530. Meat Puppets - Meat Puppets II (1983)
















Track Listing

1. Split Myself in Two
2. Magic Toy Missing
3. Lost
4. Plateau
5. Aurora Borealis
6. We're Here
7. Climbing
8. New Gods
9. Oh, Me
10. Lake of Fire
11. I'm a Mindless Idiot
12. Whistling Song

Review

Here's the birth of country-punk, yes, you heard me correctly, country-punk. And it is pretty nifty as well, from the middle of the 90's we have had some very interesting bands of Americana, and many of them owe something to this album.

If there is one problem with the album it is some lack of sense of focus, although they are pretty good in all the genres they dabble in, the more countrified songs are actually the better, such as Plateau, famously covered by Nirvana.

Meat Puppets II is something truly original, and not many albums have that merit. And the influence is also so wide-ranging that this is obviously an essential addition to the list of 1001 albums. Good stuff.

Track Highlights

1. Plateau
2. Aurora Borealis
3. Lake Of Fire
4. Whistling Song

Final Grade

9/10

Trivia

From Wikipedia:

Rykodisc reissued the album in 1999 with extra tracks and b-sides, including a cover of the Rolling Stones' Aftermath-era track "What To Do."

The term "cowpunk" has been used to describe the blend of punk and country found on this album and elsewhere in the Puppets' catalogue; they are generally credited as being the main pioneers of this style.

Plateau: