I Can't Be Counted On - Meat Puppets, Kirkwood, Cris
Liquified - Meat Puppets, Kirkwood, Curt
Dough-Rey-Mi - Meat Puppets, Cole
S.W.A.T. (Get Down)/Attacked by Monsters/Blue Bayou - Meat Puppets, Bedeau
Party Till the World Obeys - Meat Puppets, Kirkwood, Curt
The Small Hours/Paranoid/Sweet Leaf - Meat Puppets, Butler
This Phoenix trio had a live reputation second to none--rightly so, as this fine, twisted album, recorded at the height of their creative powers in Montana on December 7 and 8, 1988, shows. "No, it's like this," Curt Kirkw... more »ood cries wickedly after his brother Cris fumbles the start to a buoyant "Plateau," before he starts twittering away like a real good bird. The 16-minute funky medley of "S.W.A.T. (Get Down)," "Attacked by Monsters," and a very skewed "Blue Bayou," meanwhile, are simply unstoppable--and the laid-back(ish) "Lake of Fire" is downright scary. It helps when you have a cracked sense of humor. Fugazi and all Chicago math rockers (Rodan, et al.) clearly owe the Meat Puppets a massive debt, as this album's rampant, righteous version of "Maiden's Milk" shows. This CD is the Meat Puppets' first live recording ever issued. --Everett True« less
This Phoenix trio had a live reputation second to none--rightly so, as this fine, twisted album, recorded at the height of their creative powers in Montana on December 7 and 8, 1988, shows. "No, it's like this," Curt Kirkwood cries wickedly after his brother Cris fumbles the start to a buoyant "Plateau," before he starts twittering away like a real good bird. The 16-minute funky medley of "S.W.A.T. (Get Down)," "Attacked by Monsters," and a very skewed "Blue Bayou," meanwhile, are simply unstoppable--and the laid-back(ish) "Lake of Fire" is downright scary. It helps when you have a cracked sense of humor. Fugazi and all Chicago math rockers (Rodan, et al.) clearly owe the Meat Puppets a massive debt, as this album's rampant, righteous version of "Maiden's Milk" shows. This CD is the Meat Puppets' first live recording ever issued. --Everett True
CD Reviews
Pretty darn good
03/21/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Definitely the Meat Puppets in top form. Though this is probably my least favorite time period in Meat puppets history, there is no denying their musical prowess on this CD. One good thing is I've never before heard Cris play bass so damn well. The vocal growls that Curt used at this time period (kind of like Johnny Winter) can get pretty annoying, but it doesn't really bother me to much. Maybe because I'm already a converted fan. If this was the first Puppets album I ever heard, it would probably annoy me. Therefore I'd reccommend this album only for those who are already fans. Oh and by the way. Derrick totally rips on the drums on this. Don't let anyone tell you he's not a good drummer! -JOE BAKER"
I Can't Be Counted On
blackturtle | eastern CA desert | 03/25/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The studio version of "I Can't Be Counted On" was just alright, but the live version is incredible. I'd buy this CD again (if I didn't already have it) just to have a copy of this version of "I Can't Be Counted On"! The rest of the CD is pretty good, but anyone who hasn't heard the live version of "I Can't Be Counted On" really needs to get this CD!"
It's great until they get drunk
John Alapick | Wilkes-Barre, PA United States | 07/16/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Live In Montana covers two live shows from 1988 and shows the band at their best as well as their worst. The first eight tracks are absolutely killer. The version of "Touchdown King" is fantastic as the band changes tempo throughout while Curt's soloing is top notch. "Maiden's Milk" shows the awesome interplay between Cris and Curt Kirkwood. Cris's bass playing is amazing here and surprisingly way up in the mix. The heavier tracks, "Automatic Mojo" and "Liquified", are scorchers and are much more intense than their studio versions. The versions of the now classic Meat Puppets II songs "Lake of Fire" and "Plateau" are both great. The tracks "I Can't Be Counted On" and the amusing "Cotton Candy Land" are also very good. Although the vocals are off key throughout, it's the passion of the performnace that truly stands out. Having said that, it seriously sounds like the band is ripped on the last four tracks. "Dough Rey Mi" is a country rave up that sounds like something you'd hear at the local bazaar. "S.W.A.T." is very cool and funky but as the band goes into "Attacked By Monsters", the drunkenness takes over and it continues through a destructive version of Linda Ronstadt's "Blue Bayou." You want bad vocals? Look no further. "Party Til the World Obeys" isn't nearly as bad even if it's one of their weaker songs. While the version of Small Hours is well played, the vocals are way off. Then, as all drunk bar bands must do, they play some easy ones, in this case sluggish versions of "Paranoid" and "Sweet Leaf." If you took just the first eight tracks, this is close to a 5-star album. But the beer kicks in and it's all downhill from there. Their other live release Meat Puppets Live which only features Curt Kirkwood from the original lineup is actually a better album even if it has a weaker songlist."
Puppets - Live in Montana exclusively for die-hards
Alan Cherow | Orange County, CA | 12/03/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Live in Montana is a historic and sentimental offering that only long-standing Puppet fans could appreciate. In other words, when my wife is in the room, I'm not allowed to play this gem. Michele, please give them a fair chance, you know how important these geniuses are to me! Recorded at close to their artistic height in the late 80's, the listener gets the feeling that they're sometimes intentionally trying not to sound good, with gobbly incoherent vocals and uncohesively loose guitar/bass riffs. Nonetheless this collection compiled by Bostrom last year is a real treat for true fans. Does anybody know if Chris is officially dead?"
Meat puppets best ever
Alan Cherow | 03/19/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"simply put, live montana is the best meat puppets album ever. supposedly it is compiled from two of their best live shows, which i have heard could be pretty bad at times, but based on this recording i would love to hear more of their live stuff. the best part of the album is when they segue from track to track not unlike the grateful dead. and to this fan, this stuff is as marvelous as dead segues must be to deadheads. it's just a really goddamn good piece of plastic (or whatever cds are made of). if you've never heard the puppets or are a big fan, but it next chance you get"
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1