Weezer - Maladroit Review/Counter Review #1
Posted by Vanderhorst on 09.11.2002
The band melds the pop-rock hooks of the Green Album with the emotional lyrics of Pinkerton to make their most complete album yet.
The Lowdown: Weezer's fourth disc opens up with “American Gigolo,” a rather average song detailing Rivers’ stance on women this time around, a far cry from the hopeless romance of Pinkerton.
The debut single, “Dope Nose,” follows. It's a charging song that provides a window into Rivers Cuomo's various drug problems and his wariness of the possibility that he could always slip back into them.
The second single, “Keep Fishin’,” keeps the feel of the album up with another great effort. Weezer wasn't actually sure whether they preferred Dope Nose or this as the best track on the album, so they sent both tunes out to radio stations and had the fans choose via their website, which was a cool way to acknowledge their following. This lost by a VERY slim margin, and I personally feel it's a better tune. And yes, this is the song from the Muppet video.
“Take Control” does exactly that with an assertive guitar line and pained lyrics describing a relationship that Rivers is attempting to end without any messy double-talk that could hurt them later, something we've all suffered from at one point or another.
“Death and Destruction” is as mopey and aimless as the title suggests, as Cuomo drifts through an effortless little piece about his sadness. Not a great song, but not a bad one either, with some nifty experimental guitar licks in there to hold it together.
The sixth tune is a kickass entry, “Slob,” which is about one's realization that his life is going nowhere and trying to kick oneself's own ass into getting the initiative to change your life. Not a very motivating song, but I'm sure many of us have been at the point where we can find empathy with it.
My friend Matt loves “Burndt Jamb,” the following track, but I don't see what makes it so special. It's a good song with no faults, but I just don't “get” what sets it apart from other tracks. Decent enough, though, with a nice bassline.
Despite having a cool name, “Space Rock” is another unremarkable song that merely constitutes filler. Weezer filler is damn good stuff though, so it's all good so far.
“Slave” picks it up a bit, waxing melancholic about being stuck in a relationship where there is no love, merely emptiness, which leads to problems and an overall feeling of hopelessness.
“Fall Together” is a more hopeful piece, which seems to evoke that feeling when one realizes they have an affection for someone and that intensifies, and they can imagine spend the rest of their life with that person, even if it passes within a few days. Well, that's what I got out of it.
“Possibilities” continues the upward swing, as the dour self-pity is replaced by feelings of love and hope for the future. This song starts out euphoric to the possibilities of love realized, but then is cut away when she leaves him, and we head back on the road of sorrow.
In “Love Explosion,” Rivers sheds off criticism and says fuck it to any problems, just embracing the joy of love. To hell with love, he declares, we've got each other and that's all that matters. An excellent tune.
The album closes out with the more depressed “December,” an anthem for hopeless romantics that absolutely need affection to find any real happiness.
The Bonuses: There are no hidden tracks, but there is an enhanced CD section brimming with videos. The first video is called “The Quiet Storm,” which is two clips of Rivers composing songs for the album. Another video is called “The Cobo Challenge,” in which drummer Pat Wilson proves how easily entertained he can be. The section also features live performances of “Dope Nose,” Death and Destruction,” “Burndt Jamb,” “Keep Fishin’” and “Take Control.”
