Muchas gracias is a weak finish to the Kyuss legacy that also serves as a poor introduction to it. More of a collection of B-sides and rarities than a “Best of.” Really, they’re not being very honest about this. “Green Machine” isn’t even on Muchas gracias and it’s their most popular song.

If you want an introduction, definitely go for Blues for the Red Sun or Welcome to Sky Valley. This compilation is for people who are already fans and want to complete their Kyuss collection. It’s not for people who want to see what the band has to offer at their best. Don’t start here.

The songs on Muchas gracias that aren’t available on any studio albums are:

“Un Sandpiper” (Gardenia single B-side)
“Shine” (Split single with Wool)
“Mudfly” (One Inch Man single B-side)
“A Day Early and a Dollar Extra” (One Inch Man single B-side)
“Flip the Phase” AKA “Fatso Forgotso Phase II (Flip the Phase)” (Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age split EP)
“Fatso Forgotso” (Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age split EP)

To be blunt, none of these songs are really worth it. They are Kyuss at their worst. This compilation is missing a cover of Black Sabbath‘s “Into the Void,” which is available on the aforementioned Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age split EP. The best song here is “A Day Early and a Dollar Extra,” which is Kyuss ripping off Black Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan.” At least the compilation closes with four of Kyuss’s best songs…. no wait, it doesn’t, because they’re all live versions that are predictably inferior to the studio versions. Why do compilations do this? Kyuss seemingly didn’t give a damn about the quality of this release.

A good Kyuss compilation doesn’t exist, so just get Blues for the Red Sun or Welcome to Sky Valley. You’ll get more good songs at a similar cost. For the fans who want this for the rarities, they are Kyuss’s worst songs, so don’t get your hopes up.