sufferinsukatash

Released after Chocolate and Cheese and Golden Country Greats, The Mollusk is more like the former in it's musical and lyrical diversity. As you would guess from the title, the album's songs are nautically themed in one way or another making the album loosely conceptual.

Loosely because some of the songs seem to drift away from the often overt oceanic themes to songs that may possibly be about the band's ever growing notoriety (since Chocolate and Cheese). For example, "It's Gonna Be (Alright)" almost sounds like their own version of Kiss' "Beth" as it seems to be about the conflicts of being in a touring band and having a relationship (though never explicitly stated--it may just be a song about a guy who feels he botched it with his girlfriend. "Waving my Dick in the Wind", the song that most obviously speaks to Ween's reputation as a comedy rock duo, almost seems like a revision of the previously mentioned songs. Lines like


and




follow the same lyrical framework of the guy who is away from his girl and is regretting it.

Worth mentioning here is Ween's development as songwriters. Notoriously goofy (this is still the case on this album), Ween are skilled enough as songwriters (and performers) to be able to pull off songs like "Alright" and "She Wanted to Leave" without them sounding out of place and just failed attempts at expanding their repertoire.

Musically, this is arguably also Ween's most accomplished material (due to their own gradual development as musicians and the inclusion of studio musicians who can not only play in their own right but can play with an acute sense of what Ween is about). This is a big help on an album that dips it's brush in everything from psychedelia, sea shanties, parlor music, children's music, folk rock, Frank Zappa, and beyond. One thing I really admire is Dean's guitar playing, particularly the solos on "Polka Dot Tail" which illustrate how his technique had developed leaps and bounds since GodWeenSatan and Pure Guava but also the riff/chord progression on Buckingham Green which is expressively mature and really quite eloquent. The album is also their personal favorite of what they released.

From what I've read (and probably agree ) this is most people's Ween album of choice. Some may choose Chocolate and Cheese and Allmusic.com gave Pure Guava Ween's highest album rating; but The Mollusk is the most listenable for the inexperienced listener and is lightyears away from any accusations of "selling-out" by any early Ween purists (there may be some). It was also apparently a direct influence on the Spongebob Squarepants television show and features the song "Ocean Man" which was featured at the credits of the first Spongebob movie.

Rating: 5/5 due to it's overall quality (in general and in relation to their career), the excellent way in which they use their influences and musical source material, the general songcraft, the singles it produced (their left-field nature and their overall quality), the musicianship (relative to the intended scope of the product, and out of acknowledgement of the album and the band's enduring influence (from Spongebob to South Park to Neo-Psychadelia to certain Punk Rock acts to more scatological and absurd TV commercials traces of Ween and their approach to humor and music can be seen all over).


Significant tracks:

1) Ocean Man: The song you'd swear the album was written for and the major single off the album. Catchy, happy, and due to it's quality it should be recognized as a essential moment in environmentally friendly rock music. Beautiful tropical-esque guitar playing. Really good guitar solo that echoes and accentuates the vocal melody and provides a perfect transition to the next verse.

2) Johnny on the Spot: Weird electronic cartoon-metal guitar riffs accompanying a coolly detached vocalist boasting his ability to get things done.

3) Mutilated Lips: Trippy psychedelia via Syd Barret Pink Floyd with slightly obscured meaning and cartoon voices ala Frank Zappa. The other single off the album.

4) The Blarney Stone: Sea shanty about pirates having some good, (more-or-less) clean fun.

5) Buckingham Green: Incredible guitar work with sci-fi sound effects and flamenco solo about a kid who dares to dream despite not having an eye. A demonstration of musical dynamics at the guitar solo and the classical-inspired section that follows. Very compelling.

6) Waving My Dick in the Wind: Funny, amusing, good tempo, good breakdown section.

7) She Wanted to Leave: Another sea shanty that uses pirate imagery and themes to discuss the tragedy of broken spirits and the development of toxic masculinity. However, the lyrics are (oh so very subtly) ambiguous and it might be about a man whose child wants to leave and he ends up becoming the people she runs off with. An example of them trying to distance themselves (just a little anyway) from songs like "Poop Ship Destroyer" and "Flies on My Dick") and (I'd say) succeeding. All the while, still keeping the overall feel and attitude of the band alive and well.



Also for your reading and listening pleasure: Sigmund Freud, writing about religious experience, described it as being fluid and the unconscious is often explained as being below the part of the iceberg that is above the water (metaphorically speaking). Freud also claimed religion was a neurotic and childish attempt to control the world. I cannot remember what book I read this in, so sorry about that. But given the nautical themes of the album and its lack of any overt religious themes, imagery, or symbolism (except of course in "Buckingham Green") perhaps Ween (whether they know it or not) have made something that could potentially be very compelling. This is merely speculation. Ignore it if you don't care. I'll probably forget it soon myself.



Sources/Inspirations for this Review/Analysis:

1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mollusk
2) https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-mollusk-mw0000023211