Shameless Self-Promotion

Punk and alternative rock have often had a strong do-it-yourself ethic -- instead of waiting for a record deal, you record an album, put it out yourself, and do what you can to promote it. If a record deal comes along, great -- and if not, at least you were pro-active. In the case of the Sloppy Meat Eaters, being pro-active did lead to a record deal. The punk-minded alternative rockers put out their debut album, Shameless Self-Promotion, themselves in 1999, and Orange Peal thought enough of the CD to re-release it 2000, sign the Sloppy Meat Eaters and give them a chance to record a second album. Although not remarkable, Shameless Self-Promotion is a fun and likable effort along the lines of Blink 182 and Fenix TX -- in other words, humorous alternative rock with strong punk-pop leanings. Much of singer/producer/guitarist Josh Chambers' humor is very self-deprecating; tunes like "A Dumb Guy in a Stupid Band," "I Sing Like a Girl," and "Nobody Likes Me" are all about lacking self-confidence and being disappointed by life in general. Chambers spends a lot of time telling you how much of a loser he thinks he is, and he does it with a certain amount of irony -- the fact that the Sloppy Meat Eaters were able to put this album out themselves in 1999 and parlay that into a contract with the small Orange Peal label indicates that Chambers isn't really the loser that he makes himself out to be. Most bands will never even get that far. Nonetheless, the I'm-a-loser theme that defines much of Shameless Self-Promotion will strike a chord with certain listeners -- namely, young guys who are struggling with feelings of insecurity. And for those who are more confident and self-assured, Shameless Self-Promotion is still entertaining. ~ Alex Henderson, Rovi