As you may or may not know, both Underworld and Ween released new albums this month (and as you should know, Underworld and Ween take two of the top 3 slots in my "best bands ever" list).
The Underworld one, Oblivion With Bells, is pretty freakin hot. I like it (thus the song of the moment). I heard the first single Crocodile a month or two ago, and liked it straight off (as evidenced by my - now seldom updated - MySpace profile song). It still rocks my socks, and it's one of those songs that enter your head, and you just have to hear again. The second track, Beautiful Burnout, flows very well from the first and has the same "must hear" quality. The album is, like all good albums, growing on me the more I listen to it. Well done, Underworld.
The Ween album, La Cucaracha, is not as good. I've listened to it, and it's growing on me (like it should), but it still isn't as good as, say, quebec. My favourite track at the moment is Blue Balloon (I really like it actually, but then again, it's no King Billy...). I don't know why, but the album doesn't punch me in the face - or even slap me.
Don't get me wrong, it isn't bad, and I know it will continue to grow on me (as it did for Boggle).
I do like their usual medley of styles across the different tracks, and I do like hearing Dean Ween bustin' out a track. I do like the tracks, and it is undeniably a Ween album - but it doesn't blow my mind. Saying this, however, I do remember not really liking Underworld's Beaucoup Fish when I first bought it (and I fucking love it now), and as I said earlier, the best albums do require a few listens before they become truly enjoyable, and ultimately, favourites. I wonder if it's because the albums are so fresh that the brain has to rewire it's "aural palette" before it can process the new sounds enjoyably.
I don't know.
Let's just hope it continues to grow, but at the moment, Underworld is the clear leader.
Listening to: Underworld - Oblivion With Bells (I listened to La Cucaracha earlier this morning).
