Ok kids, here's the bottom line: They say third time's a charm & "Move," the third offering from Coyote Kings, is definitely charmed. That "Rockin' Blues & Bluesy Rock ~ Smokin' Hot!" band from Walla Walla has outdone themselves with this stunner. When you take the writing skills of Robin Barrett & Curtis Johnson, the solid playing of Rob, Curtis, Tim, & Mike & add Michelle "Mush" Morgan's amazing vocals to the mix, the result is downright world-class. From the rollicking barrel-house groove of "Wanna Come Home," to the tough, driving, lustful moans of "Lil Sumpmm Sumpmm," to the weekend warrior's anthem "Think It's The Good Life," & the ultimate slide guitar propelled driving song, "Blacktop Never Stop," Barrett shows why he's regarded as one of the top Blues & Roots writers currently making music. Curtis "Rocket" Johnson surprises us with his superbly soulful vocals and writing, in his two offerings, the straight-up power Blues "Upside Down Inside Out" & "Downtown." How can a song have a tough Texas groove and feel good, almost euphoric dreaminess at the same time? Not sure, but "Downtown" delivers this amazing quality. You'll wish it went on for hours. We think you'll agree that it's about time Curtis "stepped out from behind the drums!" And now Mush... Coyote Kings' "Queen of Blue-eyed Soul," Michelle "Mush" Morgan, shows her jaw-dropping vocal skills on seven songs on Move; The heart-wrenching melodrama "Only Love I Know," the funk-in-your-face come-on "All Tangled Up," her sultry infatuation on "Drive Me," and powerful diva-like singing on "Everything Changes," along with her fantastic cover of "Get Ready," are a the icing on the cake that is Coyote Kings w/Mush Morgan's "Move." It's rare these days when every song on an album is great, but... every song on Move is... well... great! Gonna be hard to pick a favorite... they're all awesome. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blues Review Dec 2011 The Coyote Kings, from the Pacific Northwest, is not a one-trick pony when it comes to creating and performing music. With soul and enthusiasm, they show off their versatility. The Coyote Kings consists of guitarist “Mondo Mike” Cook, singer/songwriter/guitarist Robin Barrett, and drummer Curtis “Rocket” Johnson. Move, their third release, also features outstanding vocalist Michelle “Mush” Morgan on seven tracks. This album offers a varied listening experience in that each song has its own unique sound, unlike blues albums from many other artists, where one may get the impression one is listening to the same song eleven times in a row. “Upside Down, Inside Out” is absolutely great. Cook plays guitar with ferocity and is no doubt among the best guitarists around. It just doesn‘t get any better than this. And when this track is done, there is not even time to cool off as “All Tangled Up” keeps the groove going with a strong, funky beat and Morgan’s sexy vocals. With a voice made special for the blues, she puts the “oomph” in this one. With a fiery naughtiness, she also adds a little sumpin’ sumpin’ to the track “Little Sumpmm Sumpmm’,” reminding me a bit of the spunky Sun recording artist Wanda Jackson. The payoff on this album is a rocking sultry version of Smokey Robinson’s “Get Ready.” This is one tight cover, and the Coyote Kings make it their own, escorting the song into a new decade to become a party favorite for a new generation. This is solid album from start to finish, and I can’t wait to hear more from them. Phillip Smith is a contributing writer at BluesWax. (One slight correction: Robin played all of the guitar on Upside Down, Inside Out.)