What I'm Listening to This Week: Meat Puppets II
I've always loved Nirvana's MTV Unplugged Album, especially the songs "Lake of Fire," "Oh Me," and "Plateau" which Kurt Cobain plays on the album, crediting the Meat Puppets. Thus, I don't know why in the hell it's taken me so long to get into the Meat Puppets, but...that time has come.
The album, released in 1984, is the Meat Puppets' second album (hence the Roman Numeral II, there, wiseguy). Supposedly this one was a big departure from their first album, which was pretty hardcore. I've not listened to that one yet, but I'm positive Meat Puppets II is a huge step forward. Meat Puppets II is a coherent work of art that skillfully combines punk, folk, and even funk for a really gritty, rusty, grungy kind of sound reminiscent (or perhaps pre-saging) Neil Young's grungier records.
That's not to mention the lyrics/vocals. Sung in Curt Kirkwood's awkwardly dissonant wail, the lyrics have a kind of disembodied, psychedelic tone to them; each song is an out-of-body experience ("If I had to lose a mile/If I had to touch feelings/I would lose my soul/The way I do").
I simply can't remember the last album I've been prompted to play over and over again all day. Take it from me, check out this album.
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