Free Mp3: Meat Puppets New Album, 2009 Tour Dates

Above: Don’t hold this ’90s pop and creepy clown against ‘em, the new Meat Puppets LP is much better.

It is easy to get caught in a trap of trying to one-up your friends by touting the newest band on your iPod, but sometimes it’s nice to take a breath and see what your old favorites are up to.

Today, we’re happy to announce that the Meat Puppets are back on the scene and reportedly rockin’ the stage harder than ever (a fact we hope to confirm for ourselves at one of the band’s upcoming shows).

Together for nearly 30 years (with a few scattered break-ups in between), you may know these psychedelic country trailblazers as the band behind influential albums such as 1980’s Meat Puppets (SST), or you may recognize the band as one of Kurt Cobain’s favorites (Nirvana famously covered “Lake of Fire” during its Unplugged performance).

Or, perhaps you remember the band’s ill-fated stint in the majors and semi-hit grunge songs like “Backwater.”

In any case, the group is worth remembering.

The band is back with a new LP, Sewn Together, a solid, energetic disc that blends melody and experimentation, country twang and rock noise, happily skipping ’90s gloss in favor of vintage grit, thereby restoking the musical fire of the band, and hopefully its fans, in the process.

We like what we’ve heard so far, check out the “Rotten Shame” mp3 and see what the buzz is all about.

Free Mp3 Download and 2009 Meat Puppets Tour Dates, after the jump.

Free MP3 Download: Meat Puppets “Rotten Shame” Mp3

2009 Meat Puppets Tour Dates

May 11 @ Amoeba Music In-store Los Angeles, California
May 12 @ The Mint Los Angeles, California
May 16 @ Zia Record Exchange - Free In store Tempe, Arizona
May 25 @ Waterloo Records In store Austin, Texas
May 27 @ Waterfront Park Louisville, Kentucky
May 28 @ Vintage Vinyl - In Store St Louis, Missouri
May 28 @ Blueberry Hill St. Louis, Missouri
May 29 @ The Annex Madison, Wisconsin
May 30 @ Apple Computer Store Chicago, Illinois
May 30 @ Schubas Chicago, Illinois
May 31 @ Permanent Records - In Store Chicago, Illinois
May 31 @ Schubas Chicago, Illinois
June 2 @ Mad Hatter’s Cincinnati, Ohio
June 3 @ The Summit Columbus, Ohio
June 4 @ Magic Stick Detroit, Michigan
June 5 @ Smalls Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
June 6 @ Grog Shop Cleveland, Ohio
June 7 @ Mohawk Place Buffalo, New York
June 9 @ Higher Ground Burlington, Vermont
June 10 @ Paradise Boston, Massachusetts
June 11 @ Mercury Lounge New York, New York
June 12 @ Mercury Lounge New York, New York
June 13 @ Rock ‘n Roll Hotel d.c., Washington DC
June 14 @ Cat’s Cradle Carrboro, North Carolina
June 16 @ The Earl Atlanta, Georgia
June 17 @ Exit/In Nashville, Tennessee
June 19 @ Pontiac Garage at H.O.B. Dallas, Texas
June 20 @Parrish Austin, Texas
June 27 @ The Mill Iowa City, Iowa
July 9 @ What’s Up Lounge Mankato, Minnesota
July 10 @ Warehouse LaCrosse, Wisconsin
July 11 @ St John’s Block Festival Rochester, Minnesota
July 12 @ 7th Street Entry MInneapolis, Minnesota