airtaco Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 My take is that Matt Sharp is actually the song writing connoiseur. He left Weezer after the Pinkerton album, and so did the whimsical tunage (there are a few exceptions ie "Island In the Sun"). I think it's apparent when you listen to the 1st Rentals album that he was definetly the witty specialist. p.s. Pinkerton is my fave Weezer album I've seen many people on VC imply that Sharp was the reason for Weezer's brilliance, and I strongly disagree. It is well known that for Pinkerton, Rivers essentially became an autocrat. No one but him was allowed to write the songs; essentially, as amg describes it, Weezer became a vehicle for his songwriting. And as far as wittiness is concerned, I mean, yea, Matt's vocals are funny in El Scorcho, but Pinkerton in by no means and funny album. And while most would say that TGA and MALA don't hold a candle to the first two, there are plenty of examples of pop mastery. Island, Photograph, O Girlfriend, Dope Nose, Slave, Keep Fishin, December are only a few songs that come to mind. The lyrics are rather phoned-in, but there's an obvious reason for that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ction Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I've seen many people on VC imply that Sharp was the reason for Weezer's brilliance, and I strongly disagree. It is well known that for Pinkerton, Rivers essentially became an autocrat. No one but him was allowed to write the songs; essentially, as amg describes it, Weezer became a vehicle for his songwriting. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't think Matt Sharp is the sole reason early Weezer was a good band. But I do think he played a role. It doesn't really matter who wrote what or how well he could play bass and sing backup vocals...sometimes all the weird little dynamics that make a band work with a certain line-up end up not clicking with different people involved. Hell, Matt Sharp in 2007 may not work with that band either, but I'd certainly be interested to hear what they'd come up with. I'm not at all interested to hear a follow up to "Beverly Hills" though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I think Pinkerton is at times hysterical. "The Good Life", "El Scorcho", "Why Bother", and "Pink Triangle" are all clever and witty and pretty damn funny. "I know I should get next to youYou've got a look that made me think you're coolBut it's just sexual attractionNot something real so I'd rather keep wackin'" Gold, Jerry! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
airtaco Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 I think Pinkerton is at times hysterical. "The Good Life", "El Scorcho", "Why Bother", and "Pink Triangle" are all clever and witty and pretty damn funny. "I know I should get next to youYou've got a look that made me think you're coolBut it's just sexual attractionNot something real so I'd rather keep wackin'"Gold, Jerry! Ceratinly out of context these songs are funny, though in sequence I feel they just show how emotionally tortured Rivers was while he was writing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
airtaco Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 It doesn't really matter who wrote what or how well he could play bass and sing backup vocals...sometimes all the weird little dynamics that make a band work with a certain line-up end up not clicking with different people involved. Hell, Matt Sharp in 2007 may not work with that band either, but I'd certainly be interested to hear what they'd come up with. I'm not at all interested to hear a follow up to "Beverly Hills" though. This is a good point, though in Weezer's case I disagree. I've watched a lot of video interviews/dvd footage from the era, and Matt, in general, seems a jerk who wasn't a positive influence*. Then again, perhaps this inspired Rivers artistically, but I don't really think negativity leads to great results. *I'm well aware Rivers has been just as bad, if not worse. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 Ceratinly out of context these songs are funny, though in sequence I feel they just show how emotionally tortured Rivers was while he was writing. They show at the very least that he could be self deprecating. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tweedling Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 pinkerton. what a great album. I had no idea this album was loved so much. Just bought it again for the second time 2 weeks ago. "Goddamn you half Japanese girls do it to me everytime" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ction Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Actually, this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18P9ACyyZ14 now has me interested in the new Weezer album. Kinda. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bsr8j Posted June 29, 2007 Author Share Posted June 29, 2007 Actually, this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18P9ACyyZ14 now has me interested in the new Weezer album. Kinda. Wow. This guy should be famous. I mean, you know, like Internet famous. Like the Star Wars kid. I half expected him to come with "This is what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass" as he smashed ThisIsAGayMan's Corvette to pieces. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
welch79 Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 I had no idea this album was loved so much. Just bought it again for the second time 2 weeks ago. "Goddamn you half Japanese girls do it to me everytime"oh the redhead said you shred the celloand i'm jello, baby i just dusted blue and pink off the other day thx to this thread. in fact, i'll say it again: pinkerton. what a great album. hey. should i check out maladroit? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted June 29, 2007 Share Posted June 29, 2007 Then again, perhaps this inspired Rivers artistically, but I don't really think negativity leads to great results.Hey, the Beatles were a gigantic clusterfuck of animosity when they recorded their last three albums, and they have held up okay. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bsr8j Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 No idea if it's true or not, but EW.com is reporting the next Weezer album will be called The Pure Sound of Weezer. Not a bad title, but I just hope the music lives up to the title. EW.com's 15 most anticipated albums of 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the carlos Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 maybe Rivers Cuomo should just join the Rentals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lamradio Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 maybe Rivers Cuomo should just join the Rentals. Great idea!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scalzunfield Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 pinkerton. what a great album. hey. should i check out maladroit? If you want to be severely disappointed in Weezer's direction and songwriting. I am not looking forward to the next one as Make Believe was the first album I refused to purchase after streaming it on their MySpace. I put Beverly Hills in the "Worst Songs Ever Written" list. It still makes me cringe. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lamradio Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 If you want to be severely disappointed in Weezer's direction and songwriting. Yep, although I think Maladriot was a little less "half ass" than the Green album was, it's still nothing compared to Blue and Pinkerton. I actually enjoyed the Green album when it first came out.. I guess because I was just kidding myself.. It was hard to accept that Weezer had gone sour.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bsr8j Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 I think it's a near certainty that they'll never make anything that ever approaches the greatness of the Blue album and Pinkerton again, but I'm always interested in what they're doing. It seems Rivers has finally changed his position on Pinkerton, which is nice, but in the same interview (over at Pitchfork) he talks about being more "conservative" in his writing these days. Anyone hoping for anything like Pinkerton is going to be disappointed. Pitchfork: How do you feel about Pinkerton now' date=' as it's become a sort of cult favorite, and the favorite of many Weezer fans? RC: Pinkerton's great. It's super-deep, brave, and authentic. Listening to it, I can tell that I was really going for it when I wrote and recorded a lot of those songs.[/quote'] Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bigideas Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 didn't he also talk about some more epic songs?i know he mentions it in the Alone booklet. i think he talks about writing a 6 min song. i thought this thread was revived for his recent soccer match... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
a.miller Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Weezer is a band that has a had a lot of second chances. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jesusetc84 Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 As far as I'm concerned...Weezer has recorded 2 records. I might like a single or two from green...but other than that, post-Pinkerton Weezer is like...wow crap. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 Weezer is a band that has a had a lot of second chances. Yes. I'm done with them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
indy81 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 There are a bunch of gems on the later Weezer records. I guess I don't see how songs like "O Girlfriend" and "Slave" are somehow worse than "Holiday", "The World Has Turned..." etc. The problem is that people want an immature, college-age spill-your-guts album from a guy pushing 40 who's into meditation. Pinkerton is such a great album partly because it's such an embarrassing listen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 The problem is that people want an immature, college-age spill-your-guts album from a guy pushing 40 who's into meditation. Pinkerton is such a great album partly because it's such an embarrassing listen.Bev-er-ly HillsThat's where I wanna be!Gimme gimme!Gimme gimme! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TCP Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 There are a bunch of gems on the later Weezer records. I guess I don't see how songs like "O Girlfriend" and "Slave" are somehow worse than "Holiday", "The World Has Turned..." etc. The problem is that people want an immature, college-age spill-your-guts album from a guy pushing 40 who's into meditation. Pinkerton is such a great album partly because it's such an embarrassing listen.Okay, first off, for the record, I was like... 14 when I bought The Green Album, before that I listened to whatever was popular of the day, Blink-182 and Linkin Park. I remember listening to The Green Album that summer and hearing O Girlfriend for the first time, a song that today I'd say has a pretty (but ultimately only mediocre) melody and being blown away ... it was like something clicked with me, that completely changed my musical direction. However, saying O Girlfriend is as good as Holiday or The World Has Turned is ludicrous. O Girlfriend seems as if Rivers found some notes that go well together and that "taking pills and mellowing out" bit and then stopped writing the song. It sits there, boring and lifeless. Fuck, even the lead guitar plays those same notes. Holiday though, hits you like a punch in the face... it's more then just one idea like O Girlfriend is. It's got that brilliant break down with the "we will write a postcard to our friends and family" with just the bass and the harmonies and then the drums build up... it's a great moment. The World Has Turned is the similar with the "do you believe" bit. O Girlfriend has nothing like that. However, compared to what I was listening to at the time, it was incredible. Different enough to make me notice but not too different to scare me off. I bet there's quiet a few people who first got exposed to good music from The Green Album. As for Slave, well, I listened to Maladroit a lot, and I can't even recall how it sounds.Pinkerton is a great record cause it's honest. The Green Album/Maladroit/Make Believe are just records of a guy trying lazily to recapture his former glory. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
the carlos Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 There are a bunch of gems on the later Weezer records. I guess I don't see how songs like "O Girlfriend" and "Slave" are somehow worse than "Holiday", "The World Has Turned..." etc. The problem is that people want an immature, college-age spill-your-guts album from a guy pushing 40 who's into meditation. Pinkerton is such a great album partly because it's such an embarrassing listen."The World Has Turned..." is better than the last three weezer records put together. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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