A Wild Bird Flying

On their 11th studio album, The Stone Coyotes carry on with the same fierce independence that has sustained them for more than a decade. A Wild Bird Flying is filled with the sharply drawn lyrics and brawny, blues-based musicianship that have become the Massachusetts trio's calling cards. Lead singer/guitarist Barbara Keith is a commanding presence, with assertive backup provided by husband Doug Tibbles on drums and stepson John Tibbles on lead guitar and bass. Though they favor searing riffage and hard-crunching grooves, there’s also a folk element in the Coyotes’ music, evident in their songs' dramatic narrative quality. “Powder Keg,” “Your Fall from Grace," and the title track tell stories as they slash and grind away, with Keith’s clear, declamatory vocals at the center of the action. There’s a sense of mature reflection and acceptance of mortality in tunes like “Sing Me a Hymn” and “A Dangerous Game,” as well as a flair for dramatic character sketches, as “Big Bad Wolf” shows. A Wild Bird Flying draws on hard-won personal experience to celebrate survival in the face of onrushing doom.