Up On The Sun (studio album) by Meat Puppets

From jwammo12 07/27/2021 15:56

This is definitely the album where they come into their own as a band. The playing is high-level and locked in. It might be missing some of the raw energy and highlights of Meat Puppets ii, but its much more accomplished musically.

After the disastrous debut and the sporadic sophomore effort, Meat Puppets (Curt and Kris Kirkwood and Derrick Bostrom) finally hit their stride and produced a cohesive album called Up on the Sun.

The hardcore sound melts away into psychedelic guitar goodness. Many cite that it sounds like Grateful Dead because of the psychedelic and folk and rock blend, but the Grateful Dead never sound as tight as this trio. The highlight of this record is hearing these three young men playing so effortlessly together. I would recommend it to guitar players all over the world, as the warbly vocals and nonsense lyrics take a back seat to the performances.

This was the beginning of their golden era of albums on the SST label in the 1980s.

Essential.

Track Pick: Swimming Ground
Gems: Two Rivers, Up on the Sun

From discojets1 06/11/2017 04:13

The best Meat Puppets album. A psychedelic, nervy, punky, album with a Byrds vibe.

The cowpunks go Grateful Dead on this classic.

With 'Up On The Sun', The Meat Puppets created a psychedelic-country and experimental fusion that incorporates elements of jazz and even raga. The songs are essentially hypnotic and ethereal 'laid back' meditations which in their way are extremely engaging and innovative.