Weezer (Red Album) (studio album) by Weezer

1. 90
2. 50
3. 100
4. 95
5. 70
6. 45
7. 95
8. 50
9. 80
10. 50

While staying on mostly the same safe ground established in Make Believe, Weezer's sixth album (and the third self-titled one) is a slightly more varied affair. Led by some strong singles, there is also some interesting experimentation here, such as the almost progressive rock like "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations On A Shaker Hymn)". It's not a song I particularly care for, even though it's somewhat of a black sheep in Weezer's discography. It's an ambitious song, something of a wannabe Bohemian Rhapsody that unfortunately doesn't define the rest of the album.

The first four songs are great, particularly the vulnerable "Heart Songs", but after that, something strange happens. The rest of the album loses the spark of new lie given to the opening tracks. That's why the Red Album feels like a missed opportunity and more of a middle-of-a-road album.

The instrumentation is more varied, the overall sound is once again rockier and the experimentation and deeper lyrics are an improvement from Make Believe, but the lack of real hooks in the later tracks becomes a minor problem. Influences from progressive rock, hip hop and earlier waves of alternative rock keep the LP fresh from beginning to end. Almost every song sounds completely different from all the others, making this the most varied Weezer album so far.

There are examples where this newfound interest to experiment just doesn't work. "Dreamin'" starts perfectly fine but quickly turns into a painfully dragged out mess. "Cold Dark World" sounds like River Cuomo trying to be Eminem. And then there are memorable songs with positive energy, like "Pork and Beans", "Thought I Knew", and "Automatic" to weigh things out. On the other hand, tracks like "The Angel And The One" and "Heart Songs" show a vulnerable and depressed side of the band not heard since Pinkerton. So there's something for everybody on the Red Album, and perhaps too many bits and pieces to form a coherent listen.

From Keatownrodriguez 09/23/2019 19:23

The songs written by the other guys, the ambitious Greatest Man that Ever Lived, and the emotional beats from Heart Songs and the Angel and the one (also the spider off of the deluxe edition) give this album an awesome variety not heard in too many Weezer projects, easily their best of the 2000's

From LebowskiRams 01/14/2019 18:23

Dope album. The deluxe version is god-tier

This album does an excellent at getting your expectations high with the first three songs, then kicking you in the nuts with 7 mediocre to awful songs in a row.

From hereforashortime 01/25/2017 15:54

Probably Weezer's most underrated Album, probably they best they've done since Pinkerton, Feels like their most diverse and experimental album

Weezer at their silliest. Negative Nancy's will point to a band unwilling to age gracefully or that they have become a satire of themselves.

It has enough personality that reminds me of the their first 2 albums. That's refreshing because Make Believe and the Green Album lacked it.

Similar to the debut in tone but if the party was amped up on 2 liters of Mountain Dew and were all 12 years old.

Good not great but more of a return to form than anything else in the 2000's so I like it.

I do find this album to have the most varied responses from fans. I feel like Weezer heads usually consistently agree on good and bad Weezer but the Red Album is all over the map. I hear of people who love it and other's who can't stand it. Interesting, just thought to mention it.

This site doesn't give this album enough credit. Yes, it's not as great as blue, pinkerton, or make believe, but its still a quality album. No bad songs, and a few great ones

A completely different album to anything they'd done before, experimental, taking on many different genres, it's pretty good

From HoldenM 01/01/2016 21:12

Pretty good, especially for late-period Weezer.

Extraordinarily entertaining, silly, and emotionally powerful pop