I was first introduced to Weezer back in 1996, the same year they came out with their sophomore album Pinkerton. I wasn’t very old at the time, but I really enjoyed listening to the Blue album more than any other album that I owned. The music wasn’t very complicated, simple rock pop music with some nice catchy hooks and some emotion. The thing that I enjoyed most is how powerful the music was. After this I picked up the bands sophomore album and was a bit confused with the sound. The album was dark, dreary, and filled with depressing emotion. Pinkerton slowly grew on me as I got older and became one of my favorite albums at the time. Weezer became one of my favorite bands in the late 90's, I really wished that they had a few more albums I could listen to. A few years went by and I heard that Weezer was releasing a new album, I was simply ecstatic. On the day that it came out I rushed to the store and picked it up, came home and popped the cd in.
After the first four tracks I realized what I was getting into. The album seemed lazy and almost to poppy. I was shocked and upset at the change, it was like Rivers Cuomo was hiding something. Five years ago he dedicated an album to himself that was honest and full of angst-ridden emotion. Now Rivers decides to turn things around and go for a more upbeat pop style, things seemed a little fishy.
I managed to completely get through the whole album without stopping once. There was one major lineup change that I failed to notice but than it caught my eye. Matt Sharp left the band in the late 90's to make other music with the Rentals, and Weezer wound up replacing him with some unknown character. I’m sure this isn’t the reason for the whole emotion change from Pinkerton but it has an effect on the music considering that the bass doesn’t quite live up to the bands last two albums.
Now that we have realized hat Weezer has changed their music to “pop-rock” I’ll start describing the album by itself rather than making comparisons to the bands prior albums. If there is one thing that the Green album accomplishes it’s that the music is upbeat and catchy while not being overly annoying. Things range from slow, mellow, pop tunes to some heavier rock songs. Upbeat guitar riffs, soothing basslines and basic drum beats. There is nothing mind blowing about this album, but there is nothing awful about it. Simple, rock, pop songs is what Green is all about, and it never really ventures off from the basic sound it contains.
The only problem with the new basic pop sound of the album is that things are quite boring and stale. Although the upbeat nature of the album is appealing and fun at first things wear thin after a few listens. The poppy guitar riffs become old and bland and the overall sound of the album gets repetitive fast. Rivers vocal delivery is a contributing aspect that makes the Green album so repetitive. Cuomo sounds extremely relaxed and calm, he sings like he doesn’t have a care in the world. I know I said that I wouldn’t make anymore comparisons, but it is simply unavoidable. Rivers has lost all of the deep emotion in his voice, now it seems like he is singing just to appeal to a more commercial crowd. His high pitched, mellow voice doesn’t change much throughout the album and because of this everything seems to run together.
Despite the dismal replay value and loss of intensity, the Green album will appeal to a larger commercial crowd of people. If you just need some simple, pop rock music to sing a long to than you will want to pick this album up. Everything is catchy, and you will be singing a long to the choruses as soon as you get the album. If you are not really into Weezer than this will be a great addition, after all it does contain the radio friendly singles “Hashpipe” and “Island in the Sun.” Come to think of it, any song off the album could have passed as a decent single because they all have the same structure and they are all easy to listen to.
The Green album was released in 2001, five years after their sophomore album. The thing that irritates me most about this whole thing is that the album clocks in at 28 minutes, I have some ep’s that are just as long as this album. So Weezer decided to take a brief break and that is fine by me, but to come back with a watered down 60's pop album is not acceptable. At the same time the Green album is not exactly bad, but just not up par with what they are capable of doing.
This is a poor album, it lacks energy, emotion, power, and instrument talent. I was extremely pumped when I heard this album was coming out, and I was disgusted and disappointed when I first heard it. Even when I make no comparisons to any other Weezer albums the music just isn’t that attention grabbing. If you enjoy simple pop music than go ahead and pick this up, its 28 minutes of pure 60's pop music. Green has no raw edge, or any emotion. It sounds like four fraternity boys in college creating an album over a weekend, nothing stands out and everything is made up of guitar riffs, simple melodies, and a big shot singing in a smooth, confident voice who just got out of a huge depression.
