In a Car

In a Car
EP by
Released1981
RecordedJune 4, 1981
GenreHardcore punk
Length5:18
Label1981: World Imitation[1]
1985: SST
ProducerMeat Puppets
Meat Puppets chronology
In a Car
(1981)
Meat Puppets
(1982)

In a Car is the debut EP by the American rock band Meat Puppets,[2] released in 1981 by World Imitation Records. In 1985, In a Car was re-released by SST Records. In 1999, Rykodisc released the EP with the re-issue of their debut album, Meat Puppets (1982).

Background

It was recorded in Silver Lake studio in Los Angeles on June 4, 1981, with Ed Barger (who had engineered several early Devo singles).[3] It was recorded in about 12 hours.[4]

In a Car was originally issued on L.A. art collective/record label World Imitation Records as a 5-track 7-inch EP.[5] While the original EP contained only five tracks, six tracks were recorded at the session, including the song "Hair," written by fellow World Imitation band Monitor. It was released as a lone Meat Puppets track on the first Monitor LP on World Imitation records.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Spin Alternative Record Guide6/10[7]

Trouser Press called the recording "shrieking thrash-punk and unrealized avant-guitar ambitions."[5] Spin called it "tunefully abrasive."[8]

Track listing

All songs written by Meat Puppets.

  1. "In a Car" – 1:21
  2. "Big House" – 1:07
  3. "Dolphin Field" – 1:09
  4. "Out in the Gardener" – 1:04
  5. "Foreign Lawns" – 0:37

References

  1. ^ Gimarc, George (October 15, 1997). Post Punk Diary: 1980-1982. Macmillan. ISBN 9780312169688 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (May 27, 2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Reardon, Tom (December 29, 2014). "The Most Influential Arizona Punk Records: #5 - Meat Puppets, Untitled Seven-Inch EP". Phoenix New Times.
  4. ^ "Meat Puppets Desert Desperados". exclaim.ca.
  5. ^ a b "Meat Puppets". Trouser Press. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  6. ^ "In a Car - Meat Puppets | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  7. ^ Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. 1995. p. 247.
  8. ^ "Retro Active". Spin. Spin Media LLC. April 22, 1999.