For this installment of “Hannah and Matt on Music,” we wanted to review the albums by our favorite bands that couldn’t quite live up to the rest of their respective discographies.
Matt’s Pick: “The Pod” by Ween
Matt’s Take: Let me just say this right off the bat: “The Pod” is definitely NOT the worst Ween album. From an objective standpoint, it offers listeners an incredible brown album that showcases Ween’s signature goofiness. However, with this album, more so than other albums by the band, I find myself listening to the live versions that were recorded later rather than the studio versions. With Ween being my favorite band, I have no problem pulling up any of their albums at any given time. When I play “The Pod,” I can’t get into it as much purely because I see these versions as inferior. I know that a big part of the charm of this album is how DIY and lo-fi it is, but with these tracks I feel like there is a lot of potential that isn’t being fully achieved. For an album that is over an hour in length, having these thoughts gets to be a bit much. “The Pod” itself is a truly great album on its own and most definitely isn’t the worst Ween album, but I just don’t go out of my way to revisit this full album as much as the others. As a final note: “The Pod” is a fantastic piece of lo-fi rock that deserves to be listened to at least once, and any album that can have a Mexican food order being taken as a full track deserves the utmost respect.
Three Standout Tracks (Judging based on quality on this album, not the aforementioned live versions): “Captain Fantasy,” “She Fucks Me” and “The Stallion (Pt. 2).”
Overall Score: 8.3/10
Hannah’s Take: One might assume that I absolutely hated Matt’s pick, but honestly… I enjoyed it very much. You see, I’m a huge fan of DIY and any album that takes me to the basement of some grimy college house. The nostalgia I feel is unmatched. Just glancing at the track titles, you get a sense of the inner angst and creativity that can only exist within the mind of a college student. I’ll admit, “The Pod” is lengthy, but it is anything but boring. The first portion of the album is jarring and gives listeners the impression that they shouldn’t take it too seriously. Lyrically, there’s not much to be said. The ridiculousness of the infamous Mexican food song, “Pollo Asado” is balanced with more traditional rock lyrics, but you won’t find much storytelling on this album. In terms of instrumentals, Ween shows up with comfortable-sounding guitar and bass lines. Some of the tracks even sound like they could belong on your dad’s classic rock playlist. Honestly, though, when Matt told me about this album I was expecting a lot worse. I can’t see myself revisiting “The Pod” in the future, but I can see myself diving deeper into Ween’s discography. At the end of the day, this is a unique album that certainly defies any expectations you might have had for Ween. “The Pod” is a little silly, but I don’t mind silly at all, because hey, who doesn’t like a little comedy paired with their rock records?
Three Standout Tracks: “Right to the ways and the rules of the world,” “Laura,” and “Oh my dear (falling in love)”
Overall Score: 8/10
Hannah’s Pick: “Fleet Foxes” by Fleet Foxes
Hannah’s Take: It’s not that I dislike Fleet Foxes’s self-titled debut album. It’s that this band ages like fine wine and their later work is so much better. “Fleet Foxes” serves as an easy introduction to the band with a good balance between instrumental tunes and flowy lyrics. “Fleet Foxes” is home to “White Winter Hymnal,” arguably the most famous Fleet Foxes track. And as much as I love “White Winter Hymnal,” I think everyone should take the time to explore the other hidden gems on the record. “Ragged Wood,” my personal favorite, takes listeners on a self-explorative journey. In fact, I’d go as far to say that this is what lead singer Robin Pecknold seeks to do in each of his songs. Fleet Foxes isn’t your cookie-cutter indie folk band that sings about barrels of wine and snow. They seek to take listeners elsewhere, with songs inspired by faraway places and even natural geography. Pecknold is heavily inspired by his lived experiences in places around the world, which is obvious in “Fleet Foxes” and his later work. Not to mention this global journey is paired with soothing melodies that relieve anxiety right away. I don’t hate this album, nor do I even dislike it. What I will say is that the group produces a more intense, lyrical line of songs later on in the 2010’s that don’t even compare to their first album. Start with this album if you’re seeking something soft, but don’t skip their later work.
Three Standout Tracks: “Ragged Wood,” “White Winter Hymnal,” and “Blue Ridge Mountains.”
Overall Score: 8.5/10
Matt’s Take: I have been wanting to really get into Fleet Foxes for a while. Hannah’s love of the band only heightened my hype, so to say that this issue of “Hannah and Matt on Music” was exciting for me is a huge understatement! Without knowing much about Fleet Foxes aside from them being a Folk band, a genre that I am admittedly a huge sucker for, I did not know what to really expect. This album has often come up when discussing what the best albums of the 2000’s are, but I still didn’t know what I would get. Would it be ultra indie folk, traditional folk, or some new heavy folk? I wasn’t sure, especially with folk music not being too prominent in this day and age. I am extremely pleased to say that the album blew me away and immediately sucked me in with its power. While not the folk music that many may be used to, it is a beautiful, thoughtful, and exciting blend of indie rock and that traditional folk music which offers something for fans of both styles. I am pissed at myself for not checking out this album earlier, and I know for a fact I will be playing it more and more as the signs of Autumn become more prominent. With a runtime under forty minutes breezing by at a quick pace, sorry for my slower and longer pick for this issue, “Fleet Foxes” is an easily digestible album for any given time when one needs music that can warm them up like their favorite blanket. For being Hannah’s least favorite album of their discography, I must say that she has set a high bar and I cannot wait to discover more from them!
Three Standout Tracks: “White Winter Hymnal,” “Heard Them Stirring” and “Oliver James.”
Overall Score: 9/10
Matt, I know you love Ween so this must have been hard for you to give a Ween album anything less than 10. But in all seriousness, great write up, i’m excited to give it a listen! And by the way, never heard of Fleet Foxes before now, but “White Winter Hymnal”, has been on a constant loop. Hopefully the rest of the album is as good. Great article guys!!