REVIEW: Ween, White Pepper (Elektra)
- I.K. MacLeod
When you find the word mature in a Ween review, it is usually prefixed by 'im-'. That is all about to change with the release of their seventh and most consistent album to date entitled White Pepper. A dozen original songs co-produced by Chris Shaw (Public Enemy) are delivered in a lively and organic band format, with the help of Claude Coleman (drums), Dave Dreiwitz (bass), and Glenn McClelland (keyboards). You will not find the same vocal treatments, f-words, and general wackiness that were showcased in last year's sonic travelogue Paintin' the Town Brown. Well, at least not in the same excess.
"Exactly Where I'm At" starts out with a Pod-era drum beat and then transforms into pure Ween pop. The first single is called "Even If You Don't" and has a jab of Paul McCartney and a slab of Sloan all wrapped into one package. What would you do if you were trapped on a deserted island? Dean and Gene would say "Bananas and Blow," which features the addition on female background vocals over a Jimmy Buffet-esque party jam. You can just imagine the band clad in Motorhead shirts in a suburban garage in New Hope when the riff-heavy "Stroker Ace" and the grunge of "The Grobe" come barreling out your speakers. The creepy "Ice Castles" is another in a long tradition of deranged instrumentals that the band pulls off with such ease. "Pandy Fackler" might be worthy of a parental advisory sticker, but it might send children into their parent's record collections to dust off an old Steely Dan album to see if they ever had a dueling pedal steel and organ in the mix. The surprising "Stay Forever" will have you doing a double take. This could be a Savage Garden-size hit for the band, but I let's not get too carried away. Towards the end of the release, the roots rock of "Falling Out" might help you shedding a tear or two in your beer for all the good love gone bad.
The duo of Aaron Freeman and Mickey Melchiondo have always out-performed their own limitations and have only been limited by their collective imagination. Whether it was lack of studio space in the early days or the absence of a full time drummer on the road, the talent and vision of the brothers Ween could shine through it all and has manifested in a dedicated and cult-like fan base. The love/hate relationship the listening public may soon end, with sensitivity and beauty coming out on top. It looks like marriagedom and parenthood have softened the edges and are responsible for displaying a new side of Ween. Of course, I am exaggerating a little here. There are two sides to every story and once you have walked through the drug-induced haze and or stepped in the alcohol soaked carpet that makes up their unique sound, there is no turning back.
