riverscuomo Blog and Journals

Weezer will forever and always remain in my heart as a great band that has influenced modern alternative rock and emo over the years.  But lately, they've been putting out some real crap.  And I'm so distraught about the state of Weezer that I've decided to guide you through the best of the band and briefly commenting on their current state.  

Weezer's first self-titled album, otherwise known as 'The Blue Album', was released in 1994.  And while I didn't actually start listening to Weezer until I was 11 or 12, a good 6 years after the original release date, it struck a chord with me.  These nerdy guys with no sense of style were making music with longevity, as shown by the fact that 'The Blue Album' sold 3,146,000 units by the end of 2007 and was still on the charts at #16.  This was, in part, thanks to the deluxe edition that came out in 2004.   The album received honors on many 'Best of the 90's' lists and even found a spot on Rolling Stone's Top 500 albums list (#21).

Cuomo's melancholy lyrics atop upbeat music and their geek chic look made them the forefathers of first-wave emo.

And while that first album is great, it's nothing compared to their next album, Pinkerton.  Most casual fans of the band dislike Weezer's sophomore release because, although lyrically it's not much darker and deeply sexual, it's a departure from their power-pop debut.  

But the original concept for their second album was a space-opera entitled Songs From a Black Hole.  But what with Rivers' leg surgery (to correct the differing lengths of his legs), the lyrics were written under the influence of pain killers.  And Rivers was becoming increasingly disillusioned with the rock n roll lifestyle.  

And so the original concept was dropped and Rivers enrolled in Harvard University.  While at Harvard, Rivers wrote most of the songs that made it onto Pinkerton.  The other songs for the album had been composed prior to Weezer's first album.  And as for recording, the band decided against hiring a producer in order to achieve a more raw, live sound.  

This is definitely my favorite album because of Cuomo's intense lyrical honesty.  The opening track "Tired of Sex" sucks me in every time because you can hear the frustration in Rivers' voice... and the distorted opening is just raucously fun.

Moving on... 'The Green Album' or Weezer's second eponymous album.  The Green Album was born of the commercial failure (critical success) that was Pinkerton.

Confidence, which had hit a low, after Pinkerton's disastrous reception, was restored while the guys played a few stops at Warped Tour in 2000.  The guys found commercial success, this time with a producer on board, in the album's first single, "Hash Pipe."  The decision to make that song a single became a power struggle between management and Cuomo due to the track's lyrical content.  But, luckily, in the end Rivers won out (although the song was censored in many places, like TRL).  But it was really thanks to their next single, "Island in the Sun," that the Green Album really found success commercially. 

In 2002, the band released Maladroit, which is about when the band caught my eye.  And while fans generally think of Weezer albums based on color (leaving out Pinkerton, Maladroit, and Make Believe) everyone knows the "Keep Fishin'" music video.  When someone thinks of Weezer music videos, generally the first that comes to mind is the Happy Days throwback, "Buddy Holly," but coming in a close second is "Keep Fishin'".  Why?  Kermit the Frog and the muppets.  Check it out!

And if you're still reading this, I promise I'll be done soon.  

In 2005 Weezer put out an album called Make Believe (this follows Cuomo's three-year meditation period).  And while this album peaked on the charts at #2, higher than any other Weezer album, it is honestly the worst album of all 6 studio albums.  The single "Beverly Hills" peaked at #2 in the US and went platinum.  

And the album received high marks and low marks.  I happen to agree that the album is awful, because mediocrity from a band like Weezer is devastating.  And although the lyrics seem to be deeply personal, I can't help but feeling a sickening emptiness compared to past endeavors.  

I was more hopeful with the Red Album.  But I think it lacks a boldness.  The songs are all sort of commercial and digestible, not necessarily a bad thing, but I'm never excited about hearing the singles, like "Pork and Beans" or "Troublemaker."  I do, however, give them props for "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn)"  because Rivers is "the baddest of the bad".  

Now their 7th album is coming out soon and there are live versions of two of the songs floating around the web.  I'm not impressed.  I really hope it's all a joke, because I personally think it's trash.  And now that you might be biased against it (sorry), take a peek.  It should be noted, however, that the third video up is actually from Rivers' solo album and is not a Weezer song.

That's my spiel, I'm done.  Soon, we can let the 7th album speak for itself.

"I've got an electric guitar/ I write these stupid songs/ I write these stupid words/ and I love every one"

-"In the Garage" Weezer, Blue Album