The self-titled Weezer is lean and mean at 10 short, punchy tunes, but nearly every one is powered by a larger-than-life chorus or a simple but effective lyric. "Undone-The Sweater Song" uses an unraveling sweater as a metaphor for a relationship on the rocks; "Buddy Holly" pays heartfelt tribute to the '50s rocker, and "In the Garage" paints a scene of suburban teens jamming while surrounded by posters of Kiss. Producer Ric Ocasek of Cars fame pushes the vocals and rhythm guitars, and this bare-bones approach may earn comparisons to fellow garage-pop band Green Day. But Weezer has more in common with the late, lamented Big Dipper, another group of slacker wiseguys that you just had to love. --Jim DeRogatis

Back in 1994, I went through an "alternative" phase. I found myself enjoying music by the Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots (especially), Live, and some random singles here and there (like Candlebox and Collective Soul). Near the end of my phase, I heard a new song debut on a San Francisco radio station (Live 105) one August morning, and it was called "Undone/The Sweater Song". I Loved it. Immediately, I took note, and kept my eyes and ears open for more Weezer material...

Next came "Buddy Holly". The song was ridiculously catchy, and it sounded nothing like "Undone" (hey...variety!) and the Spike Jonze clip for the song was definitely fun to watch. I immediately borrowed the album from one of my friends at school. I was simply amazed at how consistently good Weezer's album was; absolutely no filler tracks whatsoever - at least in my opinion.

The songs that I still enjoy to this day (despite the fact that my alternative/rock phase is over) are "The World Has Turned And Left Me Here", all three of their singles ("Undone", "Buddy Holly", "Say It Ain't So"), "Holiday" (my absolute favorite song on the album) and "Only In Dreams" (what a long, yet perfect song...)

I guess the reason why I wrote this review is because...to me, really good music has the ability to leap out of its respective genre and attract just about anyone with an open mind, and an open ear. I'm very much looking forward to hearing Weezer's new material; by all accounts it's more of the melodic, sing-songy material that made this album such a classic.

Thanks for reading.

Knyte.


I Don't Think Weezer Ever Topped This!   December 10, 2004
 37 out of 41 found this review helpful

As the title of this review suggests, I really don't think Weezer ever made a more consistent, more infectious, or more charming album than this one; their debut. It's got it all: loud, heavy, swirling, electrified guitars which create a lush wall-of-sound, infectious sing-a-long melodies which are as sweet as candy, charming & quirky lyrics (and vocals) that anyone feeling alienated -- or in more popular terms, anyone who feels like a "geek" -- can relate to...really, how can you go wrong here?

There's something very refreshing and nostalgic about Weezer's music -- you get the sense that they exhibit something of a vibe from the '50s and early '60s; meaning that they seem to exhibit the kind of stomach-turning (well, not stomach-turning to me, but to most "hipsters") vibe of artists like The Beach Boys (but not necessarily sounding much like them), or any other band/artist from the aforementioned time period that is highly associated with the Summer, or the beach, perhaps, yet they update -- and transmutate -- this vibe, to make it seem nearly-unrecognizable; in other words, they somehow manage to shake-up this aspect enough to make it fit in with modern times (with "slight" bit of irony and angst, but not overbearingly so), which makes Weezer's presence quite interesting and refreshing, considering what most of today's music scene is filled with.

You know the popular tracks here: "Undone (The Sweater Song)," "Buddy Holly" (probably my absolute favorite track here, ironically, considering it was a hit, and usually "hit" songs are not my favorites from albums), "Say It Ain't So" -- all excellent tracks. But, the rest of the album is just as strong in it's delicious treatment of loud, heavy guitars lurching out melodic noise, with the quirky, seemingly-harmless, "geeky" vocals; "My Name Is Jonas" is a highlight, as well as the beautifully-punchy, summery melodies of "No One Else." Really, the whole album is excellent from top to bottom.

Loud, heavy pop confections, which are soaked in melodies as sweet as candy, and quirky vulnerability to boot; You can't go wrong here. Recommended for any fan of alternative rock, or for fans who like their heavy-rock doses high in melody.


Awakens Ancient Feelings   August 6, 2000
 26 out of 27 found this review helpful

It was back in 5th grade when I had first started my ventures into music past Disney tunes. Weezer's self-titled debut was one of my introductions next to other albums of the time "Nevermind" by Nirvana, "Dookie" by Green Day, and "The Downward Spiral" by Nine Inch Nails. While all of the three aforementioned albums were very big influences on me musically and emotionally, none of them hit closer to home than Weezer. I must have moved on to other music and Weezer began to collect dust and was lost. Now upon entering 12th grade, the entire musical scene has changed, and I've been through a lot more music that has influenced me - OK Computer by Radiohead, Rid of Me by PJ Harvey, Post by Bjork, Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney, and others. Yet a small article about Rivers Cuomo, the lead singer of Weezer brought everything flooding back. I immediately went out and purchased another copy of Weezer. And now I can finally say this album is timeless. It'll always remind me of those lazy humid summer days me and my friends spent strumming on old acoustic guitars while watching Monty Python and arguing over Advanced Dungeons and Dragons rules. "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here" reflects those alienated times, when we felt the world was against us - stuck in the dredges of suburbia. While I've kind of outgrown those feelings, the song is still a beautiful display of yearning. "Buddy Holly" with its charming "ooh-oohs" was one of those songs that left us humming and tapping our feet. And "Undone-The Sweater Song" with its ambient guitar beginning, voices streaming in and out of the conscious is absolutely brilliant with its short phrasings. "Say It Ain't So" was our geeky anthem of despair and lonelieness. We practically thought "In The Garage" was written for us. Cynical and self-depreciating, Weezer writes witty songs with an amazing pop sensibility. This is one of those albums that I will always hold close to heart because it basically represents my childhood in a way. Weezer is one of those albums that will take a long time to manifest itself as a timeless classic.


The eternal classic   May 14, 2001
 11 out of 11 found this review helpful

These days we are so crazily used to all those highly fashioned bands like Eve 6, Blink 182, Lit and Wheatus that sometimes we may get impression that these guys have produced and play something incredibly original and new. Alas, most of the things they use in their music were invented before, some years earlier, and among those really original inventors (such as Nirvana, Radiohead, etc.) were Weezer, the guys that became a whole chapter in the rock music history, being able in the faraway 1993 to find an amazingly right mixture of pop, heavier rock and smartful lyrics to create something really unforgettable.

The 1994's Weezer is easily and joyfully listenable today, sounding by no means weaker than any of the above mentioned young talents. And if you've had no idea what Weezer is, having given a listen to that cd, you would never believe the album is 7 years old.

All those brilliant songs including Buddy Holly, Say It Ain't So, Undone, The World Has Turned, In the Garage, and all the rest still sound so much refreshing and can compete with all the modern tunes played on the radio stations.

Luckily, Weezer finally have their new album to release tomorrow. Haven't we been looking forward to it?


Best CD ever?   December 2, 2003
 11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I am a 14 year old struggling guitarist in a relatively unculutured location, and music labeled popular to some (The Blue Album) is alternative in my community. This is my favorite album for two reasons: 1) Every song on it is great, and 2) None of it ever gets old. I can listen to this CD all the way through over and over again without ever becoming bored with any of the songs. This CD is probably the greatest musical inspiration to me (as I previously stated, I am a guitarist looking for a band) and motivated me to run to the nearest music store and buy the fakebook for it. Below I have provided a short analysis for each of the ten tracks (the short length is the album's only weakness).

1. My Name Is Jonas
The first track begins with a pretty acoustic guitar part that fades quickly into heavy distorted guitar beneath wonderfully fitting vocals. I think that Weezer is trying to grab the listener's attention from the start with a great first track. There is a small climactic build towards the end with a harmonica that brings out their talent in melodic songwriting. (9/10)

2. No One Else
The first time I listened to this song I hated it, probably due to the shallow lyrics. Lead singer Rivers Cuomo describes his paranoia in a relationship and his wishes for his girlfriend to never leave the house when he is gone. Once you get past the unsatisfactory lyrics, it really is a great song with more melodic guitar parts and a catchy chorus. (8/10)

3. The World Has Turned and Left Me Here
This song has always struck me as one of the better songs on the album, primarily for its excellent guitar solo and an chorus that will not leave your head for days. I often find myself tapping out some of its rhythms in class. (10/10)

4. Buddy Holly
This is the first song on the CD that is a single. Despite its annoyingly short length, the song features an incredible guitar solo and an unforgivingly addictive chorus. One of the album's less melodic songs, but fun to dance to. (9/10)

5. Undone-The Sweater Song
This is the song that probably stands out as the most original on the album. It opens with staged dialogue between two unknown male voices that describes a reunion of friends at a concert, irrelevant to the rest of the song. There is then another unforgettable chorus, more dialogue, and a sudden modulation into a brilliant melodic guitar solo. It ends with an unidentifiable instrument playing random notes. This song features the absolute most repetitive chorus on the album. (9/10)

6. Surf Wax America
If I had to pick one song on the album to remove, it would be this one. Because this is the greatest album ever made, however, it still has to fall into the category of really good songs. It definitely meets the criteria upon which my judgements are based. I probably like it the least because it is less melodic than any of the others. It features a three chord verse, three chord bridge, and three chord chorus. There is an interesting middle section that is comprised entirely of a pretty harmony between all three singers in the band. (7/10)

7. Say It Ain't So
This is my favorite song on the album, one of my favorite songs ever. Say It Ain't So opens with an almost jazzy sounding verse due to a prominent baseline and odd guitar chords. In the chorus, the song explodes into a woeful story, I think, about a young man's memories of a distressed childhood with a drunken father. A fabulous guitar solo follows the bridge, and the song ends the way it begins, with the eerie jazzy sounding guitar riff. The album is worth the money just for this song. I don't know what happened to the brilliance that Weezer showed on The Blue Album and Pinkerton... (10/10)

8. In the Garage
This song is an anthem to nerds everywhere. The lyrics describe the garage (maybe the sight of the band's earlier practices?), a room filled with Dungeons and Dragons apparatus and posters of rock group KISS. In addition to wonderfully fulfilling lyrics, the song boasts another excellent guitar solo and creative use of a harmonica. This song is kind of an adrenaline rush. (9/10)

9. Holiday
Holiday opens with a bright bang with distorted guitars, the energy of which is not lost until a weird interlude towards the song's middle during which band members sing different parts. The energy, however, is picked up again with more guitars and great vocal parts. Another one that never leaves your head, but no guitar solo... (9/10)

10. Only in Dreams
The ultimate geek ballad, Only in Dreams is the third masterpiece of the album. I think the song is just over eight minutes long, but during this time the listener is never bored, but rather intrigued by this band's brilliance with chord progression and originality with guitar riffs. This has all the elements of a great rock song: good contrast between the verse and chorus, great guitar solo, excellent build-up to the end, and lyrics that make you want to go home and kill yourself, unless you're listening to the album at home, in which case you can just do it there. This song stays with you for years. (10/10)

Definitely worth any amount of money. If you're looking for other good stuff try Pinkerton-Weezer, Surfer Rosa-The Pixies, Warning-Green Day, Smash-The Offspring, Rubberneck-Toadies, (self-titled)-Sublime.