Weezer – Make Believe – 2005 (iTunes – Amazon)
I don’t know why the fans bristle so much about this record. Maybe they were hoping that the band would continue the cycle and label this with a rainbow color. What about “Red”? (Yes. What about “Red”???) When I first heard Make Believe I liked it. A lot.
Let’s liveblog it, yes?
1. Beverly Hills. Sludge pop. Catchy, sure. More importantly, Rivers has really caught the lazy, entitled usurpation of quality by the shallow with this hit.
2. Perfect Situation. Perhaps my favorite Weezer song of all time. “There’s the pitch, slow and straight, all I have to do is swing and I’m a hero. But I’m a zero.” Lyrically, this is the most honest and forthright since Pinkerton.
3. This is Such a Pity. Taking a major cue from the 80s this song could fall flat. Except that, lyrically, it’s dynamite. It’s The Cars circa Heartbeat City run through the angst machine of Rivers Cuomo.
4. Hold Me. What is this?? It sounds like, dare I say it, something that belongs on the Blue Album. Yes, it’s that old Weezer sound.
5. Peace. Where Weezer and latter day Green Day converge. Not great, but no where near as bad as one might have been led to believe.
6. We Are All On Drugs. Terrific songcrafting. Just a fine bit a pop rock.
7. The Damage in Your Heart. Middling album filler. But, with a massive chorus that RC can write in his sleep.
8.Pardon Me. Harmless. Useless. Forgettable. But harmless.
9. My Best Friend. I love this song. I don’t know why. It’s cloying and obnoxious and…happy. Too happy for Weezer. But, it’s great.
10. The Other Way. See “Pardon Me”.
11. Freak Me Out. I don’t know what to make of this song. It doesn’t suck and I find my toe tapping, but it’s kind of horrible and then I hate myself for singing along and then I like it again. Weezer as Sine Wave.
12. Haunt You Every Day. Piano. Huh? Other than that curious bit of instrumentation this song is Weezer-by-Numbers. You don’t need to hear it. You won’t be worse off if you do. But, there’s no need.
Grade C
A Side: Beverly Hills, Perfect Situation, We Are All On Drugs, This is Such a Pity
BlindSide: My Best Friend
DownSide: Freak Me Out
