Review: Paul Cary & The Small Scarys – Coyote

Paul Cary’s music reminds you that no matter how bad you have it, someone’s probably worse off elsewhere. His debut album, Ghost of a Man, showcased Cary’s haunted soul by way of gritty, lo-fi blues. There was a swagger to each murky step, especially on the title track—making it sound like something you’d hope to find on an old, dusty 45 from Mississippi Records. On Coyote, Cary has added some gusto through his backing band. It’s still mean, lo-fi and bluesy, but it’s lost the immediacy of his debut, which felt like Cary was singing directly to you, alone, from a shack in the woods. Coyote sounds more like a studio album, and feels less personal, but it’s still a checkpoint for fans of garage rock and blues. You can hear it at paulcarymusic.com. –Justin Gallegos