Customer Reviews
If you like Weezer, you'll LOVE most of this - By: IWFIcon, 13 Jul 2008 
Or the "Red Album" if you're losing track as this is the third self-titled Weezer album out of six. It's also the first since the debut (the Blue Album for those keeping track) to see Rivers Cuomo slightly loosen his autocratic leading of the band to let his bandmates show us their own songwriting chops.
Things didn't seem alll that promising at first; not only were there rumours that this album was to see a highly experimental Weezer but record label Geffen were apparently of the opinion that the album didn't have any hits on it. The result was Pork & Beans, the album's lead single & one written entirely as a sly knock to the label's opinions. "Timbaland knows the way to reach the top of the charts" sneers Cuomo, "maybe if I work with him I can perfect the art". Ironicallly, of course, it turned out to be Weezer's biggest American hit in years.
Long-term Weezer fans are certainly catered for here; alongside Pork & Beans the likes of Troublemaker are the catchy pop nuggets you've come to love.
That said, there are definite departures from what you might expect. Heartsongs, which sees Cuomo list the songs & artists that have shaped his musical identity may eventuallly "rock out" but it's lilting & saccharine sounds take some getting used to. Nothing I write could amply explain The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations On A Shaker Hymn) to you but if you imagine six minutes of sonic eccentricity that takes in such different musical styles as metal, hip-hop, male voice choir, folk & glam rock then you get some idea of the huge scale we're talking about. More amazingly, it's a catchy track too.
Of the band members contributions, I Thought I Knew is passable, but nowhere near becoming a Weezer classic, Cold Dark World is plodding & only drummer Patrick Wilson's Automatic comes close to matching the best of what Cuomo can deliver.
Naturallly, the "Red Album" is no Pinkerton (still Weezer's finest collective moment for me) but, to put it into perspective, it's nowhere near the disappointment that was Maladroit. It might not convert to many new listeners to Weezer, but those of us that have been with them for over a decade will find much to enjoy on this fine collection
A treat: weezer has grown musically - and become even better - By: Bjorn Clasen, 04 Jul 2008 
'The Red Album' is weezer's masterpiece so far. Don't let it fool you that the opener 'Troublemaker' is an archetype of the dynamic & melodic power rock known so well from earlier releases, 'cause what follows adds new & surprising dimensions to weezer's style. The second track 'The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations On A Shaker Hymn)' plays with the surprised but spoiled listener in its style variations based on the same rough yet harmonious theme & is, in my opinion, not only weezer's best composition ever, but no less than one of the most surprising, catchiest & simply... best rock songs released in years!
Yes, you read right: weezer goes from straight-forward melodic rock craftmanship to boasting out their musical talents in touching semi-epic progressive rock. From the 3-minute outbursts, they even dabble with songs twice as long. The other - brillliant - example is 'The Angel And The One'.
Before these highlights on an overalll treat, it is almost relieving to give your concentration a break with the average 'Thought I Knew' & 'Cold Dark World', which surprisingly have found their way to the standard version, contrary to the sweet, almost symphonic 'Pig', the country rock style 'The Weight' or a more than decent cover of Talk Talk's 'Life's What You Make It', featured on the UK Edition. If you can get your hands on this release, or even better the Deluxe Edition, it is worth the search & the investment, as alll of its tracks are wonderful & each has its own unique soul.
But even if not, weezer's Red Album is a gift to the rock public, proving courage & an unexpected maturity from a band that has so far not disappointed.
Alternative Rock at it's experimental best! - By: J. Ody, 02 Jul 2008 Weezer are one of those bands that stand out on their own, quite happy to mix it up with different musical styles over an Indie-Alternative-Rock backbone. Personallly I got into the band on the back of Weezer's first of their 3 eponymous albums (with this one being the third) that have an unspoken subtitle of colours (`94's Blue album; 01's Green album; & this one the Red album). In 1994 the rock scene had changed from Party-Rock to Grunge, & whilst the likes of The Offspring & Green Day were starting to make waves to stardom, it was also Weezer who grabbed my attention with what used to be known as Geek-Rock, but was a slightly Harder Indie-Rock with a few Beach Boys-esque harmonies (in Britain we had Silver Sun), & their breakthrough single, `Buddy Holly' was over played everywhere.
So here we are with the Red album & I am pleasantly surprised that it both plays nicely along side the Blue & Green album (and of course the band's otheres), whilst still having a fresh mix of songs. First song, `Troublemaker' is a quick & catchy Pop-Rock number that has chunky riffs & the ability to stick into your brain straight away. This then goes straight to the longer & more complex song, `The Greatest Man That Ever Lived' which is slightly Prog-Theatrical-Rock in the different changes of tempo & melodies, starting from big riffs, before switching to a marching band, then a piano & vocal part, before chugging guitars carry on. This is where people will say that this is a show of the band's maturity, however I think that this says more abut the creativity of the band, & how sometimes they let their collective muse get pissed & go on a rampage with excellent results.
I don't need to go into `Pork And Beans' as it's the first single off of the album & so is bound to have been played loads on the radio & television music stations by the time you read this. It's another catchy & totallly Weezer-like song with harmonies & fuzzy guitar riffs. Good stuff. Next is a gentle & slow song in, `Heart Songs' which sounds very much like Red Hot Chilli Peppers in the slow melodic guitar & Rivers' gentle voice as he sings about his music influences like, Quiet Riot, Iron Maiden, Debbie Gibson & Michael Jackson. Then in `Everybody Get Dangerous' we have a more funky Red Hot Chilli Peppers in the verse before a rocking catchy chorus.
Now, `Dreamin'' does take me right back to the Blue album as it sits there with it's arms snugly around tracks like, `Undone- The Sweater Song' & `Holiday'. Then we have the rest of the band getting involved in the writing of the songs. Firstly guitarist Brian Bell wrote & sings his way through, `Thought I Knew' which is a middle-of-the-road rock song, then bassist Scott Shriner co-wrote, `Cold Dark World' whist drummer Pat Wilson writes & sings on the `70's influenced, `Automatic' which is a great chunky & meaty number that has a nice raw edge to it. The last original song is the epic, `The Angel And The One' which is a slow & thoughtful number that starts off gentle & rips into a raw power-balllad of a song.
The last two songs are covers, the first being the great Folk-Rock of `The Weight' which was originallly done by The Band & always sounds a little like, `Lodi' by Creedence Clearwater Revival, before the slightly Psychedelic fuzzbox Rock of, `Life Is What You Make it' originallly done by Talk Talk.
It's been said before that Rivers Cuomo is a little bit cuckoo, & that at times the engine is running but there is no one behind the wheel, however whatever your feelings on his mental state, there is no denying that he is a musical genius, & once again Weezer have produced an album that not only is very good, but is also very hard to pigeon hole again.
It's funny how one of the purveyors of Geek Rock are now more Jock-mixed-with-Stoner Rock! In between the colours albums we've also had, `Pinkerton' (96), `Maladriot' (02) & `Make Believe' (05), & whilst the Red album is a little more complex than previous albums there is nothing here that Weezer fans won't be scared by, & more so a little more depth suggesting that they have fully let their proverbial hair down. Love it!
Amaing album - By: MrMetalheadO'Hagan, 28 Jun 2008 Awhile back i bought The Blue Album (Deluxe Edition) to see what it was like & it was awesome. The other day i was watching tv & i saw the song Pork And Beans & i loved so i immediatly downloaded this edition & it was amazing. I love every song on this album. This is an awesome rock album by Weezer. If you're a Weezer fan & have heard Pork And Beans then buy the deluxe edition. I'll be buying that edition when i have the money. Deffinetly an album worth buying for any fan of music. You just dont find that many rock bands like this anymore.
Buy the Deluxe Edition !!!! - By: Pizza Monster, 20 Jun 2008 Attention alll weezer fans
dont even contemplate spending £9 on this when the deluxe version is only £13
the extra tracks are worth £13 on their own!!!!
GO BUY THE DELUXE VERSION
Apart than that its another classic Weezer Albulm
highlights being ..... well alll of them reallly but especiallly the bonus tracks
PIG,THE SPIDER & KING
