2000 Great Songs #1217: Up On The Sun
On their second album , the Meat Puppets made an abrupt and unexpected turn from hardcore-like thrash to (mostly) skewed Americana, Arizona sun-fried jam band country rock, albeit still a bit too discordant for the mainstream. Their third album, 1985's Up On The Sun , saw them move even more convincingly into their unique spin on southwestern Americana, crisp twang and jangle that conjures Creedence's swampland rock transplanted to a hot and hazy desert. The title track which opens the LP, however modest its musical scope, still sounds like a statement of purpose, the creation of something new which doesn't comfortably slot into either indie rock or jangle pop. Curt Kirkwood's vocals, no more adherent to perfect pitch than Neil Young , may be an acquired taste, but his gently psychedelic finger-picking holds it all together. Live 2013, extended into a thrashy post-punk jam: Animated fan video:
