Rat Farm

First, a proviso. I am an enthusiastic fan, who is, however, far from a devotee. My favorite MP releases are Meat Puppets II and Too High to Die.That said, this is wonderful CD, and fans of the MP can't go wrong with this Album.It's 2013, not 1983, so the sonics will be different. Curt doesn't sound tentative and his vocals no longer sound like he is going through puberty. I love both phases of this unique band.The lyrical style, content and amalgam of country-"punk"-psychedelic-pop remains intact.Brother Cris is back in the fold, and the late, great Doug Sahm's son, Shandon, does a great job on drums, embracing the MP aesthetic.If you are a Meat Puppets fan, you will really enjoy this CD, and if the band is new to you, this release will hold its own, and if you like it, you will likely want to explore their back catalog, perhaps beginning with the CDs I listed above.This disc has been given a spin four times on my player since I received it three days ago, and I like it more and more each time.Enjoy!

During this horribly decadent year of 2013, the world sorely needs this. It's a prescription from those "Mind doctors" Kris and Curt Kirkwood to look around and notice the beauty that surrounds us! The song "Rat Farm" leads the charge, and it positively floors you with it's incredible Heavy opening. What follows is an avalanche of hooks about a "rotten to the core" individual which will warm the heart of the most jaded rock fan. These guys have mastered the art of writing catchy melodies, and there's simply no one who sounds remotely like Meat Puppets. Being original in this day and age is a tough route that only the best rockers travel. In a fair world this would be all over the radio (come on Little Steven. What follows are 11 songs which are all just as great. This album is all the more amazing because of the self destructive lifestyle these brothers are famous for. Maybe that makes people appreciate life a little bit more, when they are constantly battling their party demons. This very psychedelic album has peyote written all over it, which is a nice touch. A special mention must also be made for the incredible drumming of the youngster Shandon Sahm,(son of the legendary Doug Sahm). He surely has mastered playing his instrument, and his imaginative fills are a perfect fit for the Kirkwood brother's imaginative songs. Anyway, I guess by now you can tell this gets "Rockman's Seal of Approval", and should be purchased pronto. I'm sure you will Love It!

I love every song on this album and I'm not just being a bastard about it. They write great hooks and catchy melodies that just dig into your brain. I don't know how to describe the music of Meat Puppets. They've always been all over the place yet at the same time-the same place. That some Buddha jargon right there. I have listened to this album mostly through at least ten times. How many crap reviews have been written where someone decides to be a critic after listening to :30 sec. snippets? I am the real deal. I put in the earwork and I give this album five stars. My wife and kids like it, too, and they hate me.

Been a fan of these guys for a long time...gonna age myself here but first heard them on an SST compilation back in 1984. They were a little rough then, but after hearing "Up on The Sun" i was hooked. I saw them live several times in the 80's and for some reason they didn't seem to care about sounding anything close to the albums. They were fun, but SUPER loud and you really had a tough time recognizing each song. I haven't seen them live in a long time and hope they come around soon. This album is opens with the title track and is vintage Meat Puppets to me. All of the songs have their signature sound that they have crafted over the years. Nothing rocks really hard on this, but amazing guitar work by Mr. Kirkwood and a pretty balanced album all the way through.. Highly recommended for long time Meat fans, but to the new casual listener "You probably won't get it" and that is just fine with me..Rock on Arizona freaks!!!

Sorry to blow the perfect score here, but I'm just not into this one like I should be. I loved the 90s rocker, and this is making me sleepy. It kills me to say that. The writing is fine, and the production is clean, but not grafting to this. Having said that, it's not like like that ridiculous Beck grammy-winning bore fest of his last album. Waiting, waiting, waiting for this album to kick in. It's not going to.

I am new to Meat Puppets. I started with No Joke (which a lot of people hate for some reason) and then went on to Too High to Die.I have checked out other albums from their discography, but Rat Farm is my favorite so far. Great guitar playing, low-key punk sound, unpredictable songs......the very first track just gives you an indicator about how great this album is going to be.As you can tell, I am thrilled with this purchase. Got it on LP. My wife, who does not own any punk or metal albums like I do, loves this album as well.

One of the best Meat Puppet albums to be released. This will not disappoint you esp. if you are a fan. If you are not a fan this album will def. make you one

This latest offering of Meat Puppetry, Rat Farm, is simply outstanding! I have listened to this CD straight through over ten times and can't think of a bad song on it. There is some hit worthy material here "One More Drop," "Down," "You Don't Know," & "Original One," although I doubt the Kirkwood brothers are concerned with producing hits. Previously, I owned and loved the 90s classic CD by the Puppets "Too High to Die" and never branched out into any other Meat Puppets music. Slowly, I am evolving into a megafan of the band and have started expanding my collection. What I've discovered is an ultra-talented group with diverse musical genres and lyrical humor. Don't pass by the Rat Farm, it is a must!