In Native American mythology, the totemic coyote plays a multifaceted role: beneficent, deceitful and provocative, with a mischievous compulsion to push men beyond known boundaries. No wonder Kyuss co-founder John Garcia has named his new solo effort after this legendary character, given his own shapeshifting body of work that adheres to a familiar sound while still suggesting something brash and revelatory.
…Tongues delivers a smouldering acoustic collection of originals and Kyuss classics. The punchy chord progressions of Argleben II and the brooding intensity of instrumental closer Court Order dovetail smoothly into haunting versions of Kyuss standards like Green Machine and Space Cadet. With four out of the nine tracks representing covers, however, the strength of the original tracks like The Hollingsworth Session only underscores their scarcity. Nonetheless, the album roars with coarse, primal emotion and by the bluesy coda of Gardenia, you half expect to look up and see the orange and magenta hues of the painted desert sky unfurling above you.
