Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
A hit single can be a bit of a mixed blessing for new bands, especially if said song gets you firmly lumped into the "novelty band" category. Such was the case with Weezer, whose runaway hit "Buddy Holly" touched a global nerve upon its release, then got on everyone's nerves after months of radio saturation. However, it did ensure that they sold millions of copies of their self-titled debut. Which is why it's so strange that their second album, Pinkerton, was ignored. Perhaps the cold shoulder was due to the willfully noncommercial first single, "El Scorcho," which crashed and burned. Whatever the reason, Pinkerton soon disappeared, which is a shame because it's a great album. Whereas Weezer reveled in the band's geek-rock image, Pinkerton saw Rivers Cuomo maturing as a lyricist. From the opening, "Tired of Sex," which rants about the frustrating easiness of groupies, to the new wave pop of "Getchoo" to the epic genius of "The Good Life," there's much more diversity here than the Pixies-influenced bouncy grunge of their debut. With the closing solo, the acoustic lament "Butterfly," Cuomo demonstrates a pop mastery that promises great things from this reformed geek. --Robert Burrow |
Customer Reviews
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 The only other Weezer CD that really needs buying, Sep 30, 2023
...and you all know what the other one is. Truly, I am still puzzled as to why this bombed at its release, which is when I first bought it. Youd've thunk the Critics would elevate it for its naked honesty and uncompromising sound, but they trashed it- you can never listen to the Critics anyway, their metrics are so self-referential they serve as poor gauges for any other listener. And I'll be dipped if I can understand why Rivers Cuomo himself continues to apologize for this record. I suppose because in sound and theme, it's pretty self destructive and effacing, but since when has THAT ever made a rock and roll record suffer? Maybe it's the audio voyeur in me, the guy that likes albums like Lou Reed's Berlin or Syd Barrett's solo albums responding to this record, but there's more here than that-it rocks,and fricking hard, affirmatively so. Plus, it's sweet-meaning nice, so nerdishly nice it's painful.
Maybe Rivers Cuomo is embarrassed in retrospect, but in this case the fans are right-THIS is Weezer's big record, if there is one, the peak of their creativity and energy that goes miles beyond their proven ability to write great three minute ditties. Everything since this has been a plateau unfit for a band well above the mediocre water mark of entertainment.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Jesus Christ.....so brutally honesty and beautiful., Sep 29, 2023
Rivers Cuomo, the only rockstar to dislike groupies. This is a great album. I was going to buy it really soon, but guess what, I found it in a parking lot, in perfect condition. Shazam!!! What makes this even sweeter, is that it is great. Spectacular. Extraordinary. Don't be discouraged by the first 2 or 3 songs, even though they're great. This album starts to be great at "Across The Sea", which is about Rivers Cuomo's obsession with a Japanese fan that wrote him a letter. "The Good Life", "El Scorcho", "Pink Triangle", "Falling For You", "Butterfly". Jesus, this is great. Give it a couple listens. This album really grows on you. Rivers Cuomo is genius.
WARNING: Do Not Expect What You Heard on Blue Album. This is completely different, yet better. Happy listening!!!
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
The album that launched a million emo bands, Sep 11, 2023
Where could one begin with Pinkerton. Rolling Stone magazine's readers rated it the second worst album of 1996. And oh how that would come back and bite them on the ass. Today, Pinkerton has become a favorite amongst all Weezer fans and it has been credited by Spin magazine for launching all these crappy emo bands we see today.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Their last good album., Sep 8, 2023
The Blue album and Pinkerton are the albums that made Weezer so great. Pinkerton being the best and by far the coolest out of either of them, let alone the entire weezer catalogue.
After this album the band dissapeared and then returned only to the corrupt music scene at the time of commercialised radio rock. And funnily enough they released the "Green" Album, containing the annoying and stupid "BIG HIT!" Hash Pipe, and then they became oh so very popular, while everybody forgot about this album, not that many knew about it anyway.
Shame.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Pinkerton: Sensational, Aug 24, 2023
Pinkerton was a great album. Probably my favorite out of my collection. It was dark and at the same time uplifting. After this album, Rivers could never top this. The next time Weezer releases an album as good as this, will be if they come out with a b-sides album that I am hearing about. The Green album wasn't good, Maladroit was pretty good, and Make Believe was ok. None of them can come close to this and blue. My favorites from best to least:
Across The Sea
The Good Life
Butterfly
Tired of Sex
Why Bother?
Falling for You
El Scorcho
Pink Triangle
No Other One
Getchoo
Go out and get this album!
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Based on 472 reviews.