Weezer: Rarities Edition (Spec) [Special Edition]

Weezer (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 5, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Special Edition
• Label: Geffen Records
• ASIN: B002WHT0WS
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,601 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dusty Gems and Raw Nuggets, January 5, 2010

By 

James J. Fox (Highland Mills, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Weezer: Rarities Edition (Spec) (Audio CD)

In 2004 Weezer had released a 10 year anniversary (deluxe) edition of their self titled debut album (aka The Blue Album) which contained two discs. Disc one being the album and disc two being a collection of rarities, demos and live tracks titled "Dusty Gems and Raw Nuggets". This compilation is simply the second disc of the deluxe released in single disc format.

Track Listing:
1. Mykel and Carli
2. Susanne
3. My Evaline
4. Jamie
5. My Name Is Jonas (live)
6. Surf Wax America (live)
7. Jamie (acoustic live)
8. No One Else (acoustic live)
9. Undone- The Sweater Song (demo)
10. Paperface (early demo)
11. Only In Dreams (demo)
12. Lullaby For Wayne (early demo)
13. I Swear It's True (early demo)
14. Say It Ain't So (original album mix)

I can not comment on the products extras such as liner notes/photos etc. because I do not own it, nor do I plan on owning it seeing I spent my $30 on the two-disc set back in 2004. But I can comment on the songs and provide a track listing seeing Amazon has not listed it as of yet. The songs are a collection of demos and b-sides mostly with the occasional live track. Many of the songs have been floating around the internet for years being the b-sides to many of the bands released singles and are in their own right Weezer staples (such as "Susanne", "Jamie" and "Mykel and "Carli"); if you are a somewhat active Weezer fan you have probably heard these songs and know how good they are. There is also a fantastic acoustic version of "Jamie" which many believe surpasses the original electric recording as well as a very poignant acoustic rendition of the bands beloved Blue Album song "No One Else".

For fans of the bands harmonies "My Evaline" is a short barber shop love song that was recorded to help the band find their signature Beach Boys-esque sound found in their early music. The previously unreleased demos of "Lullaby For Wayne", "I Swear It's True" and "Paperface" are all pretty decent tracks, with "Paperface" being the strongest and clearly a more rough and jagged type of sound for the band. Another demo of this song was released on frontman Rivers Cuomo's Alone II collection of demos in 2008, and is very different. Many believe the badn version found on this album to be superior.

As for demo versions of songs from the actual Blue Album, the selection was satisfying. It's very interesting to hear the early workings of an epic like "Only In Dreams" and the radio popular, and quirky "Undone-The Sweater Song".

THE ONLY COMPLAINT I have, as a diehard Weezer fan about this collection is the live tracks and the addition of the album version of "Say It Ain't So". The live tracks are, in their own right fantastic and full of energy and youth that really captures the band in their early days and are also two of the best songs on the actual Blue Album, though in the days of file sharing many fans are aware of gems from the early era that are not present on this collection. Early recordings such as "Thief, You've Taken All That Was Me" and "Lets Sew Our Pants Together" are two fantastic five star Weezer tracks that are from the same sessions as "Paperface" and contain the same naked rawness, quirkiness and even deepness that is only touched upon in "Paperface". The inclusion of these two tracks would have completed all the early demos from that period of the band and made the collection come full circle. So in retrospect I, and I'm sure many fans would have left off the two live tracks and added cleaned up versions of these two songs. If you are into filing sharing and downloading I highly recommend seeking them out and adding them to the end of your copy of this album. In addition the original album version of "Say It Ain't So" is the most ridiculous inclusion. It sounds exactly the same as the current album version only the guitars in the chorus have a different sound, which in my opinion is unrecognizable to someone who isn't into mixing tracks or just plainly isnt listening with an intent ear. I would have preferred a demo version of a song like "Surf Wax America" which unlike the album version contains no Beach Boy breakdown at the end, drastically changing the beloved structure of the climax. Even demos of "The World Has Turned And Left Me Here" or "Say It Ain't So" would have been better. These songs are all available to be listened to on YouTube or downloaded through file sharing on fansites and are recommended if you have enjoyed the majority of this album.

4.0 out of 5 stars Weezer Blue Album - Rarities Edition, May 30, 2010

By 

Alex (Hartford, CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Weezer: Rarities Edition (Spec) (Audio CD)

When Weezer's Blue Album deluxe came out, it was a minor disappointment, especially following the major, expansive deluxe releases of Sonic Youth and Pavement, we could only hope that Geffin would follow suit. Instead, what we got was the exact same album, remastered (in a way which smoothed out the sound and does injustice to Ocasek) and a second album of mostly live takes and songs that have already been released as B-sides to singles. But a great collections of songs is still a great collections of songs, and the fact that in 2010, the same second disc was released as a one CD, made this collection of rarities a little easier to swallow. On this disc we have two of Weezer's greatest songs, "Mykel and Carlie" and "Suzanne", which, though having no business on The Blue Album, are better than most of the songs on that album, and I say that with the highest reverence to one of the greatest albums of all time. The live renditions are interesting, but not essential. Weezer were never known as a great live act, especially during this time period. "Jamie" is a solid effort, as is "Paperface", despite its flaws. And finally "Lullaby for Wayne" has one of the hookiest verses of pop-punk. Buy this collection if you are a fan of Weezer, and wait patiently for Pinkerton Deluxe.