by Vincent JeffriesThis eponymous major-label debut was also the last offering from Los Angeles groove rock outfit Mother Tongue. Most notable about this 1994 550 Music release is the dirty funk-rock guitar playing of Jesse Tobias. Tobias -- who was actually a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers for a few days before the group drafted Dave Navarro -- eventually joined up with Alanis Morissette and toured with the singer in support of her mega-hit record, Jagged Little Pill. Tobias and his Mother Tongue bandmates slog their way through mostly average funk-tinged retro-rock on this release, eliminating any mystery as to why the guitarist quickly left the group to join Morissette before it was apparent that the songstress would become a success. Despite a few choice riffs courtesy of Tobias, Mother Tongue languishes in too many self-indulgent "jam" arrangements that go nowhere to be given any kind of recommendation. The group disbanded pretty quickly after Tobias' exit, as what little interest there might have been in the band must have been extinguished in all quarters shortly thereafter.