Sorry, but I couldn’t just leave you with one track today.
To start with the first one: I of course heard Ween for the first time from The SpongeBob Movie like every kid, teen, or adult that existed in the early 2000s. Later on when I was watching Ben Kadow’s part in Blessed for the first time, I was shocked by the first song. It was so loud and distorted. Not in a badass way, but in a “I don’t give a shit, lets make it sound insane” way. This is the same fucking band that made Ocean Man. I soon realized there was a sea (no pun intended) of music to discover. While enjoying Zappa at the time, I didn’t see the obvious comparison people would make (including nagging interviewers trying to ask Ween about their influences). Zappa is a super talented musician that happens to be silly. Ween is a silly band that happens to be super talented. Every interview I watched, they’re just some east coast kids that wanted to start a band. To me, the love they put in makes it awesome. They have conquered every genre (rock, country, reggae, etc.) . Here is just a taste of their talent. Dean Ween might be one of the most underrated guitarists and Rolling Stone was stupid for not putting him in their top 500 guitarists lists. I suggest giving a listen to The Mollusk, 12 Golden Country Greats, and Quebec to start your journey.
On a very different note: Arthur Russell is a musician that fits in a very specific corner of my brain nobody else could. I could do the easy thing and say “he’s like if Brian Eno made folk music” but that undermines the beauty of his work. I usually try and figure out guitar chords for songs that I love. Almost none of Russell’s songs work at all on guitar. They still have a beautiful tone that encompasses them. Sometimes, when listening to ambient music, the melodic aspect gets washed away. Everything Russell does still follows some form of harmony or solo, regardless of how avant-garde it gets. That’s why everyone I play him for can enjoy it. His ability on the cello reminds me of how folk musicians like Adrianne Lenker can use the drone capabilities of open guitar tuning to add ambiance to a melody. The more I try to describe it, the more it ruins the fun and mystery. So here you go. Give World of Echo a listen and if you want a full blown folk album, listen to Love Is Overtaking me. Rest in peace…
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