Texas Meat Purveyors - Come and Take It (Gravy Queen Records)
By Doug Freeman • Aug 28th, 2008 • Category: Sound Reviews • |
Though the Meat Purveyors officially disbanded almost 2 years ago, the uproarious “punkgrass” quartet has returned for the occasional show just to let Austin remember what we’re missing, which they will do once more this Friday, August 29, at the Continental Club. This time, however, they’ve worked up a new EP, and re-adopted their original name as the Texas Meat Purveyors. Featuring three new originals, a traditional, and three more unlikely covers, Come and Take It is a welcome return of TMP’s signature raucous strings, irreverent attitude, and stomping fury, balanced by a couple tender tear-in-your-beer ballads.
Opener “Who Knew?” is familiarly fired-up and vindictive behind Jo Walston’s scathing spite unloading the vitriol of a jilted lover, accented by Cherilyn DiMond harmonies and cameo by the always impressive Warren Hood cutting fiddle across the tune. The EP, however, rarely seems to blossom into the all-out throwdown that defines their live shows and has made for some of the best moments in their catalogue. Pete Stiles’ mandolin is still a jolt of high-lonesome octane, but there is a definite restraint, or perhaps more a reflection of the group’s just not having completely re-gelled enough on the faster, more ornery numbers, that begs for the tunes to be unleashed and developed live. The slower songs thus fare a bit better, especially the fantastic cover of Devo’s “Beautiful World,” braced by Sheri Lane on accordion giving it an odd, bouncing flourish.
Original “I’m Not Crying” proves Walston’s as adept at plying sincerity and heartbreak as she is with her hair-flinging bawdiness, and when all is said and done, may actually be the most enduring song on the EP. Her subtly cracking voice cuts into the heart of Bill Anderson’s lyrics in a way that perfectly captures the tune’s just barely held together defiance. The final original, “Why I Gotta Be So Famous,” is classic TMP irony, opening “I’m dropping C notes in the casino, and in the g-string cause it’s a g-thing,” and culminating in the line “That’s why we be TMP,” which just demands to be shouted by the crowd at shows.
Cutting into their gospel repertoire, the traditional “Crying Holy Unto the Lord” is as fervent as their classic take on “Workin’ On A Building,” but American People’s “Teenager’s Are Stupid” is a perfect cover for TMP. The chorus of “Teenager’s are stupid, Teenager’s are assholes, Teenager’s think they have the world by the balls” both hilarious and, well, utterly true. Likewise, the group delivers EP closer “Don’t Shoot the President” by HUG with pitch perfect irony, Walston slowly drawling out the lines with a sneer even on record. Though entirely too short and painfully teasing, Come and Take It is still a much welcome, unexpected new offering from the Meat Purveyors, and one we hope will lead to some more new tunes from the incomparable foursome.
Mp3 from Come and Take It:
Why I Gotta Be So Famous?
Websites:
http://themeatpurveyors.com
Myspace
I’m just curious to know where they came up with “Texas Meat Purveyors” as a name?
The band was originally called the Texas Meat Purveyors, but had to cut the “Texas” because there was a company that shared that name. According to TMP’s Bill Anderson, “the company apparently went out of business, so we’re taking back our name.”