The band's sound, which they self-title using the moniker Truewave,[1] has been described by critics as "powerful post-punk"[2] that is simultaneously "bombastic and sharp, channel[ing] the raw approach to rock 'n' roll once taken by 1970s and 1980s innovators such as Wipers, Gang of Four, and X...the weird era between punk and new wave"[3] while "wrap[ping] themselves in atmosphere like Savages".

[6] Megan March (ex-drummer for Younger Lovers) and John No (bassist/vocalist, singer in Fleshies) began Street Eaters as a bass-drums-vocals duo in 2008, with No utilizing an overdrive-heavy double amplifier setup for his unconventional bass playing, while March plays drums while singing in a tom-heavy, driving mid-tempo style with a heavy focus on shifting dynamics.

"[9] Most of Street Eaters' current discography was recorded in the two-piece configuration, with and the duo spent much of 2009-2017 playing shows in the US, Europe, and Japan, including extended tours and residencies as direct support for bands such as Screaming Females, Jawbreaker, forgetters, and Shellshag.

[10][11][12] In 2018, Street Eaters were invited to perform four sets of their instrumental sound collage-oriented material at the Portland Art Museum for the premiere[13] of the PBS documentary Worlds of Ursula K LeGuin.

By early 2019, Joan Toledo, an editor of Maximum Rocknroll Magazine who March and No played with in the band Difficult, had become Street Eaters' permanent guitarist;[6] a series of new singles recorded with the trio were released in 2024.