2008 Woodie Awards
Matt Coughlin 'Let it go' at the Reef
STEVE AHLBORN
Culture Writer
Issue date: 4/2/07 Section: Culture
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The seamless songs and mellow music of Matt Coughlin complimented the bamboo ceiling hanging over the stage.
Coughlin is on his first official music tour, “The rainy daze of winter,” and has already recorded two albums: “Let it go” in 2005 and his newest release, ‘‘It’s about time” in 2006.
Coughlin is just 26 years of age. His thick beard was only a mask for his smooth, laid back voice.
Coughlin stood between two angry-faced totem poles standing in the background with his western-style acoustic guitar and sandals kicked off his feet.
His far-reaching notes explored the boundaries of each song and lost themselves in rich meaning.
With my hands clapping and my feet tapping I realized I’d been sucked into the melody of this music and the mood of the dimly-lit restaurant.
Matt Coughlin’s inspirational genres of music include everything from classical to jazz and rock ‘n’ roll to folk rock.
His favorite artists include Simon and Garfunkel, Led Zepplin, Storyhill, Martin Sexton and the Counting Crows.
The style that Coughlin feels the most comfortable performing is folk rock.
This style allows him to do a bit of storytelling in each song while adding some soul.
The harmonic sounds of his buddy, Bryan Hinschberger, also the manager and CD seller, reminded me of the protest songs of the 1960s.
Bryan’s deep tone quality lent itself to stylistic expression to round out Matt’s higher range.
The music and the lyrics combined to make a complete package of insightful sounds in the passionate, three-set program.
The most unique part of Coughlin collection of vocal arrangements occurred when his melodic whistle unobtrusively fell upon the ears of his audience.
Coughlin and Hinschberger became serious about music during junior high school. They met in an acapella men’s group just a few years ago in college.
The songs performed Thursday had many common themes which play on movie soundtracks, such as self-discovery, rain, tears of joy, sadness, anger and love.
Coughlin hopes his music will be recognized by a bigger audience, which would allow him to be sustained entirely by CD sales and live performances.
In the meantime, he works as a bartender at a restaurant in Seattle.
Hinschberger spends his time cooking and also does some acting on the side.
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