You wanted arts and crafts, how's this for arts and crafts? - a retrospective review of Weezer

Since forming in 1992, Weezer have played their own special brand of rock and blended gorgeous harmonies with self-deprecating, introspective and funny lyrics to produce credible and catchy-as-hell pop tunes everyone (that's everyone) can enjoy. We are lucky enough to be catching one of their 'blue album' shows on the 'Memories' tour tomorrow night, and have been slowly making our way through the band's discography in preparation. Be sure to check back for our full review of the gig early next week, but in the meantime, take a trip down memory lane as we pick apart  Weezer's studio efforts from the last 21 years.

Weezer (the blue album) - 1994

As far as debut albums go, this is one of the finest. Over the years, certain elements of this album have taken on almost mythic statuses (the understated cover art and the Spike Jones directed film clips being two prominent examples), but strip away the hype and you're left with ten great songs, beautiful harmonies, brilliant hooks and the kind of quirky songwriting that Rivers and co. are known for. Remains the band's most commercially successful album. Highlights include 'My name is Jonas', 'Surf wax America', 'Say it aint so' and 'In the garage'.

Pinkerton - 1996

After the mass appeal of 1994's Weezer, Pinkerton confused a lot of listeners. It was darker, most of the humour from the band's debut was gone, and if you listen to Pitchfork, "[i]t's a really tough album to go to bat for if you're an adult, particularly since enjoying it is so closely associated with relating to it". It’s really lo fi and almost sounds like a collection of demos, and after the high production quality of the first album, it’s no wonder that this one was met with fear and loathing by some (the same happened with casual Nevermind fans when they rushed out and bought In Utero). Luckily, time allowed Pinkerton to gain wider acceptance. The band experimented with some different sounds and instruments and moved into darker lyrical territory, but managed to produce hooks as catchy as anything on 'the blue album'. It's not as instantly accessible, but at the same time, it's no Quadrophenia… well worth the small amount of persistence you may have to devote to it. Highlights include 'Across the sea', ‘The good life’, 'El Scorcho' ("God damn you half-Japanese girls do it to me every time!") and 'Pink triangle'.

Weezer (the green album) - 2001

People have criticised this album for taking the band in a more polished direction… but people abandoned them for the exact opposite reason when Pinkerton was released. This is one of our favourite albums – the production is wonderful and the guitars are HUGE for a "pop album". The album opens with 'Don’t let go', which is just one three-minute-long power chord-based chugging riff. 'Crab' is another highlight, and features some of the best guitar work on the album. Add to that the baseline of 'Hash pipe', the harmonies of 'Knock-down drag-out' and the pure sunshine that is 'Island in the sun' (the accompanying film clip for which encompasses what we'd really like our lives to be… why can't we spend all day hanging out with baby animals?)… this has to be one of the best power pop albums ever released. Never has an album so effectively used heavy melodic guitar work with spot on harmonies without sounding like Def Leppard. 

Maladroit - 2002

This is a good follow up to 'the green album' for those who though the 2001 album was a bit too polished. Opening with a huge drum track and the big guitars of 'American gigolo'; this album is just slightly rougher around the edges than the last. It doesn’t quite have as many great hooks, but it’s a great band record, you feel they are playing together really well, despite the great songs dropping off a bit. Key tracks include 'Dope nose' (thanks to the vintage Weezer "Ohh, whoa-oh-ohhhh"s), 'Keep fishin'' (and its super fucking cool Muppets film clip) and 'Burndt Jam', a tight track with contrasting sweet, funky verses and great guitar breakdown sections. Something for all the fans on this one.

Make believe - 2005

This is an odd album for Weezer as it is big on production but is, on the whole, a little less quirky (with the exception of the stupidly catchy opening track 'Beverly Hills' - a blast of pure pop with a foot stomping and hand clapping chorus you can't help but hum to yourself once you've heard it). The guitar tone is there, and the songs are really well crafted, but you do get the sense that things are a little more serious here. Lyrically, Cuomo went introspective once again (a la Pinkerton) and, as such, the songs on this album aren't as sunshine and rainbows as some people like their Weezer… it's different, but different isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just different. Standout tracks include 'This is such a pity' (brilliantly melodic and meloncholy), 'Peace' and the awkwardly sweet ballad 'Freak me out'.

Weezer (the red album) - 2008

Weezer's third self-titled album is probably the weakest of the three, losing its way a little bit at around track eight. Don't get me wrong, the second half of the album is good, but just not as close to the brilliance of the first half. It's by far their most collaborative work, with Brian Bell, Patrick Wilson and Scott Shriner having a shot at writing and singing lead on a last few tracks. It's on these tracks that the album falters a little, but the album's highlights - 'Troublemaker', 'The greatest man that ever lived (variations on a shaker hymn)' and 'Everybody get dangerous' - are some of the best tracks the boys have produced during their career. Booyah!

Raditude - 2009

This is an incredible record in that it completely divides a lot of Weezer fans… but really, if Cuomo can write a brilliantly dumb teen pop rock album this good at 39 years of age then he’s doing something very right. Admittedly, 'Can’t stop partying' was probably a misstep, but on the whole this album is just so bratty and loud with bright, crunchy high end riffs and well crafted "dumb" lyrics ("I told you that you had put on some weight, you went out with somebody named Kevin Green"). Almost every track is sunny and really tight. As we said, for a 39 year old to write and so convincingly sell such credible yet commercially successful pop music is a rarity at this point in a bands career. It's probably their most consistent work since 'the green album'. Standout tracks are '(If you’re wondering if I want you too) I want you too', 'I’m your daddy', 'The girl got hot' and 'Tripping down the freeway'.

Hurley - 2010

Hurley is to Raditude what Maladroit is to 'the green album' - a little rougher around the edges but full of more complex arrangements, lots of harmonies, and songwriting that heads into much more serious territory (examples being 'Run away' (co written with Ryan Adams) and 'Ruling me') and silly fun ('Where's my sex?' and 'Smart girls'). Songs like 'Train wrecks' sound a little out of place on a Weezer album but really show Cuomo's songwriting chops. 'Memories' is balls out the whole way through, reflecting on the bands career and 'Hang on' takes a typically great Weezer-esque hook and adds an odd arrangement of strings and multitrack vocals. This is Weezer's fun side trying a few different things, and included as a bonus track is their 'Yo Gabba Gabba' performance 'All my friends are insects'… which is a must hear. Is it wrong that the bonus track intended as a children’s song is one of our favourites?

Death to false metal - 2010

A compilation of album-quality but previously unreleased recordings; Cuomo has said he considers this a natural follow up to Hurley rather than a compilation album. As you imagine the results are a little mixed, but there are some standout songs on here such as 'Turning up the radio', 'I don’t want your loving' and the brilliant 'Autopilot'. There's a lot of fun moments, and an odd fixation through a few tracks on the monotony of office life ('Robots' especially). This album could easily be passed off as a compilation album, but it's definitely worth a listen and has a lot of tracks that would be right at home on any Weezer album.

SCHNITZEL AND THE MOOSE 

Moose’s note: Oh, and can I just add that Weezer’s cover of the Cars’ ‘You might think’ for the Cars 2 soundtrack is just awesome… the kind of thing I’ll never get to hear live, but damn! A great cover!