In 1994 Weezer released their debut album, Blue; and became one of the most popular bands in the post-grunge era of music. But instead of following it up with an LP that used the same blueprint of quirky and kind songs about sweaters and surfing; Weezer ended up releasing a frustrated, awkward, and highly personal album, called Pinkerton.
A move that was torn to shreds by critics and fans who wanted another "Buddy Holly". Pinkerton doesn't have many lighthearted moments like "Surf Wax America", but instead, it opts to give the listener cathartic bursts of raw emotion, and sexual frustration.
The opener "Tired of Sex" starts with noisy guitar sounds, and soon kicks into a loud and rhythm section fueled jam that has a killer guitar solo. "No Other One" features one of front man Rivers Cuomo's most impassioned vocal performances, and like almost every song on Pinkerton, a metric ton of distortion.
In fact, one of the reasons Pinkerton was canned upon release was because of the production, which was handled entirely by the band. However, in recent years, critics praise the album for how forward thinking it was in terms of sound. And with good reason; all of the songs here ( save for the closer "Butterfly") are rollicking affairs that paint a sonic picture for the intense lyrics underneath them.
On a more personal note, Pinkerton was among the albums that inspired me to really get into music; and actually helped me through some hard times with it's raw sound and profoundly heartfelt lyrics.
I mean, come one, "El Scorcho" and "Pink Triangle" may be two of the greatest songs about unrequited love ever written, and "Butterfly" still has the power to bring a tear to my eye.
If you haven't given Pinkerton a listen yet, I implore you to do so. It's a bit awkward, and can be downright outrageous at times. But once it sinks in, this album has the ability to stick in your mind for weeks on end.
10/10
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