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Rating:
First of all, I must say that the album I am about to describe is, in my humble opinion, one of the best releases in the stoner genre among the many that this prolific genre has generously bestowed upon us, so I hope you can forgive me if I intend to calmly dismiss objectivity and everything that comes with it...
At the end of the last millennium, John Garcia, who was by then fully orphaned by Kyuss, after a more than excellent EP with the meteoric Slo Burn, formed this band named "Unida" recruiting, among others, the mighty Scott Reeder and his "sponge-like" bass, and with the first release, they immediately hit it off: "Coping With The Urban Coyote" is the masterpiece and the only official album of the band.
We kick off nice and strong with "Thorn": catchy, direct, it almost feels like listening to AC/DC elevated to the nth degree given how the guitar riff grabs you; the following "Black Woman" (also featured in the video game Tony Hawk's Underground) is the gem of the album: a breathless 5-minute run, so powerful and intense that you almost feel like you could sink your fingers into the flesh of this woman who turned John's head (Ride with me baby, Just ride all night long...yeah!).
If "Plastic" and "Nervous" remain on levels of normality (far from talking about filler tracks, quite the opposite...), it's with "Human Tornado" and "Dwarf It" that two heavy aces are dealt, especially the first one hits hard with its cocky guitar solo in a "beer, chicks, and high wheels" style (for those who aren't Veneto, roda=wheel).
A special mention for the two more psychedelic and extended songs is deserved: just the strained and suffering voice of Garcia in "If only" is enough to cause a shiver down your spine, while the final "You Wish" is a continuous up and down between whispered voices and guitar riffs as big as boulders for 10 minutes of true inner journey.
In short, 8 songs/40 minutes and lots and lots of class: this is "Coping With The Urban Coyote". A round of applause.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Thorn (03:14)
Do you wanna say goodbye to your best friend, your buddy?
Never wanted to slap your girl, she's your money
I said love, only love
You spread your wings and you fly with the best
it's so bloody, it's so bloody
Love, whoa love, you wanna survive
Love, whoa love, you wanna survive
Take your time, take your hate out
I can tell you, it's a lady's game
You take a life of shit
oh man, you almost went insane
Love, only love
No one cares, and you lie to yourself
It's the wrong place, it's the wrong face
Love, whoa love, you wanna survive
Love, whoa love, you wanna survive
Love, only love
You spread your wings, and you fly with the best
It's so bloody, it's so bloody
Love, whoa love, you wanna survive
Love, whoa love, you wanna survive
02 Black Woman (05:14)
Ride with me baby
Just ride all night long. yeah. (well alright)
Heavy like my lady
Just fly all night long. yeah. (right on)
Some say that your crazy
That doesnt mean my face is always blue. Yeah (alright)
Chorus:
Should it be the answer should it be a sun?
Should it be the boy you never call your gun (yeah)?
Should it be the intro should it be the sun?
Can it be the black girl you never call at one?
So can you find my lady
Can you justify the love you see tonight? yeah. (right on)
So fly with me baby. just fly all night long. (right on) *uhh*
(Chorus x1)
You got it on, you got it on
Get it get it you got it
Black Woman... Yeah
04 Human Tornado (04:22)
Smile
The smile you used
you choose this hard life
yeah
Get in
The villain stole your true love
And the room
The room, the room that he gave you his hand
And bottle
The bottle he used was just a little heavier
Man never again
Never again
Will you refuse this face
Smoking
Smoke in his eyes and your love was like
Gold and riding
You thought of riding home alone
And the loop
The loop
The loop that he gave you was planned
And bottle
The bottle he used was just a little heavier
Man
Never again, never again
Will you refuse this fuckin face
07 Dwarf It (02:33)
Too many nights I said
too many love the two ton bed
When you cry yourself to sleep
next to your love that doesn't care
And you are the answer
to your own secrets in your head
so, so, so, so f**kin sad
Too many nights I said
too many love the two ton bed
And you cried yourself to sleep
'cause your love is always scared
And you are the answer
to your own secrets in your head
so, so, so, so f**kin sad
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By uffa
John Garcia, his magical past (Kyuss), his unmistakable voice: He would say Unida, his new project in the present!
Unida's sound is very heavy, sometimes a bit too heavy and repetitive, but the latter part of the album holds up well against stoner rock icons like QOTSA, Nebula, and Fu Manchu.
