Weezer – The Red Album

Pork and Beans excited Weezer fans again. The single gave fans hope of the band returning to their glory sound of The Blue Album. Crunchy guitars, great harmonies, and Rivers Cuomo’s tongue in cheeks lyrics with a “fuck you” edge all pointed in a direction of nerd rock genius. But in every aspect where Pork and Beans soared, most of The Red Album falls flat.

It doesn’t start off that way though as Troublemaker kicks off the album on a positive note. More energetic and with a stronger beat than the single, the track is still filled with Cuomo’s signature lyrics and harmonies which make it a solid introduction to the album as it hints at the magic of The Blue Album while still maintaining a new sound of growth. The five minute Greatest Man That Every lived (Variations on A Shaker Hymn) doesn’t take that route but instead ventures down the path of experimentation. Its a genre hopping track that jumps from nerd rock to gospel choir with even glam rock elements that hint atThe Darkness and Queen. It’s an eclectic, arrogant piece of music that would cap off any album perfectly and fells oddly placed as the second song but is strong enough to pass over that bump. Pork and Beans follows before being slowed down with Heart Songs. The acoustic track gets points in my book due to it’s constant references to tracks of old and even though it lacks a certain punch it shines with lyrics like “Back in 1991 / I wasn’t havin’ any fun / ‘Till my roommate said / ” Come on and put a brand new record on” / Had a baby on it / He was naked on it / Then I heard the chords / That broke the chains / I had upon me.”

But its from that point on that the record starts getting a little wonky. Everybody Gets Dangerous sounds like the Blaqk Audio to Weezer‘s AFI. Dreamin’ would be a memorable track of classic Weezersounds had it not been place amongst the two abnormal tracks: Everybody Gets Dangerous and Thought I Knew; the latter of which doesn’t sound a thing like Weezer. It may be commendable to expand and let others take over lead vocal duties but guitarist Brian Bell’s attempt just sounds way too out of place and oddly western. Patrick’s WIlson’s Automatic and Scott Shriner’s Cold Dark World don’t do much better as they sound a little forced without much identity. Even Cuomo can’t save the final tune and The Angel and The One is simply boring – its seven minute of dull strumming and I think I’ve only been able to sit through it once.

It makes it so that The Red Album feels as if its split into two releases: one that I’ll listen to a lot and one that will never be played again. They experimented, tried for something new and it just didn’t work out. There’s still some gems in there and if they can stick to that tone then maybe on their next album they’ll deliver ten songs worthy of repeated listens instead of only four.