The Mollusk
The Mollusk | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 24, 1997 | |||
Recorded | 1996–1997 | |||
Studio | Various
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Genre | Experimental rock | |||
Length | 44:05 | |||
Label | Elektra | |||
Producer | Andrew Weiss | |||
Ween chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Mollusk | ||||
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The Mollusk is the sixth studio album by American rock band Ween, released by Elektra Records on June 24, 1997. It is a multi-genre concept album with a dark nautical theme, with most songs incorporating elements from psychedelia and/or sea shanties, while also featuring a heavy progressive rock influence. Dean Ween described the album as "the only record that I ever felt really confident about" and "my favorite record we've ever done".[1] Gene Ween has echoed this sentiment, saying: "The Mollusk is probably my favorite, at the end of the day".
Background
Starting with the release of their 1994 album
Though Ween's 1996 album 12 Golden Country Greats was their first record to feature a full-fledged band on each track, the songs were recorded with various Nashville session musicians, so it was viewed by the band as more of a spin-off album, in the vein of The Beach Boys' Christmas Album, than a true follow-up to Chocolate and Cheese.[3] The Mollusk was the debut album for keyboardist Glenn McClelland, and, with bassist Dave Dreiwitz joining shortly before the album’s release, the band finally evolved into the final five-man incarnation that continues to this day.[4]
The cover art for The Mollusk was created by Storm Thorgerson, the graphic designer who designed many of Pink Floyd's album covers, including The Dark Side of the Moon. Thorgerson liked the album so much that, although he was only hired to do the cover art, he decided to do the related promo and poster art, including all of the initial print ads associated with The Mollusk, for no extra charge.[5]
Recording
After recording 1994's Chocolate and Cheese in a professional studio, Gene and Dean Ween decided they wanted to return to their early method of recording albums at home.
Reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Pitchfork Media | 9.7/10[12] |
Rolling Stone | [11] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [13] |
Influence
The Mollusk was a direct influence on the animated television series
Kurt Vile named "Mutilated Lips" his favorite song of all time, and recalled that the album "blew [his] mind" when he listened to it as a teenager.[16]
Track listing
All tracks are written by
Notes
- "I'm Dancing in the Show Tonight" is a re-working of the 1953 Christmas song, "Are My Ears on Straight?".
- "Cold Blows the Wind" is a reworking of the traditional English folk song "The Unquiet Grave".
- "She Wanted to Leave" ends at 2:25; a slow instrumental reprise of "I'm Dancing in the Show Tonight" accompanied by wind noises plays after 7 seconds of silence.
Personnel
- Ween
- Dean Ween – guitar, vocals, engineering
- Gene Ween – vocals, guitar, mandolin on ‘Ocean Man’, engineering
- Dave Dreiwitz – bass
- Glenn McClelland – keyboards
- Claude Coleman Jr. – drums, percussion, engineering
- Additional musicians
- Mean Ween – bass
- Kirk Miller – sound effects
- Bill Fowler – guitar, bass
- Production
- Juan Garcia – assistant engineering
- Bill McNamera – assistant engineering
- Steve Nebesney – assistant engineering
- Mick Preston – assistant engineering
- Ralph Smith – assistant engineering
- Jim Woolsey – assistant engineering
- Andrew Weiss – production, engineering, mixing
- Peter Curzon – artwork
- Tom Nichols – photography
- Rupert Truman – photography
- Sam Brooks – cover design
- Finlay Cowan – cover design
- Storm Thorgerson – cover design
- Matt Kohut
- Jason Reddy
Charts
Chart (1997) | Peak position |
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Australian Albums (ARIA)[17] | 69 |
US Billboard 200[18] | 159 |
US | 5 |
References
- Straight.com. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
- ISBN 978-0826431172.
- ^ Aaron, Freeman; Melchiondo, Mickey (1996). "Interview with Ween". 101X (Interview). Interviewed by Brad Hastings. Austin, Texas: KROX Radio. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
- ^ Melchiondo, Mickey. "Ask Deaner". askdeaner.com. Archived from the original on 2012-11-07. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
- ^ "Ween's The Mollusk Turns 20: An Oral History By Mickey Melchiondo". 11 July 2017.
- ^ a b "Dean Ween Mollusk Interview With Earshot Magazine". Philadelphia City Paper. Archived from the original on 1999-10-06. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
- ^ "Shore Chat with Captain Mickey aka Dean Ween". Goingtotheshore.com. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
- ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine (1997-06-24). "The Mollusk – Ween | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
- ^ Rob Brunner (1997-06-27). "The Mollusk". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2020-12-05.
- ^ Stefano Ferreri. "Ween". OndaRock (in Italian).
- ^ "Ween: The Mollusk : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. 1997-06-23. Archived from the original on July 25, 2009. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
- ^ "Ween: The Mollusk: Pitchfork Review". Archived from the original on April 21, 2003. Retrieved 2015-08-19.
- ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ "Top 50 Albums of 1997 - Consequence".
- ^ "Ween farewell to Stephen Hillenburg". Facebook. 2 December 2018. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 2019-12-03.
- ^ "Kurt Vile : The Aquarium Drunkard Interview". Aquarium Drunkard. 2018-10-15. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 298.
- ^ "Ween Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
- ^ "Ween Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 23, 2017.