This week we tackled the emo behemoth, Pinkerton.
Pinkerton is my favorite album of all time. It’s my GOAT. Hands down. It’s musical perfection.
Coming off their debut album, Weezer sort of did a 180 in their writing process. They sort of abandoned their iconic sound and look from Blue and dove deeper into their personal troubles. Lead singer, Rivers, went back to school, had painful leg surgery, and looked deep inside his personal black hole to find something he wasn’t sure existed or even how to deal with.
Pinkerton backpacks off an opera called “Madame Butterfly” and sort of follows the same script. Dealing with issues of guilt, sadness, and regret, Rivers tells us a story of someone who has everything and nothing at the same time.
I love Pinkerton because of it’s honesty. Songs like “Tired Of Sex” give us a taste of his literal writing while bangers like “Butterfly” let Rivers flex his creative writing muscles. The music seems to follow a focused path and each song sort of segues into the next. The absolute highlight of the album is within the writing. Each song can be taken individually and stand on their own but when put together tell a story worth hearing.
It’s unfair to not mention the rest of the band and their achievements on this album. Pat, on sticks, keeps the beats simple and the fills heavy while bringing the sound in the direction of a teenage garage band. Brian, on rhythm, compliments Rivers at every turn and Matt, on bass, seems to hold it all together with his lines and his emotional support during this odd time.
If you are a Weerez fan, chances are you’ve had this debate. The Blue v Pinkerton or even the OG Weerez v the “new stuff”. Any way you slice it, there’s no denying that Pinkerton was something special for these guys and you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t re listen to the album after reading this. So go do it.
Asinine Radio 