I spend a large majority of my day in my van. Therefore, I also receive a generous radio intake. In between the 500 commercials, the radio stations to which I listen play a lot of Weezer songs. Had this been 10 years ago, I would have been ecstatic. Yet, with their latest release, “I’m Your Daddy,” I am pushed to question if Weezer has just decided to give up on songwriting, or whether something else is going on. As I sit in the parking lot known as 95 during rush hour, an amazing conclusion popped into my head. I don’t think their gradual loss of musical ability is their fault. I think that Weezer’s music career is regressing in age, ala Benjamin Button.
Let’s observe the facts, their debut album in 1994 contained the song “Buddy Holly.” They used unique melody lines paired with interesting, clever and intelligent lyrical references. Was it quirky? Of course! Was it brilliant and fun all rolled into a ball? Most definitely. Paired with Spike Jones, they thought to superimpose themselves into a Happy Days inspired video. I still question how they made that happen. Okay, not really, I know how it was done... but go with me. The album didn’t end with “Buddy Holly,” “Say it Ain’t So” (probably my favorite) and “Undone - The Sweater Song” also graced one of the most well conceived debut albums. The prime of their lives.
Pinkerton, is when the regression starts to begin. Not because I think the songs are awful, I actually think “The Good Life” is a super fun song with great melodic structure. Yet, it was voted by Rolling Stone as one of the worst albums of 1996. This is the awkward right out of college, figuring out what to do with your life stage of their musical career.
I loved Island in the Sun when I was a freshman in college. Which is truly what this portion of their musical career represents. The fun, happy-go-lucky time when it really doesn’t matter if you say interesting things, because you’re probably drunk anyway. The college years.
Keep Fishin had a musical video featuring the Muppets. The Muppets are freaking awesome, but I feel as though they were trying to appeal to the high school demographic that thinks it quirky to like the muppets. They don’t really know why, but it has to be a psychological desire to stay a kid while rebelling against their authoritative figures. The song is very simple, and catchy, perfect for the high school setting.
When Beverly Hills came out, they sounded like rich freshman talking about how they didn’t get their island for their birthday. Just like I want to punch freshman, I often punched my radio after yelling, “You are a part of Beverly Hills, asshole!! You have tons of money! This isn’t ironic, it’s just annoying.”
Finally, Raditude. I feel like I am listening to a middle school kid do a project for school. I almost wish he paid a kid in Jr. High to write down some thoughts in homeroom for these songs. It would be a better story. “The rest of the summer was the best we've ever had/We watched titanic and it didn't make us sad/I took you to Best Buy/You took me home to meet your mom and dad” REALLY? How old are you? Answer: In musical regression career years: 12.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button may have been adapted from F. Scott Fitzgerald, but he must have been a time traveller because his short story is adapted from Weezer’s career.
