DeViCom CD-Review: Weezer - The Green Album

There's a reason why Weezer's third album consciously recalls their first, not just in its eponymous title, but in its stark cover, Ric Ocasek production, and tight pop songs. That's not because Weezer was trying to recapture their core audience because, unbeknownst to them, they already had. Once their second album Pinkerton stiffed on the charts and was lambasted in the press (including an devastatingly unfair pan from Rolling Stone, who named it the worst album of 1996), the group dropped out of sight and leader Rivers Cuomo went into seclusion. Remarkably, the group's following, unlike so many of their peers — from forgotten label-sponsored alt-rockers like Nada Surf to indie rockers as respected as Sebadoh — never waned, it only strengthened, as fans slowly realized the brilliance of Pinkerton and how the debut only seemed better, catchier, funnier as the years passed. Weezer eventually realized this through the magic of the internet (plus an uproarious Japanese tour), and they toured in 2000, knocking out a new album at the end of the year, when they realized that there were thousands of fans eager to hear a new record. The cynical out there might interpret this as crass commercialism — Hey! They only made a record when they realized people were listening — but it's actually a reflection of one of Weezer's greatest strengths: Cuomo's shyness and awkwardness, neither of which he can disguise, no matter how he tries. He didn't want to record another album unless he knew somebody was listening, because he didn't know if there was a purpose otherwise. This is the quality that came shining through on Pinkerton (and is most likely the reason he disdains the album as too personal, no matter how great it is), and it's also apparent on this Weezer album (which will inevitably be known as the Green Album, much like how fans dubbed the debut the Blue Album, due to its cover background), even if he consciously shies away from the stark autobiography that made their previous album.
To be honest, the entire sound of the record seems to be much more commercial- and pop-like than you know from the Blue Album (though its sound has been poppy and smiling as well) and it seems to be a bit overproduced. It is hard for a Weezer fan to recognize the old band on this record since he may love either Cuomo's deep and melancholic drive, caused by River's huge honesty he dealed with, on Pinkerton or the band's happiness on the debut. This time their Emo and Punk-Pop sound is happy as well but somehow you are not able to buy this completely. The dominating pop sound does not make it easy to believe that Weezer stayed the same all the time and of course it is not not only Weezer's fault - Osaak's one as well. Best example is "Island in the Sun" that let you remind of the Bears's Power-Pop or the Cranberries's dreamy and floating sound. Like they were produced for the charts.