I once went bowling with Dean and Gene Ween. We hit the lanes near Trenton, New Jersey and the boys were very gracious and funny as they kicked my ass. I comforted myself with beer and peanuts while Ween kept bowling for dollars. As generous as they were with their time (an interview for Alternative Press) I couldn't help but feel that they were actually laughing at me, not with me, their inside jokes, snickering and doofus behavior like two snot-nosed brats peeing on a doorstep. But this is indeed what fans of Ween love about them. Of course, chances are those fans are fewer these days, no doubt having moved on to responsible jobs in estate planning, banking, and the food service industry. But Ween still keeps the inside jokes coming on La Cucaracha, the 11th album of their 20 year career. And it's everything you'd expect: lewd lyrics, epic musicianship, parodies galore, and deep seated, profound stupidity.

Nothing on La Cucaracha will surprise Ween's fans, excepting the rumor that this is the duo's first ever non-alcoholic release. You got it right. Clean and sober. Does that make Gene and Dean any less moronic, witty or entertaining? Their parodies are as spot-on as ever, from the two stepping country bumpkin ode, "Learnin' To Love," to blues rock bruiser "With My Own Bare Hands," to experimental avant folk mind bender, "Woman and Man."  Ween also get hot and bothered with faux '60s mariachi music ala Herb Alpert ("Fiesta"), ruminate over '70s singer/songwriter terrain ("Object"), and imitate the Hall and Oates back catalog ("Sweetheart").  Ween's impressive ability to imitate multiple styles with their tongues wagging firmly in cheek is a pure hoot, though the joke can wear thin.

Closing track "Your Party" cements the Ween deal, the song a crafty take on the music of '70s adult contemporary pop star, Al Stewart. "Your Party" recalls the storytelling absurdity of Stewart's "Year Of The Cat," complete with whispered British accent, overbearing saxophone noodling and breezy jazz guitar riffs. Dean (or is that Gene) speak/sings "We had the best time at your party/The wife and I thank you very much."  And "Later on when we were under the covers . . .  I dreamt about me throwing a party and just how great that would be."  "Your Party" is so subtle even Ween fans may miss its true brilliance. From the song's insipid lyrics ("I held you close--we danced"), to its genre-specific musicianship, "Your Party" captures the banality of stoned, well heeled suburban partygoers with perfect Ween wit.  

Ween
"Your Party" (mp3)
from "La Cucaracha"
(Rounder Records)

Buy at Rounder Store
More On This Album

         

More Bjorn porn: A former Swedish porn star and sometime masseuse to the carriage trade, Bjorn Elevators wrings memories of 70s fun into this debut album, Bjornography. Bjorn's battle scars are ugly enough to behold, and his grasp of disco style is curiously similar to London based DJ, Guy Buss, who has recorded umpteen albums and held a variety of UK residencies. Word has it they are one in the same. Can it be? Is Bjorn actually the Swedish equivalent of Johnny the Wad returned to action? Satisfy your curiosity; download "See the Light" today.

"See The Light"