Cons: a bit repetitive and for that matter boring at times
The Bottom Line: The Meat Puppets have a good album here. It's fun and groovin' at times, while at other times it gets a bit boring for my tastes. Overall, it is decent.
lambchops's Full Review: Too High to Die by Meat Puppets
The Meat Puppets? Who the hell are they?
Many people have heard the Meat Puppets' music. The band and a few of their songs were featured on Nirvana's brilliant "Unplugged in New York" album as a result of Kurt Cobain's love for the relatively unknown band. The songs Lake of Fire, Plateau, and Oh Me all were written by the brothers Kirkwood and were featured on their second album Meat Puppets II. Despite getting little mainstream support during the band's two decades in existence, the Meat Puppets continue to plug along.
The Meat Puppets consist of a trio of gents from Arizona. Curt Kirkwood (vocals, guitar), Cris Kirkwood (bass), and Derrick Bostrom (drums) continue to churn out rock and roll year after year. "Too High To Die" was a major label album released in 1994. It produced the radio-ready hit "Backwater" in addition to a few other gems. "Too High To Die" was the eleventh album from the Meat Puppets. Most recently, the band released "Golden Lies" on the small Breaking Records label.
Here's a rundown:
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1. VIOLET EYES
To be quite honest, this is a grunge song infused with heavier drums than the genre usually allowed. Kirkwood's voice is almost totally drowned out by these guitars, but that seems to be the intention. The song is interesting, the guitars are skillfully executed, and it's definitely worthy of a listen or two. The guitar solos are somewhat overwhelming at times, but for people who enjoy that kind of thing it's a very good track. Like many of the tracks, this one has almost nonsensical words, yet it still remains of decent quality.
2. NEVER TO BE FOUND
This song is more interesting than the first. I like the addition of country rock riffs. Rather than burying the vocals, the guitars are more supportive. It's easy to sing along to, also. This is one of the strongest tracks on the album and it also exemplifies the fact that the Meat Puppets have a very diverse sound. The words are almost whimsical...
Sparks fly from their eyes Birds fly from their mouths
Echoing off this procession is a sound
Never to be found
3. WE DON'T EXIST
Another guitar laden track here, although it is pretty easy on the ears. The tempo here is very, very spastic. The guitars are fast and the vocals are just as quick. I find this song both fun and interesting. The Meat Puppets music is pretty upbeat as a whole. It's funny that their greatest success came at the pinnacle of the grunge era.
We don't exist
Night after night
We fall apart
It's quite alright
4. SEVERED GODDESS HAND
This odd title is indicitive of the alterna-rock beat and sound of this song. It's not heavy, it's not grungy, and it's not offensive. Just different, and just plain alternative. It's a fun song that's quite easy to listen to and easy to sing along with. The words are whimsical (drug-induced?) much like many of the other tracks.
The horizon breaks to pieces
And the mainline is the twilight
And the giant net has a perfect window
Passage through hs the ticket screaming
I want a mind
I'll tell you what I find...
5. FLAMING HEART
Another country rock tune here. It sounds very much like a song that Neil Young crossed with Lynyrd Skynyrd would produce. Kirkwood's voice is an almost odd compliment to the country guitars. The song is pretty repetitive, though. This is the first tune from the album that isn't good. It's just okay. I find it boring, actually.
6. SHINE
This song begins with a folky feel. It's definitely yet another refreshing sound from the band. The song is perfectly suited to Kirkwood's soft, melodic voice. It's a beautiful song...quite possibly the "prettiest" of the album. The words are fun and quiet and interesting...
You got a ring around your finger
and a heart in the bottle
that never really learned to talk
and they shine
7. STATION
This is another electric guitar laden track. Although, it's not particularly heavy. The guitars are sparse...in fact the drums are a more prominent instrument. The song again sounds more like straight "alternative" rather than rock or folk or country rock. It's a fun novelty-sounding song. The words are catchy, rhyming, and just plain fun. Here's an example:
Pigs are sheep and cats are dogs
and thoughts are made of Lincoln logs
to tend to the mice and wood
where black is blue and bad is good
8. ROOF WITH A HOLE
Country rock infused with good ol' fashioned blues puts a different spin on this tune. Although I have to also mention that I am bored out of my wits by this song. It's too slow and too blah in comparison to the songs that surround it. This would be one to skip if you think about it...it's not horrible, just not great. Eh. Whatever.
9. BACKWATER
This song is by far the most commercially successful of the Puppets' career. This is actually the tune that introduced me to the band. It was popular on radio and even on the ever-fickle MTV for a short time. It's got great guitars, a fast tempo, and a really great sound. It's catchy to say the least and Kirkwood's voice has never sounded better. You know you've heard it...no? YES!
and when I shoulda been gone a long time
laughs and says i find ways
just when we're sheltered under paper
the rockets come at us sideways
10. THINGS
This sounds a bit rockabilly in the beginning...anyway, it's a guitar laden classic rock/southern rock tune. It doesn't really appeal to me. It's a bit boring and is really very boring in comparison to the song it follows. The lyrics are at least minimally interesting:
over is the game
captured have you been
twisted was part two
ageless is the end
11. WHY?
Another southern rock/folk song here. I'm again a bit annoyed by this one. I can see how other people enjoy it. Anyway, it sounds like the Puppets are trying too hard to be pretentious here. Frankly, it bores me and leaves me to ask "Why" am I listening to this?
12. EVIL LOVE
Guitars and odd instrumentation give this track a bit different sound than some of the others. Had it not been for those elements, the song would have been boring. It's worth a listen, although there's no way you will be blown away just by listening to this tune. I don't know what the words mean, if anything. Here's a sample of the lyrics:
exchange our fears for little glass holes
and broken dreams of bent-backed trolls
who'll tend the trees and what's in between
the sky above is aglow with evil love
13. COMIN' DOWN
I was immediately turned off by this song...immediately, that is until I realized that I've actually somehow heard it before. It's a country song. Yup, you heard me right. A alterna-rock band singing country. Fortunately, the band has a sense of humor as shown by this track. You may have heard this one too...
comin' down from the mountain
I have seen the high and mighty
I will go again someday
but for now I'm comin' down
LAKE OF FIRE (bonus!)
Quite possibly my favorite Meat Puppets song, this is a great little bonus on this otherwise only slightly better than mediocre album. Lake of Fire was covered by Nirvana in their Unplugged concert. This song is partially what gave way to a little extra success for the Puppets. It's actually quite a pretty little rock song with tons of emotion and even more potential. It's got blues influences. LOVE IT!!!!! Don't miss out on this song that follows on track 13.
where to bad folks go when they die
they go to a lake of fire and fright
won't see 'em again 'till the fourth of July
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The Meat Puppets music is hard, fast and rockin' yet includes elements of classic rock and for that matter blues. You would assume with such a variety of influences the band would have become better known among mainstream listeners. Nope. The band remains a relatively guarded secret. The Meat Puppets have had their share of problems...namely with drugs. Yet, this album is of note and belongs in any good music collection.
There are some great songs here, but also a few that are too repetitive and/or boring for their own good. As a result, I am forced to give them 3 1/2 out of 4 stars. Translated, that's three stars.
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