than in this Foo Fighters-esque, ball-throbbing, hip-hip hooray of a release.



?This image of The 71's as God's punk-ass kids is one of the things that sets them apart from the hiveminded mainstream in both rock and Christian music. The band made some interesting headlines earlier this year by invading a local Walmart to shoot a music video, making it all the way through their song "Start Again" before being ejected from the premises. The notoriety of the music video got them a gig playing at a Houston Texans game and on television.
- The Houston Press

The 71's are a band that by all rights Rocks Off should be throwing rocks at instead of embracing warmly in our ear canals. Their rock is poppy, sincere, and inspired by faith in a God we want nothing to do with. So why do we love their new EP Rock and Roll Reaction Part 1 so damned much?
Part of the reason is that buried under the cynicism and unholier-than-thou attitude that makes up the war gear of a Houston goth is a kid in ripped jeans who though Smash by The Offspring was the greatest album ever written. We find ourselves hungry for an unpretentious and sincere jamboree of power chords and youth energy. The 71's have always delivered those things in spades.

RRR Part 1 is the first in a three part series of EPs, and also an experiment in bringing fans closer to the band.

"Our first album, We Are Locomotive, was a very polished record," said vocalist Keeton Coffman in a phone interview as the band sped towards Waco for a concert. "This album was done in-house, and is much rawer. We wanted to trim the fat, and give our fans more of a direct glimpse into what we're doing as we're doing it."
Admittedly, RRR Part 1 lacks the polishing of Locomotive. But the songs themselves shine through even brighter than their previous albums. What comes through most, and most ironically, is a purely rock and roll devil-may-care attitude. We always say The 71's are a Christian Rock band rather than a Christian rock band, and nowhere is that more apparent than in this Foo Fighters-esque, ball-throbbing, hip-hip hooray of a release.



?This image of The 71's as God's punk-ass kids is one of the things that sets them apart from the hiveminded mainstream in both rock and Christian music. The band made some interesting headlines earlier this year by invading a local Walmart to shoot a music video, making it all the way through their song "Start Again" before being ejected from the premises. The notoriety of the music video got them a gig playing at a Houston Texans game and on television.
- The Houston Press

"The 71's backs its impeccably photogenic image with impeccable pop production, and I'm always a sucker for that." - Joey Guerra - Houston Chronicle

"They are loud and alive. Singer Keeton...is a consummate frontman. He brings a wonderful sense of playfulness and play to the performance. The result is a quite infectious feeling apparent in the smiles of the rest of the band and audience." - Jef With One F, The Houston Press - The Houston Press

The overall image brought to mind by We Are Locomotive is a rocket shedding boosters and fuel tanks - not necessarily accelerating, but maintaining the speed necessary to reach escape velocity...The rock and roll is expertly tracked and mastered, and may be one of the best-sounding albums to come out of Houston this year. Clear as a saint's conscience, Locomotive is well produced without being over-produced. Its songs are enthusiastic, happening and hopping with a non-stop rock-block of ten pop-rocks from the God box. All half-assed rhyming aside though, it's more than worth your $9.99." - Jef With One F - Houston Chronicle

- Houston Chronicle

The overall image brought to mind by We Are Locomotive is a rocket shedding boosters and fuel tanks - not necessarily accelerating, but maintaining the speed necessary to reach escape velocity...The rock and roll is expertly tracked and mastered, and may be one of the best-sounding albums to come out of Houston this year. Clear as a saint's conscience, Locomotive is well produced without being over-produced. Its songs are enthusiastic, happening and hopping with a non-stop rock-block of ten pop-rocks from the God box. All half-assed rhyming aside though, it's more than worth your $9.99." - Jef With One F - Houston Chronicle

- Houston Chronicle

When people think of “heartland rock and roll,” the likes of Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp and Bob Seger probably come to mind. Keeton Coffman, however, initially thought he had coined the term.

Fortunately, the Houston-based singer-songwriter has found himself in good company, having unintentionally likened his music to that of a number of renowned musicians. And he is perfectly comfortable with the comparisons.

“My songs tend to be set in the open country, on the open road, and while there are a lot of dynamics in the tunes, [they] never feel super-aggressive,” says Coffman, whose new album, Killer Eyes, was released last week. “At the heart of the music are songs you can dance to, slow and fast — songs about romance.”

But not just any kind of romance, he says. Coffman's songs depict a kind of romance that takes decades to nurture. It’s the kind of old-school, storybook love that brings to mind an old couple sitting on the porch, resting their heads on each other with their fingers intertwined.
“I’m trying to take people on a journey,” Coffman says, “to pick them up at the beginning of the tune, and by the end, leave them somewhere new. Or return them to somewhere they once remembered.”

The objective of his concerts is the same — Coffman wants to provide fans with an escape, one that they can sing and dance along to for an hour or so. But despite their noble intentions, Coffman’s tunes do not possess any “fancy.” By Coffman’s own account, he bangs on guitars and pianos alike, creating a pub-like style of rock and roll that just so happens to be performed with old-school instruments.

Born in Bryan, Texas, Coffman fondly recalls the small-town feel of his childhood home and incorporates that sense of adventurous youth into his music.

“I can remember it was big-time when we got an Olive Garden,” he says of his hometown. “There was only one movie theater worth going to, and it only had three screens.

“So we drove around a lot listening to the radio, without really going anywhere,” Coffman says. “I guess that’s an element I try to put in this music and in these songs. There’s time for contemplation — to breathe, to think.”

Before pursuing a solo career, Coffman performed with The 71’s, a beloved local outfit that disbanded as its members’ priorities changed. The group has maintained its friendships, however, and former bandmate Ryan Cecil even produced and mixed Killer Eyes.

“Ryan’s and my relationship now is really just the natural evolution of The 71’s,” Coffman says of working with his old bandmate. “He did so many of the same things for me then as he does now.

“After the band broke up, our friendship was in a strange place, because in a way I think I felt like I let him down," Coffman continues. "We knew the band was coming to a close, and we knew that he and I would keep going…But it took a couple years really of working separately to realize how to be for each other what we wanted to be.

“There’s no question in my mind that Ryan and I will always make music together," he concludes.

And there’s no reason for them to stop, if Killer Eyes is any indication. Coffman’s latest offering is polished, genuine and altogether uplifting. It’s the kind of album that will put a smile on listeners’ faces as they drive around town, and it will be a perfect soundtrack to upcoming road trips.

“I spent my whole life in Texas,” Coffman says. “And to me, the music sounds just like that.” - Houston Press