Meat in Space is being explosive on his debut EP, the brash, loud, hairy, and infinitely gripping Tangerine. A 5-song storm that ends almost as soon as it starts, Tangerine is an astonishing display of the singular vision and comprehensive musical toolkit of Shawn Stedman.
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Meat in Space is a musical project masterminded by Shawn Stedman, a songwriter, singer, and audio engineer. Responsible for everything on Tangerine, Stedman is showcasing a vast array of musical gifts. A capable songwriter who knows how to grip listeners by entrancing, intense guitar riffs, menacing melodies, and hairy-chested songwriting. Stedman’s guitar playing is rhythmically brilliant, efficient, simple-but-tight, and his tone is calculated far beyond the perceived crudeness of the sound of the songs.
Tangerine is a short collection of pure analog mayhem. The extra attention paid by Meat in Space to execute all recordings using reel-to-reel equipment and a Tascam 8-track displays a passion for his craft, as well as a particular sound he’s going for, and that sound harkens to proto-punk from the late 60s, alternative grunge, and a heavy-handed alternative rock flair. The vintage sound on the album can be witnessed on all of the EP’s 5 songs, but most prominently in the driving and punchy distorted anthem ‘Tangerine’, which starts the EP. The explosive riff, catchy hook, and lush distortion on the rhythm guitars make for an instantly banging piece of punk. ‘Tangerine’ is a nuanced composition that’s intricately structured with a bass solo, an involved bridge, and a verse that goes in a different direction to that of the hook. An astonishing display of Stedman’s impressive list of skills.
‘Chromium Dioxide’ is a more experimental piece with its dissonant riffs and melodies. Another gripping piece with its infectious groove and brooding-but-humorous atmosphere. ‘Ruby Tourmaline’ is my favorite on the EP, as well as being the album’s most distinctive offering. From the clunky sound of the drums and clean, shuffling guitar performance, this song, and its open-ended lyrics are an assault to the senses. ‘Ruby Tourmaline’ is also the album’s lightest song in sound, but maybe most intricate in arrangement, with backing vocal wails, intrusive synth lines, and a rhythm guitar part that sounds addictive. Then battering and brash ‘Call the Coroner’ ends the album on a minute-and-a-half of pure mayhem.
Meat in Space’s debut EP is fantastic. A wonderfully ugly display of dissonance, charisma, and confidence, Shawn Stedman’s first collection got us extremely excited for more of his unique psychedelic, garage, alternative, and punk rock recipe. A brilliant listen from start to finish.
