The Coats

The Coats vocal band started on the street corners of Seattle, Washington's famous Pike Place Market. Singing for tourists, locals, fish vendors, and fellow buskers, their humble ambitions of earning a few clams to fight off the tuition bills quickly evolved into a full-time international performance career. They've since won national vocal competitions, sang for the President of the United States, and have been fortunate enough to share the stage with such talented fellow entertainers as Ronnie Milsap, Trisha Yearwood, Montgomery Gentry, The Beach Boys, Tanya Tucker, Billy Dean, Crystal Gayle, and Colin Ray, just to name a few, all while continuing their tradition of outreach performances and workshops supporting music in schools throughout the northwest. The group formed in January of 1987 at the University of Washington when four guys who enjoyed a cappella got together to sing. Wrapped up in their vocal synergy, they spent the early days bouncing harmonies off campus walls, passing students and patrons of the Pike Place Market. Finally, their big break came when a local high school music teacher asked the group to perform for her class. An instant hit with that age group, they decided to try their performance before audiences of all ages. A new group was born.

They have evoloved to a four-voice chemistry that truly demonstrates the novelty and adaptability of a cappella music. Their repertoire spans the popular hits of over four decades, and includes everything from '50's doo-wop to jazz, country to ballads, and rap. Over the years, the group has appeared on many stages, including TV, sporting events, choir festivals and fairs. In 1994 they swept the Harmony Sweepstakes A Cappella Festival to become the U.S. National Champions. These guys are a high energy act that combines with tight harmonies to produce enjoyable recordings and performances every time.

Discography

The Caroler

The Caroler Do You Hear What I hear Let It Snow While By Our Sheep Cookies Put the Merry in Merry Christmas Lookin' After the Reindeer Toy Medley A Star to Follow We Three Kings The Christmas Story Deck the Halls

One of the earliest "contemporary" a cappella groups the Coats are still performing and creating top-notch a cappella today as this excellent new holiday release demonstrates in spades. Almost half of the songs are group originals including the delightful title track and the clever arrangements (most by long-time member Jamie Dieveney) of the covers give the recording a decidedly refreshing sound. That sound is really quite diverse from the atmospheric "We Three Kings" to the upbeat dance sound of "Put the Merry in Merry Christmas" to the almost calypso "Joy Medley". An excellent Christmas CD that you will play for many Christmases to come.

Listen to "Let It Snow" in Real Audio

Last A Lifetime

Tonight You're Mine Last A Lifetime What You Do To My Heart Miracle Mad Bull! Fire and the Flood Lay Your Head On My Shoulder Slow Ride Good Time Roll Prelude To An Angel You're an Angel To Me Wake Up Call Not A Day Go By You Should Be Dancin' Shine Your Love Down In The Middle Of The Night

Washington-based, pioneering Contemporary a cappella male quartet the Coats have been one of our favorite live and recording groups since we saw them named National Champs on the stage of the '94 Harmony Sweepstakes. We've given rave reviews to their 6 excellent CDs in our catalog, most recently their exquisite Christmas CD, "The Caroler." So we'll tell you straight out—"Last a Lifetime" is accompanied throughout by a country/rock band. That said, "Last" is a hot, innovative CD that features rockabilly, swing, straight ahead country rock, and romantic ballads that are sure to please Coats fans, pickup truck aficionados and anybody who loves music. 16 tunes, 14 of which were written by Coats member Jamie Dieveney (most in conjunction with "5th Coat" Bill Gibson). Favorites include the Commander Cody-esque rockers "What You Do to My Heart" and "You Should Be Dancin'," the nasty, smokin' Rodeo tune "Mad Bull" (which throws in Larry the Cable Guy's "Git 'Er Done" as a lyric), the Bob-Segeresque "Fire and the Flood," the romantic story-song "Lay Your Head on my Shoulder," the sexy "Slow Ride," the upbeat "Good Times Roll," the rockin' "Wake Up Call," the poignant "Not A Day Goes By" and the Country hit-to-be, "In The Middle of the Night." Our prediction: "Last" will move quickly up the Country charts and turn The Coats into national stars. This is long overdue, and it couldn't happen to a nicer, more talented bunch of guys!

Listen to "Good Time Roll" in Real Audio.

The Boys Are Back

The Boys Are Back She's Got That Thing Walk Away Shake Your Body Let's Be Crazy She Blinded Me With Science Running After Time Down on the Corner Stand By Me Sunglasses At Night Slow Ride Together Through It All

The Pacific Northwest's best vocal harmony quartet, in our opinion, 1994 Harmony Sweeps winners The Coats are back with their eighth CD, an energetic, powerful collection of original materials and freshly-arranged covers. Doug Wisness, baritone, Jamie Dieveney, tenor II, Kerry Dahlen, bass and Keith Anderson, tenor I, start us off with the title tune, a driving, deep-bassed rhythmic toe-tapper. Then come a couple of originals by Dieveney, Dahlen and producer Bill Gibson, "She's Got That Thing" and "Walk Away." Other originals by them, "Let's Be Crazy," "Running After Time," "Slow Ride" and "Together Through It All" are interspersed with marvelous covers of Michael Jackson's "Shake Your Body," John Fogerty's "Down On The Corner," and the classic tunes "She Blinded Me With Science," "Stand By Me" and "Sunglasses At Night." Besides being well-chosen and beautifully arranged (by Dieveney and Gibson), and absolutely nailed by the group, these covers show that the Coats' vocal pyrotechnics are right up there with such performers as Michael Jackson when he recorded "Thriller." This is one of the strongest contemporary CDs of the year. The Coats should be stars, they know it, their fans know it, and hopefully "The Boys" will let a whole lot more people know it! (A warning for purists: there is some pretty intense non-vocal percussion on several cuts and light guitar on "Slow Ride").

Listen to "Let's Be Crazy" in Real Audio.

2465 CD $14.98

On Christmas Time

Angels We Have Heard on High On Christmas Time Santa Claus Is Coming To Town Jingle Bells Little Drummer Drummer Boy Holiday Countdown Mr. Grinch Silent Night Winter Wonderland God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Let There Be Peace On Earth

Those of you familiar with the Coats' pop harmonies (everyone?) will be delighted and impressed with these 12 (a cappella with occasional acoustic percussion) holiday tracks. Evidently, the group approached their new assignment with a desire to incorporate new stylistic elements into their arranging canon, embellishing their warm, compact blend with a library of accents, inflections and countermelodies. "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" is as dynamic and original version as weºve ever heard, with a vigorous walking bass underneath jazz phrasing and scat! A stately and resonant "Silent Night" conveys the grandeur of the occasion by the addition of non-diatonic chords to the standard progression. Each of the nine traditional carols and three Coats originals display the same inventive spirit of adventure, though still within the pop mainstream Ç just more interesting and better. Applause!

Listen to "Angels We Have Heard on High" in Real Audio

When I'm With You

Somebody Stop Me That's How I Really Feel Now You're Gone Little By Little When I'm With You And So I Will Wait For You Keep It Simple Bridge Over Troubled Water You Can't Take It With You He's Right There

Seattle's adorable Trenchcoats have returned, with a new name (sort of) - The Coats - and sound - accompanied (mostly). This quartet won the Harmony Sweeps in 1994, the affection of many fans, and have released four CD's. This 1999 recording has nearly all original material, written by Coats' tenor Jamie Dieveney and producer Bill Gibson; it's harmony-driven pop. Two practically a cappella cuts (a smidgen of percussion is the only augmentation), "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Little By Little," are highlights; the latter tune will be instantly recognizable as the Trenchcoats' autograph, a contemporary blend that contains elements of '50's doo-wop and classic rock (Beatles and Jackson 5). It's the vocal attack that really connects and leaves an impression.

Listen to "Little By Little" in Real Audio.

It Turns Me On

It Turns Me On A Cappella It Turns Me On Come Together We'll Make History Elvira Joy To The World Is That The Way You Look A Tribute To Vanilla Ice Some Kind Of Wonderful X-Mas Rapping The Lion Sleeps Tonight Mama Told Me (Not to Come)

We have here a Coats CD recorded in 1992, two years before their win at the 1994 Harmony Sweepstakes Finals, and long before they changed their name due to the Columbine disaster. But we can clearly hear the talent and the roots of stardom in these 12 songs: "A Cappella," "It Turns Me On," an original by Jamie Dieveney of the group, who also wrote "We'll Make History," the Beatles' "Come Together," the raucous "Elvira," the Doobie's "Joy to the World," James Taylor's "Is That The Way You Look," "A Tribute to Vanilla (Ice)," "Some Kind of Wonderful," "X-Mas Wrapping," "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and a real-world, drunken cover of Randy Newman's "Mama Told Me Not To Come." What we've always liked about the Coats, be it in their live performances at the Sweeps or the West Coast Summit or in one of their many CDs, is the fun and humor they bring to the music. "Turns" is a necessarily a time capsule, but also an amazing piece of early work by one of our favorite groups of all time.

2435 CD $14.98

Collection

Don't Bring Me Down We Regret Keep It Simple A Cappella Rawhide Cool For You Your Joy Open Up Dance Alone Now You're Gone I Can See Clearly Now Nice To Say Come Together Bridge Over Troubled Water Joy To The World

The Coats have shown remarkable consistency and longevity, having recorded five albums since their formation in 1987. With few personnel changes, and a focus on original music, it's clear that their 1994 Harmony Sweepstakes win was no fluke, but a reflection of their talent and professionalism. "Collection" includes 15 tracks, two of which are new: the Jeff Lynne/ELO cover "Don't Bring Me Down," and "Open Up," a cheerful harmony-driven ditty with simple accompaniment, (reflecting the Coats' trend toward more frequent use of instruments). Some Coats fans feel that the quartet's true calling remains a cappella, however. Songs such as their trademark version of "Rawhide," "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "Cool For You" (the live version, where the screaming of the audience proves that the Coats are undisputed chick magnets), confirm that the Coats' grasp of pop harmony is nothing if not compelling.

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