Ain't no time to waste so let's hop into the next listening project. I provided four options and y'all overwhelmingly chose The Meters. I'm familiar with some of their songs and have seen The Funky Meters live, but have never listened to a complete album so this should be fun. https://twitter.com/MrcoEsquandolas/status/1291061282087608321

THE METERS
The Meters
(1969)

That's about the most fun 36 minutes I've had a in a while. "Cissy Strut" is just bonkers good. Ziggy Modeliste is melting my face off with his drumming. Leo Nocentelli has such style. I can hear a million guitarists that have lifted from this dude.

"Cardova" is probably my favorite track upon first listen. There's so much cool shit going on in this song. This tune is just a bubbling cauldron of awesome. Little parts simmer and then boil over and the whole thing just cooks. Stoked for the next seven records.

THE METERS
Look-Ka Py Py
(1969)

Didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first. Felt kind of same-y though there were some tracks I really dug, particularly "Oh, Calcutta!" and "Little Old Money Maker" because they had a little more verve about them. Still quite good though.

THE METERS
Struttin'
(1970)

Glad to hear vocals enter the mix. As much as I enjoyed the first two albums, I was wondering how much I'd enjoy groove jams for six more albums with no vocals. I like plenty of instrumental bands, but there's usually a little more dynamic variance.

"Chicken Strut" lets you know they're laying down some serious groove when they can make chicken noises over the top of it and I'm still like "This is pretty damn good."

Same thing with "Hand Clapping Song." Not a hell of a lot happening lyrically, but it works.

Let's talk about their cover of "Wichita Lineman" shall we? I've been pretty obsessed with the Glen Campbell version this year. Interesting hearing it turned into a slow jam. The drumming is so cool too. All these tempo variations are rad.

Some of the tempo variations distract from the lyrics a bit, but that's probably just a matter of personal preference. It's a super cool version though and they did well with it, though I prefer the Glen Campbell version.

"Tippi-Toes" was one of the songs I knew coming into this listening project because Primus covered it on their 1992 EP, Miscellaneous Debris. The Primus version pushes the bass a bit harder than The Meters did (shocking!), but I think it's a great cover.

So far I still like the self-titled debut the best, but I like this one a good bit more than the previous record. The vocals add a lot and there's a lot more variation in songs as well. Five more to go. Excited to see where they go next.

THE METERS
Cabbage Alley
(1972)

Album covers in the 1970s were something else. Album’s called Cabbage Alley? Here’s a giant cabbage in an alley. Done!

Absurd album cover aside, they’re expanding their sound (and lineup) here with a congas right out of the gate on the opener.

I feel like they’re finally hitting the sound I was expecting/hoping for. Funky of course, but more hype and with greater variance and textures beyond just hitting a groove. “Stay Away” is gonna be in my head for days.

I imagine moving to a major level on this record probably increased their budget. Record sounds a bit crisper. Same producer so I’m guessing just access to better tools. Like I said earlier, feels more like an album of songs than just a collection of grooves and jams. Into it.

THE METERS
Rejuvenation
(1974)

“People Say” is how you start an album. It’s fun to imagine dropping the needle on this for the first time after buying it on the day of its release in 1974. No idea what a record cost in 1974 seeing as I wasn’t alive, but it was money well spent.

Turns out “Hey Pocky A-Way” that the Dead covers is on here so that’s pretty tight. Also, Widespread Panic covers “It Ain’t No Use” which is also super rad in its original form. Always odd hearing the original after the cover, but I’m glad these are on my radar now.

Five albums into their discography so far and this is easily my favorite one. It’s listed at 139 on Rolling Stone’s greatest albums of all-time list for whatever that’s worth to you. This is the first one where I’ve been like, “Yep. This is entering regular rotation.”

THE METERS
Fire on the Bayou
(1975)

That album cover

“Middle of the Road” absolutely kills. A way jazzier, fusion-y vibe on that one than I expected. Awesome to hear them stretch their wings a bit. Probably my favorite tune off of the six albums they’ve so far.

The title track slams too. There’s no way you could have a song with that title and that album cover and it not totally smoke. Nocentelli is all over this thing. Guitar just zigging and zagging and chugging. The whole band on this song really. Great tune.

There are a few tracks on it like “Mardi Gras Mambo” and “They All Ask’d for You” that would be fun in New Orleans or in a live setting but kind of drag on endlessly on record, but overall it’s a very strong outing with some of my favorites I’ve heard from them so far.

THE METERS
Trick Bag
(1976)

Album opens with a disco funk banger called “Disco Is the Thing Today.” Total heat. Was hoping for an unrelenting fiery disco album, but they laid those hopes to rest on track two, Find Yourself, a slow burner.

This is by no means a bad album, but it’s several notches below the last few in my opinion. A lot of slower songs and some covers that don’t really hit like “Honky Tonk Women” by the Stones and James Taylor’s “Suite for 20 G.”