I bought Weezer's Pinkerton on September 27, 1996, the Friday after it was released. I played it in the Goat Ride a lot over the next few months (Jan can probably attest to this), and it was good. When college come in 1998, suddenly all my friends were going gaga over this album. They all claimed that they had the album for a long time. They're liars. I didn't ever hear anyone even mention the second album from my second-favorite band for at least a year after its release. It's not that I'm trying to play the "I'm so much cooler than them" card, but it really annoyed me at the time and I had to get it off my chest.
That being said, the blue album is so much better. I know I'll get resistance from the "Pinkerton is proto-emo" camp, but I listened to the first album yesterday and it is just so amazing. Between "My Name is Jonas", "Undone", and "Only in Dreams", that's enough to do it. But every other song on the album is very good as well. I've never heard a better collection of ten consecutive songs.
But what I've really been wondering about is the new stuff. In Septbember 2000 I was fortunate enough to see Weezer at First Ave in Minneapolis. We showed up in line before the all-ages show even started, so we got to be right up front. It was sweet. Then Weezer came out with the green album, Maladroit, and whatever since then. And let's be honest, the worst song off the blue album is better than the best song off the green album. It's no comparison. When the green album came out I heard so many excuses trying to make it seem like it wasn't that bad. It was the same garbage they were saying about Star Wars Episode 1.
So my question is: If I could truncate Weezer's career after the release of Pinkerton, would I? That would mean getting rid of one of my fondest concert memories, but it would also rid the world of some pretty uninspired stuff and leave their legacy with its mythical mystique.
I'm thinking I would. Thoughts?
Finally, let's give a big thumbs up to my new favorite painter, Brandon Bird. His work does exactly what art is supposed to do, make you react. For example, I defy you to look at this image and not feel anything. Some other good ones can be found here, here, and here. Enjoy.
I'm off tomorrow for Good Friday. Probably hit y'all upz on Average Monday. Later.
2 comments:
ah. the goat ride. i do believe pinkerton was only replaced by the tape that had how bizarre on one side and tell me what you want by the spice girls on the other.
would i end it? no. While the green album, maladroit and make beleive are no way close to pinkerton or the blue album, it is still not bad. i wouldn't punch anybody because i had to listen to maladroit, and i actually kind of like make believe. it is still better than anything made by any number of bands out there. Do i ever go hunting for the songs on my ipod, no, but do i change them when they come on? nope.
Plus, if it weren't for the green ablum, not only would i have never gone to the weezer/get up kids show in milwaukee in 2001, i would not have that killer weezer poster that was the original promo piece for the album(before the cover shot became the promo poster) some guy holding up the weezer sign with a big crowd in the background.
i like that artist too by the way. although it feels a little bit like 1985 by bowling for soup (let's cram a bunch of stuff i know people will like into my painting). either way, i approve, and we know how important that is.
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