Album Review: Weezer (The Red Album)
It can be said that much of Weezer’s lyrical career is grounded on the basis of attacking something or someone else. From the band’s inception, lyricist and vocalist Rivers Cuomo has found escapism in dreary-yet-punchy alternative numbers that throw and pull punches at love and misery. That is up until Maladroit, when the band started branching into a sort of ‘reinvention’ age, and most of the criticism started with the epic sentence, “Well, it’s not Pinkerton.” There’s reason for this and while Maladroit is hardly as criticized as its latter brothers and sisters, it’s certainly part of what should be considered the “other trilogy.”
Most Weezer fans will agree that the trio of albums starting with 1994’s self titled debut (The Blue Album), continuing on with 1996’s Pinkerton, and sliding home with 2001’s self titled comeback (The Green Album) represent the band at true perfect form. It’s Maladroit onward where fans start digressing, Make Believe where fans start killing one another, and then of course, this year’s self titled bastard (The Red Album). Six albums that, if diagrammed on a flow chart, would represent the ride Splash Mountain.
There’s something awry about Weezer’s sixth album. While their sense of humor should never go unnoticed, one wonders how far we’re supposed to take it, especially with lyrics like, “I’m a troublemaker/never been a faker/ doing things my own way/ and never giving up.” On first listen, the opening track is a bit unsettling to the stomach with its simplicity, but it’s so tongue in cheek that you can’t help but bob your head to its poppy beat. In a sense, it’s the closest this band has ever sounded like Cake, which isn’t necessarily a good or a bad thing.
By the second track, any fears of Weezer losing it with age are thrown out the window. It took six albums to do it, but finally the band has written a larger-than-life, epic song. (Though some can argue the grandiosity of “Say It Ain’t So” or “Only in Dreams”, I guess) Comparisons to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” aside, “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations of a Shaker Hymn)” is the band’s crowning achievement, complete with an arching progression, a choir of harmonies, and a rollicking chorus that will stick in your head, having you sound like an ego maniac as you chant, “I am the greatest man that ever lived/ I was born to give and give and give.” It might sound preachy, but this song represents the lyrical mindset Weezer is at these days. No longer are they dorks in basements. They’re dorks in Hollywood.
“Pork & Beans” is Weezer paint by numbers, with the clunky distortion and Cuomo’s yelp of “I’m finally dandy with the me inside”. It’s catchy and loud enough to reach the fans that walked out after 2005’s disappointing Make Believe. “Heart Songs” is a staple ballad that brings to mind the late Red Hot Chili Peppers’ slow burners, only there’s awfully cheesy lines like “I gotta admit though/ sometimes I would listen to the radio” or “It takes two to make a thing go right/If the Fresh Prince starts the fight.” Then there’s the rock and pizazz of “Everybody Get Dangerous”, a flashy, larger than life hit that’s catchy, if not forgettable by the end of the album. When Cuomo self-deprecatingly chants, “I’ve got a confession/That I will make if you will listen”, you wonder if you should start feeling bad for the guy.
One of the former demos, “Dreamin’”, is a definite keeper and eventual crowd pleaser. It’s warm fuzz, sentimental breakdown, and accessible lyrics like “These are days that will define my life” are familiar yet abrasive enough to consider new. It’s actually one of the best songs they’ve released in quite some time. Much like a horrible science experiment gone bad (think of those days in high school with exploding beakers), “Thought I Knew” is a bad, bad idea gone wrong… which makes it worse, right? Turning vocal duties to ‘other’ guitarist Brian Bell leaves a stale track that sounds right at parts, but altogether is a mess that should have been left with the demos or given out as an iTunes exclusive.
It’s not even a bad decision to switch off vocal duties, really. For the most part, it works like a charm. “Cold Dark World” is a sweeping collection of chin music that is both brooding and driving. It seems destined to close a film or be layered atop the corresponding closing credits. Bassist Scott Shriner sounds vindictive and determined while singing, though lyrically Cuomo comes off creepy or stalker-like, closing the song out with “Angel girl, I’m gonna be your man/ Angel girl, I’ll make you understand.” It’s a good climb that should have closed out the album. Shortly after, drummer Patrick Wilson offers some variation on “Automatic”, a declarative rocker that will bring fans to marching boots over the next few months.
Slow song “The Angel and the One” sounds like a polished Cuomo demo that could have slid on the Alone recordings last year. Self reflective (”I’ve got the magic in me”) and depressing (”There is another love that I would rather be obeying”), it is, after all, a perfect closer, reminding listeners why they’re still with the band a decade and some change later. Most of the fans need these songs (probably as much as Cuomo does), as they offer premeditated escapes that shattered hearts and bruised egos can mend and heal in.
Parts of this album work, but that’s the problem. As a whole, the sixth album seems cluttered and confused, especially with the inclusion of “Thought I Knew” and “Everybody Get Dangerous”. It also doesn’t help that the album’s epic track sticks out like a sore thumb towards the beginning, with the latter carrying quite the weight. Much like 2005’s Make Believe, there is enough here to salvage and move on, and fortunately, there’s more here than three years ago.
A piece of advice. Don’t go in expecting a Pinkerton. In fact, don’t ever listen to Weezer again if you’re expecting Pinkerton-like results. As aforementioned, this is a different band. Pinkerton represented years and years of repressed angst and trauma. How and why would they still be writing in that lyrical key? This is a band poking fun at their surroundings: the fucked up recklessness of modern America, represented by the closest thing this world has to hell, Los Angeles.
And for that, they do a pretty damn good job.
Rating: 
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I’m pretty sure “Only in Dreams” or “Across the Sea” are the most epic songs Weezer have ever recorded.
Maybe. I always considered epic to be sweeping and reaching incredible heights, at least for the band. I just consider those great songs, but without the bombast and grandiose feeling of epic.
Shane-I agree with you. Love the entire Pinkerton album.
Pinkerton is great. Although I’d say their debut is still their strongest. Despite being overplayed, all of the songs off the Blue album are genuine classics.
You’re wrong in that people break good Weezer and forgettable Weezer into two “trilogies.” It’s really a 2-4 split. People pine for the Blue Album and Pinkerton days, while considering everything after mediocre-to-bad. For these types, the disappointment began with the Green Album.
Really? I always thought The Green Album was considered the last decent Weezer outing by fans and pessimists alike. Personally, I find that to be their last great outing, really.
Am I the only one in the world that likes “make Believe”? I really don’t see why this album gets shit on so much. I find it quite enjoyable. I mean I know its not Pinkerton or the blue album but it still is fun and sounds like Weezer to me.
Eric, I actually loved a good portion of Make Believe. As a whole though, it really sags a bit. “This Is Not A Pity” and “We Are All On Drugs” are a bit much. For the first time in my life I agreed when Pitchfork compared the latter to the diarrhea song, something I picked up on first listen.
What do you think of this album?
This album may be worse than ‘Make Believe’. I listened to it once, then vowed never to touch it again. Also, I do not believe there are two trilogies. There is the Blue Album and ‘Pinkerton’, and nothing else matters or lives up to expectations.
Hmm… I’m surprised then with all these comments. I was under the impression that The Green Album was generally appreciated. I consider it stronger in many ways than anything they’ve done. Songs “Simple Pages” and “Island in the Sun” are excellent examples of songwriting, in my book.
Lucky Dick, now having listened to this for sometime, I’m beginning to agree with you. “Thought I Knew”, “Heart Songs”, and “Everybody Get Dangerous” kill this album. It’s a shame they didn’t use the b-sides. They really would have sold this album, specifically “The Pig” and “King.”
Yeah, why didn’t they include the excellent B-sides? “Red Album” would be pretty damn solid with a track-list like this:
Troublemaker
The Greatest Man That Ever Lived
Pork And Beans
Dreamin’
Automatic
The Angel and the One
Miss Sweeney
Pig
The Spider
King
Andrew, sounds good to me. Though I would still keep The Angel and the One at the end. I also don’t mind Cold Dark World.
Michael Roffman
I don’t mind “This Is Not A Pity”. It’s got like a 80’s new wave sound which i enjoy. Hate “We Are All On Drugs”.
The new album I don’t know. I like it. I kinda look like it as a big fuck you to the record companies. I know the lyrics are very tongue and cheek, but i think that is the point. I think the first half is pretty solid but the last half is kinda of all over the place. I have heard way worse from other bands. It still sounds like Weezer which is really all I care about.
I am a huge Weezer fan and I believe that the downslide began with The Green Alubm. Pinkerton was by far their strongest album, as it is an album where he bears his soul to the listener. I think it messed him up really badly when it was critically bashed at first and he hasn’t been able to recapture that pure greatness that was Pinkerton. I actually really like this latest effort though, Maladroit and Make Believe were piss-poor in my opinion, and this one’s actually pretty good. They show some awesome experimenting in “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived” and recapture a tiny bit of that 90’s sound in Pork and Beans, in my opinion this is their best album this century.
I consider myself very loyal to bands that I grew up liking, Weezer and R.E.M. being two that stick out the most in my mind. I had decent expectations for the Red Album, especially after hearing “Pork & Beans”.
While this album is not a total failure - I don’t feel any of the post Pinkerton albums are (although Make Believe comes very close) - I’m not entirely on board with it. It has some really great songs (The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, the aforementioned P&B, Troublemaker), but I find the songwriting is unremarkable for the most part. One reviewer mentioned that the lyrics are tongue in cheek and I get that on a few songs, but find that the lyrics on Dreamin’ and Heart Songs in particular are cheesy beyond belief.
Perhaps a few more listens is in order, and all in all this is a step-up from Make Believe, but I am still feeling something is missing.
i’m a massive weezer fan - an original fanclubber infact - and personally i love all the weezer albums, but i’m not blinded by the fact that there are some duds on maladroit, mb, and now red. green is a great album, all the way through. red would be like that too, if you took out the 3 non rivers singing songs. in fact red has some of the best weez material ever, imo. i think it will age well aside from being hella fun to listen to.
Conceding the consensus on the first two albums …
Make Believe was good. It ends out over the Green Album and Maladroit for me (and I loved the Green album and played it over and over but now …). Make Believe has a continuity of sound or production values that one might be for or against but within that a number of songs hold up (these five I’ve regularly played since its release - Perfect Situation, This is Such a Pity, The Other Way, Freak Me Out, Haunt You Every Day). Plus Cuomo’s singing is unbelievable on Make Believe. He is pouring it out in that respect just as he does on the Red Album on a number of songs (although on the Red Album he seems to be experimenting with every conceivable vocal style - which I like).
I think the Red Album is better than Green, Maladroit or Make Believe. You gotta play it a few times. My version of the album is the Deluxe and I include those songs in my assessment (Pig, King, in particular).
I still want more. Weezer, don’t stop. Make more.
Of coarse Weezer won’t ever sound like pinkerton, but I still think they’re great and I love them. I don’t even think Make Believe was that bad, except of Beverly Hills. It was clearly made to reflect the happy good times for Weezer. As for the Red Album, I think it’s definitely a great comeback from all their criticism. I agree with Brad. DON’T STOP MAKING MUSIC…!
Michael,
I’m with you in that I wasn’t aware many people did not appreciate the Green Album. I think many of these people are not truly understanding what that album accomplished. It flows from beginning to end-an entire album as a work of art. An album without filler is hard to come by these days. All of those songs are the epitome of the perfectly constructed pop song.
So many people are so stuck on the fact that “it’s not Pinkerton” that they may overlook the perfection in the song structure. If these people would listen to the album objectively without any preconceived notions I think they would really enjoy it.
It’s Maladroit where things started to slip a bit. He started to focus on writing singles instead of albums…that’s why we have mixed albums now. They aren’t bad, just not brilliant. I’m okay with that and they’ll still get my $15 every time they put out an album. A half decent Weezer album is better than 95% of all the other crap out there now.
Blue album and Pinkerton is all they have.After that they are just starving for people to like them and they have to realize image is not everything, try making good music again.I think the Magenta and Fuscia albums are really gonna suck.Get back in the garage again and release some air from your craniums so we can hear Weezer again.
I have to say this, just because I’m a Weezer fan.
This, nor any other album will be Pinkerton.
That album is Weezer’s Smash or Tommy - we can’t compare anything in their catalog to such a high precipice, otherwise they’d ALL fall short. They aren’t sell outs, they’re big fish in a fucked up pond where they can poke fun at even more garbage. That being said…
the Red Album is a much-needed and warmly-welcomed inclusion to Weezer’s ’self-titled’ series. I can hear Cuomo’s old self peeking through so much more than was seen on Make Believe or Maladroit. I agree with the previous statement on how Rivers has been writing singles and not albums, but it’s almost as if 90% of this album is made up from singles to create a full-on Weezer album. The running theme is tongue-and-cheek dorky humor thrown in with epic and heavy riffs, and it works so well.
I am on totally with Roffman, here…this is not the same band as it was years ago, but I’ll be damned if I can’t chalk this up as one of the best albums of 2008 (or at least this summer).
Now, I shall resign myself to hearing “Hashpipe” one more good time - smoke ‘em if you’ve got ‘em!
Weezer quit existing after Pinkerton, the green album while silly seemed to leave some hope for a turnaround (at least the sound was still in there if not executed with the same angst) then from there it is simple there is no more Weezer
I’m not sure why Maladroit gets so much guff. It is my favorite album after Pinkerton and Blue Album. It is loud, fast and exciting from beginning to end. Green is good but too repetitive, the singles and Crab are the only songs that sound unique. Make Believe has its obvious flaws but I still enjoy some of the songs.
As for the Red Album, The more I listen the more the songs grow on me, I was a little skeptical at first, especially with Greatest Man, but I think that it is a good album. Troublemaker does an excellent job of setting up the tone of the album, Heart Songs may be corny and sappy but I think it builds up really well and is worth the sap. Thought I knew is a bit annoying but not terrible. The Angel and The One is my favorite and I suspect that anyone that doesn’t recognize its greatness may be blinded by the three non Rivers songs before it too appreciate how classic it is
“When Cuomo chants, “I gotta confession/ that I will make it through and listen”, you wonder if you’re not the one who should be singing that.”
Umm, you wrote a review without even reading the lyrics in the album booklet? Are we supposed to take this seriously, really? He sings, “I’ve got a confession
That I will make if you will listen”
Not a big deal, but when trying to critique an album and throw in pseudo-witty stuff like that you should at least make your supporting points legitimate.
Hmm, you’re right John S. I didn’t have the lyrics when I did the review, just the digital album. I apologize. Fixed.
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