The '90s Rock Scene Comes Undone Thanks to Weezer

Who would have thought that after the past few years of flannel-clad darkness and depression, one of 1994's biggest rock acts would be some nerdy-looking guys singing about Buddy Holly. Well, it happened. And just over ten years later, kids have long since dropped their flannel, now wearing baseball caps that look like hand-me-downs from their massively-domed older brother and jackets that make them look like Easter eggs. But that band of nerds is still kickin', and it all started with one kind of goofy yet wicked cool album.

Weezer's self titled debut, referred to as "The Blue Album," was musically a stark contrast to the dark, heavy sounds that dominated the early part of the decade thanks to bands like Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Alice In Chains. Weezer's music brought us back to the peppy days of '50s rock 'n' roll while modernizing that sound with crunchier, fuzzier, electric guitar riffs. Much of this album has a feel good vibe that is easy to sing or dance along to.

At times Weezer doesn't bother hiding their influences of thirty to forty years back as evidenced by their classic breakthrough hit Buddy Holly. The first line still makes me smile, as these nerd-rockers sing, "What's with these homies dissin' my girl?/ Why do they gotta front?" The song then rolls through wildly fun pop-punk verses and an infectious chorus referencing not only the rocker of Peggy Sue fame but also '60s TV star Mary Tyler Moore. Surf Wax America harks back to the Beach Boys with an oceanside anthem that eggs on non-surfers: "You take your car to work/ I'll take my board/ And when you're out of fuel/ I'm still afloat."

But one thing that may have helped this album permeate the doom and gloom of the '90s was that Weezer contains some doom and gloom of its own. The World Has Turned and Left Me Here takes a darker turn, as Rivers Cuomo powerfully delivers emotional breakup lyrics: "And in your place/ An empty space/ Has filled the void/ Behind my face." No One Else may be a fun number, but it's still a jealous expression of wanting a girl whose life will revolve around only you. And Say It Ain't So is easily one of the album's most emotive. The guitar perfectly conveys the song's somber mood throughout the verses and then blasts off for the explosive chorus: "Say it ain't so/ Your drug is heartbreaker/ Say it ain't so/ My love is a life taker."

Despite these more sorrowful tracks, most of the album provides a lot of fun. In the Garage is a rock and roll anthem of a different sort than we'd been used to. It’s about rocking out all alone where no one can criticize you: "I play these stupid songs/ I write these stupid words/ And I love every one." Holiday is a fun song, but for some reason, it's my least favorite on the album. As far as get-away-from-it-all songs go, give me Island in the Sun any day. Undone (The Sweater Song) is one of the quirkiest radio hits I've ever heard. A meandering guitar part lightly plays behind people talking about an upcoming party before the band launches into a huge chorus about pulling apart a sweater.

At ten songs, Weezer is a fairly short album, but man, does it pack a lot of punch. From the frenetic but catchy My Name Is Jonas to the eight-minute epic Only In Dreams, this album is filled with memorable moments. After ten years, I've found that I can't get sick of these songs, and I doubt that will change as years go by. Weezer has continued to make quality music over the years, but they set the bar pretty high with their debut.


Other revie=w=s:

Weezer (Deluxe edition)
Pinkerton
Maladroit
Make Believe
Weezer (red)