Weezer- The Red Album

Well folks after a much too long hiatus I have returned to review again. Today’s choice from LA’s little band that could…Weezer. It seems like every few years Rivers Cuomo and company grace the airways with a dose of pure alt-rock amoxicillin to rid the airways (even temporarily) of infectiously bad bands such as Nickelback. Weezer are one of the only commercially viable bands left out of the post grunge 90’s and they continue to expand on their quirky riff driven rock album after album.

Their most recent work is the third eponymous album Weezer. However, due to the all red background of the album cover, is referred to as Red Album, joining the Blue, and Green albums. I suppose if you had to, you could call this the bands experimental album, although I support the idea that Cuomo experiments on even the most simple of his songs, always finding new ways to improve on basic riff rock. For arguments sake, this is probably the most eclectic of the bands albums. This album overall is very solid, certainly an improvement over the mediocre Maladroit and Make Believe, and is a reformation of Weezer’s place in rock music. So lets get to it.

1. Troublemaker- This is the perfect opening track for this album. The crunch-tastic power chords scream Pinkerton and Cuomo’s lyrics are reminiscent of the early songs that made him the indie nerd hero of the 90’s. This song is an upbeat straight-ahead alt rock song that brings Weezer fully back into the fold (8.5 out of 10).
2. The Greatest Man that Ever Lived- This song is the main reason that I call this album experimental. The song starts soft with a piano hymnal but changes seemingly every few bars into a new genre including a Beastie Boys style breakdown, an acoustic harmony, a part with the band harmonizing over military marching drums, Cuomo going falsetto ala Justin Hawkins of The Darkness, and of course your standard Weezer rock section. Sound like a lot…well it is, but the band manages to turn all of those genres into one great song (8 out of 10).
3. Pork and Beans- If you have been alive the last few months and turned on a rock radio station you have heard Pork and Beans. The commercially successful single that slams being commercial…odd huh…but don’t take Rivers for a dummy, he knew exactly how successful this song would be. Lyrics speaking of Rogaine, Oakley shades, and Timberland make this ode to independence one of the most fun songs to hit radio in years (8 out of 10).
4. Heart Songs- One of my favorite songs on the album, this slowed down acoustic number pays homage to the bands of River’s past that he loved so much. The song gives nod to everyone from Cat Stevens and Gordon Lightfoot all the way up to Fresh Prince and Nirvana. Cuomo pays tribute to his influences with lyrics like, “Quiet Riot got me started with the bangin’ on my head. Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Slayer, taught me how to shred” (8.5 out of 10).
   
5. Everybody Get Dangerous- I never thought I would use Weezer and U2 in the same sentence but that day has come. The guitar part of this song is as if it were transported straight from “The Fly” by U2. Add that guitar riff to some hip hop style drums and you’ve got another Weezer song that on paper sounds bad but on wax manages to be good (7 out of 10).
   
6. Dreamin’- A straight ahead rocker ala “Pink Triangle” on Pinkerton hits at exactly the right time on this album. Cuomo seems at 40 to be making fun of his mid life crisis in this up-tempo rocker that recalls his teenage years. Cuomo sings, “Teacher says I gotta learn some facts so I can make it in The Widener Stacks.” The breakdown in this song turns into a daydream before building back up to all out rock. (7.5 out of 10).
7. Thought I Knew- This song written and sung by Brian Bell is one song that proves that even Weezer can fail from throwing too much on a track. This song is not bad, but it hovers around mediocrity. Perhaps it’s due to the techno intro, or Mellencampy guitar riff. Whatever it is, it is not working for me (5 out of 10).
8. Cold Dark World- This slower brooding number takes influence from some of the best brooders of the last 20 years with hints of Radiohead, The Smashing Pumpkins (Adore era), and Coldplay. Cuomo may be twenty years late, but his teenage angst shines through on this track which is my highlight for the last 4^th of the album (8 out of 10).
9. Automatic- This song is another ode to the 90’s only this time it sounds reminiscent of the British invasion of the later half of the decade. Once again Rivers gives up singing duty to his band mates, and once again the song is not bad but it is nothing I haven’t heard before (6 out of 10).
10. The Angel and The One- This slow number is a perfect closer for the album. It is broad and sweeping. It would not surprise me if this was not one of Cuomo’s songs he saved from his solo recordings. It manages to tie up all the lose ends of a very confusing album…not that that is a bad thing. An organ solo makes perfect sense to end a Weezer album (8 out of 10).

Overall score is about a 7.5. I enjoyed this album very much as it has everything I loved from Weezer’s past while adding new dimensions that will keep them viable for years to come. My one complaint about the album is the lack of structure. Songs did not seem to flow together like they should have, but this is probably what Rivers wanted.