Hipsters, pay attention. You’re about to be alerted about a band that not many know. Experimental Rock Band Ween has recently gotten back together this past year and I’ve never been happier in my life. Sadly, I probably will never see them because I have no money whatsoever to my name. The Band’s mascot and symbol of worship, “The Boognish,” is a beloved symbol in the Ween fan base and the underground music movement. Good songs by the band are often described as, “Brown." This could be argued to not be the most comforting term of endearment. The band is fronted by two pseudo brothers who go by the names of Dean Ween and Gene Ween. Gener has spent a fair amount of his career distorting the shit out of his voice, and Deaner is possibly the most underrated guitar player in all of rock. He shreds to the levels of Hendrix and is also able to add to the prog sound of the band, and this album, due to the technicality of his playing.

The Boognish, according to the band website, is “… a Demon God who has appeared thrice to the prophet brothers Dean and Gene Ween. It resides somewhere outside the orbital buffer. Tradition has it that this entity holds a scepter in each hand: that of wealth and that of power.”

This band is not the easiest to absorb at first, so I will give a loving review of the 2000 album, “White Pepper” by the band. It’s their most accessible and my personal favorite of the discography. Ween honestly doesn’t give a fuck. All their albums aren’t made for a profit. They aren’t afraid of completely changing genres when they feel like it. They even made a fairly good country album.

For this album, if you didn’t pick up by the name, they were influenced by the likes of The Beatles and a more melodic and psychedelic sound for this record. When I listen to Ween I really want to start a band. I can’t say that about the bands I listen to. When I listen to them I hear true originality, and that can never be taken away from them.

I’d like to highlight some personal favorites on the album:

The opening track, “Exactly Where I’m at,” sets the tone for the album. Starting off with a nice and slow tempo with distortion, and heavy guitar effects. Songs prove the theory of “Less is more." Instead of super technical playing, the listener is given an opportunity to breathe. The lyrics are truly abstract. I’ve never researched what they meant, and I never plan on it.This is my highest ranked song on the album and I love it wholesomely.

“Even if you don’t” is a classy piano song about a flawed relationship. The melody is super happy, despite the tragic lyrics. If you don’t listen to this song and sing along to ‘IIIIIIII LOVE YOU! EVENNN IF YOU DON’T!” in a peppy manner, you truly have no soul.

“The Grobe” is an excellent foray into the world of psychedelic rock. With distorted vocals on top of pretty crunchy grooves and guitar, you can’t help but chill and headbang to this opus.

I highly advise you go on Spotify, YouTube, or even buy this album in order to listen to it. Ween is pretty punk rock in their rejection in conventionally sticking to a specific genre. I'm not going to lie... this band is very weird. If you don’t already worship the Boognish, you will eventually, if you let them into your heart. Ween is one of my favorite bands out there and I will fight for the rest of my life to make sure that their legacy remains. If you appreciate music as an art, and you get over the “brownness” of the band and their subculture, you can find some of the best music you’ll hear in your life.

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