little coyote - howl

Little Coyote

Howl
self-released; 2014

3.7 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Little Coyote is a four-piece band comprised of Judd English (vocalist), Matt Coates (guitarist), Gareth Bussey (bassist) and Anthony Dinh (drummer). They just released their debut EP entitled Howl, which serves up a healthy dose of rock that has just about the perfect amount of attitude. The closest comparison is arguably Queens of The Stone Age but there are plenty of original elements here, which even with a three- song EP they are carving out the distinct style and sound of the band.

The EP sounds great from a production perspective. The vocals sit perfectly in the mix, the bass is gritty but not overly distorted and the guitar has a beefy mid range. Perhaps one of the surprising elements of the three-song EP for me was that it rarely rocked out as hard as I thought it was going to. The build up was there but rarely happened when I thought it would. Instead the band embraces nuances and atmosphere, which was actually one of the elements that I felt separated the band from a slew of other bands playing similar types of music. The young band is already displaying a pro move and showing restraint rather than going balls to the walls crazy with every given opportunity.

Instrumentally, the EP revolves around bass and drums. At its foundation the rhythm section is providing the heart of the music while other instruments like the guitar are providing more atmospheric type elements. The vocal work is top notch throughout the three songs. There is a lot of variation in terms of dynamics and the lyrics aren’t too shabby either.

The EP starts with “Water Runs Dry,” which starts off with an infectious bass melody. The drums quickly follow hitting hard and steady while the guitar is subtly plucking a couple of notes. Once the chorus hits you should be hooked. The vocal melody is irresistibly catchy and almost instantly recognizable. 

“Howl” contains two distinct vocals that create variation within the song. A higher pitched voice runs through the verse but when the chorus hits it comes down a couple of octaves.

They close with the most rocking song on the album entitled “Overflow.” It isn't really till the end that the drums crash that they decide to let loose.

Howl is a solid start and showcases a band with a lot of potential. The EP was a bit too short to get a clear understanding of how much talent these guys have but I am looking forward to a full-length. 

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