Pinkerton by Weezer - DeepRiffs

ALBUM

From the pounding, primal assault of the opening track, "Tired of Sex," it's clear from the outset that Pinkerton is a different record than the sunny, heavy guitar pop of Weezer's eponymous debut. The first noticeable difference is the darker, messier sound -- the guitars rage and squeal, the beats are brutal and visceral, the vocals are mixed to the front, filled with overlapping, off-the-cuff backing vocals. In short, it sounds like the work of a live band, which makes it all the more ironic that Pinkerton, at its core, is a singer/songwriter record, representing Rivers Cuomo's bid for respectability. Since he hasn't changed Weezer's blend of power pop and heavy metal (only the closing song, "Butterfly," is performed acoustically), many critics and much of the band's casual fans didn't notice Cuomo's significant growth as a songwriter. Loosely structured as a concept album based on Madame Butterfly, each song works as an individual entity, driven by powerful, melodic hooks, a self-deprecating sense of humor ("Pink Triangle" is about a crush on a lesbian), and a touching vulnerability ("Across the Sea," "Why Bother?"). Weezer can still turn out catchy, offbeat singles -- "The Good Life" has a chorus that is more memorable than "Buddy Holly," "El Scorcho" twists Pavement's junk-culture references in on itself, "Falling for You" is the most propulsive thing they've yet recorded -- but the band's endearing geekiness isn't as cutesy as before, which means the album wasn't as successful on the charts. But it's the better album, full of crunching power pop with a surprisingly strong emotional undercurrent that becomes all the more resonant with each play. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

1. Tired Of Sex

Composer: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Primary Artist: Weezer; Main Performer
Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Mixing: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Producer: Weezer; Production
Studio Personnel: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Composer Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Other

2. Getchoo

Composer: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Primary Artist: Weezer; Main Performer
Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Mixing: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Producer: Weezer; Production
Studio Personnel: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Composer Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Other

3. No Other One

Composer: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Primary Artist: Weezer; Main Performer
Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Mixing: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Producer: Weezer; Production
Studio Personnel: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Composer Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Other

4. Why Bother?

Composer: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Primary Artist: Weezer; Main Performer
Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Mixing: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Producer: Weezer; Production
Studio Personnel: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Composer Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Other

5. Across The Sea

Composer: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Primary Artist: Weezer; Main Performer
Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Mixing: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Producer: Weezer; Production
Studio Personnel: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Composer Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Other

6. The Good Life

Composer: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Primary Artist: Weezer; Main Performer
Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Mixing: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Producer: Weezer; Production
Studio Personnel: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Composer Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Other

7. El Scorcho

Composer: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Primary Artist: Weezer; Main Performer
Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Mixing: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Producer: Weezer; Production
Studio Personnel: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Composer Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Other

8. Pink Triangle

Composer: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Primary Artist: Weezer; Main Performer
Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Mixing: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Producer: Weezer; Production
Studio Personnel: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Composer Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Other

9. Falling For You

Composer: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Primary Artist: Weezer; Main Performer
Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Mixing: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Producer: Weezer; Production
Studio Personnel: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Composer Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Other

10. Butterfly

Composer: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Primary Artist: Weezer; Main Performer
Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Composer
Mixing: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Producer: Weezer; Production
Studio Personnel: Jack Joseph Puig; Production
Composer Lyricist: Rivers Cuomo; Other

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

10 tracks available

Type

ALBUM

Format

Digital Media

Duration

34 minutes and 38 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 3000x3000 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

CD Quality (Lossless)

16bit / 44.1 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

6/10 tracks have lyrics

Synchronized Lyrics

2/10 tracks have synced lyrics

Genres

Pop/Rock, Alternative, Punk, Adult Alternative, Grunge-Pop, Power Pop

Label

DGC

Music Distribution Service

UMG Global

Country

United States

Language

English (United States)

Popularity

Release Date

Sep 23, 1996

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

720642500729