Here at Asinine Radio we only talk about the most relevant of topics. Case in point is the debate of Blue v Pinkerton. What’s more relevant than a heated debate about 2 albums that came out in the mid 90’s?! This debate is actually something of a heated topic surrounding Weezer fans. Oh ya, both these albums were released by Weezer, in case you didn’t already know. There are countless online message boards, podcasts, and drunk talk about which album is superior to the other. While the world may never know I feel we did an above par job at relating all the things that make both albums great, to us at least.
First, let’s talk about Blue. Blue came out in 1994 and was basically an overnight hit which catapulted Weezer into the worldwide spotlight. Songs like “Buddy Holly” and “Undone – The Sweater Song” gave the music world a new beginning after the grungy early 90’s (and good riddance!). Weezer became this sensation of “geek rock” and cemented in everyone’s mind forever that being a nerd is actually kinda cool. Front man Rivers Cuomo is the lead songwriter and lyricist. The 60’s pop influence this album paid homage to also helped pave Weezer their own road. While on the surface some songs on Blue may seem like generic pop rock the album as a whole throws the listener various degrees of differences. The opening track, for instance, starts off the album in a 3/4 time signature which sets a sort of odd tone for the rest of the album. “Undone – The Sweater Song” also adds some peculiarity to the solo by adding key changes and modulations which are subtle enough to maybe be passed over but subconsciously add a quirkiness to the album. It’s good stuff.
Next, let’s dive into Pinkerton. Pinkerton came about as an abandonment of a different concept album Cuomo wanted to write. Some songs were taken from “Songs From The Black Hole” and reworked to fit the style of Pinkerton. Pinkerton is a definite departure from what Weezer did with Blue. The heavier guitar tones, the powerful drums, the bass lines, and Cuomo’s vocals all take a drastic turn for the emotional. From the opening of “Tired of Sex” to the closing “Butterfly” Pinkerton’s concept of love v lust is explored in some amazing ways. Pinkerton relies heavily on grittiness rather than the power pop driven Blue. Songs like “Getchoo” add a gnarly saw like guitar effect to give the listener a sense of panic and frustration. Fast breakdowns like in “El Scorcho”add another facet to Weezer’s ability to incorporate other genres of music. And lastly, “Butterfly”, which is Weezer’s only full acoustic song on album to date, gives the album quite an emotional send off.
Usually these “reviews”, or whatever they are, are around 250 words and I try to stick to that format. I could write a shiz ton more but lengthy reviews disinterest me and make me bored. Both albums are perfect in my eyes but Pinkerton will always have my heart. A true representation of the emotional state of the band. What every musician strives for. The exact feelings that were felt during that time in their life. Perfection.
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