The country element to Meat Puppets’ sound makes itself known throughout, but it is the presiding force on later tracks Waiting and Time And Money. Both have a distinct R.E.M. flavour to them, but it is the gorgeous country stroll of Time And Money that it is possible to hear the influence that the band had on the likes of Blind Melon, Paw, and even latter day Screaming Trees. Kirkland’s vocals are particularly striking, they’ve matured kindly into a warm drawl that hangs in the air like crop dust caught in a sunbeam.
Amongst yet another series of gems is Down, the most striking song on the album. There’s an element of Buffalo Tom’s Velvet Roof in the verses, but it’s the glorious emotional croon of the chorus that really draws the attention. Kirkwood’s lazy vocal hints at what Cobain might have been doing now had events not panned out the way they did. It is tempting to think that Meat Puppets’ appearance on Unplugged was an indicator of Cobain’s plans for his musical future, but sadly such ideas can only ever be fantasy. As for Meat Puppets, they’ll probably never emerge from the shadow of that performance, but with this stripped back, more accessible approach, there’s a good chance they win more fans over in the coming months.
