Weezer. Just what is it about this band that has captured the attention of so many people? To be honest, they aren't exactly original. Hell, they're like Cheap Trick meets Van Halen meets KISS meets oh, I dunno, Social Distortion. They're as derivative as can be. But there's just something about them. Sure, their songs can be the catchiest thing you've ever heard (I've long said singer/chief songwriter/guitarist Rivers Cuomo could be writing pop songs for Britney and Christina).
Perhaps it's the ultra nerdy look that shot them to stardom (along with a guest appearance by The Fonz) in 1994. Or maybe it's the brilliant follow up Pinkerton that was ignored by radio and by most fans. Or maybe it's just the fun pop album that was The Green Album last year. Whatever it is, once you become a Weezer fan, it seems you become a huge one.
Case in point: me. Six months ago I did not own a single Weezer disc. I now own all of them. They've been all I've listened to for the most part for the last 3 weeks. I've decided that the Green Album is such a great disc that I've actually gone back and revised my top 5 albums of 2001 in my year in review contribution. And now, here I am, reviewing Maladroit, the band's newest creation.
Maladroit is somewhat of an anomaly. It's a self made album, funded entirely by the band themselves, and demo versions of these songs were posted on the band's website back in January of this year so fans could give feedback on them. It also helped that the band had been performing some of these since last summer on their US headlining tour. Twelve songs were chosen, and not surprisingly, those twelve seem to be songs that could individually fit nicely on the band's other discs without a hitch. That's even more impressive given the fact that bassist Mikey Welch checked into a mental institution here in Massachusetts last August and his replacement, Scott Shriner, seems to have fit like a glove so quickly.
I find it only appropriate that the album's opening song, American Gigolo, begins with a pounding drum beat. Drummer Pat Wilson is an absolute monster on this disc. I haven't heard drumming this good since the last Foo Fighters disc. It's loud, aggressive, and brash, much like the guitar riff that helps make up the song. But of course, it wouldn't be a Weezer song without a hook, and it's right there in the chorus: sure, the words are sung with enough catchiness ("if you hate this no, I can't blame you, because I'm hurtin so I'll flame you") but it's the little ringing tones in the middle of it that makes the song irresistible. This is the perfect Blue Album (aka the band's self titled debut from 1994) song.
That's followed up by the first single, Dope Nose. It's "oh, whoa oh oh" chorus is ultra catchy, as is the guitar riff. In many ways, this sounds like a 90s version of a 70s KISS song. I love it, and right now, it's definitely the front runner for "summer anthem 2002." You know what I mean, the song that crosses over so much that by the end of the summer you never want to hear it again (AKA Sugar Ray'sFly, Smashmouth'sAll Star and I'm a Believer etc)?
Cuomo has always displayed a certain love of 1950s music, which was evident from the band's biggest hit to date still, 1994's Buddy Holly, all the way up to the bit of doo wop that appeared at the end of the Green Album last year. Sure enough, it appears in a couple of songs here. The short guitar solo in Keep Fishin, along with the nice little harmonies the band throws in, is the first clue. The second comes on the last track, December, which may as well have been written in the 50s. But it's so damn catchy and fun, you won't care. The lyrics also point to something a lot deeper than anything found on the last album. It's just a brilliant pop song, period.
At about track 4, the album takes on a more dark tone, very reminiscent of Pinkerton. Take Control has a hook, but it's definitely a darker song. Death and Destruction is certainly a melancholy song that features River singing his heart out, not to mention a guitar solo where it just sounds like the guitar is weeping gently along with him. Slob is dark as well, with Rivers railing against fame and what has become expected of him by some of the people close to him. The Pinkerton sound comes back a few songs later with Slave and Fall Together, although that song is certainly a bit brighter.
After that though, it's back to the rock, thanks to Burndt Jamb with its gorgeous guitar interludes and Space Rock with its "bounce to me dammit, you know you want to" melody.
The closing four songs(which includes the previously mentioned December) lets you know that Weezer isn't about to totally go all emotional and dark on us again. Fall Together sounds like a Beach Boys song just played at 100 BPM. And Possibilities is extremely reminiscent of the most fun and bouncy songs on the Blue Album. Same thing goes for Love Explosion.
There's also a limited number of discs available that have 8 multimedia videos for your computer. Most of them are live performances and include some of the catchiest songs from this disc (like Dope Nose and Keep Fishin), as well as a song I can't find anywhere else (that's *I*, maybe you can) and some fooling around before a show. I have no idea how many copies were pressed but mine is numbered 140632, so my best guess is that there's probably at least 250,000 if not a half a million or a million: in other words, plenty.
Maladroit is not Weezer's best work, but it's not far off. Long time fans of the band should be happy, and new ones should find a lot to like as well.
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