Of the many excellent releases from 1994, two, in
particular, best captured the awkward teenage years and the experience of
growing up. Green Day’s Dookie, which will be discussed in a
future article, and Weezer’s self-titled debut LP, better known as The Blue Album. These 10 songs, pounded
out in just over 40 minutes by the group’s
original four members, helped bridge the gap between the end of mainstream
grunge rock and the earliest examples of emo (and its many subgenres) and, along
with Green Day, pop punk and all its related styles. Rock and pop fans alike
were simultaneously introduced to the strange brilliance of singer/songwriter,
Rivers Cuomo, who weaves personal experience into Gen-X storytelling that moves
quickly and with focused precision throughout. While some may only recall the major
success and new wave pop of the still-catchy, “Buddy Holly”, others began a 25-year
relationship with a prolific group that continues to experiment and dares to
challenge their audience as just last week, they released their second LP so
far this year alone, with a third on the way.
It’s hard to believe now, with the band’s large and still-growing
catalog, that this collection of songs, and a handful of related B-sides from
singles and soundtracks, were all the Weezer fans had for over two years and also
laid the foundation that would sustain them through a 5-year hiatus where many gave
up on the group or assumed they had come and gone, leaving some solidly
memorable songs behind. These tracks revel in their simplicity while embracing
big hooks that engaged rock fans of all types on songs like “No One Else”, “The
World Has Turned and Left Me Here”, and the Beach Boys-referencing “Holiday”
and “Surf Wax America”. Original bassist, Matt Sharp, lends his signature falsetto
backing vocals to most tracks which gives the songs a quality the band has
never quite been able to regain following his departure a few years later
during their lengthy break.
“Buddy Holly”, a gigantic hit on radio and MTV alike,
with it’s unforgettable Happy Days-themed video directed by the great Spike
Jonze, was the album’s biggest success, but its lead single, “Undone – The Sweater
Song”, introduced the band to viewers of 120
Minutes and Alternative Nation a
bit sooner. With its slow tempo, meandering pre-verses full of dialog, and
abstract lyrics, “Undone” is arguably an odd choice to release as a major label
album’s lead single, but in retrospect, it represents the band the best of the
record’s 10 songs, though it might not be the most-representative of the sound
of the album itself. The third and final single, “Say It Ain’t So”, did not hit
as high as “Buddy Holly” but showcased Cuomo’s personal songwriting style which
continued to develop more so on the band’s second, and arguably superior, LP
two years later, compared to the broader approaches of “Undone” and “Buddy
Holly”.
Drummer Pat Wilson and guitarist Brian Bell contribute strong
performances that drive the songs as they range in dynamic and tone and
compliment the unique styles of Cuomo and Sharp. Producer, Ric Ocasek, of The
Cars, anchors the album’s sound in early ‘90s rock but with clear connections
to late-‘70s and early-‘80s new wave with additional synth pop references that
recall moments from his own band’s many hits. Ocasek would return to work with
Weezer twice more on subsequent albums, but it’s easy to say the band’s debut
would have certainly had a different sound and vibe without his assistance, as
they had originally wanted to produce the record themselves.
All told, Weezer’s debut is notable among their many albums
for several reasons. Its songs feature an honest naiveite, though from a more
general perspective, than any of their subsequent releases and a certain type
of excitable energy to match on most tracks. Songs about pining for lost love,
anxiety about holding on to current love, relationships within one’s family,
and reflections on time spent alone or with friends pursuing personal
interests, such as the Kiss posters, X-Men Comics, and D&D components
discussed on “In the Garage”, allow listeners to find bits of themselves and
their own lives or pasts within them. Starting with 2001’s Weezer (aka The Green Album),
many of the band’s songs became stories about other characters or exercises in
narrative songwriting from various perspectives rather than exploring the
territory covered on The Blue Album.
The band’s first album is also the most-firmly based in rock rather than
varying into fusion with other genres and toying with experimentation that
often led to mixed results. While Weezer’s
sound and style have continued to grow, and new fans are made every day, the
foundation for their entire project, 80’s covers and all, can be found in these
10 excellent songs from 25 years ago.
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