Coyote

Like fellow British rockers the Bees, the Welsh quintet El Goodo have an all consuming obsession with the sounds of the mid- and late-‘60s, particularly groups that utilized cleanly played chiming guitars and layer upon layer of reverb drenched vocal harmonies. Listening to efforts like the delicate chamber pop of “I Saw Her Today” and “Talking to the Birds” it’s hard not to be reminded of the elegant compositions of the Zombies and the Beach Boys, but El Goodo, whose name is most likely a nod to the classic Big Star tune “Ballad of El Goodo,” complicate their sound by skillfully incorporating elements of overdriven British Invasion-style R&B and late ‘60s country rock. The fuzz driven “Be My Girl” even features a charmingly incompetent harmonica break that sounds as though it might be played by an overenthusiastic 19-year-old Mick Jagger trying out his best Jimmy Reed impression. Were it not for the group’s considerable skills as instrumentalists and songwriters the many stylistic debts of *Coyote* might be overly distracting, but the group’s talent and enthusiasm overcome the occasionally derivative nature of the material.