Red Red Meat - c/d

I remember seeing them at the Blind Pig in Champaign just before the Jimmywine came out. There was all this buzz about the deal they signed a, like, twenty album deal with subpop or something. The place was *packed*. Then they came out and within three songs, half the place cleared out. By the end of the set there was maybe thirty people left. They were awful.

I was working in a record store in Chicago when Bunny Gets Paid came out, and sort of dutifully threw it on the player, and man, it just sounded so different to anything they had attempted before. Just a real nice album to soak in. Think maybe that was the height of Rituli's drug-phase? I dunno, don't wanna speculate on dude's personal life. But there's a real nice narcotic glow to that record. I still wouldn't call it genius or anything, but I have fond memories of it and it got me through not a few boring days at work. I don't own a copy of it though -- I've never actually owned any of their records, while still considering myself kind of a fan. How odd. I always intend to pick up that Bunny Gets Paid if I come across a nice cheap vinyl copy...

"There's a Star Over the Manger" and Califone is more like ambient music than a rock band. It all sounds o.k., but nothing really sticks.

JM was the first of the RRM records I got, so that may have some influence on it being my favourite one. I don't think Califone are different enough (in music style or personnel) to justify a name change; Rutili's output is as good as ever, I feel.

I cant beleive I never heard sin ropas til today, damn I thought I heard it all. sin ropas is a great new find. and califone still sucks comparably.. so boring

What do Sin Ropas sound like?

like the slow red red meat songs - same voice. but more grungy and experimental than califone

Seems like as good a place as any to talk about the deluxe reish treatment of Bunny Gets Paid that came out today on Sub Pop. Listening now and it sounds great, but as I missed this band the first time around (outside of a stray song or two) I don't have a whole lot to wax nostalgic about.

not gonna knock bunny but i'd like a deluxe reish treatment of jimmywine majestic. one of the best rock albums of the 90s. let's go, sub pop

looking forward to hearing this. I was listening to jimmywine today. for a band that comes out with 50% meh songs... the other 50% sound godly.
I really appreciate this band. some bands might have more good songs, but red red meat has more great songs if you know what I mean.

50/50? really? i feel pretty much every song on that album

they lock into a groove from the get go and don't let up till the last song

probably what drew me to them the most initially is the vocals - if they had a crappy vocalist I wonder if I would have been such a hardcore fan.
50/50 might be a bit harsh - I was going over all 4 albums and I definitely don't mind hearing any of them in their entirety.

my favorite album of theirs is either Bunny Gets Paid or A Star Above The Manger.... funny how tons of people would prefer Jimmywine and maybe the self-titled album more so.

I remember playing 'Just Like An Egg On Stilts' in the car, and someone thought it sounded terrible - heh, that noisy part near the end is incredible!

i like those two too. it's just i prefer the earlier sleaze to the later abstraction. kind of how i still listen more to rrm than califone

I couldn't ever listen to much califone
but the abstraction in There's a Star Above The Manger is pretty sleazy at times :)

Saw these guys live a few days ago and it was fucking incredible. Did a cover of Low's "Words" that absolutely killed, too.

I was recently able to score a copy of Loftus s/t cd. Red Red Meat and Rex members on a one off project. Intresting stuff recorded at a truck stop.

C

?

lassic

well it's true

Very much so

bunny gets paid fills a place

Red Red Meat *and* Califone are playing the Empty Bottle in November and there are somehow still tickets.

Been thinking about these guys lately. What a neat band. Bunny Gets Paid is great.

Love that one as well.

Such a great, singular band

I remember once hearing an incredible cover of 'Gauze' from Bunny Gets Paid, but my searches are turning up nothing.

Does anyone know any covers of this song? Or am I making this up in my head? It's not impossible, my brain does this with music sometimes...

Bunny Gets Paid is a masterpiece btw.

Never heard it myself, but you may be thinking about Carissa’s Wierd’s cover. It’s on this:

https://www.discogs.com/release/571648-Carissas-Wierd-Scrap-Book

And yes, massive album

That's the one, thank you! Nowhere near as good as I remember it, sadly. Guess I used to have a higher tolerance for mumbly lo-fi slowcore...

Yeah, it’s really not all that. The original is magnificent though. Such an unsong band.

unsung, damnit

Totally agree, they're way too underappreciated.

The left turn they took on Bunny is amazing, like a lower-stakes version of the transformation Talk Talk took on Spirit of Eden. There's a willingness to embrace different textures and a looseness to the playing (without compromising composition) that totally works.

Carpet of Horses is a stunning statement of intent that really sets the tone for the record's textural highlights (Gauze, Nadia's Theme, Sad Cadillac). It's these detours that really puts into sharp focus the more propulsive highlights (Chain, Idiot Son, Oxtail). What a journey!

like a lower-stakes version of the transformation Talk Talk took on Spirit of Eden.

This is a really good way to describe Red Red Meat, and something I had never considered before.

Agreed, very good observation