Ween – THE MOLLUSK
Ween are reuniting. I
don’t know whether it’s for a tour, for a few shows or they are planning to
release a new album, but despite my cynical attitude to such reunions – this is
something of a relief. For starters, none of their non-Ween records have been
any good. Secondly, if this potential new album comes even close to White Pepper or The Mollusk or Chocolate
& Cheese or Quebec, I’m
willing to forgive everything.
As for The Mollusk, no serious music lover should
ever waste his or her life without hearing (and falling in love with) this
album. Just to give you an idea – if you don’t know what I’m talking about:
“Ocean Man” is power
pop.
“Buckingham Green” is
progressive rock.
“Cold Blows The Wind”
is pure folk music.
“It’s Gonna Be
(Alright)” is adult fucking pop.
“The Blarney Stone”
is Irish pub singalong.
“Mutilated Lips” is
the greatest song of all time.
“I’ll Be Your Johnny
On The Spot” is techno.
“Polka Dot Tail” is a slow waltz.
“Waving My Dick In
The Wind” is novelty country.
Etc.
And it’s not like
they take a genre and abuse it. Rather, they take a genre (not necessarily a
genre you like) and excel in it. In a way so effortless you think they simply
cannot miss. I mean, it’s not like you can tolerate adult contemporary or
techno – but try “It’s Gonna Be (Alright)” and tell me just how snide and
snarky you are. And then they take a genre and push it to extreme levels. It’s
almost as if “The Blarney Stone” is more vicious and authentically profane than
anything The Pogues ever recorded.
Oddly, my only problem
with Ween (other than the fact that La
Cucaracha was a slight misstep – in spite of “Your Party”) are its fans.
I’m talking about FANS. I’ve had some
experience communicating with them, and unhealthy numbers of those people were
more attracted to “L.M.L.Y.P.” and never really grew out of “You Fucked Up” or Pure Guava. And while those records
certainly have their wild appeal and you have to love them for being so
deliberately annoying and infantile, it has never been about that. Has it?..
