Welp, that was fast.
I remember when “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was 20 years old and it being a big deal. I think it came out on CD concurrent with that anniversary which might be the part of it. Physical media!
Weezer’s “Blue Album” isn’t that big a deal and Weezer’s aren’t the Beatles.
Not even close.
But it was a fun album of its time and a nice contrast to grunge which had peaked and was only going to get worse — I’m looking at you BUSH. “Buddy Holly” is still the great turn-it-up and roll-down-the-windows-on-a-warm-day classic it’ll always be.
Gee, it’s so quaint to look back on Rivers Cuomo’s lyrics and think about how much he’s grown as a songwriter, singer and man since…okay I can’t say that with a straight face.
Apparently, the social contract mandates going through the album and saying something about the songs.
My Name is Jonas – annoying, awful, almost killed album before it began
No One Else – catchy sounds like every other song
The World Has Turned and Left Me Here – beginning to think that high school never ended for this dude
Buddy Holly – Windows 95 (not so good Al)
Undone – The Sweater Song – proto shoe-gaze
Surfwax America – Catchy, kind of different than the other songs. A little at least.
Say it Ain’t So – always seemed to hear it going over Blue Mountain on I-81
In the Garage – He talks about KISS who were best described as “they suck, but they have sucked longer than anybody else.” That was over 20 years ago.
Holiday – just a set up for Island in the Sun years later
Only in Dreams – more proto shoegaze that never ends
Oh and good job by producer Ric Ocasek for this album.
Some people who took this assignment more seriously than me:
Now, people who took the assignment more seriously than I did:
‘The Blue Album’ at 20: Looking Back at Weezer’s Debut, Track by Track «.
Weezer's 'Blue Album' at 20: Classic Track-by-Track Album Review | Billboard.
DEATH TO FALSE NERD ROCK!