Ween, Quebec

Dean and Gene Ween, aka Mickey Melchiondo and Aaron Freeman, operate in a zone bounded by stoner novelty songs, Frank Zappa, and Captain Beefheart—never taking themselves a bit seriously, but with genuine chops and the ability to project total sincerity whether they’re playing Prince-style funk, 70s soft rock, country, or some strange concoction best fit for the Dr. Demento radio show. 2000’s White Pepper was a step toward a mainstream rock sound—listenable but not really anything exceptional. If that was an attempt to broaden their audience it didn’t work; in fact, Elektra dropped them from the record label. Their ninth disc, Quebec, is edgier and more psychedelic, which is the way it should be. Like the title’s namesake province, the Ween boys speak a language different from everything that surrounds them.