Wild and crazy brothers (Ween & Party Dream)
There are two groups in town this week that may just be the two goofiest and wildest groups that have some strange brotherhood mentality going on. Whether or not the two front runners of both bands are actual brothers is up for debate.
First up is the ever so politically correct, Ween. Coming off a successful ( in Ween terms) album, La Cucaracha, they roll in to town tonight to play at the Orpheum Theatre. The last time they were in town they played at Avalon so this is a bit of step up for the Ween boys from New Hope, PA.
If you’re a non-Weenhead, you may remember their name from an appearance on Beavis and Butthead when the video for “Push th’ Little Daisies“ was so eloquently reviewed by the pyro happy couch bums.
But little did you know that their tasteless style of rock music, which is undoubtedly in a genre all on its own, has quite the following. In fact, tonights show at the Orpheum Theatre is just about sold out with only a few seats remaining in the balcony.
Their songs are not for the weak hearted. Titles like “Spinal Menagitis“, “Piss up a Rope“, “Mutilated Lips“, are just a handful of fan favorites. They even have a song about HIV. Dean and Gene Ween (not their official names and they’re not even brothers) have also been known to explore the unknown, sometimes taking it too far, especially when they start submitting themselves in to drug rehabs. Probably one of the main reasons fans of Phish were no strangers to their shows. That and the fact that Phish covered one of their songs off of Chocolate & Cheese, “Roses are Free“.
If you’re new to Ween and are curious, I recommend you start out with White Pepper (especially the first 4 tracks). Then work your way back a few years to Chocolate & Cheese, which is quite possibly their greatest album to date. Then move ahead a few more years and pick up Quebec. Once you’ve gotten a taste of those three albums, and you’re feeling the vibe, you’re ready for GodWeenSatan and The Mullosk. These last two are cult classics.
But you haven’t experienced Ween until you’ve seen them live.
Download: “Your Party” (La Cucaracha) - MP3 courtesy of Schitz Popinov. Download more Ween music from Hype Machine
Pick up the last remaining tickets to tonights show - HERE
Purhcase Ween Music (Amazon) (Rounder Records)
The last time Gil and Ultimate Donny graced us with their presence, The Square conducted an interview where we learned that Donny was one hell of an older brother, they like to buy caged birds and non-caged birds while on tour and Gil is fine with pederasts’ because it’s a free country and if they want to join groups like NAMBLA, then so be it.
Read the full interview - HERE
The last two shows were at PA’s Lounge, a fitting joint for this low brow duo from Youngstown, Ohio. But this time around it’s Great Scott. Lets just hope that a rope is put up around the stage as they’re known to take a spill or two, and not on purpose either.
They’ve released one official full length album, Bloodsongs, and a one self-release LP (Once Triangular) and EP (Best Friends). Both of the latter two are out of print.
Download: “Shadow Grip” (Bloodsongs) - MP3 from Hipster Runoff. Download more Party Dream tunes from Hype Machine
Buy tickets to tomorrow’s show at Great Scott - HERE
Buy Party Dream’s first album, Bloodsongs (Fat Possum Records)
And what would be a Party Dream post without the video for “Elmo’s Wish“
Richard Hawley’s “Lady’s Bridge”
There have been plenty of reviews and critiques, some I agree with and others I don’t about Richard Hawley’s new release, Lady’s Bridge. It is my first Hawley experience but it was with Cole’s Corner that brought Richard Hawley back out on to the scene after being M.I.A for most of the mid to late 90’s. So perhaps it’s for this reason that I find this to be a success rather than a retreat.
The first single off the album is “Tonight the Streets Are Ours”. An up-tempo soulful song with strings and bells that will strike a chord with any romantic. But it’s the title song, “Lady’s Bridge”, which strikes a chord with me.
Also a romantic song, well, lets face it, this album and artist are stooped in romanticism, but here I feel there is more sincerity behind the music and lyrics.
With the opening piano line I get little chills. And the same with the opening lyrics, “take me with you when you go, down to the river” and then the guitar with the Hawaiian style slide eases us in to the chorus where Richard delivers the short but sweet repetitive line, “down to the river…down to the river…down to the river”.
Like Richard’s last album, Cole’s Corner, which, according to the actual winners (The Arctic Monkey’s) should have won the Mercury Prize in 2006, we are treated to stories about Hawley’s home countryside of Sheffield. But probably more defining is the fact that his father, David Hawley, died of cancer while he was recording the album. David was a big influence on his son as he himself was a romantic and local singer / song writer that played with the likes of Muddy Waters and other local Sheffield favorites.
In “Lady’s Bridge”, it’s not clear who he is singing too; a lover, his father, his town. The bridge he speaks of is an actual bridge in Sheffield that separates the poor neighborhoods (Richards hood) from rich neighborhoods. It has a feeling of nostalgia and in my opinion, makes for a great segue way in the winter season.
Richard Hawley - “Lady’s Bridge”
Purchase Lady’s Bridge (Amazon) (Mute)
Visit Richard Hawley on Myspace
Visit the Ricard Hawley page at Mute Records
