Soul search with Cole and the Thornes this Friday

As winter settles over the Gallatin Valley, it feels like life is slowing down while schoolwork picks up. Burnout is getting intense too. If this sounds like you, look no further than the release party of Cole and the Thornes’ new album “Unbound'' at the Elm this weekend.

Cole and the Thornes describe their music as having a “moonshine soul-shine” sound. “We're super groovy, funky and energetic. It's like reggae meets soul music,” Thorne said. “We refer to our band as Soul Shine Soldiers. So, we consider ourselves a soul band. I try to write soulful music with intention,” Cole Thorne, lead singer-songwriter, manager and ukulele player for the band said.

The Elm is hosting local band Cole and the Thornes along with Hornbread on Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. in celebration of Cole and the Thornes release of their second album.

Their songs often refer to themes inspired by the moon and becoming the best version of oneself, Thorne said. So while the songs are very energetic and upbeat, “[The songs] actually have really, really meaningful messages behind them,” she said.

Thorne got her start in music through piano lessons when she was in second grade. “My first love was piano,” Thorne said. In middle school, she picked up the clarinet and eventually, she picked up the guitar and then the ukulele in college, she said.

Cole and the Thornes found their roots at the Haufbrau House. “That's where all the musicians find each other, and that's almost everybody's story, I feel like. I started playing in little groups and at open mics, meeting and connecting with people. We released our first album in 2018, and it's been five years [since our last album release]. So it's been a long time coming,” Thorne said.

Now, the band is pretty large. They are a seven-piece band featuring a horn section with a saxophone and a trumpet, ukulele, guitar, bass, drummer and auxiliary percussion.

The album release party will include performances by both Cole and the Thornes as well as Hornbread. If you have not heard Hornbread perform, they play within the ska genre which also has a jazzy, soulful, eclectic feel. Ska music is broadly defined as having a lighthearted, upbeat tempo according to the Washington Post.

Thorne was informally introduced to the ska band Hornbread through the tight-knit musician community in Bozeman and then more formally by Cole and the Thornes’ drummer, who believed that Hornbread would be a perfect fit for an on-stage performance. “Because we are like reggae meets soul band, so I was like, wow, this is the perfect fit. And there's not a lot of bands that kind of dip into that genre,” Thorne said.

Cole and the Thornes are also excited to bring in some belly dancers that Thornes knows through the dance community in Bozeman. “We always try to be kind of extra when there are bigger events,” she said.

With the support of Hornbread, Cole and the Thornes will debut their second album in a funky, eclectic, groovy and soulful atmosphere.

“I think music is one of the most powerful things that brings people together, and I hope that people come together and feel good and dance and connect with the community,” Thorne said.

The day of the album release party will be the first time that their new music will be available to stream on all major platforms. Party-goers can purchase a CD of their album, “Unbound,” at the event or at the local record shop, Cactus Records. Cole and the Thornes are also producing a vinyl of their new album, which is available for pre-sale.

Doors to the all-ages event open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are $20, more information can be found at the Elm’s website: https://logjampresents.com/2023/09/06/bozemans-cole-the-thornes-announce-album-release-party-at-the-elm-with-hornbread/.