Weezer | ||
| Allmusic Biography : As one of the most popular groups to emerge in the post-grunge alternative rock aftermath, Weezer received equal amounts of criticism and praise for their hook-heavy guitar pop. Drawing from the heavy power pop of arena rockers like Cheap Trick and the angular guitar leads of the Pixies, Weezer leavened their melodies with doses of 70s metal gleaned from bands like Kiss. What truly set the band apart, though, was their geekiness. None of the members of Weezer, especially leader Rivers Cuomo, were conventional rockers: they were kids who holed up in their garage to play along with their favorite records when they werent studying or watching TV. As a result, their music was infused with a quirky sense of humor and an endearing awkwardness that made songs from their debut Weezer (aka the blue album) into big modern rock hits during the mid-90s. Weezers singles were helped immeasurably by clever videos, which made the songs into hits but also caused critics to believe that the band was a one-hit wonder. Perversely, Cuomo began to feel the same way, and decided that the band would not rely on any visual gimmicks for its second album, 1996s Pinkerton. Simultaneously, Cuomo took control of the band, making it into a vehicle for his songwriting. While the album didnt sell as well as their 1994 eponymous debut, it did earn stronger reviews than its predecessor and paved the way for Weezers long career. Raised in Massachusetts, Rivers Cuomo moved to Los Angeles to attend college in the late 80s. During high school, he had played with a number of metal bands, but upon his move out west, his interests broadened to include alternative and post-punk music. By 1993, he had fused such interests together and formed Weezer with bassist Matt Sharp and drummer Patrick Wilson. Over the course of the next year, the group played in the competitive Los Angeles club scene, eventually landing a deal with DGC during the post-Nirvana alternative signing boom. Three days before Weezer began recording a debut album with producer Ric Ocasek, they added guitarist Brian Bell to the mix. Upon completing the record, Weezer went on hiatus; Cuomo was studying at Harvard when their eponymous debut record came out. With the support of DGC and a striking, Spike Jonze-directed video, "Undone (The Sweater Song)" became a modern rock hit in the fall of 1994, but what made Weezer a crossover success was "Buddy Holly." Jonze created an innovative video that spliced the group into old footage from the sitcom Happy Days and the single quickly became a hit, making the album a multi-platinum success as well. By the time the albums final single, "Say It Aint So," was released in the summer of 1995, the group had gone on hiatus once again, with Cuomo returning to Harvard. During the time off, Sharp and Wilson formed the new wave revival band the Rentals, who had a hit later that year with "Friends of P." During the hiatus, Cuomo became a recluse, disappearing at Harvard and suffering writers block. When Weezer reconvened in the spring of 1996 to record their second album, he had written a loose concept album that featured far more introspective material than their debut. Ironically, the band sounded tighter on the resulting album, Pinkerton. Released in the fall to generally strong reviews, the album failed to become a hit, partially because Cuomo did not want the band to record another series of clever videos. Grudgingly, the remainder of the bandmembers contented themselves being a supporting group for Cuomo, largely because each member had his own solo project scheduled for release within the next year. DGC, however, had the band make one last stab at a hit with "The Good Life," but by the time the single was released, MTV and modern rock radio had withdrawn their support not only of Weezer, but their style of guitar-driven punk-pop in general. Shortly after the tour in support of Pinkerton was completed in 1997, it appeared as though Weezer had fallen off the face of the planet. Stung by the publics initial reaction to their sophomore effort (Rolling Stone even named Pinkerton the Worst Album of 1996), the band took time off to regroup and plan their next move. Unhappy with the sluggish rate of the reassessment period, Sharp left the group to concentrate more fully on the Rentals, fueling rumors that Weezer had broken up. But a funny thing happened during Weezers self-imposed exile -- while their copycat offspring were falling by the wayside (Nerf Herder, Nada Surf), a whole new generation of emocore enthusiasts discovered Weezers diamond-in-the-rough sophomore effort for the first time, and their audience grew despite not having a new album in the stores. Once Weezers members wrapped up work on their side projects (Bell with Space Twins; Wilson with the Special Goodness), the band recruited former Juliana Hatfield bassist Mikey Welsh to take the place of Sharp and began working on new material. Before they could enter the recording studio to record their third release, however, Weezer tested the waters by landing a spot on the 2000 edition of the Warped Tour, where they were consistently the days highlight. Hooking up again with the producer of their 1994 debut, Ric Ocasek, Weezer recorded what would be known as "The Green Album" (an informal title given by fans, since it was actually their second self-titled release). The album was an immediate hit, debuting at number four in May 2001 and camping out in the upper reaches of the charts for much of the spring/summer, during which such songs like "Hash Pipe" and "Island in the Sun" became radio and MTV staples, reestablishing Weezer as one of alt-rocks top dogs. During their tour that summer, Welsh fell ill and was replaced by Scott Shriner, also of the band Broken. (Welsh died in Chicago in October 2011 at the age of 40.) That fall and winter, the group busied itself with touring alongside bands like Tenacious D and recording its next album, Maladroit, which arrived a year after The Green Albums release. Just before Maladroits release, former bassist Matt Sharp sued Weezer, seeking compensation and songwriting credit for songs such as "Undone (The Sweater Song)," "El Scorcho," and "The Good Life." The band eventually reconciled with Sharp, though he didnt rejoin, and Weezer continued on with the lineup of Cuomo, Bell, Wilson, and Shriner. The limited-edition live EP Lion and the Witch appeared in May 2002, and Maladroits "Keep Fishin" was released as a single. Most of 2003 was spent on side projects; Cuomo did some hired-gun songwriting, Bells band the Space Twins put out End of Imagining, and Wilsons Special Goodness project issued Land Air Sea. Weezer returned to the studio in 2004, working with Rick Rubin on their fifth full-length album. Make Believe appeared in May 2005, prepped by the single "Beverly Hills," and eventually went platinum in multiple countries. Weezer (Red Album) followed in 2008 and featured a more collaborative approach, with several bandmembers contributing songwriting ideas and lead vocals to the tracks. One year later, the band returned with Raditude. Greeted with mixed reviews, Raditude marked Weezers last album for Universal. They jumped to the indies in 2010, releasing Hurley on Epitaph. The new album was quickly followed by two archival releases: an expanded deluxe edition of Pinkerton, and the outtakes collection Death to False Metal. Weezer took their time returning to the studio, finally re-emerging in the autumn of 2014 with Everything Will Be Alright in the End, a record produced by Ric Ocasek and released on Republic Records. Greeted by generally good reviews, the album debuted at five on the Billboard 200 upon its October 2014 release. In the fall of 2015, the band delivered a pair of new singles -- "Thank God for Girls" and "Do You Want to Get High? -- the first fruits of their sessions with producer Jake Sinclair. One other single, "King of the World," appeared in January 2016, timed to arrive at the announcement of their tenth studio album. Another self-titled, color-coded (this time, it was white) album saw release in April. Weezers White Album peaked on the Billboard 200 at number four and was followed by an extensive tour with Panic! At the Disco. A year after the release of the White Album, the band returned with "Feels Like Summer," the first single from their 11th LP, Pacific Daydream. Released in October 2017, Pacific Daydream boasted a more modern sound than its predecessor and rose into the top four of the Billboard Alternative and Rock charts. Months later in 2018, the band placated social media fan demand by delivering a faithful cover of Totos classic "Africa," but not before they first issued a cover of that bands "Rosanna." "Africa" became the bands first Hot 100 hit since 2009s "(If Youre Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To," entering the chart at number 89. Toto returned the favor by covering "Hash Pipe" in August 2018. "Africa" turned out to be the cornerstone of the surprise January 2019 release Weezer (The Teal Album), a collection of covers. Two months after The Teal Album, Weezer finally delivered Weezer (The Black Album), a record Cuomo began teasing during the promo cycle for Weezer (The White Album). Produced by Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio, The Black Album appeared on March 1, 2019. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 16 Title: Pinkerton Released: 1996-08-24 Tracks: 10 Duration: 34:36 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Tired of Sex (03:01) 2 Getchoo (02:53) 3 No Other One (03:02) 4 Why Bother? (02:08) 5 Across the Sea (04:32) 6 The Good Life (04:17) 7 El Scorcho (04:04) 8 Pink Triangle (03:58) 9 Falling for You (03:48) 10 Butterfly (02:53) |
| Pinkerton : Allmusic album Review : From the pounding, primal assault of the opening track, "Tired of Sex," its clear from the outset that Pinkerton is a different record than the sunny, heavy guitar pop of Weezers eponymous debut. The first noticeable difference is the darker, messier sound -- the guitars rage and squeal, the beats are brutal and visceral, the vocals are mixed to the front, filled with overlapping, off-the-cuff backing vocals. In short, it sounds like the work of a live band, which makes it all the more ironic that Pinkerton, at its core, is a singer/songwriter record, representing Rivers Cuomos bid for respectability. Since he hasnt changed Weezers blend of power pop and heavy metal (only the closing song, "Butterfly," is performed acoustically), many critics and much of the bands casual fans didnt notice Cuomos significant growth as a songwriter. Loosely structured as a concept album based on Madame Butterfly, each song works as an individual entity, driven by powerful, melodic hooks, a self-deprecating sense of humor ("Pink Triangle" is about a crush on a lesbian), and a touching vulnerability ("Across the Sea," "Why Bother?"). Weezer can still turn out catchy, offbeat singles -- "The Good Life" has a chorus that is more memorable than "Buddy Holly," "El Scorcho" twists Pavements junk-culture references in on itself, "Falling for You" is the most propulsive thing theyve yet recorded -- but the bands endearing geekiness isnt as cutesy as before, which means the album wasnt as successful on the charts. But its the better album, full of crunching power pop with a surprisingly strong emotional undercurrent that becomes all the more resonant with each play. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 16 Title: The Good Life Released: 1996-10-29 Tracks: 3 Duration: 11:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Good Life (LP Version) (04:20) 2 Waiting on You (04:13) 3 I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams (02:38) |
 | Album: 3 of 16 Title: Summer Songs 2000 Released: 2001-11-17 Tracks: 10 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Modern Dukes (?) 2 O-Girl (?) 3 On the Edge (?) 4 Preachers Son (?) 5 Slob (?) 6 Dope Nose (?) 7 Mad Kow (?) 8 Superstar (?) 9 The Sister Song (?) 10 Too Late to Try (?) |
 | Album: 4 of 16 Title: Maladroit Released: 2002-05-11 Tracks: 14 Duration: 37:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 American Gigolo (02:41) 2 Dope Nose (02:17) 3 Keep Fishin’ (02:52) 4 Take Control (03:04) 5 Death and Destruction (02:38) 6 Slob (03:08) 7 Burndt Jamb (02:38) 8 Space Rock (01:53) 9 Slave (02:53) 10 Fall Together (02:00) 11 Possibilities (01:59) 12 Love Explosion (02:34) 13 December (03:00) 14 Island in the Sun (03:20) |
| Maladroit : Allmusic album Review : Bands used to make records like this all the time. Theyd release an album, tour all year, write a bunch of songs, record em, release another album a year later. Since hardly anybody -- not even indie bands -- did that in 2002, its a remarkable event when Weezer does exactly that, especially following a half a decade of inactivity. But, its hard not to think that this is the way it should be done by all bands, since Maladroit retains the high quality of The Green Album. True, it doesnt offer much thats new -- it has a similarly short length, clocking in at 33 minutes, it favors riff-heavy, melodic rockers and has a lack of ballads, while Rivers Cuomo is doggedly avoiding the exposed-nerve confessions of Pinkerton -- but there are a couple notable differences that give it its own character. Since the band has returned to self-producing, theres a tougher sound -- nowhere near as raw as Pinkerton, yet similarly loud and raucous, overflowing with guitars spitting out riffs and solos with a gleeful abandon. So, its essentially a harder-rocking version of the last album. But you know what? It doesnt matter because the band is at a peak. Cuomo continues to write consistently strong songs, occasionally penning a flat-out stunner ("Dope Nose" is one of Weezers all-time greatest songs), the band is tighter than ever, and the record crackles with energy -- nothing new, per se, but still vibrant, catchy, and satisfying. Its so good, its hard not to think that it offers definitive proof that even in 2002, its best for a band to keep going once theyve hit a peak, to turn out a bunch of records that find them at the top of their game instead of waiting three or four years to craft a follow-up. After all, thats what builds not only a body of work, but a legacy. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 16 Title: Make Believe Released: 2005-05-09 Tracks: 12 Duration: 45:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Beverly Hills (03:16) 2 Perfect Situation (04:15) 3 This Is Such a Pity (03:24) 4 Hold Me (04:22) 5 Peace (03:53) 6 We Are All on Drugs (03:35) 7 The Damage in Your Heart (04:02) 8 Pardon Me (04:15) 9 My Best Friend (02:47) 10 The Other Way (03:16) 11 Freak Me Out (03:26) 12 Haunt You Every Day (04:38) |
| Make Believe : Allmusic album Review : As a Rolling Stone cover story on newsstands the week before the release of Make Believe made clear, Weezer leader Rivers Cuomo is an odd, ornery sort. Hes a genuine rock & roll maverick, at once attracted and repelled by his star status, disappearing for long stretches at a time, often to return to college. He writes and records far more songs than whatever winds up on a final Weezer record, which are often whittled down to just 30 or 40 minutes, leaving untold numbers of songs in the vaults. What makes the situation even stranger is for as obstinate and unpredictable as he is, Cuomo does not make odd music: hes a pop songwriter fronting a hard rock band, equally enamored with big choruses and loud guitars. While each of Weezers records has a defining characteristic -- whether its a sound, a lyrical theme, or simply an emotional feel -- that separates it from its predecessor, each album is clearly written from the same perspective: that of a brainy misfit raised on cheap metal and new wave, whose nerdiness always kept him on the outside looking in. This was true even after Cuomo became a star, thanks in large part to how he had a gift for articulating how very awkward he felt within the constructs of a catchy, melodic, concise pop song. But as rock stars since Elvis have learned, fans are a demanding lot, especially when they identify so heavily with a specific work, as Weezers cult did with Pinkerton, the bands second album. It flopped upon its 1996 release but became a word-of-mouth hit over the next five years, leading up to their eagerly awaited comeback, Weezer, their second eponymous album that is otherwise known as The Green Album. Appropriately for a self-titled affair, Weezer functioned as an introduction to a new incarnation of a band, one that sounded similar but had a different outlook: namely, one that was deliberately notintrospective, a conscious shift away from plaintive introspection of Pinkerton. The Green Album and its quickly released 2002 follow-up, Maladroit, were both sharply written, tightly constructed, quite excellent, and popular rock records, but that didnt stop some fans from grumbling that neither album was as affecting as Pinkerton. Those same fans will likely not be happy with Cuomos return to musical, emotional bloodletting with 2005s Make Believe. It may be a spiritual cousin to Pinkerton, yet its far removed from the raw, nervy immediacy of that album. Nearly ten years separate the two records, a long time by any measure, so it shouldnt be a surprise that Cuomo has a far different emotional outlook here. On Make Believe he purposely avoids the pain and torture of Pinkerton, where the guitars exploded and scraped, complementing the torment in his lyrics. Here, Cuomo is trying to sort things out, sometimes beating himself up over past mistakes, sometimes looking at his surroundings sardonically, but something separates Make Believe from previous Weezer albums: a palpable sense of optimism, a feeling of hope, a new positivity. Thats not really what the legions of Pinkerton fans are looking for. Theyre likely going to find some of his lyrics perilously close to a self-help manual, particularly when Cuomo writes a sappy ode to his best friend -- and its pretty much a given that they wont respond to Rick Rubins sleek, layered, propulsive production, which makes Weezer sound far more new wave than Ric Ocasek ever did. (Rubin also keeps the band far away from the pseudo-new wave of the Killers and the Bravery, which is why hes a highly paid pro.) But let those fans pine for the past, because the very things that theyll find irritating about Make Believe are what make it yet another first-rate Weezer record. Part of the bands appeal is that Cuomo not only skirts the edge of embarrassment, he frequently passes far beyond it, and while that very trait is irritating in the hands of lesser-talented emo bands, in Rivers, its quite ingratiating and endearing because he has the musical skills to back up his self-analysis. He never overwrites, either in his words or melodies, his songs are carefully, precisely crafted pop, and his love of metal and rock gives his music muscle and balls. These gifts are as evident on Make Believe as they had been on every other Weezer record -- the only difference is this has a lighter, brighter feel than any of its predecessors, not just in the music but in its outlook. It might not be what Weezer fans want, but as that aforementioned Rolling Stone article made clear, Cuomo never cared much about that in the first place. If theyre not immediately taken with Make Believe, give it time. After all, Pinkerton didnt win fans immediately. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 16 Title: Christmas With Weezer Released: 2008-12-16 Tracks: 6 Duration: 13:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 We Wish You a Merry Christmas (01:27) 2 O Come All Ye Faithful (02:04) 3 O Holy Night (04:04) 4 The First Noel (02:22) 5 Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (01:32) 6 Silent Night (02:22) |
 | Album: 7 of 16 Title: Raditude Released: 2009-10-28 Tracks: 16 Duration: 56:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 (If You’re Wondering If I Want You to) I Want You to (03:28) 2 I’m Your Daddy (03:08) 3 The Girl Got Hot (03:14) 4 Can’t Stop Partying (04:22) 5 Put Me Back Together (03:15) 6 Trippin’ Down the Freeway (03:40) 7 Love Is the Answer (03:43) 8 Let It All Hang Out (03:17) 9 In the Mall (02:39) 10 I Don’t Want to Let You Go (03:48) 11 Turn Me Round (03:09) 12 I Woke Up in Love This Morning (03:04) 1 Get Me Some (03:36) 2 Run Over by a Truck (03:33) 3 The Prettiest Girl in the Whole Wide World (04:00) 4 The Underdogs (04:40) |
| Raditude : Allmusic album Review : If Weezers 2008 eponymous Red Album was all about singer/songwriter Rivers Cuomo coming to terms with heading into middle age, then 2009s Raditude finds Cuomo looking back upon his own carefree, dirt bike-riding youth and writing songs about it, but filtered through the eyes of Weezers younger fans. In that sense, Raditude comes off as a kind of Big Chill-esque concept album for Gen-Y kids who grew up in the 90s. To these ends, Cuomo packs these largely poppy and rockin songs with concrete images and cultural references that are just slightly warped and out of phase with his own generational timeline. As on the driving, 60s-soul inflected opening track "(If Youre Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To," Cuomo croons to his teenage girlfriend, "Your Slayer t-shirt fit the scene just right" and later, "We watched Titanic and it didnt make us sad." The Titanic reference is clearly a touchstone for any Gen-Y kid, and even the Slayer shout-out -- though an 80s metal band -- seems to imply a 90s teen wearing her older brothers worn-out t-shirt. At first, the song seems to be a sophomoric and jokey make-out track hinging on the line, "So make a move cuz I aint got all night." However, the song ends with the teen couple staring at each other as grown-ups in a troubled marriage with nothing left to say to fix their problems but, "make a move cuz I aint got all night." The ironic ending only backs up the notion that Cuomo, having worked through his own mid-life crisis on the "Red Album," now has his aging Gen-Y fans and their issues on his mind. Musically, Raditude really sounds like vintage Weezer, but never in a pandering, played-out way. In that sense, we get the bands now-classic mix of old-school 50s pop with big, hooky 70s rawk guitars, and tracks like sublimely power poppy "Im Your Daddy," and the cheeky glitter rock-inspired anthem "The Girl Got Hot" are as sparkling with creative enthusiasm as anything the band has done since "Buddy Holly." Similarly, tracks that include the slight hip-hop and R&B touches the band has favored in recent years fit perfectly into the sound of an album crafted for an audience who came of age in the late 90s and early 00s. Even the much anticipated party-rap song "Cant Stop the Partying" featuring rapper Lil Wayne is a dark, minor-key rumination on the downside of living it up on the party circuit and is the furthest thing from white-guy novelty-rap goofiness. Ultimately, its Weezers deft mixing of immediately hummable rock with lyrics that reveal Cuomos own melancholy gaze on the pop landscape that makes Raditude a passionate surrender to growing up and a throw-your-arms-up-and-scream ride down the other side of the mid-life roller coaster. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 16 Title: Blue / Green / Red Released: 2009-11-17 Tracks: 30 Duration: 1:51:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 My Name Is Jonas (03:24) 2 No One Else (03:04) 3 The World Has Turned and Left Me Here (04:19) 4 Buddy Holly (02:40) 5 Undone – The Sweater Song (05:05) 6 Surf Wax America (03:06) 7 Say It Ain’t So (remix) (04:18) 8 In the Garage (03:55) 9 Holiday (03:24) 10 Only in Dreams (07:58) 1 Don’t Let Go (02:59) 2 Photograph (02:19) 3 Hash Pipe (03:06) 4 Island in the Sun (03:20) 5 Crab (02:34) 6 Knock‐Down Drag‐Out (02:08) 7 Smile (02:38) 8 Simple Pages (02:56) 9 Glorious Day (02:40) 10 O Girlfriend (03:49) 1 Troublemaker (02:44) 2 The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn) (05:52) 3 Pork and Beans (03:09) 4 Heart Songs (04:05) 5 Everybody Get Dangerous (04:02) 6 Dreamin’ (05:11) 7 Thought I Knew (03:01) 8 Cold Dark World (03:51) 9 Automatic (03:07) 10 The Angel and the One (06:46) |
 | Album: 9 of 16 Title: Raditude …Happy Record Store Day! Released: 2010-04-17 Tracks: 5 Duration: 15:20 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Im Your Daddy (03:22) 2 (If Youre Wondering If I Want You to) I Want You To (03:24) 3 Why Bother (02:19) 4 Brain Stew (03:19) 5 Buddy Holly (02:56) |
 | Album: 10 of 16 Title: Hurley Released: 2010-09-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 33:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Memories (03:14) 2 Ruling Me (03:29) 3 Trainwrecks (03:21) 4 Unspoken (03:00) 5 Where’s My Sex? (03:28) 6 Run Away (02:55) 7 Hang On (03:33) 8 Smart Girls (03:10) 9 Brave New World (03:56) 10 Time Flies (03:46) |
| Hurley : Allmusic album Review : Leaping from the majors to the indies, Weezer misses not a beat, choosing to continue the co-writing craze Rivers Cuomo kicked off on 2009’s Raditude. Hurley -- named after Jorge Garcia’s beloved Lost character for no particular reason, but anybody with three eponymous albums in an eight-LP career doesn’t care much for titles in the first place -- is marginally louder and rougher than the clean sheen of Raditude, but not enough to fool anybody into thinking this is a punk rebirth. For Cuomo, independence means he can follow whatever notion seizes his fancy, and in this case he’s capitalizing on collaborations, penning eight of Hurley’s ten songs (the album runs four longer on a Deluxe Edition that includes a strong cover of Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida”) with a roster so diverse it borders on the nonsensical. Rivers is open to writing with anybody: he’ll construct slick modern pop with professional songsmiths Desmond Child and Linda Perry; sharpen up his power pop with the assistance of fellow former college rockers Dan Wilson and Ryan Adams, whose respective “Ruling Me” and “Run Away” are among the album’s highlights; and craft his sweetest, smartest tunes with No Doubt’s Tony Kanal (the crisp “Smart Girls”) and Rick Nowels, who co-wrote the classic “You Get What You Give” with Gregg Alexander and collaborates on “Hang On” here -- then, of all people, Cuomo gets old pro Mac Davis to work on the closer, “Time Flies.” Nothing on paper ties all these writers together but Rivers is the common denominator, so there’s a consistency of sound -- his co-writers amplify quirks and help him hone his craft, turning the songs tight and efficient. Sometimes, the quirks become overwhelming -- the one-note joke “Where’s My Sex?” wears out its welcome by the second verse -- but usually the melodies and riffs are clean, simple, and powerful, hooking immediately and sticking around for a while. Again, Cuomo doesn’t suppress his emotion; he just prefers sentiment (albeit delivered somewhat ironically as on lead single “Memories”), but what he loves most of all is a pure pop song and Hurley offers up its fair share. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 16 Title: Death to False Metal Released: 2010-11-02 Tracks: 10 Duration: 32:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Turning Up the Radio (03:37) 2 I Don’t Want Your Loving (03:03) 3 Blowin’ My Stack (03:44) 4 Losing My Mind (04:02) 5 Everyone (02:49) 6 I’m a Robot (02:30) 7 Trampoline (02:45) 8 The Odd Couple (03:07) 9 Autopilot (02:57) 10 Unbreak My Heart (04:11) |
| Death to False Metal : Allmusic album Review : Released as an accompaniment to the deluxe reissue of Pinkerton, 2010’s Death to False Metal is not quite a new album, and not quite a rarities retrospective, either. It’s a collection of unreleased songs the band cut during their 15-year association with DGC, some dating back to the early days, some quite recent, but they’re all given a nice new sheen that makes it sound like a relatively close cousin to Hurley, the band’s indie debut that appeared just two months before this major-label swan song. Generally, the tunes lean closer to Weezer’s classic power pop than either the all-things-to-all-people Raditude, or the glassy modern rock of Make Believe, and in turn, it falls somewhere between the inspired lunacy of the former and the formalist pop of the latter. Apart from the occasional pop culture reference -- the anti-suburban conformity anthem “I’m a Robot” dates it as a ‘90s artifact, the Mac-vs-PC conceit of “Odd Couple” pegs it as a decade later -- this is music that Weezer could have released at any time after their 2001 comeback, and while it’s sonically a little more ragged than any one album, thereby betraying its origins as a compilation, song for song, it’s one of their better records of the ‘00s, as it consists of the best songs, not tunes that fit the sound of a project. It’s a wonder why a few of these cuts didn’t pop up before this, but as a collection of outtakes, they hold together better than some of the band’s proper albums. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 16 Title: 5 Album Set Released: 2014-06-12 Tracks: 55 Duration: 3:03:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 My Name Is Jonas (03:24) 2 No One Else (03:04) 3 The World Has Turned and Left Me Here (04:19) 4 Buddy Holly (02:40) 5 Undone – The Sweater Song (05:05) 6 Surf Wax America (03:06) 7 Say It Ain’t So (remix) (04:18) 8 In the Garage (03:55) 9 Holiday (03:24) 10 Only in Dreams (07:58) 1 Tired of Sex (03:01) 2 Getchoo (02:53) 3 No Other One (03:01) 4 Why Bother? (02:08) 5 Across the Sea (04:32) 6 The Good Life (04:17) 7 El Scorcho (04:04) 8 Pink Triangle (03:58) 9 Falling for You (03:47) 10 Butterfly (02:53) 1 Don’t Let Go (02:59) 2 Photograph (02:19) 3 Hash Pipe (03:06) 4 Island in the Sun (03:20) 5 Crab (02:34) 6 Knock‐Down Drag‐Out (02:08) 7 Smile (02:38) 8 Simple Pages (02:56) 9 Glorious Day (02:40) 10 O Girlfriend (03:49) 1 American Gigolo (02:41) 2 Dope Nose (02:17) 3 Keep Fishin’ (02:52) 4 Take Control (03:04) 5 Death and Destruction (02:38) 6 Slob (03:08) 7 Burndt Jamb (02:38) 8 Space Rock (01:53) 9 Slave (02:53) 10 Fall Together (02:00) 11 Possibilities (01:59) 12 Love Explosion (02:34) 13 December (03:01) 1 Beverly Hills (03:16) 2 Perfect Situation (04:15) 3 This Is Such a Pity (03:24) 4 Hold Me (04:22) 5 Peace (03:53) 6 We Are All on Drugs (03:35) 7 The Damage in Your Heart (04:02) 8 Pardon Me (04:15) 9 My Best Friend (02:47) 10 The Other Way (03:16) 11 Freak Me Out (03:26) 12 Haunt You Every Day (04:38) |
 | Album: 13 of 16 Title: Everything Will Be Alright in the End Released: 2014-09-30 Tracks: 13 Duration: 42:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ain’t Got Nobody (03:21) 2 Back to the Shack (03:05) 3 Eulogy for a Rock Band (03:25) 4 Lonely Girl (02:50) 5 I’ve Had It Up to Here (02:49) 6 The British Are Coming (04:08) 7 Da Vinci (04:06) 8 Go Away (03:14) 9 Cleopatra (03:12) 10 Foolish Father (04:32) 11 The Futurescope Trilogy: I. The Waste Land (01:56) 12 The Futurescope Trilogy: II. Anonymous (03:20) 13 The Futurescope Trilogy: III. Return to Ithaka (02:18) |
| Everything Will Be Alright in the End : Allmusic album Review : Two songs into Everything Will Be Alright in the End, Rivers Cuomo sings "we belong in the rock world," a repudiation of the big beat experimentation of Raditude, a 2009 record that found Weezer working with such pop producers as Dr. Luke and Butch Walker. Weezer fans eager for Pinkerton, Pt. 2 are often quick to bristle at Cuomos experimentations, so when the guitarist sings that theyre "rockin out like its 94," hes not only not lying -- they went so far as to once again hire Ric Ocasek, the producer of the groups debut, to helm this ninth studio album -- but hes reassuring his audience that hes left all those pounding dance beats behind. The weird thing is, Weezer already shook off the ghost of Raditude via 2010s quickly released indie Hurley, so the emphasis on the group returning to rock feels a little odd, but Everything Will Be Alright in the End does trump its immediate predecessor by being bigger, bolder, slicker, and stickier than Hurley. Some of this is indeed due to the presence of Ocasek. His exacting production, anchored as much in pummeling arena rock as new wave pop, polishes and preserves Cuomos quirks, but its also true that Rivers has decided to indulge in his eccentricities once again. Take away the woolly mammoth-sized guitars and "Back to the Shack," with its overt references to "In the Garage," and Everything Will Be Alright in the End doesnt feel especially like early Weezer, not with the dexterous syncopation of "Ive Had It Up to Here" providing a midpoint palate-cleanser and a neo-prog rock suite concluding the proceedings. By having the record follow these twisty detours, Cuomo provides a counterpoint to the classicist pop Weezer pursue elsewhere, but even such succinct, sculpted pop as "The British Are Coming," "Aint Got Nobody," "Cleopatra," and "Go Away" (the latter a duet with Best Coasts Bethany Cosentino) never feels like a desperate scramble back home. Rather, a feeling of acceptance underpins Everything Will Be Alright in the End: theres a sense that Weezer made another record of massive, hooky rock not only because thats what the fans want but because they know its what they do best. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 16 Title: Weezer Released: 2016-04-01 Tracks: 10 Duration: 34:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 California Kids (03:25) 2 Wind in Our Sail (02:53) 3 Thank God for Girls (03:30) 4 (Girl We Got a) Good Thing (03:25) 5 Do You Wanna Get High? (03:27) 6 King of the World (03:24) 7 Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori (03:25) 8 L.A. Girlz (03:29) 9 Jacked Up (02:53) 10 Endless Bummer (04:15) |
| Weezer : Allmusic album Review : Taking the notion of self-titled albums standing as a statement of identity to an extreme, Weezer puts out a self-titled record whenever theyre ready to enter a new phase of their career. Designed to be dubbed The White Album -- a nice cheeky nod to the classic 1968 double album from the Beatles -- the 2016 installment of Weezer isnt nearly as messy as the groups last color-coded eponymous record. With that 2008 Red Album, Weezer embarked on a confused and chaotic middle age, an era that the tight, focused White Album effectively brings to an end. Much of this precision is due to Jake Sinclair, a producer who revived Fall Out Boys commercial prospects with his savvy work on 2015s American Beauty/American Psycho, who gives this Weezer a modern sheen that skillfully avoids desperation, but he not only understands what teens like, he understands why teens love this group. As a kid, he played in Wannabeezer, a Weezer cover band, and his knowledge of the group is fast; he isnt one to fetishize the emotional bloodletting of Pinkerton at the expense of the rest of the bands work, he likes the fun stuff just as much. Sinclair recognizes that one of Rivers Cuomos strengths is his love of craft, so he gave the singer/songwriter a mission: to create a spiritual sequel to the California pop of the Blue Album. To that end, Cuomo set up a profile on the dating app Tinder, using his encounters as research to supplement the observations he had while whiling away afternoons in Santa Monica and Venice Beach. Such a conscious remove is crucial to the success of The White Album: like Chuck Berry singing about "Sweet Little Sixteen" when he was 32 years old, Cuomo isnt diving into the thick of things, hes merely reporting what he sees. Sometimes, Cuomo betrays his age -- the "listen to Bacharach" line on "Do You Wanna Get High" is a bigger 90s throwback than the very sound of the album -- but thats also part of his charm: his eccentricities slip out from the cracks in his carefully constructed songs. Sinclair wisely decides to accentuate all these quirks, whether they derive from Cuomo or the bands interplay, so The White Album crackles underneath its tight presentation. Drums and guitars thunder, harmonies cascade, and there are surprises that add color without being showy. Weezer flirt with past and present, happily taking cues from forefathers -- "(Girl We Got A) Good Thing" consciously evokes the Beach Boys, just like how "Wind in Our Sail" brings to mind Jack Antonoff -- but The White Album winds up existing in a fantasy world thats entirely the bands own creation. This is Weezers version of Southern California, one where the girls arent bedecked in bikinis and where alienation sometimes seems comforting, maybe because their "Endless Bummer" is consciously fleeting, a sweet, sad coda to an album devoted to all the good times that can be had under the sun. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 16 Title: Pacific Daydream Released: 2017-10-27 Tracks: 10 Duration: 34:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Mexican Fender (03:09) 2 Beach Boys (03:51) 3 Feels Like Summer (03:15) 4 Happy Hour (02:57) 5 Weekend Woman (04:05) 6 QB Blitz (03:17) 7 Sweet Mary (03:42) 8 Get Right (03:12) 9 La Mancha Screwjob (03:27) 10 Any Friend of Diane’s (03:34) |
| Pacific Daydream : Allmusic album Review : "Mexican Fender" opens Pacific Daydream with big, crunching arena rock guitars, but thats the only throwback thing about the album. A deliberate reaction to 2016s Weezer (White Album), a record where producer Jake Sinclair encouraged the band to act like it was 1994, Pacific Daydream is a thoroughly modern affair, complete with drum loops and electronic flourishes, all wrapped up in a shiny package. Despite all of this contemporary flair, Weezer arent exactly pandering to a younger audience. Much of Pacific Daydream is gleaming mall-pop on par with Becks Colors: music made by veteran alt-rockers who are as aware of trends as they are of their own middle age, so they try to split the difference between the two. Such concentrated fusion appeals to an eccentric like Rivers Cuomo, who cleverly writes a tribute to the Beach Boys that doesnt sound a thing like Brian Wilson and drops a reference to Stevie Ray Vaughan on a song thats designed to play during happy hours at chain restaurants. This odd subversive streak tends to alienate fans who prefer Cuomos emo side -- a side thats not entirely absent here, but songs that start in that fashion usually wind up bending back to his current obsessions. Thats the pleasure of Pacific Daydream: beneath its glossy surface, theres not only plenty of melody, but a perverse sense of humor that keeps the record from sounding too smooth and settled. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 16 Title: Dusty Gems and Raw Nuggets Released: 2019-04-13 Tracks: 14 Duration: 51:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Mykel & Carli (02:52) 2 Susanne (02:47) 3 My Evaline (00:44) 4 Jamie (04:19) 5 My Name Is Jonas (03:39) 6 Surf Wax America (04:01) 7 Jamie (04:01) 8 No One Else (03:26) 9 Undone – The Sweater Song (Kitchen Tapes) (05:33) 10 Paperface (Kitchen Tapes) (03:01) 11 Only in Dreams (Kitchen Tapes) (05:47) 12 Lullaby for Wayne (pre‐production recording) (03:36) 13 I Swear It’s True (pre‐production recording) (02:57) 14 Say It Ain’t So (04:18) |