Weezer - Make Believe REVIEW
I had heard very good things about this new one from Weezer ... and of course, you all know that I am not one that gets sucked into the hype, rriiiggghtt LOL -- I had held off a bit because the first time I heard "Beverly Hills", I was like ehh okay
But I liked their last album, the green album well enough ... so I decided to take the dive, as I read more reassuring things about it, and liked the clips pretty okay
Weezer - Make Believe REVIEW: A-
It's hard to believe that this is album #5 from Weezer. I have always thought that their blue album was one of the best from the 90s, hands down
For a band known for keeping it short and simple, the dance into 3 1/2 to 4 minute songs is worth the trip in Make Believe. Standing at a over-long 45 minutes (yes, I am being sarcastic), this album is a return to form for Weezer, in many ways tracking back into blue album and Pinkerton territory ... making for a nice blend of the frivolous and the serious, and showing a confidence that the band does not need to be either/or about its music
The album kicks off with the hit single, Beverly Hills, and yes, I was slow to warm to it -- but now I am totally into it, it is very much classic Wzr in that it is very smart lyrically, riffs off of the classic Queen We Will Rock You -- big riff, stomp stomp clap -- catchy as hell and makes me laugh ... it is what happens when "In My Garage" off blue album guy grows up in reality TV/Entertainment Tonight/crash TV-ville
The followup track, Perfect Situation, seems to be getting groomed on radio stations as the next single -- this one is closer to the classic sound of blue, the interesting addition is using the piano to provide rhythm on the verse
The next track, This Is Such A Pity, has an ironic The Cars retro sound to it, very good and listenable -- I really like how the first three songs keep it together and draw the listener nicely into the possibility of listening to the WHOLE album
Hold Me has such a simple 50s rock ballad style verse, it's really cool -- the chorus comes crashing in with the very Wzr guitar and vocal harmonies -- very solid track
Peace is such a listener friendly FM radio sounding song, I have to think that it would be hard to believe if this one wasn't designed with the radio in mind, just a really solid alt radio friendly track ... it's funny that such a listenable song, has as it's urgent repeated ending "I need to find some peace"
We Are All On Drugs is a classic Wzr chugger with the big satirical arena rock chorus ... Whoo! ... another solid one on an album whose first six tracks is really a notice to the world that Weezer is back with an album that
The Damage In Your Heart is a unique blend of an alt folk sensibility within the Wzr chug framework ... this one is one of my favorite tracks on this one, a bit of a different flavor to the things that I love about the Wzr sound
There is a very personal apology within the Buddy Holly 2005 goodness of Pardon Me -- in many ways, this track shows the growth of Wzr in the past 10, maintaining its ability to write catchy guitar driven alt rock that is ear candy and mind candy
I have just noticed that I have been Weezerized (my term) again -- there is a point where you are listen to a Wzr album and you notice that you have really been liking it and time is flying off the clock like no one's business
My Best Friend comes at you all guns blazing ... in many ways is a 2000s take on the simple, powerful thoughts behind Queen's You're My Best Friend
The Other Way just bursts out of the gates, in many ways hitting one in the face with its catchy goodness
Freak Me Out has a such a simple guitar tones line ... and the lyrics are "are they serious" ... the song is also very solid and listenable
Haunt You Every Day is a dark little piano ballad that has such melancholy lyrics meshed so well with the wonderful arrangement here of soft verses and loud crunchy choruses
The ironic thing after the last palm came off the guitar in Haunt You ... I felt sad, like "is that all?", in a I want more way, never has 45 minutes been shorter
This album is really a very strong effort by Weezer and my wish for the listen your way through CD has been granted ... I guess there really was a longing in me for a rock album that hasn't really been satisfied so far this year. Well, thanks to Rivers and the boys, the rock guitar is back on all my audio players and it has never been more listenable
Very highly recommended ... this one is an A- and rising
Closing notes
This is turning out to be a great year for the music lovers ... music from The Killers, Keane, and Rilo Kiley that will not die, showing the depth of these slightly older great recent discs ... lots of great stuff from new bands like Athlete, good new stuff from HHH, and for those fans of bands wanting a resurgence, there is just a ton of great music on the recent discs from New Order, Erasure ... and now Weezer
At this point, it's really hard to point out who I think has been the best so far this year ... check back with me on Memorial Day when I will try to make sense of the year thus far for the SL playlist ... I mean, isn't that what Memorial Day radio is all about, we shall farce and satire forward as always LOL