Putting my funny review of Weezer’s album aside, I actually wanted to review Weezer’s second album; Pinkerton.
After the mind blowing opus which is their first album, upon first listen, Pinkerton probably scared off 75% of its fan base. I know it scared me initially. A few months ago I borrowed all of Eric’s Weezer albums because I knew it would be a band I would eventually love (due to both James’ and Eric’s love of the band and how we share similar musical interests) and I decided to focus on listening to them in order.
Pinkerton hits you hard with the fact that this is not the band you grew fond of from their first album. The album is VERY raw…there are no polished barbershop quartet singing going on here. The playing has a very live feel from it (which is fine if that’s what you are going for!) and just has this hard-edge sound to it. Almost like it was literally recorded in a span of a few days over impromptu jam sessions.
I will admit it, that upon the first three listens, I really wasn’t taken with the album. It was a struggle to listen to it.
But I was once told that every great album usually takes time to love. I then found myself humming some melodies from the album and realizing I wanted to listen to it again. These songs grow on you. I popped the album in again this morning and am falling in love with it more after each listen.
All in all, I think Pinkerton is the polar opposite of Weezer’s first effort, much like the two Foundations in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series. But it doesn’t mean that it’s overly bad. In fact, it’s a very strong album and if I hadn’t heard their first album before Pinkerton, I would probably give it an easier time…but everyone compares new to the old and this is what we have.
If I even think back to the year it was made (1996), it must have been the beginning of what is considered ’emo’ rock nowadays. It’s much different than a lot of the stuff that was coming out around the time…Mellon Collie, Odelay, Tragic Kingdom, Sublime, No Code, Fashion Nugget, Recovering the Satellites…and for many years after that.
Give Pinkerton a try. You’ll be humming the melodies after awhile. Now onto Weezer’s third effort…