Pork And Beans
Weezer still knows how to rock, they just hate lyrics and want to see them die.
A buddy of mine downloaded the Red album recently and we gave it a listen. I love the instrumentation on the album (espcially the single "Pork and Beans"); however, River still will not rescind his rule keep all the lyrics surface level smooth and bubble gum sweet. Without the album in front of me I couldn't give you specific examples, but trust me, the lyrics completely ruin the album.
You know when you hear a good beat on a hip hop tune and you get into it, even if the rhymes are subpar? Well you don't get the opportunity to do that with Red Album because Rivers has the audacity to sing garbage. Does any remember this big victory lap parade that was the 2001 Weezer Yahoo OutLoud Tour? It was amazing. Right before the Green Album came out the Weezer boys went out and played a slew of shows (one in K.C. that I had the opportunity to see) and played all the Blue Album songs and a few Pinkerton gems. Now the story goes Pinkerton tanked and Rivers felt exposed and vowed to keep it superficial from there on out.
I don't think a larger miscalculation has been made in alt rock. Without Pinkerton Weezer would have not comeback. People who bought it and were upset there wasn't an immediately assessible single such Buddy Holly or Sweater Song on it rediscovered the disc a year or two down the road after they grew up and left their elementary days behind. All the original Weezer fans just needed time to mature and understand the subject matter with which they were listening to on Pinkerton.
Rivers, who must have turned jaded rock star quicker than anyone before him, saw the flatline album sales and chart listing as a criticism of his songwriting and pretty much dropped the emotional nerd persona and garnered what can only be described as Revenge of the Nerds III exoskeleton. The guitars, drums, and bass (EVEN THE BACKGROUND VOCALS) have all returned but the connection us original fans felt with Pinkerton and the Blue Album is gone. We're left with these songs that sound like anthem tunes meant to pump up our deflated selves.
Its sad, this sixth album, that is masterfully produced by Rick Rubin, has derailed by a man-child whose confidence is ruining a what many consider to be a seminal group of their youths.
A buddy of mine downloaded the Red album recently and we gave it a listen. I love the instrumentation on the album (espcially the single "Pork and Beans"); however, River still will not rescind his rule keep all the lyrics surface level smooth and bubble gum sweet. Without the album in front of me I couldn't give you specific examples, but trust me, the lyrics completely ruin the album.
You know when you hear a good beat on a hip hop tune and you get into it, even if the rhymes are subpar? Well you don't get the opportunity to do that with Red Album because Rivers has the audacity to sing garbage. Does any remember this big victory lap parade that was the 2001 Weezer Yahoo OutLoud Tour? It was amazing. Right before the Green Album came out the Weezer boys went out and played a slew of shows (one in K.C. that I had the opportunity to see) and played all the Blue Album songs and a few Pinkerton gems. Now the story goes Pinkerton tanked and Rivers felt exposed and vowed to keep it superficial from there on out.
I don't think a larger miscalculation has been made in alt rock. Without Pinkerton Weezer would have not comeback. People who bought it and were upset there wasn't an immediately assessible single such Buddy Holly or Sweater Song on it rediscovered the disc a year or two down the road after they grew up and left their elementary days behind. All the original Weezer fans just needed time to mature and understand the subject matter with which they were listening to on Pinkerton.
Rivers, who must have turned jaded rock star quicker than anyone before him, saw the flatline album sales and chart listing as a criticism of his songwriting and pretty much dropped the emotional nerd persona and garnered what can only be described as Revenge of the Nerds III exoskeleton. The guitars, drums, and bass (EVEN THE BACKGROUND VOCALS) have all returned but the connection us original fans felt with Pinkerton and the Blue Album is gone. We're left with these songs that sound like anthem tunes meant to pump up our deflated selves.
Its sad, this sixth album, that is masterfully produced by Rick Rubin, has derailed by a man-child whose confidence is ruining a what many consider to be a seminal group of their youths.
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