Rat Farm

The Meat Puppets received their just due not from mainstream music audiences but from indie music fans like Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, who loved the group's signature harmonies and idiosyncratic songwriting. The band members themselves often seemed to be at a loss for what made them special, and The Meat Puppets' later albums often had production cues that were slightly off. 2013's Rat Farm, however, keeps things simple. Even the songwriting is more straightforward. "You Don't Know" centers on Cris and Curt Kirkwood's shadowing harmonies and a simple pop-rock chord progression that lets them shine without complications. "Waiting" succeeds with a country lope that's never hokey but is slow and heartfelt; it's the perfect vehicle for a lyrical guitar solo. The Kirkwood brothers are joined by Curt's son Elmo on second guitar and Shandon Sahm (son of Texas legend Doug Sahm) on drums. The close-knit playing mostly remains quiet and understated, though "Original One" cranks up the distortion for a little loud fun. Anyone who grew up with II and Up on the Sun will recognize these good times.