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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Early word on the sixth album from Weezer--and their third self-titled record, although fans, sensibly, are referring to it as 'The Red Album'--is that this is their 'experimental' record. Luckily, Rivers Cuomo isn’t interested in penning his own jazz odyssey; for him, experimental is just finding cunning ways to nuance Weezer’s stock-in-trade--crunchy, candy-sweet guitars and vocal harmonies--with new pop tricks. The sardonic lyric of "Pork and Beans" hints at a new direction: "Timabaland knows the way to reach the top of the charts," Cuomo sings, "maybe if I work with him I can perfect the art". Actually, Timbaland’s not on board, but producer Jacknife Lee brings a variety of drum machines and electronics, and Weezer rise to the challenge with some generally inspired messing around. "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Theme)" sees Cuomo adopt a gangsta rap slur over screaming sirens, while elsewhere, the other three Weezer members take a turn at the microphone. But it’s Cuomo’s songs that are the winners--notably "Heart Songs", a tribute to the songs that "never feel wrong" that swoops from melodic schmaltz to grunge scuzz with a deft invocation of Nirvana. Skip to the bonus tracks, meanwhile, for a great cover of "The Weight" that takes The Band’s original and drenches it in chundering guitars.--Louis Pattison
Review
Weezer have been releasing records with varying commercial and cult success for 14 years, and their latest offering The Red Album is quintessentially theirs, but with a somewhat misguided twist. The noticeable difference with this, their sixth effort, is that it lacks a sense of coherency and direction, probably as a result of frontman Rivers Cuomo relinquishing overall control and making the creative process a free-for-all. This has worked in places, but overall the tracks feel unfinished and distract from the increased experimentation originally intended.
Like its predecessors there are that handful of truly amazing power-pop tracks which demand you sit up and pay attention, or dance around your room. Lead single Pork and Beans, alongside Troublemaker and Everybody Get Dangerous exemplify Cuomo's signature punchy cords and lyrics, drenched in satirical wit and geeky bravado. Flanking these musical powerhouses are several slow burners which benefit from a few listens. They are like a pleasant country drive you're quite enjoying, until you realise each hedgerow looks like the next and you are left wondering why you got in the car in the first place.
The saving grace of this album is The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations On A Shaker Hymn), with a glorious mish-mash of styles, ideas and genres that would sit most happily in an obscure Swedish prog set. If this is the future of the aging Weezer then the future is sounding good. That is if the band concentrate more on this type of intensive diversity, and less on the sort of mediocre meandering on the second half of the record. An album easily dismissed on first listen, this is actually better than you think. --Milly Lewis
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Or the "Red Album" if you're losing track as this is the third self-titled Weezer album out of six. It's also the first since the debut (the Blue Album for those keeping track) to see Rivers Cuomo slightly loosen his autocratic leading of the band to let his bandmates show us their own songwriting chops.
Things didn't seem all that promising at first; not only were there rumours that this album was to see a highly experimental Weezer but record label Geffen were apparently of the opinion that the album didn't have any hits on it. The result was Pork and Beans, the album's lead single and one written entirely as a sly knock to the label's opinions. "Timbaland knows the way to reach the top of the charts" sneers Cuomo, "maybe if I work with him I can perfect the art". Ironically, of course, it turned out to be Weezer's biggest American hit in years.
Long-term Weezer fans are certainly catered for here; alongside Pork and Beans the likes of Troublemaker are the catchy pop nuggets you've come to love.
That said, there are definite departures from what you might expect. Heartsongs, which sees Cuomo list the songs and artists that have shaped his musical identity may eventually "rock out" but it's lilting and saccharine sounds take some getting used to. Nothing I write could amply explain The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations On A Shaker Hymn) to you but if you imagine six minutes of sonic eccentricity that takes in such different musical styles as metal, hip-hop, male voice choir, folk and glam rock then you get some idea of the huge scale we're talking about. More amazingly, it's a catchy track too.
Of the band members contributions, I Thought I Knew is passable, but nowhere near becoming a Weezer classic, Cold Dark World is plodding and only drummer Patrick Wilson's Automatic comes close to matching the best of what Cuomo can deliver.
Naturally, the "Red Album" is no Pinkerton (still Weezer's finest collective moment for me) but, to put it into perspective, it's nowhere near the disappointment that was Maladroit. It might not convert to many new listeners to Weezer, but those of us that have been with them for over a decade will find much to enjoy on this fine collection
Things didn't seem all that promising at first; not only were there rumours that this album was to see a highly experimental Weezer but record label Geffen were apparently of the opinion that the album didn't have any hits on it. The result was Pork and Beans, the album's lead single and one written entirely as a sly knock to the label's opinions. "Timbaland knows the way to reach the top of the charts" sneers Cuomo, "maybe if I work with him I can perfect the art". Ironically, of course, it turned out to be Weezer's biggest American hit in years.
Long-term Weezer fans are certainly catered for here; alongside Pork and Beans the likes of Troublemaker are the catchy pop nuggets you've come to love.
That said, there are definite departures from what you might expect. Heartsongs, which sees Cuomo list the songs and artists that have shaped his musical identity may eventually "rock out" but it's lilting and saccharine sounds take some getting used to. Nothing I write could amply explain The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations On A Shaker Hymn) to you but if you imagine six minutes of sonic eccentricity that takes in such different musical styles as metal, hip-hop, male voice choir, folk and glam rock then you get some idea of the huge scale we're talking about. More amazingly, it's a catchy track too.
Of the band members contributions, I Thought I Knew is passable, but nowhere near becoming a Weezer classic, Cold Dark World is plodding and only drummer Patrick Wilson's Automatic comes close to matching the best of what Cuomo can deliver.
Naturally, the "Red Album" is no Pinkerton (still Weezer's finest collective moment for me) but, to put it into perspective, it's nowhere near the disappointment that was Maladroit. It might not convert to many new listeners to Weezer, but those of us that have been with them for over a decade will find much to enjoy on this fine collection
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album is great, I know everyone has their opinions, but this is my own opinion. As a Weezer fan from 1996, this album has every single band member singing and writing on at least one tune together (respectively.)
Now, track one is Troublemaker and it gives an impression of old school Weezer, with catchy lyrics and clever hooks, this is a good opener. Track two is The Greatest Man That Ever Lived, to me this is Weezer mixing a lot of genres into one tune. Great to sing to as it bears a sound similar to that of The Beach Boys. Track three is their comeback single Pork And Beans. This particular number is a great one as it continues on from the great lyrical genius of Rivers Cuomo. Track four is Heart Songs and this is a bit of an ode to a list of artists of which has influenced frontman Rivers from early life to this point, listing the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Joan Baez in the process. Track five is Everyone Get Dangerous and this tune has got its kicks from both Rivers and bandmate Brian Bell and cheekily gives you a taste of Rolling Stones' Sympathy For The Devil.
Now on to track six and this clever little tune sounds like something that could be included on Pinkerton and has great driving melodies and hooks. Track seven Thought I Knew is a nice little acoustic tune of which guitarist Brian Bell wrote and sang on as Brian sings 'Sorry about my past life, sorry but we just missed'. Track eight is (in my opinion) Weezer's darkest song and quite ironically named Cold Dark World. This little tune was co-written by Weezer bassist Scott Shriner and lead vocalist Rivers Cuomo and it is quite the cool tune if one wants to hear a darker Weezer. Track number nine is Automatic and this tune was written by Weezers drummer Pat Wilson and is a relitively catchy tune with Pat taking up vocal duties. To finalise this, track ten is The Angel And The One and this concludes an epic album in its own right, a song written by main lyricist Rivers and it stands out being the longest tune on the album
Quite simply a great album by Weezer 10/10
Now, track one is Troublemaker and it gives an impression of old school Weezer, with catchy lyrics and clever hooks, this is a good opener. Track two is The Greatest Man That Ever Lived, to me this is Weezer mixing a lot of genres into one tune. Great to sing to as it bears a sound similar to that of The Beach Boys. Track three is their comeback single Pork And Beans. This particular number is a great one as it continues on from the great lyrical genius of Rivers Cuomo. Track four is Heart Songs and this is a bit of an ode to a list of artists of which has influenced frontman Rivers from early life to this point, listing the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Joan Baez in the process. Track five is Everyone Get Dangerous and this tune has got its kicks from both Rivers and bandmate Brian Bell and cheekily gives you a taste of Rolling Stones' Sympathy For The Devil.
Now on to track six and this clever little tune sounds like something that could be included on Pinkerton and has great driving melodies and hooks. Track seven Thought I Knew is a nice little acoustic tune of which guitarist Brian Bell wrote and sang on as Brian sings 'Sorry about my past life, sorry but we just missed'. Track eight is (in my opinion) Weezer's darkest song and quite ironically named Cold Dark World. This little tune was co-written by Weezer bassist Scott Shriner and lead vocalist Rivers Cuomo and it is quite the cool tune if one wants to hear a darker Weezer. Track number nine is Automatic and this tune was written by Weezers drummer Pat Wilson and is a relitively catchy tune with Pat taking up vocal duties. To finalise this, track ten is The Angel And The One and this concludes an epic album in its own right, a song written by main lyricist Rivers and it stands out being the longest tune on the album
Quite simply a great album by Weezer 10/10
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Attention all weezer fans
dont even contemplate spending £9 on this when the deluxe version is only £13
the extra tracks are worth £13 on their own!!!!
GO BUY THE DELUXE VERSION
Apart than that its another classic Weezer Albulm
highlights being ..... well all of them really but especially the bonus tracks
PIG,THE SPIDER & KING
dont even contemplate spending £9 on this when the deluxe version is only £13
the extra tracks are worth £13 on their own!!!!
GO BUY THE DELUXE VERSION
Apart than that its another classic Weezer Albulm
highlights being ..... well all of them really but especially the bonus tracks
PIG,THE SPIDER & KING
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
perfect!
For some reason I never noticed Weezer. So when a friend told me this group is really good I listened. And I was flabbergasted. Read more
Published on 28 Sep 2009 by J. G. Vd Warenburg
A treat: weezer has grown musically - and become even better
'The Red Album' is weezer's masterpiece so far. Don't let it fool you that the opener 'Troublemaker' is an archetype of the dynamic and melodic power rock known so well from... Read more
Published on 4 July 2008 by Bjorn Clasen
Alternative Rock at it's experimental best!
Weezer are one of those bands that stand out on their own, quite happy to mix it up with different musical styles over an Indie-Alternative-Rock backbone. Read more
Published on 2 July 2008 by J. Ody
Amaing album
Awhile back i bought The Blue Album (Deluxe Edition) to see what it was like and it was awesome. The other day i was watching tv and i saw the song Pork And Beans and i loved so i... Read more
Published on 28 Jun 2008 by MrMetalheadO'Hagan
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