Cheap Meat know their stuff. If there’s one immediate notion from a few run-throughs of their introductory effort, ‘The Parts That Show’, it’s one of geekiness. It’s perhaps unsurprising from a band that met at a pub quiz led by a former Coronation Street star, presumably bonding over the intricacies of underground artists and the disparity between that and their current situation.
As would be expected, ‘The Parts That Show’ is an intelligent record. Whether it is wearing its influences on its sleeve – slamming a Weezer comparison is a music journos current vice – or swooping in with an unexpected guitar solo, the four tracks are far from as simple as the initial pedestrian pace of the title-track opener might suggest. By the unabashed melody and supporting riffs of single ‘Sweetness, Take Me Back’, Cheap Meat have more than found their form.
It is EP closer ‘For A Moment’ that best represents their passion for the nerdy, discounting the giant robot on the cover art. Bringing together everything ‘The Parts That Show’ has hinted at during its criminally short running time, it’s whimsically heavy. For every hint of grunge there’s a smidgen of balls out rock and roll, pulled together by a skate-punk nod that whisks back to Tony Hawk Pro Skater days. All the while ‘The Parts That Show’ presents the genuine craft of songwriting set against an extremely welcome dose of fun.
BEN TIPPLE