Weezer -- Classic or Dud?

I just realized that Reunion Weezer has now been an active force for longer than Actual Weezer was, indeed, longer than the gap in between the two. This is like the Stones breaking up in 1967, then reuniting in 1978 to record Bridges to Babylon and continuing on 'til today as their current touring performance thing.

This is weird. Also, what happened to Rivers' hair? :-(

Anyway, they'll always be classic. I saw them in 2001 and it was one of the best live shows I've ever seen.

That's one of the most depressing YouTube videos I have ever seen.

that shot of the crowd ug, all those girls just texting and shit.

GETCHOO AH HA

New single "(If You Are Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" is being hailed as a return to form, and it is better than their last couple of singles. It reminds me of "A Town Called Malice" tbh.

being hailed as a return to form

Not by me. It sucks out loud.

Any weezer fans know more about this supposed math hit-formula notebook Rivers has been carrying around? This sounds pretty amazing very David Foster Wallace thing to do.

I can't believe that the same guy who wrote "Beverly Hills" also claims to have songwriting down to a mathematical science. Songwriting: the real dismal science.

has anyone made a mashup of El Scorcho and Beverly HIlls (seems like generated from the same hit-song template?)

GETCHOO AHA

Every album they've released since Maladroit was initially heralded as "return to form."

More like a return to the bathroom.

http://kiwirock.net/05.mp3

Rad.

I can't believe that the same guy who wrote "Beverly Hills" also claims to have songwriting down to a mathematical science. Songwriting: the real dismal science.

― Cunga, Monday, August 17, 2009 8:26 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

lol...Super Masonic Da Vinci Code Math Science of Songwriting: recycle the chord change to "The Joke" by Steve Miller Band

i feel like "Troublemaker" has belatedly become Weezer's biggest latter day radio staple, I hear it EVERY SINGLE DAY even though it's a year old now

i never thought i'd long for a return to the glory days of "dope nose"

ehh -- i have no particular reverence for early Weezer and like "Troublemaker" and "Perfect Situation" and "Keep Fishin'" as much as anything else they've done

don't get me wrong, if you forced me to sit through a whole album i'd pick one of the 90s one, but as a singles band i think their batting average has been pretty steady

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S-lhxaecpw

The first album does seem more "organic" in the sense that any pop-formula expression seems unconscious rather than drawn from a notebook, dungeon-master die-rolling scheme. Is pinkerton when the notebook idea started?

Its cos Matt Sharp left.

Some internet wise guy should write some of the "missing pages" from this notebook and put them online ala The Michael Bay screenplay for the Dark Knight. Would read!

Okay so....a bunch of thoughts I'm having while watching some Weezer AOL Sessions youtube clips (old & new):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95sTh4mxAys

Okay, why is the drummer playing bass now and who is this new drummer guy? Also those quirky handclaps WTF. Biggest WTF in the world for the Kenny G guest solo which is my favorite part of an otherwise pretty dull song. I like how Rivers is jumping and hyping it up like it was a guitar solo. I think after the "Pork and Beans" (which I actually liked), this new direction is to throw a million 'viral' ideas against the wall and see what sticks. I mean, you have Kenny G, that horrible "Raditude" title and album artwork, the Lil Jon collab, etc. Can't say it's a bad strategy though because every review I've read of the album has been dismal, and all the ridiculousness is the only reason I've just listened to "I'm Your Daddy" by Weezer in 2009.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Av1kuh8EBY

Rivers's costume here makes me crack up; he looks like a little kid that found his dad's suit. Sounds to me like at least some of these vocals are auto-tuned. WOW GUYS THE 80S ARE BACK! Look at these Moogs. Kind of makes me think of the Rentals or something. What would they think of this? The rapping is....well whatever. With "We Are All On Drugs" you may have thought the lyrical content had bottomed out but a chorus of "I can't stop partying partying"....I don't know, I think Rivers Cuomo really is on a mission to just crank out stupid simple pop songs like a scientist or a factory worker. Soft verse/loud chorus. Spacey 'retro' part. Guest star rapper. All the elements are there. If he was a little more shy he would be a producer for Universal Music Group.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv5Tnp5KzD8

Okay, this is weird but the guitarist is singing "Why Bother" and not doing too bad a job but not too good a job either. It took me a minute to realize that Rivers Cuomo was playing drums wearing a beret and a silly mustache. LOL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztvJdAIGk54

"Butterfly" sung by Rivers solo with a harp, really beautifully done too. Think about those lyrics "I told you I would return by I ain't never coming back". Is he singing to all the 1st gen Weezer fans? Someone print a list of best tracks from the post-Pinkerton years I need a compilation...

lol wonder if brian bell (who has some serious douche vibes) changed "i better keep whackin" to "you better start packin" out of embarrassment or cuz krusty the klown told him to

Was the riff from "Hash Pipe" taken from Hall and Oates' "Family Man" (towards the end of the song)? I always thought it sounded like the Munsters theme but Hall and Oates seem to be the more obvious theft victims for Rivers.

hash pipe riff is a note for note rip off of the song "he shot himself up" by The Shods.

Listening now - you seem to be right.

Hmm, according to wiki a member of The Shods played in a side-project band with Rivers, so maybe this is intentional?

Someone print a list of best tracks from the post-Pinkerton years I need a compilation...

Do you mean when they were working on the unreleased Pinkerton follow-up, leading up to the release of Green Album? Or do you mean everything from 1997 to present?

http://www.weezersnuggie.com/

are there bootlegs of the unreleased Pinkerton follow-up?

They're cute, though.

man does the first record kick ass

somebody should have murdered Rivers after the first two

What dude I know you did not just diss the Green Album.

I only really dig about 5 Weezer songs: Buddy Holly, Jamie, Suzanne, Say it Ain't So, and The Sweater Song.
I just noticed those are all 94-95 (wiki). (maybe I should listen to their first album for once)
I own the Green Album but I never got into it. I don't think it sucks though

oops typo. I own Pinkerton

@GavinRossdale hey homie! 11:42 PM Sep 12th via web Retweeted by 1 person

RiversCuomo
Rivers Cuomo

@SaraBareilles Congrats! 1:05 AM Sep 15th via web in reply to SaraBareilles Retweeted by 1 person

RiversCuomo
Rivers Cuomo

someone asked me to d/l "say it ain't so" for them. i never liked weezer, was indifferent to buddy holly, thought sweater song was lazy, etc.

but this song is weirdly compelling. now i sort of hate myself for maybe liking it. am i living out the whole weezer vibe? were they built upon confused self-loathing?

the subconscious power of the p4k list right there

hah!

somebody should have murdered Rivers after the first two birth

Mind over mind. about 18 hours ago via web Retweeted by 72 people

RiversCuomo
Rivers Cuomo

These guys are the "Windows 95 bonus file" guys in my mind.

i also d/l'ed a 311 song for weezer person that i'm ashamed to talk about here. who said guilty pleasures no longer exist? i've done some bad things.

Youdaman! RT@freddurst love Hurley!! Timeless and timely!! about 11 hours ago via web Retweeted by 14 people

RiversCuomo
Rivers Cuomo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnELkrxsXiw

that is pretty fuckin special

hahaha no idea if yr kiddin or not but Rivers is the man