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By: Scott Caffrey
Weezer is at its best when it goes on hiatus and has time to rebirth itself. After the platinum-but-undeserved success of Make Believe, Rivers Cuomo got rid of Alone: The Home Recordings – a cathartic shedding of some solid extras kicking around in his Pro-Tools files. And the latest Weezer (The Red Album) (Geffen Records) is all the better for it. If nothing else, he remembered that his bandmates aren't just great players – they can write and sing right along with him.
Weezer goes another round here with producer Rick Rubin, and he did what he does best by taking the band backwards. His challenge worked so well that the album's theme is a nostalgic recollection, right down to the kiss-off singles produced by ! ("Troublemaker" and "Pork 'n' Beans"). I don't know why Rubin couldn't make Make Believe work, but maybe the band's brief canon fooled him into thinking they still needed to try and go forward. Sure it hit platinum, but Cuomo can shit singles like "Beverly Hills." Not since their first killer trio ("The Blue Album", Pinkerton, "The Green Album") has Weezer sounded more explosive, and I don't mean in that Maladroit metal kinda way.
Weezer (Red) is their most complete effort overall since Weezer (Blue) , with everyone chipping in. It's littered with strong tracks and has some of that personal, soul-bearing touch Cuomo is known for. But this time, just like the first time, the album is anchored on the second half by major contributions from Brian Bell (rhythm guitar) and Patrick Wilson (drums), and Scott Shriner (bass) even takes lead vocals and shares a writing credit with Cuomo on "Cold Dark World." Bell shines the brightest here, and Weezer will be better off with his contributions in the future. After trading lead vocals on the set's strongest track, the rock-sonata "Dreamin'," Bell unleashes "Thought I Knew," an absolute destroyer that originally appeared with his side project The Relationship.
I don't know if Rubin will get another shot to complete a Weezer trilogy, so maybe he's left an indelible mark that will carry over. And if they (read: Cuomo) need another hiatus to regroup, we should remain patient and wait. Far as I can tell, it's always made them better.
Here's the video for "Pork 'n' Beans.
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