Customer Reviews

Pinkerton [Vinyl]

5 star:		(457)
4 star:		(46)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

here it is - this is the album that drove Rivers into seclusion for several years, writing songs for himself in his room and throwing them away.

this is the album where he felt liberated, where he would be creating this new sound for everyone. the emotional nakedness he hinted at in Weezer (funky blue cover) became fully realized here. not only his voice showed his emotions, you can hear it in every note of his fractured guitar - the soaring, pins and needles feeling it elects out of you with every solo, every vibrato. the music drove you because he sang about a pain not only secular to him, it's an album he made for YOU just as much as him. you almost wanted to grab cuomo and tell him everything will be alright by the end of Butterfly, crying and muttering to yourself how your girlfriend/boyfriend is an idiot.

a funny thing happened. about the time this album came out, power-pop/punk was going on it's way out. this cd was left on the side, pushed away in favor of nameless bands long forgotten. only making gold (as opposed to the 4 million weezer sold), cuomo freaked and closed the door on his musical career for awhile to sort through it all.

earlier this year, cuomo and company came out just enough to hammer enough songs to make a new album, one just released earlier this month. Weezer (funky green cover) seems to be poised as a new beginning for this band. the switch from blue to green, the retro-funky clothes - you can tell from the beginning that this is the same weezer you loved...but...somethings...just...different. something doesn't add up, that's only confirmed when you come back and listen to Pinkerton right after dispensing Weezer (green) out of your cd player.

Pinkerton's emotional beauty, the harsh nakedness and razorblade rhythm cuts deep. every song makes you want to sing, not only because of the melody (which is outstanding), but because you FEEL his pain. Tired of Sex, Across the Sea, Good Life - these are the songs i yell while i'm driving to work, cd-player blasted up, anger and energy thrown on top of it. critics blasted this at first because they expected meandering pop w/o substance. they bought into spike jonzes' videos about weezer - the geeky sensibility, the happy-go-lucky charm. it took critics years before they realized how amazing this album truly is - after rivers locked himself into his room, after everyone forgot who weezer even were.

the green album that was released but only a few days ago. where pinkerton soars and climaxes, green takes a calculated approach and just bops. cuomo hasn't the power anymore to show us what he feels in his music. for better or for worse, pinkerton scared him off that path. from now on, it seems as if cuomo will become another faceless/nameless songwriter who hides behinds his lyrics (albeit still VERY good songs).

so here is pinkerton - on one hand one of the best albums released in the 90s, yet simultaneously something which drove its creator to the brink of depression. the weezer you see now is 1/2 of their former self. here they are at their height.

Pinkerton... where to begin? Most Weezer fans favor either this album or the Blue Album as Weezer's best (the Green Album is generally accepted as inferior to these two). The majority of them favor Pinkerton. But why? Pinkerton was a commercial failure, at least compared to the Blue Album. When it was first released, no one liked it. Not even me.

But time changes everything. When I first heard Pinkerton, I thought, "Whoa, Rivers, what do you think you're doing?" (Rivers Cuomo is the band's frontman.) On the surface, Pinkerton sounds like a desperate, overly emotional and possibly even annoying this-is-my-life-story kind of album. With time, it evolves into one of the most mind-blowingly awesome rock albums of the nineties.

To what do we owe this bizarre transition? All that I can figure is that people tend to hear without listening. When they first hear Pinkerton, they think, "Man, this doesn't sound cool." They don't really pay attention to what they're hearing.

After a while, they begin to pay attention to the words, the rhythms, the infectious melodies, and then they're hooked. To everyone's surprise, the music all of a sudden sounds really, really good. I'm talking good enough to bring about vicarious happiness, anger, longing and sadness - maybe even enlightenment. Trust me, it's happened with a lot of people.

Join the club. Buy this album.

As a huge weezer fan perhaps I'm a little jaded. Some of the music can seem left of the mark the first time you hear it, but it doesn't take long for it to grow on you. Pinkerton is a beutiful album right down to the cover art. Weezer's first album had some great singles, but the album's continuity as a whole doesn't compare to Pinkerton. It paints a sacharine lamenting picture that pays off at the end. this isn't to say that it doesn't have any good singles, songs like "The Good Life", "El Scorcho" will leave you humming for days. The first track is one of my favorites. "Tired of Sex" is driving and begs to be played loud. Other hard tracks include: "Getchoo", and "Why Bother". What really makes this album shine, and weezer itself, so special, is lead, Rivers Cuomo's superior skill at writing beutifull melodies. His lyrics are honest, emotional, easy to relate to, and at times even funny. Pinkerton has no lack of melancholy love songs: "Across the Sea", "Pink Triangle"(one of my favorites), "No other One", and the acoustic "Butterfly". These songs are sweet, moody, and honest from their simple lyrics to Rivers' waivering voice. This album is a masterpiece, and Weezer's best to date.

Weezer released The Blue Album in 1994. It had three top 10 modern rock hits with Undone-The Sweater Song, Buddy Holly, and Say It Ain't So. Needless to say a lot was riding on them to release the same quirky pop album that got them where they were. 1996's Pinkerton was a commercial failure. An embarrassment to the man they call Cuomo. Although it failed miserably, I consider it to be one hell of a growth spurt for four geeky guys who started a band on Valentine's Day of 1992.

Pinkerton proved that two years can make a band more mature and be able to freelance a little bit. But the record pretty much fell on deaf ears. And that is a shame. Although it shares no resemblance to its predecessor, Pinkerton was the best post grunge-grunge record ever. It was angry and mean but it was also sincere. Yeah it may not have been poppy or what not, but as a musician you don't want to get stuck in a formula. That's why it's sort of a depressing thing that it didn't do as well. It's now found its way into the hands of geeky emo kids everywhere and has been pretty much the influence of emo rockers like The Get Up Kids and Saves The Day. Not bad for an album that went gold in the year 2000, four years after it was released.

I honestly will say that Pinkerton is the best weezer album ever and it's a damn shame that Mr. Cuomo refuses to play only one Pinkerton track on tour. So as a homage to my favorite band I must praise them for taking a ballsy approach on such a great record and I am glad to give it 5 out of 5 stars. I mean it deserves that much. I'm not the only music critic that would call this album a masterpiece. So the cheese doesn't stand alone. Rock on!

One thing about this CD that strikes me very odd is how much criticism Cuomo and Weezer received for this album. Opening with a ferocious track in "Tired of Sex," halfway through a monster love ballad in "Across the Sea," then ending the CD with a depressing, but very well written song in "Butterfly," overall I would absolutely make this your first Weezer CD, that is if you don't already some, but if you don't have this one. I would stake my life on it that you would like it.

1. Tired of Sex: 9/10
Opening this CD with its monster drum beat, and the screeching Rivers leave me in awe of this song it will immediately ring in your head for days to come. Awesome.

2. Getchoo: 8/10
"I never meant to do all that I've done to you please baby say its not too late." Another extremely catchy song, with a very strong chorus. GETCHOO!!!!

3. No Other One: 8/10
Where would we be without the classic Weezer high pitched squeal, masterfully played out in this one. Another strong chorus, but that's not a bad thing.

4. Why Bother?: 9/10
What did I say about those powerful drum beats. Even the musically challenged can pick up on it. This song keeps picking up until an extremely well played ending, multiple laired with backup vocal, power riffs, and a Weezer classic drum beat

5. Across the Sea: 10/10
Powerful beyond words..."I've got your letter, you've got my song." This song starts out slower with a distorted guitar on the right, and a quiet piano going on the left, keeps it slow until about 2:20 into it, the guitar solo, touching. Then after the slower portion, it builds up until an explosion of an ending. O.K. maybe it wasn't powerful beyond words.

6. The Good Life: 10/10
"As everything I need is denied me and everything I want is taken away from me but who do I got to blame? Nobody but me." I don't really know how to describe this one, another power Weezer riff, drum beat, chorus everything that one would and will come to love about this band all packed up and rolled into one song.

7. El Scorcho: 9/10
Quirky. One word to describe this song. This song is unlike everything that I have heard and seen Weezer do, but somehow it works, this song is sloppy, abstract guitar, squeaky singing, but it works, that's all I have to say about it. It works. Then there comes the 2 minute mark in the song and unbelievable tempo change that will be in my favorite for quite some time. It works.

8. Pink Triangle: 10/10
A depressing but comedic turn on love: "I'm dumb she's a lesbian, I though I had found the one, we were good as married in my mind, but married in my minds no good." Obviously if you haven't picked it up this one is about falling in love and after a long relationship she turns out to be a lesbian. My favorite quote from this album is a desperate cry, but funny at the same time: "Everyone's a little queer; oh can't she be a little straight." Depressing but funny, great song.

9. Falling For You: 8.5/10
Another love song, it's charming. I like you way too much my baby I'm afraid I'm fallin' for you...or maybe I would rather settle down with you." What wouldn't a girl give to have the one they are pining for say this to them. Catchy chorus and whining guitar makes this one, one of my favorites.

10. Butterfly: 10/10
I could go on and on and on about this song, emotional, real. This is my favorite Weezer song of all time, this song with only an acoustic guitar and the occasional bass pedal going from the drums give this song, and the album a ending of the ages. This one is the one that slipped away...and you slip away into the song, you will melt into it. Excellent ending for an excellent album.

Overall this is Weezer's best album, so what the "critics" didn't like it, it's all about you and me, and what we think. This album will be in my steady rotation for years to come. I suggest that you give this one a try I guarantee that you will not regret it.

Creepy, dark, disturbed . . . and totally awesome. THE MOST underrated album of all time. Waiting two years after releasing the Blue Album was a gamble. Bands and record labels know they have to strike while the iron's hot. But releasing the dark, moody Pinkerton after the more pop-oriented and melodic Blue Album was career suicide (until their comeback with the Green Album). America wasn't ready for a dark Weezer; they wanted more "Buddy Holly". Which is really too bad. The lyrics on this album are amazing; real and totally emotional. When I listen to this CD, I can't just listen to one or two songs, instead I usually listen to the whole album. This CD does take repeated listenings to really appreciate, however. But even now, I find something on the album I love that I didn't notice before.
The jerky guitar at the beginning verse of "The Good Life" followed by the catchy chorus is probably the most listener-friendly song on the album. It's tied with "El Scorcho" for my favorite. The sad but funny lyrics of "Pink Triangle" and the confession-like "Tired of Sex" are also standouts, along with the quietly beautiful "Butterfly". Even the weakest track, "Across the Sea" is fantastic, with a gorgeous (if too short) piano intro.
Unfortunately, I don't think Weezer will ever release another CD like Pinkerton. However, I'll always cherish this album.

Rolling Stone magazine named "pinkerton" the second worst album of 1996 (in 1996). And that's the kind of shame Rivers Cumo had to carry around all throughout the second half of the 90s, growing to hate his album untill the early 2000's when it found a new audience of sensitive "emo" types. He still hates it, but at least now it's appreciated, and before he saw the public's reaction to "pinkerton", it's reasonable to say that he was pleased with his baby. The fact is that "pinkerton" wasn't a bad release, it was released at a bad time. The Pavement meets arena rock irony of the blue album is gone. This album isn't a joke, or not much of one anyways, but an intimate diary of a dreary season at Harvard. Basically, it's about girls. Apparently, the fame of the blue album isn't bringing Cumo much satisfaction sexually or mentally, and he feels frustrated enough about it to write a darker, more honest album. I have to say, this album has a far more rock feel. A lot less bubblegum and alot louder. But beneath the distortion, it's still a fragile geek masterminding the direction. It is an effective album, just a bit of a shocker following such a poppy debut. But it was made to be loved. It locks in and kills the target and bursts with depressing but still kind of bubbling sweet alternative gem.

Weezer's second major release, Pinkerton, is destined to be one of the greatest albums of all time. And it really IS an album, in the true sense of the word. The songs all flow smoothly from one to the next - emotionally and compositionally.

Rivers Cuomo, the brains in the Weezer outfit (songwriter, lead singer, etc.), is a true melodist, and the melodies found on the Pinkerton tracks are some of his finest. Pinkerton follows a deeper trajectory than Weezer's self-titled debut album.

Cuomo borrowed the name "Pinkerton" from John Luther Long's story, Madame Butterfly, in which Pinkerton was a US Naval officer who married a Japanese geisha and eventually deserted her, resulting in her suicide. Indeed, the whole album is loosely themed on Madame Butterfly (indeed, Rivers saw a little of Lieutenant Pinkerton in himself) - most notably the beautiful final track, "Butterfly", which is the only slow ballad (and only acoustic track) on the album.

Pinkerton has a much darker sound than any of Weezer's other albums. At times, the sound can be almost neurotic, but as the emotion is genuine, nothing strikes the listener as superficial.

Cuomo's lyrics discuss many topics - sex, the life of a rock musician, unrequited love, relationships, rejection, and (in the song "Pink Triangle") having a crush on a girl who you think is straight, but who ends up being a lesbian. (Doesn't that just happen to us ALL at some point in time?) ;-)

In short, this album, despite its initial unfavorable public reception, has won its way into the hearts of all who have given it a chance. Pinkerton remains Weezer's crowning achievement, and indeed the pinnacle of 90's rock.

Simply put, Weezers "commercial failure" is a masterpiece. Devoid of the poppy, generic, commercial feeling that the the Green album displays, and far more emotional than the blue, this album is simply amazing. I cannot figure out why this album was dubbed a "failure", when it manages to convey emotion and both musical and lyrical progression. Weezer's debut album held promise. Unfortunately, their follow up album was disregarded by expectant fans and media alike. I found this album refressing, however. The album is rough without sounding unpolished, and emotional with out becoming one giagantic ball of screams. Lyrically, Rivers has the power to make us laugh, cry, and sympathize, all within the span of this album. Musically, the guitars are different, and it's great. This album, in my eyes, began the modern day emo-pop movement and inspired legions of bands. Ozma, Saves the Day, and The Get Up Kids to name a few. So, what I'm saying is buy the blue album. Buy Pinkerton and regard it as the masterpiece that it truly is. Buy the Green album and burn it, because, it is boring, unoriginial, and a pitiful attempt to sell records. Rivers, I hate to tell you this, but the Green Album is the real failure, and true weezer fans will regard Pinkerton as one of the greatest records of our time, not a "disaster".

It almost hurts me when I hear that Rivers Cuomo apologized for his masterpiece 'Pinkerton'. This album is rampant with deviously origianl songwriting and lyrics that are finally filled with emotion. It pains me to hear anyone rant and rave about 'The Green Album' and say nothing to the far superior 'Pinkerton'. Most of the so-called Weezer fans have not even picked up Weezer's fantastic sophomore record.

As for influence, the Pixies are lurking in the background in nearlt all of these tracks. In some songs, such as 'Tired of Sex', it seems like Frank Black stepped away from the Catholics and penned a song for four of his most apt students. My ears are exstatic. I haven't heard this quality music from a Pixies-influenced band since the days of Nirvana.

Shell out the twelve bucks, fifteen bucks, fifty bucks, whatever it may take to have this album in your CD player. You will be spending countless hours listening to these ten tracks. Next, you'll begin awaiting the day when Rivers Cuomo will realize what 'Pinkerton' really is, for on that day, Weezer will return.