Weezer perfect situation orchestra
Admittedly it is a little jarring pressing play and hearing American Gigolo’s crunching heavy metal riff open up a Weezer album, but the same could be said about hearing Pinkerton straight after the Blue Album. God bless Rivers Cuomo and Weezer for coming along with a perfect summer record right when the world needed it most.Ĭrafted with the help of Weezer’s fans via message boards, Maladroit is a weird one that doesn’t get anywhere near as much credit as it deserves. It doesn't quite match the highs of 'classic' Weezer, but feels more in-keeping with the direction the band appeared to be taking with The Green Album and Make Believe, albeit with the explicit acknowledgement that this is Weezer donning a specific hat (or hair-do, as the case may be). Modelled on classic heavy metal and hard rock, Van Weezer is like finding a perfect oasis amidst the guitar-barren landscape of the band's more recent output, complete with massive guitar lines and even bigger choruses. As if the name isn't a big enough clue, Van Weezer is that record.
Cuomo’s lyrics on tracks like Pardon Me just lack conviction and that oddball charm he once had is scant. Their pop rock formula was boiled down to the point where you’re not sure if they’re being ironic or not with the radio-bothering Beverly Hills, whereas This Is Such A Pity’s bubbling electronics and synths plant the seeds for some of the band’s ill decisions further down the line. Riding off the back of, retrospectively, four exceptional albums, Make Believe could’ve saved Weezer years of catching up seeing as Rick Rubin was producing, the band may as well have been left in the woods with no aid whatsoever.