After the disappointments that were 2001's Weezer ("The Green Album" ) and 2002's Maladroit, it seemed that Weezer, once one of the most promising bands in the world, were doomed. In an interview with Guitar World magazine (yes, the infamous "little bitches" interview), singer Rivers Cuomo claimed that they would put out two albums a year. In an interview with Spin, he claimed that the next record would be rap-metal. And then, in typical Weezer fashion... They disappeared.
Well, now, they're finally back with their fifth full-length album entitled Make Believe (which hits stores May 10). While it's nowhere close to their first two albums, it's also nowhere close to their last two. And - come on, let's be truthful - Could we expect any more? Regardless, this is an undoubtedly solid release for a band who has never had a solid release before (They've all been either stellar, mediocre, or just plain crappy). Weezer's matured, and it shows. But enough of this - On to the review!
Rivers Cuomo - Lead vocals/lead guitar
Brian Bell - Rhythm guitar/backup vocals
Scott Shriner - Bass/backup vocals
Pat Wilson - Drums
1) Beverly Hills - Why is it that they always pick the worst songs on the album for the singles? In "Beverly Hills", Rivers Cuomo raps (yes, raps) about wishing he was a celebrity (which he is). Yeah, yeah, the point is that even though Rivers is a celebrity, he doesn't live like them. But still. However, the subtleties in this song actually save it (Subtleties in a Weezer album again? YES!). The backing vocals are great, the bend that happens throughout the song is awesome, and the second half of the second verse ("I wanna live a life like that..." ) is stellar. However, the one thing this song is majorly lacking is a melody. Melodies, sadly, are the only thing Cuomo is consistently good at, and he throws it all away on this song. A consistent melody (instead of one only in half of a verse and kind of in the chorus) could have done wonders for this song. That, and if they took out those "Gimme gimme"s. *Shudders*
Rating: 6.5/10
2) Perfect Situation - And here is where it becomes evident that Weezer is back. This is probably the only song on the album that really retains the quirkiness of the old Weezer. It starts off with an intro similar to "The Green Album"'s "Simple Pages", and then turns into something completely different. There's a rhythmic piano in the verses as Cuomo sings lines such as "There's the pitch/Slow and straight/All I have to do is swing and I'm a hero/But I'm a zero". Then, the chorus explodes into a plethora of classic Weezer "whoa-oh"s. An instant classic.
Rating: 9.5/10
3) This Is Such a Pity - For this song, Weezer travels back in time. To 1994? No. To 1996? No. To 2002? Thank god, no. Actually, back to the 80's. Weezer sounds positively new wave here, and that's a lot better than it sounds. Cuomo's voice is insanely strong on this song, and the dueling guitar solo is somewhat reminiscent of Pinkerton. The synth makes a welcome return, even if it used in a way that's never been used in Weezer before. Overall, very strong lyrics and a very relatable theme. It's always interesting to hear Cuomo wail, "You think I'm a fascist pig!", and I'm just thankful he did it with meaning and conviction. And at the end, when the lead and backup vocals come together to say "Our love destroys us," there is finally no question that Weezer has finally returned to make their third classic album.
Rating: 9.5/10
4) Hold Me - This is probably the best song on the album. For all of the hardcore Weezer fans out there, this song is nothing new. If you've only heard the acoustic demo and not the album version yet, though, it may dismay you to hear that this is "probably the best song on the album". Well, don't worry; this song is surprising as hell. That shoddily-recorded, out-of-key demo really does not represent this song at all. It starts off with only a clean guitar and Rivers' voice; them it suddenly explodes in a fit of distortion and Cuomo's pleading voice: "Hold me/Hold me/Take me with you 'cause I'm lonely". The bridge marks the return of the classic Weezer climax. For those who have heard the demo of this song, it will be a welcome surprise; For those who haven't, it will be one of the best songs they've heard in a long, long time.
Rating: 9.5/10
5) Peace - This song is deeply emotional and heartbreakingly earnest - And it (along with "Perfect Situation" and "Haunt You Every Day" ) was written right after Maladroit! In this song, the lyrics in the acoustic verses build the desperation of the situation Rivers is singing about ("More and more/I can't say no/So afraid/Of letting go" ), and when the music stops and explodes into the chorus, you can hear it in his voice. The song climaxes in some more harmonized "whoa-oh-oh-oh"s that send shivers down your spine, and once all is said and done and the music quiets down so Rivers can softly croon "I need to find some peace", you're left with a feeling that a Weezer song hasn't given you in a long, long time.
Rating: 8.5/10
6) We Are All On Drugs - Again, why is it that they always pick the worst songs on the album for the singles? "We Are All On Drugs", Make Believe's second single, is stupid radio rock at its finest - which isn't saying much. I'm not quite sure if this is a drug anthem or an anti-drug anthem, and I don't know whether to laugh or cry when Rivers tells me that he wants to confiscate my drugs, but one thing's for sure - If it weren't for the "Give it to me!" before the chorus, this song wouldn't have even been worth listening to. That seems like a recurring theme on this album, though; there are a few songs where you're just about to turn them off, but then one little interesting thing happens that compels you to learn all the words and play it as loud as it will go. Ah, the trickery of Weezer.
Rating: 6.5/10
7) The Damage In Your Heart - This is how "Slave" (from Maladroit) would sound if Weezer actually put any thought or effort into that album. This song has heartbreak and desperation written all over it. The harmonics used throughout the song really accentuate the meaning and overall feeling of the song. The lyrics aren't bad, and the line "One more tear falling down your face doesn't mean that much to the world" provides a good visual. Overall, good song.
Rating: 8/10
8) Pardon Me - This is producer Rick Rubin's favorite song, and it's easy to see why. As Rivers sings "I tried my best/I gave my all/Sometimes my best wasn't good enough for you", you can hear the emotion and feeling in his voice. This wouldn't be a big deal for a lot of bands, but for a band that spent 2 albums trying to get rid of all feeling and emotion, this is a big deal. This song is Rivers' apology to anyone and everyone he's ever hurt before (including guitarist Brian Bell, whom he once fined $2000 for playing out of tune, and ex-bassist Mikey Welsh, whom he abandoned in his time of need). When the music gets quiet and then builds to the last chorus (I know I'm not a perfect soul/But I can learn self control/And in my heart, I feel it's true/So I will be here with you" ), it becomes the best climax Weezer has had since Pinkerton.
Rating: 9.5/10
9) My Best Friend - Sure, it's a generic pop-punk song, but think of it this way: It's the best generic pop-punk song they've ever made ("Surf Wax America" and "Why Bother?" don't count, because they're not generic). This song was going to be on the Shrek 2 soundtrack until it was pulled at the last minute (leaving the Counting Crows to take their place), and it shows: This song would've fit perfectly in the movie. It's insanely catchy, and although the lyrics aren't much ("You're my best friend/And I love you/And I love you/Yes I do" ), they've still got you singing along.
Rating: 7.5/10
10) The Other Way - This song is pretty much halfway between "Pardon Me" and "My Best Friend". It's got moments that absolutely reek of generic pop-punk, but it's also got some wonderful songcraft (okay, so I'm a sucker for handclaps; But still!). The intro has some kind of effect (what IS that?) that starts it off interestingly enough, and when it hits the chorus, you're bouncing all over again. One thing that scores high for this song, though, is the easily relatable theme (I have many doubts about my motives/I have many memories of greed/I have always hurt the one that I love/So I'll turn and look the other way" ). This mixture of generic and earnest (along with those HANDCLAPS!) make this song an interesting song that is fun to listen to.
Rating: 8/10
11) Freak Me Out - Before I had ever heard Make Believe, I read articles that described this song as "hauntingly sad" and "reminiscent of 'Butterfly' [off of Pinkerton]". All I can say is - Don't believe the press! This song starts off interestingly enough with its shivering harmonics, but then Rivers' voice comes in. To put it bluntly, he sounds like a seven-year old (albeit an incredibly calm and in-tune seven-year-old). "Man, you really freak me out, I'm so afraid of you/And when I lose my cool, I don't know what to do/I know you don't mean no harm/You're just doing your thing/But man, you really freak me out". Ugh. Brian Bell says that this song is about a spider, and, although the members of Weezer are pathological liars when it comes to interviews, I'm almost inclined to believe him. There is just no way this song could be about something serious. And the lyrics to the bridge are absolutely cringe-worthy: "I'm going to try to improve my manners/Everyone, yes, everyone is my friend". However, this song also follows the method of putting something extra in there to save the song, because right after that bridge, there is a beautiful harmonica solo.
Rating: 6.5/10
12) Haunt You Every Day - On "The Blue Album" and Pinkerton, Weezer really thought about the actual album itself and the order of the songs that would most effectively put these albums into the status of "classic". On "The Green Album" and Maladroit... Not so much. However, it's obvious that they've begun practicing this again, because "Haunt You Every Day" is the perfect album closer. One of the most epic songs since Pinkerton, this song captures emotion and intensity that is simply unparalleled in music today. When Rivers sings "I am gonna kill/When I need a thrill/Eating at the heart/Till I've had my fill", it leaves a feeling of the loneliness and emptiness that leaves you craving more. This song features great lyrics which can be interpreted in a number of different ways, and that has always been one of the best things about early Weezer. The piano sounds great and adds depth to this song, and as it explodes into the chorus ("Oh, so alone in love/So alone in love/I'm gonna haunt you every day" ), it could quite possibly be the emotional highlight of a record full of emotional highlights. It's a great way to end a great record - Weezer's first in 9 years.
Rating: 9.5/10
