Meat Puppets

Golden Lies

(Breaking Records)

Arizona’s Meat Puppets continue to throw out albums in their careerlong, and probably frustrating, flirtation with the mainstream.

In the early ’90s they hit it big with their single “Backwater” and the late, great Kurt Cobain had them on Nirvana’s “MTV Unplugged” special to play a few of their tunes. Then the public completely forgot about them.

In the public’s defense, those who bought their “Too High to Die” album found a collection of songs that didn’t live up to the single’s quality. Also, Cobain performed their songs better than they ever did.

Although “Backwater” may have cursed the band, they’ve since released the quality album “No Joke!” and their latest opus, “Golden Lies.”

The new album is a solid effort. Curt Kirkwood and his pals are back reveling in their feedback-drenched rock tracks. It is an effort, like most good music, that doesn’t instantly attach itself to the listener’s ear.

Standouts include “You Love Me,” a gently ironic ode to those who dig the band’s music. The band always keeps some swirling feedback under the sunny pop of its sound. It has a hum-to-yourself-chorus - not a shout-over-the-car-stereo chorus - but it’s still very effective.

“Armed And Stupid,” the grinding first song, reinforces their loud, fast punk roots, inviting listeners to believe they are the same band that once shared a label with Black Flag.

Kirkwood and company keep a credibility that sing-along happy acts just don’t have. Their muscular rock sound and tendency to descend into feedback and noise make their sunny pop melodies shine all the more. You can believe it when you hear it from them.

Unfortunately it also makes a dorky, terrible track like “Hercules” a bigger disappointment.

That said, it’s easier to appreciate their popularity when the band has its attitude intact. They don’t fawn and pant for radio play as a band like Third Eye Blind would. This stance seems a bit out of place in the modern music world and it won’t win them any respect in the “la la la” driven rock radio format.

However, it does make them a bit different; one of the few holdouts from the great early ’90s version of rock. The Meat Puppets come off as too smart to think they’ll ever be famous, too cool to care and too stupid to stop.

It’s so easy to love, it’s scary.