This being said I needed to let the album thoroughly marinate in the my mind, read other reviews (Rolling Stone, Paste, and AllMusic.com), debate with friends and take into full account the opinions of the Weezer purists I know personally. Along with a trip to Bonnaroo, this has been why it has taken me a while to fully come out with a decision and it's still mixed feelings a little. Luckily, I have come to a more definite conclusion than what I began with.
The aptly titled Red Album is pretty standard post-Pinkerton Weezer material. With a knack for writing poppy hooks, the band fills it in with crunchy guitars and simple drumming techniques. While many songs catch your attention, the album still seems lacking. It's certainly hard to put my finger on it, and maybe I am simply setting Weezer up with too high of standards. The songs are certainly pop laden, but maybe too much so, following more in the footsteps of Make Believe rather than the Blue Album. It just does not have the same artistic quality of the Blue Album, yet strives for a more overall catchy sound.
The one thing that bothers me most is the ever simplified production of Rick Rubin. While a musical genius in his early years, his music has reached a sort of predictable dullness. Either he is getting too lazy or just too busy with multiple projects to truly care about each record individually. Coming from Pinkerton which is one of the most raw, well produced, and dynamic record of our age, I feel cheated hearing such a bland Weezer album. The guitar tones are crisp and distorted, the overall tone full of too much high end. It seems almost positively that this was solely recorded digitally because it lacks the air and mid range punch of any analog techniques. It simply makes me frustrated to know their potential, yet not hearing it.
Lyrically, Weezer has seemed to fall into a mid life cheesiness that looks for jokes, references, and tongue in cheek style to prevail. While this may work for some, I fail to connect as well to this style as many others. Melodically, Rivers cannot be faulted as this is just slightly less catchy than Make Believe. Many songs have potential for single status and in a geeky way (true to Weezer) many of the songs are lighthearted and fun felt. In one way, Weezer has returned to its pop roots very well, it just forgot the other half of Weezer somewhere in the 90's.
Overall, the record is mediocre, especially compared to where they could be. Maybe it's just me with high standards and a preset view of where Weezer needs to be. Nonetheless, I cannot see myself enjoying much more than a few tracks occasionally on this record. While lacking the overall body of work that I enjoy and sounding just like every other recently produced Rubin album, I am sad to say Weezer has left me disappointed again. I hope this changes in the latter stages of my listening.
Key Tracks
Everybody Get Dangerous
Dreamin'
Rating
2.5 out of 5 Stars
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