Golden Lies

Golden Lies
Studio album by Meat Puppets
Released	September 26, 2000
Genre	Hard rock[1]
Length	58:36
Label	Breaking Records/Atlantic Records[2]
Producer	Curt Kirkwood,[3] John Plymale^[citation needed]
Meat Puppets chronology
You Love Me (EP) (1999) Golden Lies (2000) Live (2002)

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	60/100[4]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[6]
Los Angeles Times	[7]
Pitchfork	4.3/10[1]
Portland Press Herald	C+[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]

Golden Lies is a 2000 album by the Meat Puppets.^[10][11] After the You Love Me EP, in 1999, Golden Lies was the second (and final) studio release from the second line-up of the band.^[12] Although Derrick Bostrom and Cris Kirkwood do not appear on the album, they were still considered members of the Meat Puppets.^[13]

The album is dedicated to Doug Sahm.^[14]

Production

Golden Lies was recorded in Austin, Texas, where Curt Kirkwood had moved at the suggestion of Puppets touring guitarist Kyle Ellison.^[15] Kirkwood produced the album, his first solo production job in many years.^[16] The frontman found making the album as a four-piece to be less confining, and was inspired to try new recording approaches.^[17]

Outtakes from the album later formed the basis for Kirkwood's solo album.^[18]

Critical reception

Al Shipley of Pitchfork was largely dismissive of the record, describing the album as settling "into a series of unremarkable mid-tempo hard rock tunes," describing the song "Hercules" in particular to be a "clear sign that something is terribly wrong."^[1] The Austin Chronicle called the album "a compelling curiosity," writing that it "fits the Meat Puppets' canon nicely, because often enough, it doesn't fit at all."^[2] The Morning Call wrote that "although there's enough dyspepsia to please Pepto Bismol wholesalers and Pink Floyd fans around the world, the arbitrary absurdist lyrics keep the angst from etching anything in acid."^[19]

The Riverfront Times called the songs "dense desert rock, way too polished for their own good but still containing enough texture and momentum to make it an interesting listen."^[20] CMJ New Music Monthly deemed the album "a triumphant trip through the remnants of Kirkwood's brain."^[21] The Record called the songs "eclectic, quirky, and tuneful."^[22]

Track listing

All songs written by Curt Kirkwood, unless otherwise noted.

1. "Intro" – 0:51 (Kirkwood, Kyle Ellison)
2. "Armed and Stupid" – 3:21
3. "I Quit" – 3:01
4. "Lamp" – 5:53
5. "Hercules" – 3:34
6. "Batwing" – 3:08
7. "Take Off Your Clothes" – 4:00 (Kirkwood, Kyle Ellison)
8. "You Love Me" – 3:51 (Kirkwood, Kyle Ellison, Andrew Duplantis)
9. "Pieces of Me" – 3:46
10. "Push the Button" – 4:52
11. "Tarantula" – 4:05
12. "Endless Wave" – 4:30
13. "Wipeout" – 3:54
14. "Fatboy/Fat/Requiem" – 9:50 (Kirkwood, Kyle Ellison)

References

1. Shipley, Al (26 September 2000). "Meat Puppets: Golden Lies Album Review". Pitchfork. Pitchfork. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
2. "Meat Puppets Golden Lies (Breaking Records/Atlantic)". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
3. "Meat Puppets: Armed And Stupid". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 52. Dec 23, 2000. p. 21.
4. "Golden Lies". Metacritic. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
5. "AllMusic Review by Steve Huey". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
6. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 682.
7. Lecaro, Lina (29 Sep 2000). "Record Rack". Los Angeles Times: 17.
8. Asch, Mark (12 Nov 2000). "Latest work of two '80s bands reveals their reversal of fortune". Portland Press Herald: 5E.
9. Chonin, Neva (Oct 12, 2000). "Golden Lies". Rolling Stone. No. 851. p. 94.
10. "Artist Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
11. "MEAT PUPPETS SPREADING LIES ON U.S. TOUR". MTV. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
12. "Meat Puppets". Trouser Press. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
13. Riemenschneider, Chris (26 Nov 2000). "POP MUSIC; Name's the Same; the Attitude's New; The Meat Puppets' Curt Kirkwood has revived his band with a new lineup and a hopeful outlook". Los Angeles Times: 1.
14. "Meat Puppets Desert Desperados". Exclaim!. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
15. McElfresh, Suzanne (Oct 2000). "Behind the Meat Puppets". Spin. 16 (10): 54.
16. Rodgers, Larry (24 Sep 2000). "MEAT PUPPETS GET NEW HANDLE ON LIFE". The Arizona Republic: E1.
17. Romano, Will (Dec 2000). "Pickups: Meat Puppets". Guitar Player. 34 (12): 53.
18. "Curt Kirkwood's New Meat". Rolling Stone. 28 June 2004. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
19. "MEAT PUPPETS: Golden Lies". The Morning Call. 3 February 2001. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
20. "Meat Puppets". Riverfront Times. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
21. "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly (88): 64. Dec 2000.
22. Condran, Ed (2 Feb 2001). "RIDING OUT UPS AND DOWNS OF ROCK STARDOM". The Record: 14.