Customer Rating:  
Summary: New Leaf
Comment: I'm giving this 3 stars because I'm not a fan of meat puppets, but New Leaf is my favorite song of 2007
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Little bit on the bad side.
Comment: Boring my friends.. Boring.. recorded sludge. Little sweetness here. I can say it because Up On The sun and Forbidden Places were two of my favorite Recordings of all time, any genre period. The Meat Puppet's funky era was their best. 1984/85/86
Customer Rating:
Summary: Meat Puppets return ... pop music immediately rendered irrelevant
Comment: As a devoted Meathead and someone who has been disgusted with the downturn in pop music since the mid-90's, I was very excited to find that Kurt and Chris were recording together again. Just knowing that Chris was alive and well after all he's been though was great news. When Kurt Kirkwood released his solo record, "Snow", I figured the Meat Puppets were officially done recording. "Rise to your knees", while not the best work by the Brothers Meat, is certainly a strong record and reflects appropriately on their work over the past 25+ years. The new recording of "New Leaf" is beautiful in its symbolism. "Fly like the wind" is a standout song on this record, while other tunes (Tiny Kingdom, Spit, Light the Fire, etc.) carry the weight of the album. If you're familiar with the Meat Puppets extensive song catalog, this record will be sound familiar and comfortable. If you haven't spent the last 20 years listening to the Kirkwoods' music, this is not the record to start with (go with Meat Puppets II, Up On the Sun, Forbidden Places, and Too High to Die). With the Puppets once again recording, rock music may just remain relavent, for at least some of us, for at least a little while longer.
Customer Rating:
Summary: eh...
Comment: everybody is stupid. listen to the clips and decide if you'd like to but it. i'm a big fan. i've heard better. i've heard worse. the cd is melodic and a good "driving" album. it's for lazy fans. if you've never heard the meat puppets before try out up on the sun or huevos. If you're familiar with them this cd is could have been released during the pups alternative rock stage. sounds like: forbidden places, no joke, and golden lies. if you liked endless wave, a song from golden lies, you'll love this album. (it's a sing-songy popsicle) If you don't steer the hell away from this. I liked it. But i'm the most sophisticated person to ever live and i'm super cool. in response to the other "meatheads", please actually review the album. go listen to adam green.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not worth the wait
Comment: In 1994, the Meat Puppets released one of my favorite albums, Too High to Die. After the misstep of their next album, No Joke, and recovery from drug addiction, the Meat Puppets return. Unfortunately, it is not a reunion worth waiting for.
The first thing I notice is the horrible recording quality. In the days of affordable computer-based studios, it's shocking that a CD could be made of such horrible quality. Most demo CDs by unsigned bands sound better. It sounds like it was done over 2 days with a few mics set up in a warehouse studio.
Next, the album just meanders on and on through the midway point. There are no catchy hooks, no great guitar work or quirky charm. It's just terrible. By the middle, it sort of hits its stride and has a few pretty good songs. But, they are ruined by the sound quality. Songs like "New Leaf" and "Disappear" are probably excellent live. But, horrible EQ, reverb, and balance between the instruments suck all the life out of these songs.
Finally, the vocals and lyrics have always been a love it or hate it trademark of the band. Curt Kirkwood by all rights shouldn't sing but has the ability to somehow squeeze out some great performances. On Rise to Your Knees, he mostly fails to bring out the charm and hooks of previous work. Coupled with uninspired guitar-work in many songs, his vocals just don't cut it this time around.
Sad to say I'm very disappointed with this effort and hope for better material in the future.
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