Gold, Bronze, & Silver

With Chocolate and Cheese Ween started to seep into the world of music. Their previous efforts had been overlooked, with the bizarre exception of the short-lived "Push the Little Daisies" frenzy. At that point, though, Ween looked like a hit and miss band that would soon be forgotten.

With Chocolate and Cheese, Ween cleaned up their act a bit (but not too much) and create a smoother listening sound. Since this album, their focus has been semi-concept albums while this one is just an eccentric blend of oddity, psychedelic, and weirdness.

"Take Me Away" kicks things off in a Hendrix rocking style tune that fades out to the eerie "Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down)." This song has been known to give more than one of my friends nightmares.

With "Spirit of '76," Ween foray into ballad territory, mocking the pop ballad genre with lines like "Mannequin was filmed at Woolworth's. Boyz 2 Men still keeping up the beat." This song is followed by the first release off the album, the angry, distorted voice ranting of "I Can't Put my Finger on It."

Ween have the odd ability to show influences and merge well several different genres ranging from pop to industrial to punk to synthesized to you name it. They've done all kinds of wacky stuff that everyone has to hear at least once in their life, even if they don't like it. If you're a member of that boat, I recommend this album most, as it's the most commercially successful thus far, as well as the most listener friendly (falling shortly behind its follow-up, The Mollusk).

Other great tracks on this are the bouncy, funky "Voodoo Lady," the bizarre and witty "Buenas Tardes Amigo," the whack "HIV Song" (You've got to hear this one to believe it!), and the paradoxically friendly sounding tune/dirty content song "Don't Sh*t Where You Eat."

Ween have grown from a musical joke into musical inspiration and respect. They are now looked at as some of the most unique musicians in the current music world and continue to surprise, rock, and awe listeners with each release they make.