The Pod [Fuscus Edition 2 LP] in Bloomington, MN

Another collection of inspired pop pastiche and four-track dementia, 1991's
The Pod
is nearly as long as
GodWeenSatan: The Oneness
but even weirder and more deranged, due in large part to the band's Scotchguard habit and the severe cases of mononucleosis
Gene
and
Dean Ween
contracted while recording the album. As a result,
is dark and murky, with a slightly distant, fuzzy feel. On some songs, such as the cryptic, prog-inspired
"Right to the Ways and the Rules of the World,"
the psych-tinged
"Dr. Rock,"
and the mystic hard rock of
"Captain Fantasy,"
this sound works well, but on others -- like the opening track
"Strap on That Jammypac"
-- it just doesn't fit.
Ween
flexes their stylistic chops a bit on
"Sorry Charlie"
's country-rock,
"Sketches of Winkle"
's crazed speed metal,
"Oh My Dear"
's cute four-track, and
"Pork Roll Egg and Cheese"
's
Beatlesque
psych-pop, but the majority of
, for better or worse, focuses on sludgy weirdness like
"Molly,"
"Awesome Sound,"
"Laura,"
"Can U Taste the Waste?"
That most of these songs are grouped together in the middle of the album makes them even more strange and impenetrable -- though they may make more sense under the influence of Scotchguard or other, heavier, chemicals. Where
' sense of fun and experimentation was contagious,
is insular; you can tell that
Dean
had a fun -- or at least bizarre -- time making the album, but it doesn't translate. Though it does feature a few of
's best songs,
is easily their most difficult work. However, hardcore fans will still find digging through its messy sprawl worthwhile. ~ Heather Phares