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Weezer (Red Album) [Deluxe]

Weezer - Weezer (Red Album) [Deluxe] Audio CD

A fair review of the Weezer "Weezer (Red Album) [Deluxe]" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Weezer reviews here, or go back to the Weezer tabs.

Band: Weezer
Title: Weezer (Red Album) [Deluxe]
Rating:

Release Date: 2008-06-03
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Troublemaker 2: The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations on a Shaker Hymn) 3: Pork and Beans 4: Heart Songs 5: Everybody Get Dangerous 6: Dreamin' 7: Thought I Knew 8: Cold Dark World 9: Automatic 10: The Angel and the One 11: Miss Sweeney (Deluxe Edition Bonus Track) 12: Pig (Deluxe Edition Bonus Track) 13: The Spider (Deluxe Edition Bonus Track) 14: King (Deluxe Edition Bonus Track)

Star Bright, Star Light
I bought the "Blue Album" with my first CD player, a 3-disc changer with tinny speakers. I was a huge Weezer fan freshman year in high school when the "Blue Album" was one of the first Compact Disc's I owned. I was soooo bad_ _ _.

When Pinkerton was released, I was initially a little stunned that it sounded so differently than the breezy "Blue Album," yet nonetheless, as a high school-aged male I could easily relate to the adolescent uncertainties and anxieties that quivered in Rivers Cuomo's voice. Apparently I wasn't as plugged in as I am now because I was blissfully unaware that the media was telling me that I should, in fact, hate Pinkerton instead of adoring it. Yet, I digress, Pinkerton soon replaced the "Blue Album" as my essential Weezer album and still is to this day.

After Pinkerton, the decline began. . .

I tolerated the Green Album because I was desperate for new =W=. That is the only reason I listened to it.

Maladroit had some rocking solos that made me wish I could play guitar, but was pure fluff.

"Make Believe" had a few moments that brought me back to the Weezer of yesteryear, yet felt the emptiness beginning to creep in.

And finally, came the "Red Album," which I cannot redeem at all. The "Red Album" is the sound of a band that will be playing Casino's in 5 years. Weak lyrics, redundant riffs, songs that knock-off bad Green Day. . . Most stars flame out and most bands do not reach the brightness of Pinkerton. Weezer, please, call it good and let that light linger on.
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Great Album...A LOT OF FUN!!!
I bet A LOT of the people who say they hate this album are the same old dopes who always make the same complaint. . "Weezer doesn't sound like they used to," or "They don't sound like they did on Pinkerton, so it sucks. "

Take my advice. . . this is a top notch album from top to bottom. I am a big Weezer fan and LOVE what they did with this collection of songs. GO WEEZER!!!.

Better than 'Make Believe'
Is this a Red Hot Chili Peppers album? It's a tough one, lending itself to screaming guitars, subtle electronics, and River's boyish whine (which is just fine). Overall Grade: B
Hilights: Troublemaker, Pork and Beans, Dreamin', Thought I Knew, The Angel and the One

It's Weezer up to some new games, or at least up to someone else's games. There are some new lead vocals, too. Overall a good effort and much, much better than their previous release, "Make Believe. " "The Angel and the One" is bittersweet like a Switchfoot song.

A mixed bag of songs which send out mixed signals
Some songs are excellent and expand upon the band's classic, well established, hard rock sound. weezer's Red Album is tough to put your finger on. However many other songs are so poppy sounding or distant from what weezer once was, that its almost sickening to listen to(refer to weezer's previous album, Make Believe). The deluxe version of weezer Red features 4 "bonus songs" which are really more like b-sides or rejected solo project demos. Don't let a couple of extra songs fool you into thinking that it makes this album any more special or unique.

Here is a breakdown of weezer's Red Album (Deluxe) songlist. . .

1. TROUBLEMAKER - Probably not the best choice for an opener, or possibly a song on this album. (weezer usually picks great songs to open with). It sounds like an overly generic and poppy weezer song (without truly heavy distortion anywhere). The lyrics are fairly weak. . . "Biatch", "Kiadz". Im embarassed at the fact that Rivers Cuomo actually said in an interview that he thought the lyrics he wrote for this song were really cool. To boot, this song has probably the worst vocals on the entire album. Aside from singing the lame chorus, Cuomo mostly just half-sings or talks all droney and monotone through the verses.
5/10

2. THE GREATEST MAN THAT EVER LIVED - I admire the sarcastic and arrogant nature of this song. There are many tempo, and guitar distortion changes throughout. It starts out with piano, simliar to their song "Across the Sea", then begins to sound very similar to the song "Beverly Hills" when the drums come in and Cuomo begins to talk/rap to the beat. The song takes on many different weezer sounds heard over the years and, eventually, even takes on an epic church choir sound. A very lengthy and unique song expanding upon the band's sound.
10/10

3. PORK AND BEANS - In my opinion, the best track on the this album. Its like taking to a trip back through time to the release of "Buddy Holly" off weezer's Blue Album. With heavy Marshall amp distortion, the chorus really couldn't be much more perfect. Its the beloved classic weezer sound that every fan wishes the band would use more often in their newer albums. I bought the Red Album, with high hopes that most of the other songs would have this sound.
11/10

4. HEART SONGS - A mushy ballad of sorts where Rivers pays tribute to some of his musical influences, by mentioning them in personal instances. The song is very slow and very acoustic sounding. The lyrics are almost too personal. They may mean a lot to Cuomo and close friends, but to the avaerage listener it tends to get lost in translation(or at least importance). This song really isn't all that interesting or rockin'. The lyrics are pretty cliche, as are the vocals.
3/10

5. EVERYBODY GET DANGEROUS - This song starts off trying to sound like a hard rock hit, but its fairly generic and not all that heavy, it turns out. Again, extremely weak vocals(mostly a monotone voice or sing/talking) and an even weaker uninspired, emotionless chorus that never really gets catchy.
4/10

6. DREAMIN' - A happy little heavy rock song. This song sounds very much like the weezer we all know and love from the 90's.
8/10

7. THOUGHT I KNEW - This is (the guitarist) Brian Bell's song on the album. His vocals and even the overall theme of the song remind me of something that may have come striaght from a Uncle Kracker and Carlos Santana colaboration project. The song's pace and style don't seem to fit in with the rest of this album's(or any weezer album's) overall theme. This would, at best, be better suited for a B-side collection or Brian Bell solo album.
4/10

8. COLD DARK WORLD - This is (the bassist) Scott Shriner's song on the Red Album. It actually has a lot of potential. It has a very dark theme, much like the song "Slob". Scott is probably the least talented singer in the band, but the nifty guitar and drum arrangements make up for the lack of vocal power. Rivers lends his voice for backup, probably to help strengthen Scott's vocals. There are some interesting guitar notes and tempo changes within the song. Although obscure, this songs fits nicely on Red.
9/10

9. AUTOMATIC - This is (the drummer) Pat Wilson's song. It is my favorite song written and sang by another member of weezer. Pat is very talented, both musically and vocally, and it definitely shows in "Automatic". I only wish Pat would have provided another song for the bonus track section instead of Brian Bell, the Uncle Kracker wannabe. This song is sweet and melodic, yet also tough and heavy. Its bold and emotional. The chorus and guitar riffs are extremely catchy.
11/10

10. THE ANGEL AND THE ONE - Another one of Cuomo's acoustic ballads. Again, very slow and droney. I hardly ever make it through the whole song. I just lose interest. Not a whole lot of difference in vocal pitches or anything else, for that matter. It would be better suited for another Rivers Cuomo home recordings session cd. I just don't see how this song fits well onto this album.
3/10

The Red Album (Deluxe) BONUS TRACKS. . .

11. MISS SWEENEY- Sounds kind of quirky and trippy with workplace background noises at first. Reminds me of a They Might Be Giants or Pink Floyd intro. It soon turns into a hard rock love ballad. Nothing here really wooed me though.
7/10.

12. PIG- Yet another droney, uninspiring rock/ballad type song. Again, nothing really impressive here by any stretch of the imagination.
4/10

13. SPIDER- "Spider" sounds way too much like the weezer song "Butterfly" from the Pinkerton album. If you've heard one, you've essentially heard the other song too.
5/10

14. KING - One of my least favorite tracks on this album. This is another song written and sang by Brian Bell. Again, there is a very strong Uncle Kracker vibe vocally. Musically it sounds very country/rock, like something you might hear from Kid Rock or Brooks and Dunn. Were the "BONUS TRACKS" really a bonus afterall?
3/10

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Great Weezer CD.
Overall a great! Weezer's 3rd best behind the Blue Album and Pinkerton. Make sure you get the Deluxe edition, you don't want to miss Miss Sweeney or Pig. .

You can see a complete list of all Weezer discography, or go back to the Weezer tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.