Some brief thoughts on Weezer’s Hurley

Weezer, if you can forgive me for doubting you, I can forgive you for the Red album

I’m writing a review on the album for a school publication, so I feel somewhat obliged to not write too many of my thoughts on the Weezer’s new album “Hurley” here. I don’t want to end up accidentally plagiarizing myself if I write some of the same thoughts and opinions here and in my article. Anyway…

As someone who was admittedly furious when the album cover was leaked, I hate to admit that I was wrong, but…

Weezer’s “Hurley” is pretty frickin’ good. Dare I say it, but it’s definitely the band’s best piece of work since “Pinkerton”. I’m serious. Make it the band’s third best album to date. Weezer left the Geffen record label, and maybe it was for the better if this is what we get. The album is not the second coming of “Pinkerton”, but it is the first Weezer album since then that I feel the band is actually trying to recreate the spirit of early Weezer. Not a perfect album, but a good one, and a step in the right direction. It sure is good to have you back, Weezer.

If you at all appreciate 90s Weezer, you need to hear this album. And to Rivers Cuomo – I promise I no longer believe you live to p!$$ off your fans. Thanks for finally listening to our pleas (although “Repressed (Rocked Out Mix)” sounds like a tell-off to people who give him suggestions). Just never try to cover Coldplay again (A cover of “Viva la Vida” is on the deluxe edition), and we can coexist just fine.

A side note- I’m sorry for the very apparent lack of updates. I’ve been drowning in school work, but now that I’m finally getting into the swing things, I’ll be making more updates – and maybe write about something other than Weezer.

Lastly, thanks to all the people over the last few months who have inadvertently stumbled upon my blog by searching for leaked copies of “Hurley”. I am sorry that you ended up here, but I appreciate the extra traffic, and maybe some of you even perused some other posts (doubtful).

Weezer teases with promise of return to Blue Album/Pinkerton era

There are lots of more relevant Weezer pictures out there, but I chose this one

I will be the first to admit I was a little harsh on Weezer in my last post about the new “Hurley” album cover. And I’m still kind of mad. My reservations about the album still stand, but I guess Weezer doesn’t have some evil vendetta against its Blue Album/Pinkerton fans because…

drumroll….

Rivers Cuomo has announced that Weezer is considering a possible Blue Album/Pinkerton tour!

If this becomes a reality, I will know that the music gods are listening to my prayers. If the tour doesn’t go anywhere near me, then I will know they are trying to spite me.

According to an interview with MTV news, Rivers Cuomo says that the tour would consist of two dates in each city, one night devoted to each album. Cuomo says a possible setback could be potential interest in this tour (I’m interested!!!), and who knows – how much interest is there really in two albums that were released almost two decades ago? I assume there are others like me out there who still play both of these albums on the regular. And who knows? Maybe Weezer’s new questionable albums have brought in new fans who have only recently discovered the band’s early work.

So no final plans yet, like the long-postponed “Pinkerton” re-release. However, I am not giving up hope! The fact that this blog gets any attention at all means there must still be some interest in Weezer’s glory days.

Thanks to my lovely muffin Stina for sending me this article! It’s about time I blogged about it. If this tour starts to manifest itself as reality, I will provide very active coverage of it.

One last note – Sorry for the hiatus! It’s been crazy adjusting to being back to school after being abroad for a semester. I’m not sure I still know how to do homework! I’m trying to work on fitting blogging into my schedule.

Flashback Friday: Madonna

Every Friday I’ll post a music video from at least 5 years ago, and add a little commentary. I hope you can revisit some old favorites and maybe discover some new artists you missed out on the first time round.

Let’s start off your weekend by heading back in time… Flashback Friday style. This one is dedicated to my mom, since she picked the video this week. Thanks Mom!

Madonna – Material Girl

I have a confession to make. This is the first time I’ve ever seen this video, and I’m barely familiar with this song. When this video came out in 1985, I wasn’t even alive.

I’ve never been a Madonna fan because frankly, I completely missed her heyday. I don’t listen to the music she releases today, however I can appreciate the impact she’s had on the music industry.

So sorry if this isn’t really a Flashback, since I’m not going back, I’m visiting it for the first time… so here are my reactions to this video:

If you’ve seen “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”, you’ve basically already seen this video (And I have seen that). “Material Girl” is basically just Madonna performing the same choreography in the same dress as Marilyn Monroe, only she is singing “Material Girl” instead of “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend”. So basically the same thing. Oh, and there is a small subplot about some scruffy looking guy wanting to take Madonna on a date. I wish they had cut that part out… Unless you’re Lady Gaga there is no need to have add two extra minutes onto a music video.

The modern "Material Girl", I guess...

It’s hard to say this video is iconic, since it’s a copy of something else, but the song certainly is a huge part of pop culture.

Madonna herself is still stuck on “Material Girl”. Her and her daughter have designed a clothing line for Macy’s called none other than “Material Girl”. Gossip Girl’s Taylor Momsen is the face of the line… is there a large market of young girls that feel like they can relate to her, style wise? Aye caramba.

Anyway, enjoy your weekend and make like a tree and leave a comment.

Weezer wants to destroy my sweater with “Hurley”

You are tearing me apart, Rivers Cuomo!

You know, in the past, I stood up for Rivers Cuomo and Weezer every time they released a new impossibly cheesetastic album. When many fans said that the original Weezer was dead or that Rivers Cuomo lived to p!$$ off his fans, I tried to say that they had just evolved over the years. Weezer’s new album cover Hurley has me wondering if an evil space alien was sent to Earth with the mission to impersonate Rivers Cuomo and see how much it could possibly anger Weezer fans. He’s quite good at it too. Just when you think there is no way for the album covers to get any worse, Weezer delivers.

The album is a picture of Jose Garcia as his character Hurley from the now defunct show “Lost”. I’ve never seen more than 10 minutes of lost, so I have a question for any “Lost” fans – do you guys think this a good album cover concept? As Pitchfork says, “At this point, Weezer may be better at creating WTF internet memes than making songs.”

In an e-mail interview with Pitchfork, Cuomo explains the concept: “We just wanted to use that picture of Jorge Garcia’s face on the cover. It’s such an amazing album cover, and we didn’t want to have any other words on it, so we just figured everyone was going to call it Hurley, so that’s what we call it.”

No it’s not.

Pitchfork nicely tried to address whether not “Hurley” would be a follow-up musically to “Raditude”:

Pitchfork: Some people reacted negatively to the mainstream pop production and sound of Raditude. Does Hurley continue with that sound or is it different?

RC: Hurley is definitely a raw, unpolished, high energy “alt-rock” album.

Pitchfork: Now that you’re on an independent label is your music going to be more “indie” i.e. less polished and pop-sounding?

RC: No.

Now that Weezer is collaborating with the likes of Lil Wayne and Katy Perry, it seems like he likes mingling with mainstream pop stars. Cuomo is like that nerdy kid in high school that finally gets to sit with the cool kids at lunch, and then starts picking on his old crew of fellow nerds.

Now, peep Weezer’s new single “Memories”. Dare I say it? The song actually sounds like old school Weezer. It sounds better if you just don’t listen to the lyrics, but the feeling of the song is, whether Cuomo admits it or not, less-polished and pop-sounding. The chorus is the worst part:

Memories make me want to go back there, back there
All the memories make me want to go back there, back there
All the memories, how can we make it back there, back there
I want be there again

Aside from goofy lyrics, could Weezer finally be coming back to us? Maybe “Hurley” won’t epically blow. The song is definitely second fiddle to David Guetta and Kid Cudi’s “Memories”.

If only we knew back then what we know now...

Can you believe that in 2002 fans were angry about the “Maladroit” cover? It seems so harmless next to all the other shiza they’ve released since then. Pitchfork called it one of the worst album covers of all-time. Of course, this list was created before “Raditude”‘s flying labrador was unleashed (no pun intended) onto the the music world.

I said earlier that I used to argue that Weezer had just evolved over the years. Maybe the problem with Weezer is that they never evolved? Weezer wasn’t writing epic and meaningful lyrics in its heyday, but they were just a bunch of kids in the early 90s. I now think the problem is that Weezer is now a band of adults, but they still write like they hangout in their parents’ basements and drink Mountain Dew while playing video games and eating Cheetos.

(Okay, I still do this, but I’m 21)

What do you think of the album cover? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Think I’m being too harsh? Let me know in the comments.

Flashback Friday: Backstreet Boys

Welcome to your Flashback Friday, courtesy of the Backstreet Boys. I probably should ease up on the cheesetastic videos in favor of some more influential/serious ones, but in light of the recent Backstreet Boys reunion, I thought this was appropriate (except not Kevin, aka “the old one”, who was my favorite… WTF).

Backstreet Boys – Quit Playing Games With My Heart

This video is just simple and it works. There is absolutely no storyline for the video, and the concept is not that complex. We have the Backstreet Boys at a basketball court (although not evident until like a minute into the video) against a wall, kinda bobbing their heads to the music. They are all wearing neutral colors and we see several cuts to solo shots of the Backstreet Boys slow jamming to the music. Lots of soft focus. Lots of “look at me I’m a heart throb” faces.

Then, for absolutely no reason, the Backstreet Boys are on the same basketball court, only this time they are soaked. Has it rained? Did they get thrown in a pool? Get a little rowdy at Sea World? I don’t know.

Hey, McFly, you bozo! Those boards don’t work on water.

Even more angsty-heart throb faces. Lots of close-ups of their bare chests. Still on the basketball court. Not playing basketball. More abs.

And yet somehow I am entertained from start to finish. So bravo, Backstreet Boys and music video team.

Well, now that I think about it, this video could have been a whole lot cheesier. The Backstreet Boys could have been playing board games… their hearts being at stake. Gosh. I should really direct music videos.

I think we can learn something here. If ever you find yourself frustrated with current music trends or artists, remember the Backstreet Boys. Along with a few other pop stars and groups, the Backstreet Boys were on top of the world in the late 90s. Boy bands (and the Spice Girls!! Girl power!!) ruled the music industry. Only a few years later, the boy band trend fizzled out, and the Backstreet Boys went with it. Justin Timberlake seems to be the only boy band survivor, and rightfully so. There really aren’t any songs like this on the radio today, for better or for worse. Even music from four years ago sounds vastly different than radio hits today. So sorry, Backstreet Boys, I’m not sure there still a place for aging boy bands in 2010, but if you come to my city, I miiiiight have to see your reunion tour.

Trapped in the “Suburbs”

I am Day 2 into Arcade Fire’s “Suburbs” and already I can’t stop freaking out about it. As Lady Gaga would say, it is both my Kubrick and my Jesus. It is so amazingly amazing awesomely epic. I haven’t heard it nearly enough to make this into an album review… but rather a push for you to find some way, any way to hear this record.

The image above my copy of the CD… Target only offered one cover (I discussed the multiple covers a few posts back. I liked the red-ish one with the palm tree the best, but this will do.

I really don’t want to give anything away about the album. I dived into it having only heard the title track, and I think you’ll be just as satisfied if you buy this album without previewing it.

I have a confession to make. I wasn’t expecting this album to be all that great. Arcade Fire had the impossible task of following up “Funeral” (which I think can be described as no less than perfect) and “Neon Bible” (not quite as amazing as its predecessor, but mind-blowing, nonetheless). How could this band produce another near-perfect record? Who does Arcade Fire think it is? Radiohead? And despite skepticism, Arcade Fire lived up to the hype, and I believe that it has solidified itself as a musical force not to be reckoned with.

This is my promise to you, Arcade Fire: I will never doubt your ability to deliver musical genius ever again. Three brilliant albums seems to say that you never plan to head down the road to “Raditude”.

You need to hear this. And Win Butler needs to stop stealing basketballs.

Flashback Friday: George Harrison

Welcome to the 4th Flashback Friday. I know I missed two, but I promise from now on I’ll shape up. It’s gonna take time, a whole lot of precious time…

Speaking of which.

Yes. Yes. it’s George, George Harrison. He’s your density. I mean… your destiny.

Out of all The Beatles’ post-Beatles solo careers, the late and great George Harrison’s is my favorite (but John is my favorite Beatle forever… not that you care). Not helping my case is one of his hokiest songs… and definitely in my top 5 GH songs:

George Harrison – Got My Mind Set on You

Let’s head back to a wilderness lodge in 1988. I haven’t even been born yet, the Berlin Wall still stands, and the Beatles have been split for 18 years. And George Harrison was making videos with dancing animals.

Holy shiza, this video is amazing, I don’t even know where to start. A Bob Dylan-esque George Harrison sits in a chair, playing guitar, in a cozy/cabin-like living room surrounded by animal busts, coats of armor, and… parrots? As the video progresses, the furniture begins to dance, the parrot begins to dance, followed by… George Harrison? Or his double anyway. Out of freaking nowhere, he bounces up out of a chair and busts a move. Awkward cut back to real George sitting in the chair. I love this video.

Beyond the video, this cover is a great song. Yes, as previously stated, it’s pretty hokey and arguably, dated, but it’s a fun, feel-good song that makes me want to get up and dance (and I usually do). Try to listen to this song and feel sad. Just try. Don’t lie, you failed.

Enjoy your weekend, brought to you by the amazing Mr. Harrison (I just fell in love with his album “All Things Must Pass” – check it out).