Weezer Album Reviews

Rivers Cuomo moved to Los Angeles from Connecticut with his heavy metal band in 1989. When they split, he formed a power-pop band with bassist Matt Sharp and drummer Patrick Wilson.

They appeared with Keanu Reeves’ Dogstar on their first show, then were signed by Geffen Records.

Most affection for Weezer concentrates on their first two albums. Matt Sharp quit after 1996’s Pinkerton, and the band’s subsequent records have had a mixed reception. So this page only covers their first two records, unless I feel braver later.

Weezer Album Reviews

Weezer

1994, 8.5/10
Weezer’s debut album is popularly known as “The Blue Album”. The Cars‘ Ric Ocasek produced Weezer, chosen to make the band sound like ‘Just What I Needed’. Weezer set rules – no reverb, and the guitars were only allowed to play downstrokes.

Cuomo fired original guitarist Jason Cropper late in the recording process for erratic behaviour. New guitarist Brian Bell rerecorded his parts. Weezer successfully marries classic 1970s power pop to 1990s alt-rock. It’s tougher-sounding than The Cars, with a hint of slacker rock.

Weezer charms with the retro single ‘Buddy Holly’, with references to Mary Tyler Moore and the sing-along chorus. My favourite is ‘Say It Ain’t So’, with some punch and angst behind the catchy melody. The lengthy closer ‘Only In Dreams’ shows some ambition, stretching over eight minutes.

Weezer finds a beautiful balance between classic power pop and 1990s angst.

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Pinkerton

1996, 9/10
After their clean-cut first album, Pinkerton is a rougher, more personal record. Cuomo originally planned an ambitious double album, Songs from the Black Hole. But he scrapped the project for Pinkerton, partly inspired by attending Harvard University. It’s rawer and more personal than before, fuelled by self-loathing. Critics panned it on release, but it’s now a fan favourite.

Pinkerton is named for BF Pinkerton from Madama Butterfly – Pinkerton marries, then abandons a Japanese woman named Butterfly. The final song is ‘Butterfly’ – raw and acoustic, it’s the most striking track, and a strong part of the argument that Pinkerton helped spawn the emo genre.

However, most of the record is surprisingly raw, featuring rockers like ‘Getchoo’ and ‘Pink Triangle’. Lead single ‘El Scorcho’ veers into Pavement territory with the half-spoken lyrics and slacker feel.

Pinkerton has rightly been acknowledged as a classic.

Best Weezer Songs

Say It Ain’t So
Across the Sea
El Scorcho
Buddy Holly
Only In Dreams
Pink Triangle
My Name is Jonas
The Good Life