9:16 PM: Weezer-The Blue Album (Deluxe Edition)


2004/Geffen
10/10

1994. The year the (shitty) music died, and Weezer was born. Weezer has Kurt Cobain's suicide to think for a good bit of it's success. In 1994, grunge was at the zenith of it's popularity, and Nirvana had established themselves, albeit unintentionally, as the godfathers of the entire genre. They were one of the most popular bands in the world, and In Utero was still riding pretty high, but that all changed in early April, 1994. Kurt Cobain decided that grunge was bullshit and didn't want to go on making/performing/living grunge music, and committed suicide. Everyone finally figured out that grunge is one of the most horrible genres of music ever created, and that Nirvana was the only band to transcend their genre and make something worthwhile. Soon, people were looking for something new and different, and a month later, in May 1994, =w=eezer arrived. Weezer became a huge success, and for good reason.
The Blue Album is one of the most deceptively simple albums ever recorded. Their influences bleed through rather clearly, especially in 'Undone (the sweater song)' (Pixies), 'Say It Ain't So' (more Pixies/Nirvana), 'Holiday' (The Cars), 'Surf Wax America' (Elvis Costello), and 'Only In Dreams'(Sonic Youth). Despite the obvious influences, however, they end up with a collection of songs that sound quite distinct. Many bands have tried to write pre-Green Album Weezer songs (including post-Green Album Weezer), and almost everyone has failed. It's not easy to duplicate the urgent harmonies of 'My Name Is Jonas,' the constrained glee of 'Buddy Holly,' or the completely unironic, uncorny sentimentality of 'In The Garage.' So, while the music might sound a bit familiar upon first listening, after a few times through, it becomes clear that Weezer is onto something brilliant, a sound all it's own: geek-punk.
There isn't a song that's even remotely bad on the new deluxe edition, until you hit the second disc, made up entirely of live cuts, B-sides, and alternate versions of Blue Album tracks. Most of the old B-sides are great, including 'Susanne,' a story of a man, and his love for a baboon (or at least that's what Mallrats would have you to believe), and 'Mykel and Carli,' 'Paperface,' and 'Jamie,' who's quality suggests that they were three of the last songs cut from The Blue Album. The live songs, 'My Name Is Jonas,' and 'Surf Wax America,' are solid, but nothing amazing, if you've ever heard Weezer live. The alternate versions of 'Jamie,' 'Undone,' 'Say It Ain't So,' and 'No One Else' are completely unnecessary, as they are all inferior to the original versions, but are probably of some interest to most Weezer Fans.
Overall, this is one of the most important debut albums of the last ten years. It ushered in an entire sub-genre of music, brought emo to the mainstream, and still maintains it's artistic merit ten years later. Legendary.


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