WEEZER
Pinkerton

Submitted by: Tyler Dumont

After the success of Weezer's first self titled album, or "The Blue Album" as fans affectionately call it, frontman singer/songwriter/musical genius Rivers Cuomo went into hiding. Well, he grew a beard. Enrolled at Harvard for his first semester, Rivers would constantly become full of pain due to a leg brace that he had to crank a half an inch to lengthen one leg. Who'd want to go out after that? Clearly not Rivers. Needless to say, he became a recluse and painted his walls and windows black. He even disconnected his phone, and in this room which many would consider depressing and uninspiring, Rivers wrote the best and most relatable songs he'd ever written.

Songs about being lovelorn and lost. Songs about being tired of groupie sex, then wanting to get back to the "good life". Songs about wanting a girl whom you can't have, all layed over beautiful vocals, distorted angry guitars, pounding drums, melodies, and climaxes. A line from the song "El Scorcho" states the whole mood of the album: "How stupid is it? I can't talk about it, I gotta sing about it and make a record of my heart. How stupid is it? won't ya give me a minute? just come up to me and say hello to my heart. How stupid is it? For all I know you want me to, maybe you just don't know what to do, or maybe you're scared to say 'i'm falling for you' "

Sound familiar? this is the palate most of today's emo-rock bands, and you'd think this album would a smash it, right? Wrong. Pinkerton was way ahead of it's time. Like "voted 2nd worst album of 1996 in rolling stone" ahead of it's time

After this, Rivers became very depressed, and the band went on hiatus. In the years following the hiatus emo-rock had gotten popular, and Pinkerton was now a "cult-classic". Rolling Stone Magazine recently re-reviewed it and gave it 5 stars and put it in their hall of fame.

So you're looking for something you can relate to? Well, from the raunchy solos and rock of "Tired of Sex", to the beautiful acoustic album closer "Butterfly", Pinkerton's rollercoaster ride is right for you.