Weezer
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- re-cappin' neve
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- Harmony Head
- gimme a little kick & snare
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- mingus2112
- re-cappin' neve
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- darkhorseporter
- ass engineer
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- re-cappin' neve
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- speech impediment
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here's my thoughts on those two post-Pinkerton albums:
Green... I admit that this is a really, really good album. There are songs on that album that are incredible. Island In The Sun is actually part of the soundtrack to our wedding video.
But, the guitar solos on that album suck dick. EVERY ONE of them is an ape of the vocal melody. You can get away with that for a song or two. Hell, if you're just an average guitar player, you could probably get away with it more often (Nirvana).. But, after the solos on Blue and Pinkerton, the Green album was a HHHHUUUUUUGGGGGEEEEE disappointment in the guitar department. The songs are there, but the guitar blows.
Maladroit doesn't have many redeeming qualities in my opinion. Maladroit feels like a response to the criticism he received about the weak solos on Green. The solos on Maladroit are gratuitous wank fests. They all feel so disconnected from the songs. And, the songwriting on Maladroit is waaay below that of any of their previously released material (all B-sides included). I just couldn't find anything at all to love.
The further and further they got from Pinkerton, the more and more impersonal and calculated their music became.
After the Blue album, they came out with an album that sounded like they felt like they could do anything that they wanted. After Pinkerton's commercial failure, and the long hiatus, they seemed to make albums that sounded like they were trying to figure out what someone else wanted. Now, whether it was some record exec, or a fickle public, the point is, they were thinking too hard about it.
This could just all be bullshit. Maybe Rivers only had one PERFECT album in him. Maybe that had something to do with the hiatus. Maybe he ran out of good ideas.
I've read articles before that said that Rivers had notebooks where he "charted" all of Nirvana's songs, and other great pop songs, looking for patterns that would help him figure out the formula. I mean, c'mon!! If that doesn't say, "I've run out of ideas", I don't know what does.
Green... I admit that this is a really, really good album. There are songs on that album that are incredible. Island In The Sun is actually part of the soundtrack to our wedding video.
But, the guitar solos on that album suck dick. EVERY ONE of them is an ape of the vocal melody. You can get away with that for a song or two. Hell, if you're just an average guitar player, you could probably get away with it more often (Nirvana).. But, after the solos on Blue and Pinkerton, the Green album was a HHHHUUUUUUGGGGGEEEEE disappointment in the guitar department. The songs are there, but the guitar blows.
Maladroit doesn't have many redeeming qualities in my opinion. Maladroit feels like a response to the criticism he received about the weak solos on Green. The solos on Maladroit are gratuitous wank fests. They all feel so disconnected from the songs. And, the songwriting on Maladroit is waaay below that of any of their previously released material (all B-sides included). I just couldn't find anything at all to love.
The further and further they got from Pinkerton, the more and more impersonal and calculated their music became.
After the Blue album, they came out with an album that sounded like they felt like they could do anything that they wanted. After Pinkerton's commercial failure, and the long hiatus, they seemed to make albums that sounded like they were trying to figure out what someone else wanted. Now, whether it was some record exec, or a fickle public, the point is, they were thinking too hard about it.
This could just all be bullshit. Maybe Rivers only had one PERFECT album in him. Maybe that had something to do with the hiatus. Maybe he ran out of good ideas.
I've read articles before that said that Rivers had notebooks where he "charted" all of Nirvana's songs, and other great pop songs, looking for patterns that would help him figure out the formula. I mean, c'mon!! If that doesn't say, "I've run out of ideas", I don't know what does.
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- zen recordist
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I agree the Pinkerton is the standout Weezer record. I really like the Green album though. Great songs, great energy, great mixes. I think it has one of the best starters for a pop record. I never think of Weezer for guitar solos so Subatomic Pieces' comments never never entered into my brain until today. Maladroit is fine but nothing really stands out like on the three records before it. I keep forgetting to buy the Rick Ruben produced one... The blue record is great, but I still look to Pinkerton and the Green album a whole lot more.
With the solos I remember reading guitar player before Maladroit came out. Rivers said with Green he wanted to follow the melody and just write good pop songs or something along those lines. Then with Maladroit he wanted his solos to be out there. Good or bad, who knows? Just wanted to point it out.subatomic pieces wrote:here's my thoughts on those two post-Pinkerton albums:
Green... I admit that this is a really, really good album. There are songs on that album that are incredible. Island In The Sun is actually part of the soundtrack to our wedding video.
But, the guitar solos on that album suck dick. EVERY ONE of them is an ape of the vocal melody. You can get away with that for a song or two. Hell, if you're just an average guitar player, you could probably get away with it more often (Nirvana).. But, after the solos on Blue and Pinkerton, the Green album was a HHHHUUUUUUGGGGGEEEEE disappointment in the guitar department. The songs are there, but the guitar blows.
Maladroit doesn't have many redeeming qualities in my opinion. Maladroit feels like a response to the criticism he received about the weak solos on Green. The solos on Maladroit are gratuitous wank fests. They all feel so disconnected from the songs. And, the songwriting on Maladroit is waaay below that of any of their previously released material (all B-sides included). I just couldn't find anything at all to love.
The further and further they got from Pinkerton, the more and more impersonal and calculated their music became.
After the Blue album, they came out with an album that sounded like they felt like they could do anything that they wanted. After Pinkerton's commercial failure, and the long hiatus, they seemed to make albums that sounded like they were trying to figure out what someone else wanted. Now, whether it was some record exec, or a fickle public, the point is, they were thinking too hard about it.
This could just all be bullshit. Maybe Rivers only had one PERFECT album in him. Maybe that had something to do with the hiatus. Maybe he ran out of good ideas.
I've read articles before that said that Rivers had notebooks where he "charted" all of Nirvana's songs, and other great pop songs, looking for patterns that would help him figure out the formula. I mean, c'mon!! If that doesn't say, "I've run out of ideas", I don't know what does.
Anyways, I like every album they have released. I think Maladroit is way underrated.
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- audio school graduate
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:38 am
Weezer made start playing music. Weezer made me start writing songs. Weezer made me start writing good songs with melody and structure. Weezer made me start writing lyrics that were genuine. Weezer was my impetus for music and I am thankful. Their later records, became formulaic because Rivers Cuomo is an incredibly analytical but creative person and was trying to hard to write hit songs and forgot how to write from his heart. He has no want or desire now because he has taken up Vipsanna meditation. I'm assuming according to interviews he has dealt with a lifetime of stress anxiety panic and difficulty dealing with the pressure of being a "rock star". I think he has peace now. Good for him.
- Monkeyfist
- re-cappin' neve
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I like Weezer, all of it, so I guess I'm crazy too. Eh, so be it. I for one am sad to see them split.
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