Sometimes when bands find a new outlet to sing to, they shift their musical format greatly. Likely with Ween this was inevitable as the boys eventually grew out of 'Push Th' Little Daisies' and 'Ocean Man', and decided a calmer, more stoned approach was good for them and their newest album. If Ween wanted to create an album consisting entirely of something different they they've both reached their ultimate goal and at the same time stood by their van. The roots of Ween are still sprinkled like paprika throughout, not as effective as you'd think but y'know a little red never hurt anybody. Its nice. Formidable as they are with the band thing, Ween did perhaps give in to what was expected of them. However they tried as best they could to avoid that. So maybe they didn't exactly succeed, whatever, but making good music has always been what its about. Audiences of bands expect their idols to grow and mature along with their aging act, and as time envelopes them...throw out an amazing good-bye record. To me, this is Ween saying farewell. The entirety of
Quebec waves to me, its a slow jamming laid back piece of work. Almost sad, in a way; as if the band will never be the same. Like they won't ever have another album like
Pure Guava or release another
Spongebob Squarepants worthy song. Regardless, a band of such stature can't fail to amaze in any way shape or form of whatever comes out of the studio in the future. Past
Guava, of course.
Quebec reminds me of a relaxed idol, something a godly musician would produce after a long-winded chain of success. Much of the album likes to sway in the breeze. A typical Ween theme, but it builds upon itself tenfold on this record. Very Beatlesy summer tunes are the vast majority of the record, almost as if its a Beatles tribute itself. There is no doubt that influence there. The Ween Brothers take that style and incorperate greatly their own remarkable genre into it, meshing the fab-four's signature 'sleepy-hook' (namely on songs like While My Guitar Gently Weeps and Strawberry Fields Forever) with a Ween ballad, and overlapping it to number 15 great songs.
Quebec feels as though it were one of those records just made to be as trippy and relaxed as possible. Ever hear a record and decide immediately, "Wow, I need to sit down and listen to this"? That specific reaction goes hand in hand with
Quebec. It's such an intriguing work of art. Much like
Magical Mystery Tour this album displays a great differential in Ween's music, past what it seems they initially set out to do.
If you ask why it sounds just as it does, there may be an answer. As I said before this to me seems much like something a band would record to signal a farewell, not being one of the tosser releases to keep your fanbase entertained and continue the cash flow. This is without a doubt Ween's greatest depth album. Listen to the songs, and put yourself in the shoes of the band. Imagine after such sillyness and high-tunes on your past work you put something like this on an album. What would it be like to record
Quebec in studio? How enthralling would it feel to make such a
ballad of an album? Ween can be one of the strongest and most emotional bands you'll hear...one of the most thought provoking as well.
Prime examples of just that would most defenitely fall under songs like "If You Could Save Yourself " and "The Argus". These flowing masterpieces ask of the listener just what is the music supposed to be saying? A question of such magnitude won't have an answer after your first listen. Ween's
Quebec is likely to stay in your CD player, or looping on your MP3 player for days to come after you get your hands on it. It will expose a moving, tearful (of joy) side of Ween to you. Those songs that pertain to the ballad-like type of music are not only lyrical masterpieces as much as they are
vocal.
Yes,
vocal. Surprise? No. Ween have always been vocal. What makes 'The Argus' or 'Zoloft' so special? Well, when you combine genius with perfect cords, it winds up being quite the piece of music. Ween are a band who decided at the start that they don't want one specific sound. The two ask of their fans to accept anything they sing and listen to it, as much as possible. Something has to back up their voices. Whats an experimental band without their
instruments? Nothing, I'll say that much. Too much, maybe, but Ween defies that and actually employs the basic guitar, drum, bass and synths into their music for this number. Music needs more bands like this. See, if you were not so cautious as to draw withing the lines of your genre maybe your band would sound perfect. We have been blessed with such a wide organization of instruments and choices, so why not work with what you have? Experimentation is what makes Ween so great, and although it is not found in a physical sense on
Quebec the record still manages to find its way into your mind just the same as the others. Mentally the band wormed into the creases of your brain, and found a spot to sit content at. Likely it was pure expectation, and maybe we can't accept its lack of pop but for a moment you'll always know that the band used their experimentation to make something nobody did before.
As a cloud of reassurance forms about your body, you'll know that in the end Ween made the definitive modern ballad, being an embodiment in itself as the album
Quebec. From its jumpy opener to its quiet, moving end, the record doesn't fail to leave behind a trail of breadcrumbs. Clues, as to what the band had been thinking in the duration of recording. What exactly was their motive, the
motif, and the result. Still an answer will float about the minds of millions of fans striving to discover when not even knowing it. A magic aspect of this album, you'll never know when exactly you realize its majesty. Derived from the Beatles and mixed with pure Ween its not confusing as much as it is just an old-fashioned mystery. Something you'll need to figure out. With Ween this can be frustratingly difficult, as its unlikely you'll decipher the lyrics to its fullest. Not many can claim to have done so with much of the band's music, and
Quebec will prove to be no different. Thoughts pending though, you should keep them just where they are and continue to listen. Ween doesn't want you to pry open their brainchild, its more of a laid back message. Why create such lounging music if you desire a high-class mystery case of an album? Of course, they won't. Smart move. If they hadn't kept to their roots so far away and so near at once I'd think they've abandoned us forever. But that isn't what occurred, and
Quebec is a success for the band. From beginning to end it conveys a vagues story, with an ultimatum so hilariously laid back it almost seems unfitting for the album. But not for the band. Ween created one of the greatest poems of the music world to ever host the name, and quite possibly one of the best albums of our time.
If you'd like an example of the sheer power of these armchair ballads, listen for
The Argus, Captain, Chocolate Town, Zoloft, The ***ed Jam and If You Could Save Yourself (You'd Save Us All).
Credits:
Ween is Dean Ween and Gene Ween.
