Track-by-Track: Coyote Theory Consider Their Debut Full-Length Album ‘Still’

It’s been a long time coming, but that debut album from Coyote Theory was worth the wait. Today marks the official release of Still, the band’s debut album via Nettwerk. If you know anything about the band, you’d know that this record has been coming down the pike for some time. As kids, the trio recorded and released their debut EP, Color, back in 2011. Their songwriting chemistry was already apparent back then, and then they grinded it out on the road for a couple of years. But by 2014, they jointly decided it was in their best interest to press pause on the band. Their friendship did not dissipate, though, and by 2019, they got the ball rolling again. The pandemic obviously slowed things down, but the song “This Side of Paradise” fortunately went viral on TikTok, which propelled the band forward. By 2022, they released the Late Night EP and the Live From the Babcock EP.

Now, Coyote Theory is pleased to be unveiling their proper full-length debut. They approached the writing of the album as an opportunity to learn more about themselves and each other musically. It was a very free-flowing approach without any specific intentions or expectations laid out for themselves. The band needed to feel things out for a while to see what kind of band they were at this point in time. That approach sparked the most successful songwriting period of the group’s still-young career.

Today, we are joined by Coyote Theory drummer and percussionist Jayson Lynn for an exclusive Track-by-Track rundown of Still, honing in on the meaning and significance of each track.

1. “How We Live Now”

“I think time will show that every band of this decade has a song about living through 2020. The working title of this song had been ‘Get It How You Live It,’ but quickly, as we finalized it, we felt like it pointed itself far more directly at what we were all experiencing during that time.”

2. “Maryland”

“Quite possibly one of our favourite songs we ever wrote. Musically, thematically, everything just sort of lined up on this one. ‘Maryland’ is about second-guessing your decisions. Trying to move forward means pretending to be decisive, and this song explores those moments where we start to panic on whether or not we made the right decision – or if the right decision was thrust upon us. It also plays around with a lot of abstract lyrics, which was something we always like to explore.”

3. “Forget My Name”

“This one is all about finally coming to terms with the fact that you are in a bad relationship. You’ve been convincing yourself otherwise, but some epiphany washes over you, and you find the courage that you needed to stand up and walk away. I said relationship here, but I enjoy that it can extend much more broadly. In this house, we love multiple interpretations!”

4. “Not Falling In Love Tonight”

“We sort of look at this version of the song as a more intimate cut. The original, which maybe we’ll record someday, was full band and bigger. Far more leaning into the pop-rock sensibilities of the 2010 era. It was like our version of a fun. song.”

5. “Waiting on the Weather”

“Weather surges, it bellows against you, it hangs in the sky above you in much the same way bricks don’t. This tune is all about trying not to get stuck in your head about what has happened or what you can change. Instead, place yourself firmly in the now. ‘It’s Never Too Late for Now.’”

6. “Fingers Crossed”

“We need more songs about simple things, like crossing your fingers. This one is our singer, Colby’s (Carpinelli) song he brought to the album. A song that speaks to what it means to feel played or fooled by others. However, at the same time, what it means to bamboozle others at the same time. We’re all crossing our fingers sometimes.”

Coyote Theory ‘Still’ album artwork

7. “When Was the Last Time”

“It’s all about getting back to the way you want to feel. We’re a band about vibes. They don’t always have to be good — that’s the whole human condition part of things — however, we always want to feel. ‘When Was the Last Time’ speaks to that through the lens of two people meeting and beginning that honeymoon phase.”

8. “Wishlist”

“‘Wishlist’ is all about being tired of taking care of others. It’s the ultimate treat yourself song. So many, especially around holidays, are guilty of putting themselves last, and this song is a small voice of self-awareness. The reference to a dog named Couscous, however, is fully fiction.”

9. “Each Other’s Ghost”

“This was a small tune I wrote with my daughter, who was around 6 at the time. It’s the story of a real ghost who accidentally falls in love with a person in an old-fashioned ghost costume. It was interesting to play out this scenario of how a ghost might process heartbreak of this nature. I personally love writing songs wrapped around these kitschy ideas. It makes interpretations all the better.”

10. “Molly”

“‘Molly’ is a song that takes on two meanings, the meaning just depends on where your headspace is at that moment. It’s the funkiest song on the album, and has great bass line.”

11. “Taking Over the World”

“I’d be lying if I said Taylor Swift wasn’t at the core of writing this song. It’s another song that we wrote right before we broke up originally, and you can timestamp that around the Taylor Swift Red era. (Bassist) Grayson (Hendren) and I had an old roommate who was obsessed with that album, and through osmosis, that influence made its way into this song.”

12. “Deliver Me Somewhere”

“In the end, it’s all about the friends we made along the way! This jam is a cool one, it’s a total send-up to the pop-punk songs of the early 2010s, about friendship and putting your friends above everything. This song says it’s ok to raise your hands up and admit you need the help of a friend once and a while.”

13. “Oh Well”

“‘Oh Well’ is just that, it’s about saying the words, taking a deep sigh, and moving on past whatever situation you find yourself caught up in. It was a cool track to end with because, to all these old and new songs, it kind of tells the story of the album. We wrote all these songs throughout this time, and finally found home to leave them all in a good place, so we can move on.”