The term "warts 'n' all" was made for records like this, but for all
its faults no disc better represents every side of the Meat Puppets. Culled
from two concerts recorded in Montana in December, 1988, Live In Montana
shows the trio running through crunchy metal, ZZ Top-style boogie,
instrumental segments that embrace both bluegrass and jazz-rock fusion, and
country & western before a rowdy crowd on the Unabomber's home turf.
Although aligned with punk rock, they were punk in attitude more than
sound, so this disc is a stylistic kaleidoscope. Consider their covers;
they played Black Sabbath, Woodie Guthrie, 2 Live Crew, and Roy Orbison
with equal measures of affection and disrespect, and did the same for every
genre that they tackled. And over the top of nearly every song, Curt
spilled winding, weedly guitar solos that would make your average
poodle-permed music store employee very, very jealous.
But what about those warts? The performances were taken from a mixing board tape, which means
that they couldn't be remixed at all. So the vocals, never the Pups'
strong point, are way too loud, and the guitar isn't loud enough. But if
you want to get a taste of how the band could veer from brilliance to
awfulness within a single song, or hear them bait the audience with stoned,
inscrutable quips, then this is your record. And you know, I have to say it
- it rocks!
If you like the Meat Puppets, check out:
Meat Puppets Up On The Sun
Meat Puppets Huevos
Meat Puppets Mirage
Meat Puppets Monsters
Meat Puppets Meat Puppets II
Oranger Doorway To Norway
-- Bill Meyer
