Meat Puppets

by Meat Puppets

Product Description:

This 1999 remastered edition of MEAT PUPPETS is an Enhanced CD [ECD] that includes bonus tracks, the 1981 7-inch release IN A CAR and a video for "Walking Boss," filmed at a concert at Target Video in San Francisco, California.

Meat Puppets: Curt Kirkwood (vocals, guitar); Cris Kirkwood (vocals, bass); Derrick Bostrom (drums).

Additional personnel: Steve Thomsen (keyboards).

Producers include: Laurie O'Connell, Ed Barger, Montior.

Engineers include: Spot, Ed Barger, Darrell DeMarco.

Recorded between 1980 and 1999. Includes liner notes by Derrick Bostrom.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Like their SST label-mates the Minutemen, Replacements, and Husker Du, the Meat Puppets' debut album finds them squarely in the hardcore realm. These bursts of primal fury zip along like the Tasmanian Devil, with lyrics that are about as comprehensible as that spinning id-creature's utterances. While the term "cowpunk" was often applied to the Puppets, this is about 95% punk and 5% cow. Only on "Walking Boss" and their take on the C&W classic "Tumblin' Tumbleweeds" do they demonstrate the country stylings that they would later incorporate into their music. Even in these instances, with walking tempos and discernible lyrics, the sloppy vocals and palpable sense of edginess makes for a sound that is anything but laid-back. From here on in, the Meat Puppets would transform their sound into something less overtly in-your-face, but this is where it all began. For completists, this is a must-have. The 1999 re-release contains some alternative versions, an interesting early take on "Magic Toy Missing" from MEAT PUPPETS II, and some tasty covers of Neil Young and the Grateful Dead.