Jeremy Zhang Contributor
Weezer is the goofy rock band with four guys lined up in front of a #189BCC blue background with the guitar pick that goes “ner ner nuh nah nah doo doo doo!”. Besides the jokes and radio friendly power pop, they have a standout album, a black sheep amongst the rest of their discography. Pinkerton is Weezer’s second studio album published in 1996. On release, Pinkerton was despised by fans and critics. It strayed too far from what made their first self-titled album, the Blue Album, beloved. While Blue was fun, nerdy, and poppy, Pinkerton was raw, angsty, and emotional. The guitars were loud, scratchy, and distorted, and the production was purposely unclean. Rivers Cuomo, Weezers frontman and main writer described Pinkerton as getting drunk at a party and spilling your guts out to strangers, then waking up and regretting everything.
Those are exactly the reasons I, and many other people, love Pinkerton. There are a couple of songs I would like to highlight. “Tired Of Sex” is the first song from the album, where the vocals have Cuomo sounding like he is begging for anyone to understand him. It also has my favourite guitar solo from the album which escalates intensity into one final plea for connection. “No Other One” is about a toxic relationship. The persona of the song laments about how his partner treats him unwell, yet he cannot imagine leaving, because despite it all, he is more scared of being alone. His partner, seeming cold and callous, does not leave him either, as she fears the very same thing. The tone is sorrowful while the distorted guitar wails away. “Across The Sea” is the best testament to the unfiltered nature of Pinkerton. It is about a fan letter Cuomo received from Japan.
Having been isolated and desperately lonely, this letter was a rare piece of connection to another human being. He was infatuated by the letter, singing about how he would sniff and lick it, and then cry. His lyrics in that song represent regret, shame, and how deeply personal Pinkerton is. While looking down from a high horse, the song seems really pathetic. On a personal level though, most people who have struggled with loneliness can relate to an extent to the desperate bid for connection, grasping at the weirdest tiniest hints with your head in the clouds.
Pinkerton also has a deluxe edition! The B side contains nine more songs of loneliness, love, unrequited love, regrets, and heartbreak to add to the original ten.
Weird, off-putting, but honest; that is what makes Pinkerton great. If you are a fan of unabashed humanity, grungy guitars, and a sad nerdy guy, try Pinkerton out. Even if you are not, try it anyway, maybe you will.
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