I recently picked up Weezer’s new Red Album off of Amazon’s MP3 Store (which, by the way, kicks the crap out of iTunes, in this guy’s honest opinion) and I’m very pleasantly surprised at how good it is.
First things first, Weezer fans, this is not the Blue Album. I think it’s safe to say that the Blue Album is one of the best rock albums of the 90’s, and certainly Weezer’s best work (although Pinkerton is hugely underrated); let’s just accept that it’ll be damn near impossible to match or beat that pinnacle. The Red Album is a damn sight better than Make Believe and I would say ranks tied for third with Maladroit in Weezer’s discography.
I think what I like most about the Red Album is that, for the most part, the songs return to catchy chord progressions underneath witty and catchy vocals. The lyrics don’t try to be profound, and oftentimes I have to wonder if Rivers is just fucking with everyone (Troublemaker, The Greatest Man That Ever Lived, and Pork And Beans come to mind). I’m sure some people listen to the first three songs and think Dude, what the hell? while Rivers sits in an empty room, meditating and smirking to himself. I could go song by song and talk about what I think, but you’re better off just checking out the previews on Amazon, though The Greatest Man That Ever Lived can only be appreciated after a full listen.
Anyway, I love it. I think it’s a huge step forward from Make Believe, and will hopefully draw more 13 year-olds into Weezer fandom, just as I was when I started listening to the radio.
Comments
Brian, I love you and respect your opinions… but I’m gonna have to disagree about this album. Yes, it is better than Make Believe, but it still doesn’t do it. First of all its not creative. Its easy (for me at least) to sit and predict whats coming next, but the problem is that its no longer elegant in the way they do it. Weezer used to have a lot of simple cord progressions, no denying that, but the way they were implemented was just soooo much better. The creative lyrics and the creative music behind it just don’t seem to be there anymore. I mean The Greatest Man That Ever Lived is just reworking Tis the Gift to be Simple over and over again and not once is it something that I can think to myself, huh that was cool. Don’t get me wrong I don’t think this is a horrible album. Its just painful for me as a Weezer fan to listen to it and have that creative spark just be gone.
Well, The Greatest Man That Ever Lived is subtitled “Variations on a Shaker Hymn,” so the fact that it’s not totally original should come as no surprise. I also don’t see how it’s not creative; I can see how it’s a little…well, childish at times (”Ima do the things that I wanna do” and “I’m a troublemaker” are things I expect from high-school bands, but all the same, they belong to good songs), but songs like Thought I Knew and Dreamin’ really grew on me quickly, and they sound very distinguishable and creative to me. Automatic is a damn cool song, too.
I’m fine with agreeing to disagree, but I thought I should expand a bit more first. I certainly agree that it’s not their best, but I don’t think the creative spark is gone by a long shot.
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