Weezer’s wide appeal is one of the few mysteries of music I’ve yet to understand. They are quirky and kind of funny and make occasionally decent music, but I’m generally unimpressed by the package. There are better bands out there with more creativity and talent and energy. This isn’t to say Weezer hasn’t produced a handful of good songs; it’s just to say that they aren’t what I would ever consider to be the whole package.
The band’s 1994 debut is incredibly underwhelming. It was kitschy and hip when it was released but has not aged well. Some songs are better than others and some are almost wholly unlistenable. The singles are some of the best songs on the album, and the band/record company was right to choose them in support of the release. Undonde and Say it Ain’t So are two of the band’s best songs.
Singer-songwriter-guitarist Rivers Cuomo, guitarist Brian Bell, bassist Matt Sharp, and drummer Patrick Wilson didn’t stop after their eponymous “Blue” album. Rather, they continued making music and have since handed over three more albums--Pinkerton (which was largely ignored), 2001’s Weezer (aka the “Green” album), and 2002’s Maladroit (the first on the Interscope label). For better or for worse it is that 2001 disc that most recalls their debut.
Take a look at the cover, listen to the production (both albums were produced by Ric Ocasek), and consider the fact the songs are rooted in pop. All of these characteristics apply to both their debut and their third album. Cuomo and company made this album because after all those years people were still listening—it was intended for the fans. Oddly enough, radio picked up on Weezer once again and the album yielded a handful of hits—Hash Pipe is the most notable but Island in the Sun and Photograph also made waves. The Green Album shows some definite musical maturation, but it still leaves me with mixed feelings.
First off, this is an exceptionally short release. It clocks in at 28:21 and the ten songs average somewhere just shy of 3:00 each. Obviously they are intended to be brief and punchy and when the songs are good they are great. Unfortunately, when they are boring they are—well—really, really boring. The best songs are clustered at the beginning of the album. As with the band’s first release it should come as no surprise that the three aforementioned hits are among the most entertaining.
Hash Pipe is an easy an obvious choice with big, chunky guitars and Cuomo’s high-pitched delivery make for a distinctive and catchy song. It was among the best party songs of the year. I love the band’s blending of pop and unrelenting electric guitars. The lyrics weren’t exactly profound, but the chorus reeked of pop goodness. Sure it was annoying that it was so annoyingly edited for radio, but still—you gotta love it!
Oh, come on and kick me
Oh, come on and kick me
Go on and kick me
You've got your problems
I've got my ass swipe
You've got your big G's
I've got my hash pipe
I've got my hash pipe
Better still is the languid, summery Island in the Sun. Pretend for a moment it is 1966. You’re in California and you’re surfing…Weezer comes over the radio. Everything is bright and sunshiney. Everything is good and right in the world. Weezer has never made a song that appealed to me more than Island in the Sun. It makes me smile. Speaking of songs that make me smile, I also have to say that Photograph is a lovely sing-song track with great, retro harmonies and a kicky melody. It’s not exactly high art, but once again the fact that it makes me happy is enough for float the song.
Album opener Don’t Let Go is one of the more rock n’ roll tracks. It features Cuomo sporting a distinctly British accent. I’m not sold on his sound on the song, but I do appreciate the louder arrangement. Honestly—not every Weezer song can sound the same. Variety is indeed the spice of life. The point at which the Green album begins to fall apart is with the fifth song, Crab. I have problems really deciding who Weezer is on songs like this. They sound very much like Semisonic who, to my mind, are more consistent than Weezer has ever been. It’s a little loud, a little mellow, and a lot forgettable.
The up side? The songs don’t last song. Knock-Down Drag-Out is upbeat but unremarkable while Smile is a more mid-tempo offering. I like the latter if only for the fact that it brings a little variety to a somewhat predictable album. Simple Pages is at first fine, but as it progresses it becomes repetitive. I like the sound Weezer makes. Inoffensive and melodic, Weezer is hard to ignore but easy to overlook. I want to like their music but in the end can’t say that they do anything other bands haven’t already done better.
As the disc wraps up, Glorious Day proves absolutely unimpressive. It blends into the landscape of the era—in 2001 so many bands made even-keel, unexceptional music. Weezer’s track fits perfectly into that landscape. Album ender O Girlfriend in no more dynamic than its predecessor.
Weezer’s third album is full of contrasts. The first half of the disc is incredibly better than the second; the band is sometimes inspired sometimes not; the songs are sometimes interesting and sometimes disinteresting. This is a disc I want to love, but because of the mediocrity of so many of the tracks cannot. Still, I can’t help but think that Weezer has at least learned to make us believe they may not take themselves too seriously. They’ve matured since their debut seven years earlier, still I feel as if this album shows they’re stuck in a music rut.
Oh well.
Rating: 3/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Don’t Let Go
02. Photograph
03. Hash Pipe
04. Island in the Sun
05. Crab
06. Knock-Down Drag-Out
07. Smile
08. Simple Pages
09. Glorious Day
10. O Girlfriend
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