Album Review: Weezer's Pinkerton Deluxe Edition

What makes Weezer so loved?  Well before you answer that, why don't you answer me why Weezer is so often hated now a days?  It could be because their last two albums were entitled "Hurley" and "Raditude". It could be because a newer song of theirs, "Can't Stop Partying", featured the likes of Lil Wayne rapping in between a verse and the chorus.  Or maybe the fact that for every CD the band tends to put out (what is it, 2 CDs every 6 months?) they still keep experimenting between sounds.  No matter how many songs they release they will always have a "Weezer-ish" sound going for them, but there had to be a reason why everyone loved them to begin with.

Weezer started their career in 1994 with their self-titled debut album, also known as "The Blue Album".  With their crazy style and grudge alt-rock sound, they shot up to the charts with songs like "Buddy Holly", "Undone the Sweater Song", and "Say It Ain't So".  After that the band quickly got back in the studio to begin work on what would surly be more of the same material, to continue a blue album-type formula for their entire career.

Or not.

There's plenty of back story to Pinkerton but I simply don't want to bore you with the details.  Of course if you're interested in purchasing the Deluxe Edition of this superior album, then I suppose you know a little bit of what you're getting yourself into.  Long story made short, Weezer's Rivers Cuomo went to Harvard after the success of "The Blue Album" and had a procedure done to his knee.  Turns out one knee was shorter than the other and hindered his ability to run and play his first love, soccer.  You can imagine Cuomo holed up in Harvard during the cold winter months of 1995, having crunches help him to classes when he needed them.

The worst part of going to Harvard, besides the fact that it's a rough school, was the fact that poor Rivers didn't get any recognition from any of the girls there.  I guess they never saw the amazing "Buddy Holly" music video or heard "Say It Ain't So" a thousand times on the radio that past summer.  Nobody cared about Rivers and he was to say the least, really freaken bummed.  What does depression and loneliness do to you?  It makes you write amazing deep, honest songs!

So in the spring of 1996, Rivers presented the songs he'd written to his band, to which they then prescribed him some Prozac and they all wrote "Island in the Sun" and became famous once again! Ok kidding, they wrote Pinkerton.  And this deluxe edition does not disappoint.  It's all here, the original album, re-mastered, from the first track "Tired of Sex" to the beautiful acoustic ending of "Butterfly".  Rivers and gang pours their hearts out on this album and it certainly shows.

"Getchoo" is probably my least favorite track on Pinkerton but that's just because the lyrics are slightly weak compared to the rest of the lyrical content here.  That might be because right after "Getchoo" is "No Other One" and "Why Bother?".  They're two quick and honest songs describing how Cuomo can't get over one particular person and yet he knows that at the end of all of this, he'll only get his heart broken by them.  "Maybe we can even get together, maybe you could break my heart next summer" is a fantastic line sung in "Why Bother?" that speaks volumes on how Cuomo feels towards relationships and the girls he picks.

The true highlight of the album and Weezer's career comes next, with "Across the Sea".  A Japanese fan letter reached Rivers in the late summer of 1995, requesting a song written for her.  Rivers was so touched by the nature of the letter and the fact that somebody actually knows him, that he writes a fantastic and kind of too-honest-to-be-shared song about her.  Lyrics like, "I wonder how you touch yourself at night" could of course freak people out, but the fact remains he's simply expressing his true feelings of frustration toward the opposite sex and how he can never seem to get love.  Whether it's because the girl lives in Japan or turns out to be a lesbian (as is the case in "Pink Triangle"), poor Rivers can't seem to catch a break in this album.

First single, "El Scorcho", is a standout track if only to let the listener realize how Rivers gets his feelings out on music.  "How stupid is it?  I can't talk about it.  I gotta sing about it, and make a record oh..." is some of my faovrite lyrics from Pinkerton.  He always seems to be self-aware of his situation and utitlizes that awareness to a great, honest, and poignant level. Just look at the last song on the record, "Butterfly" to see those qualities shine.  The second single, "The Good Life" (video below), was the only real catchy song that tried to show Rivers pain and frustration with some humor thrown in.



But enough about the original album, lets talk about the Deluxe Edition. Granted a lot of the orginal tracks have live versions from either reading festivals or radio performances, but they can be interesting some situations.  Personally, while I can't believe all of the editing used to create a "radio mix" of "The Good Life" or "El Scorcho", it's nice to have those versions in there for purists.  Still, if you do happen to listen to the 2 discs in order, you're going to hear some songs 5 times in different variations.  Which can certainly make you go a little crazy.

We get "You Won't Get With Me Tonight" to start off with.  This, like many of the B-sides, are from Cuomo's failed attempt at writing and releasing what would have been Weezer's 2nd album, Songs From the Black Hole.  It's a great little song that has the Jonas and Maria characters fully intact.  "Long Time Sunshine" was supposed to have closed the original album out but they opted for "Butterfly", which I think was a great choice, however "Sunshine" has enough steam and power to really sustain itself.  "Getting Up and Leaving" is really a lyrical powerhouse of talking about memories and getting back to what feels good.  It's just like Weezer's newest songs, "Memories"!  Yeah.......huge stretch eh?

But amoung all the extras we do get here, including a funny 90 second interview in which Rivers explains the differences between their 1st and 2nd albums, nothing compares to "Tragic Girl".  Without a doubt I am very pissed this track was recorded and then cast aside for 14 years.  What the hell was Weezer thinking?! I honestly believe this is the kind of song that could've easily fit and made Pinkerton an 11 track masterpiece (it already is, but hey, if you can add another track in there and not screw up the formula, more power to you).  I won't ruin the song for you, but lyrical content and the way Rivers sings is just the icing on the cake.  I simply adore this song and can't reccommend it any more.

Overall, this Deluxe version is for the fans.  The die hard fans that need a new Weezer song that doesn't just disappoint over and over will be thrilled for this release.  If you've never heard Pinkerton, this is a fantastic chance to get even more than you bargained for in a CD.  However I highly reccommend listening to the original album a few times before delving into the bonus tracks and alternative takes.  There's no reason not to get excited about one of the best albums of the 90's than to listen to it in all of it's glory, B-sides, interviews, and live tracks combined.