Weezer’s seventh release “Raditude” is clearly an indicator that the band has the ability to take their music in many different directions and still have the end result be a rocking album. There are so many different styles of music in this collection, it’s almost as if Cuomo & company wanted to see just how far they could push the musical limits envelope, and still make it work. Well push it they did, and made it work they have.

One of the main reasons for the wide array of musical styles in “Raditude” is the high number of different song-writing and producing collaborations that took place during the making of it. Cuomo had a co-writer for almost every song, working with everyone from the familiar sounds of fellow pop-rockers Butch Walker (Marvelous 3, Butch Walker and the Let’s-Go-Out-Tonites) and Tyson Ritter & Nick Wheeler (The All-American Rejects) to some of today’s biggest R&B and Pop producers such as Lukasz Gottwald (Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Katy Perry) and Jermaine Dupri (Mariah Carey, Run-DMC, Usher). Even drummer Patrick Wilson contributes to the writing efforts on the track “In the Mall”. Two of the album tracks “Can’t Stop Partying” and “I Don’t Want to Let You Go” come from Cuomo’s solo writings, and can be found in different form on “Alone Vol.2 – The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo” which was released last November.

Thus far “Raditude” has been met with mixed reviews mainly due to the variety of music on the album, and the use of electric and otherwise unusual instruments. Say what you will about Weezer putting a dance-club track on the album, but the new version of “Can’t Stop Partying” is in a far better musical context than the previously recorded acoustic version, while still allowing you to appreciate the irony of Rivers’ lyrics. The truth of the matter is the music world is a-changin’ on both the business and creation hemispheres, and those who want to succeed in it, must do the same. In “Raditude” Weezer has found a way to do just that, while at the same time getting back to what made them so good. Two albums removed from what was nothing more than a sub-par collection of top-40 fluff, it is safe to say that the Weezer we all know and love is back. They are back to writing insanely catchy guitar riffs with loveable, yet dorky lyrics, and that’s exactly where they should be.

[+]Listen to “Raditude” on Weezer’s myspace page now.

What in the name of Baphomet is a “stealth metalhead”?  Webster’s Dictionary defines the term as…well, it doesn’t define it.  But if I were to try my hand at being a dictionary, I would say that it’s someone who keeps their love for metal on the down low.  Sadly, I don’t know any stockbrokers or bankers with Black Sabbath on vinyl, so here’s the next best thing: celebrities!  Because everybody loves celebrities!

5.     Rivers Cuomo

“progressive metal”

It’s no secret that Rivers Cuomo loves metal.  From their earliest years, Weezer professed an undying love of Satan and all things evil, even going so far as to invoke the dark lord himself on several of The Blue Album’s biggest singles.  But long before the blood sacrifices that made him a teen pop sensation, there was Avant Garde.

Yes, my friends, that’s Rivers Cuomo on lead guitar.  Did you hear that?  Those licks!  That shredding!  That, my friends, is what we call “the metal”.  Unfortunately, Avant Garde failed miserably to achieve anything in the way of success, (which is surprising given that every hair metal band in the 80s had a record deal.)  This lead to the band changing their name to Zoom before disbanding completely, likely due to their inability to pick out cool band names.

4.     Phil Elverum

What do you mean I have to wait another week for my Burzum import?

Most of you reading this probably don’t know who Phil Elverum is.  It isn’t really surprising since most of you apparently suffer a brain embolism at the thought of listening to anything that doesn’t suffix with “core”.  Despite that, Elverum is our number 4 stealth metalhead.

Known mainly for his band, Mount Eerie, the first Phil on our list rose to indie stardom earlier this year with his latest release, Wind’s Poem – a record informed by countless hours of poorly engineered black metal that I don’t have any interest in listening to.  In a world where hipsters ironically latch onto Xasthur, it’s his unabashedly unironic love that puts him on our list.  We would’ve put him higher, but you’re all a bunch of cunts who would probably bitch about it.

3.     Demi Lovato

Unleash the fucking fury.

Demetria Devonne “Demi” Lovato[1] (born August 20, 1992) is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is best known for her role as Mitchie Torres in the Disney Channel Original Movie Camp Rock and Sonny Munroe in Sonny With A Chance.

Which is probably why it was so surprising when she openly stated that she enjoyed Job For A Cowboy and Dimmu Borgir.  While both bands ultimately fall on our list of all time Worst Bands Evar, it still fills us with joy at the thought of fingerblasting her to “Run To The Hills”.  At the very least, we’re looking forward to her eventual split with Phobia (now featuring even more guitar solos from Kerry King) once she leaves the safety of her Disney Channel backers.

2.     Ryan Adams

sigh…

Much like our beloved Rivers, Ryan Adams has a not-so-secret love of metal.

Ironic or not, that shit slays.

1.     Phil Anselmo

We’re going to refrain from making jokes about Phil Anselmo lest he pull our balls out of our assholes.

“A ha!” you shout to no one in particular, “Phil Anselmo isn’t a stealth metalhead!  He was in one of the most popular metal bands of all time!  He even owns and operates Housecore Records – a label dedicated to bringing you the finest in metal-slash-hardcore!”

True enough.  Anselmo is largely known for fronting Pantera.  However, it is his credentials with side projects which earn him our top spot, often releasing more respectable albums from Christ Inversion, Down, and Necrophagia alongside shit like Cowboys From Hell.  Simply the fact that Pantera was not metal enough for Anselmo only cements our respect for the man.

Honorable mention: Apparently the singer from Jimmy Eat World worships Satan and listens to Godflesh or something.  Though we couldn’t be bothered to verify this information via Wikipedia, we would at this time like to speculate that the success of Jimmy Eat World may have nothing to do with their music and everything to do with blood orgies.

-Aaron

The latest commercial for Band Hero features Taylor Swift singing and Travis Barker, Pete Wentz, and Rivers Cuomo on the instruments.  This clip follows in suit with the past theme of Tom Cruise’s Risky Business attire; however, instead of playing “Old Time Rock and Roll”, Taylor’s hit single “Love Story” was featured.  What do you think of this new installment?  Personally, I think it is a great combination of vocals, Blink 182 skills, and gaming theatrics!

A címben említett nevek mellé még csatlakozott Rivers Cuomo is a Weezerből! Aggodalomra azért nincs ok, hisz a négyes mindössze egy reklám kedvéért jött össze. A Band Hero nevű játék promójában az énekesnőt a három zenész alsógatyára vetkőzve kíséri, akit érdekel itt nálunk meg is nézheti:

Por Murillo Moret

Pouco mais de um ano após o lançamento do Red Album, os californianos do Weezer lançaram um novo cd: Raditude. Não houve lançamento mundial. O cd foi às lojas, primeiramente, na Austrália, no dia 30 de outubro de 2009. Dias 2 e 3 começaram as vendas no Reino Unido e Estados Unidos, respectivamente.

O álbum foi um baque para os críticos e apreciadores do rock alternativo. Os tempos áureos do Blue Album e do Make Believe parecem que não voltarão. O Weezer tentou usar muitos artifícios eletrônicos em Raditude, o que empobreceu a sonoridade, e, praticamente não usaram da criatividade. Mesmo assim, quem sabe fazer música, sabe fazer música. Esse é o caso de Rivers Cuomo. O vocalista, mais uma vez, dá uma sobrevida a todas as músicas do álbum. Apesar de não ter letras tão bem trabalhadas, o Weezer ainda se diverte compondo e tocando.

Logo na primeira semana, Raditude chegou ao topo da lista da Billboard de cds de rock e de alternativos.

(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To foi divulgada no dia 18 de agosto. Primeiro single do álbum, remete a um rock mais antigo. A introdução da música é bem parecida com a de A Town Called Malice, do The Jam. I Want You To é aquela canção que você aprecia devido ao seu ritmo dançante. 2º lugar nas paradas da Billboard de músicas alternativas, perdendo apenas para Uprising, do Muse.

I’m Your Daddy e Can’t Stop Partying entram na lista de músicas: “por que raios eles fizeram isso?” I’m Your Daddy será o segundo single de Raditude e é simplesmente péssima. A Can’t Stop Partying foge do rock e entra no hip-hop/pop, com vocais do rapper Lil’ Wayne.

Das 10 faixas do cd, são poucas as que você consegue lembrar do velho Weezer. Tripping in the Freeway e The Girl Got Hot são algumas dessas. Mesmo que tenham refrões que grudam, estão numa escala de regular para bom. A Put Me Back Together poderia ser inclusa, porém, o final da música é bizonho. O fade out é simplesmente horrível e parece com muitas bandas de pop-rock que se vangloriam por acharem que fazem música.

As duas últimas faixas são as melhores. In The Mall, escrita pelo baterista/guitarrista Patrick Wilson é a música que mais convence em Raditude. I Don’t Want To Let You Go, mesmo sendo lenta e com samplers, pode fazer sucesso.

O álbum também foi lançado na versão Deluxe. São quatro músicas a mais: Get Me Some, Run Over by a Truck, The Prettiest Girl in The Whole Wide World e The Underdogs.

Por que vale a pena ter o Deluxe? Porque são essas melhores músicas do cd, principalmente Get Me Some, devido as guitarras pesadas e a mistura com elementos folk, e Run Over By a Truck, em função do piano.

Impressão do primeiro single: 7.0

Letras: 4.5

Sonoridade: 7.0

Criatividade: 4.0

Impressão final: 6.0

Ficha técnica: Raditude. 33′ (normal)/53′29” (Deluxe). Faixas: (If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To, I’m Your Daddy, The Girl Got Hot, Can’t Stop Partying, Put Me Back Together, Trippin’ Down the Freeway, Love Is the Answer, Let It All Hang Out, In the Mall, I Don’t Want to Let You Go. Inclusas na versão Deluxe: Get Me Some, Run Over by a Truck, The Prettiest Girl in the Whole Wide World, The Underdogs.

Para baixar, clique aqui.

Año 2001: Yo estaba en la Playa de Compostela en Villagarcía cuando atacaron las Torres, la gente aún votaba a Izquierda Unida y llegaron los Strokes

12. Carlos Berlanga: Lady Dilema

Un año antes de morir, a Carlos Berlanga le dio tiempo de inaugurar la década firmando su mejor disco en solitario. La obra de un hombre con talento

 Apareció en 2001 en Impermeable (Elefant)

13. Deluxe: Autumn Afternoon

Escondida tras I’ll See You in London, que le convirtió en la primera celebridad local del siglo, Xoel López colocó esta descripción de una tarde cualquiera en ¿Coruña? Discreta y contundente

 http://open.spotify.com/track/4Daug7Tw4NTHhB0aoY0RGH

Apareció en 2001 en Not What You Had Thought (Mushroom Pillow)

14. Ellos: Mi Remedio

Haberse dejado arrastrar por el hype de este grupo y su ‘Diferentes’ aún hace sonrojar a más de uno, pero lo cierto es que no se trataba más que de pasarlo bien durante unos meses con alguna buena canción como ésta

Apareció en 2001 en Lo Tuyo no tiene Nombre (Subterfuge)

15. La Habitación Roja: Un Día Perfecto

Perdieron con Los Planetas los más parecido a una Batalla de Bandas que tuvimos en el indie español (salvando la confrontación Sidonie – Deluxe, en ese orden de ataque) pero igualaron su emoción en este tema

Apareció en 2001 en Radio (Grabaciones en el Mar)

16. Manic Street Preachers: So Why So Sad

Sí, yo también me había olvidado de lo buenos que eran

Apareció en 2001 en Know Your Enemy (Virgin)

17. Pulp: Bad Cover Version

Scott Walker supo sobreproducir un corte precioso que nos recordó los tiempos en los que a Jarvis Cocker le salía todo. Inspiradísimo final, comparando al nuevo novio de su ex con un recitado de sucedáneos: La serie de TV de El Planeta de los Simios, los Stones a partir de los 80 o una caja de cereales de marca blanca

Apareció en 2001 en We Love Life (Island)

18. REM: Imitation of Life

Como suele suceder con REM, nadie se sabe ni un pedazo de la letra, pero este estribillo lleva años coreándose en bares/pubs/clubes, y Michael Stipe y sus serios compañeros volvieron a tender puentes entre las legendarias ‘zonas de marcha’ y los reductos alternativos

Apareció en 2001 en Reveal (Warner)

19. Souvenir: Rien de Nouveau

Souvenir son de Pamplona, cantan en francés, componen piezas de country pop como ésta y el resultado es perfecto. El año anterior habían firmado Ne Dis Pas, una versión del Girl Don’t Tell Me de los Beach Boys igualable a la original

http://www.lastfm.es/music/Souvenir/_/Rien+De+Nouveau?autostart

Apareció en 2001 en Points de Suspensión (Jabalina)

20. The Strokes: Is This It?

El principio del siglo XXI fue legendario por la generalización de Internet, el ataque a las Torres y la llegada de los Strokes. El corte con el que empezaba el disco del cambio lo condensa todo: voz subterránea, sonido 4 pistas y la mejor línea de bajo del año

Apareció en 2001 en Is This It? (BMG) 

21. Super Furry Animals: Juxtaposed with U

Un estribillo abaneante y una sección de irresistibles discocuerdas mantienen este tema impecable 8 años después de su estreno. Canción del verano 2002

Apareció en 2001 en Rings Around the World (Epic)

 22. TCR: Boca Extra

Es el siglo XXI, Los Fresones Rebeldes se han disuelto y el pionero Juan de Pablos busca herederos de su frescura que no reparen en tecnicismos vocales. TCR respondieron bien a la llamada y luego desaparecieron

http://open.spotify.com/track/0zNhvBDfaI79NnaAnvd3U5

Apareció en 2001 en Paro, Siesta, Días de Fiesta (Subterfuge)

23. Travis: Flowers in the Window

Se dijo en su momento que Paul McCartney había estado involucrado en la composición de este tema, un esfuerzo de alegría, optimismo y brillo por parte de un grupo vocacionalmente triste

Apareció en 2001 en The Invisible Band (Independiente)

24. Tremblin’ Blue Stars: The Ghost of an Unkissed Kiss

Un grupo indie británico de raíces indie de verdad, es decir, de los que no se conocen demasiado ni allí, llega con un alarde de guitarras surround envolviendo melodías misteriosas que merece la pena descubrir

http://open.spotify.com/track/5ajlxQ81F33IjYLEpl8lmF

Apareció en 2001 en Alive to Every Smile (Sub Pop)

25. Weezer. Don’t Let Go

No hay nada en la discografía de Weezer comparable al subidón de Buddy Holly (1994), pero con este tema dieron a su Top de Hits un digno número 2. Además el nombre del vocalista del grupo, Rivers Cuomo, sigue molando como el primer día

Apareció en 2001 en Weezer (Green Album) (Universal)

Well, that’s being a little facetious, isn’t it? Ok, ok. It’s not the best, but damn it’s smooth.

Reviews are mixed on this bad boy, but I’m hear to dispel all of your fears, and calm your Weez-ing worries.

Let’s get this straight: This album is not “The Red Album.” I repeat: Not “The Red Album”. What made the former CD so great was that it was reminiscent of Weezer heyday, while still dipping toes into new territory. And it worked. “Raditude” is a totally different beast, and (dare I say it?) maybe even an extension off of 2005’s “Make Believe.” I know what you’re thinking, but this ain’t no “Beverly Hills” shit.

“Raditude” is exactly what you would expect from a Weezer record: Simple and fun, with phenomenol hooks. It’s a bit mainstream, but what this album’s critics curiously don’t understand is that Weezer have always been mainstream! Thinking otherwise is absurd.

That said, the new single is such a poor frontrunner. “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To)” doesn’t really do it for me. It’s a little plain, mega repetitive, and way too long to type. But on the second track, “I’m Your Daddy,” we’re comforted by the same Rivers Cuomo who’s always been around: A sleek-geek rocker who’s still unsure and uncomfortable around the ladies. And damn does that make a killer pop song or two.

“Can’t Stop Partying” is sure to catch like a rapid forest fire. Or maybe an unwanted STD of some sort – You can try to fight it, but it’s become a part of you that you can’t escape. Lil Wayne guests on this and raps the song to its completion, while Jermaine Dupri joins Rivers for the writing credit. It’ll pump at college parties, it’ll take over mainstream radio, and hardcore Weezer fans will probably learn to loathe it, but I sure don’t. Call it a guilty pleasure. I’ll take it.

“Trippin’ Down the Freeway” is classic Weezer at its best. It’s sweet and happy. It’s about finding the perfect gal who’s “got the Shirly Applebee look”. It’s upbeat and catchy…doesn’t everyone just want to find Mr. or Mrs. right and then go trippin’ down a freeway? So simple, yet so profound. (Though not a coincidece – what a great driving song!)

Though there will be haters, give “Raditude” a shot before drinkin’ all that Kool-Aid.  If you’re looking for some trendy, pretentious indie to dissect, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the Monsters of Folk record. Or you can wait for Vampire Weekend’s sophomore release in January. But if you don’t hate fun, “Raditude” is a party starter.

Each year, the senior class in our high school would prepare a year-end slideshow or video. And every year, I swear, the accompanying soundtrack included Johnny Cougar’s “Small Town.” It’s like it was in the contract or something.

We were, in fact, born in small towns. Mine had a population of 2,000. The one next door, where TGOTS grew up and which combined with mine to make a single school district, was bigger, but not by much. Whaddaya say, TGOTS, 6,000 or so? Expanding to 10,000 eventually?

Anyhow, both towns were small enough that everyone knew everyone. Mostly by the time you were a teenager you haaaaated that fact, and were desperate to get away, but still the classes kept choosing “Small Town” as a sort of celebration — or condemnation? I suppose it’s possible it was used ironicaliciously.

I know our class swore not to use it. And I think the class ahead of us, terminally cool, also did — I distinctly remember their commemoration being set to “Fool in the Rain.”

Thing is, Johnny C* is not alone in his love for the place “from where it is that I come from.” As I listened this morning, I remembered a visit a few years ago from a childhood friend and her husband. They came down from Vermont; I was living in Boston. She seemed perfectly content, but her husband  spent the entire time muttering, “I could never live here. I could never live here.”

Now I live in a small town myself, although its population is ten times the size of the one where I grew up. But it still feels like everyone knows almost everyone. Sometimes that’s a source of great support. Sometimes it’s nigh on claustrophobic. How will it be for my little one, and his little high-school peers? Only time will tell.

* I read recently that Rivers Cuomo tweeted about JCM: “Good thing he dropped the ‘Cougar,’ what with the new meaning of that word and all.” Random all around. Made me laugh.

That is Monster at Denny’s. He came with me to see Run Robot Saturday night.  Run Robot is a kick ass rock band. This is Mike.  He is the lead singer and is also the bass player for another of my favorite bands, Binky Bianca .

This is Chet.  He plays guitar for Run Robot & Trick Bag (who I have yet to see live) & he is also one of my favorite photographers.

They’re both awesome people who I am grateful to count as friends.  A wise, talented, successful musician* recently said to me, “Wow, you really support your friends.”  I responded by telling him that I really love music and am afraid that live music is going to die. Also, I really believe that these friends of mine are incredibly talented.  In most cases, I became their friends after I already was a fan of the music.

Here is Binky from Binky Bianca at Uncle Mike’s on Mischief Night.  Her talents are too many to count.

This is Crow from The Vile All Stars performing at Don Hill’s on Halloween night. 

This is Misha at the same show.  While she performed solo on this night, she also has a band - Grace Beats Karma.

This is Greg from Snowball 37. 

Regular readers may recognize this as Dave from Snowball 37.

These are my five favorite bands. 

This is one of my favorite kitties, Bullety.

*Rivers Cuomo rocks.  Let it be stated here that I cannot get enough of the “Words & dreams & a million screams…” part of “Across The Sea.”  wow.

It is true to say that over their history Weezer have never created the same style of album twice. Along the way they have divided their listeners with the mixed offerings and various styles. The last few releases failed to capture much in the way of energy and lacked coherence and a defining collection of music that the audience wished to return too. With Raditude the group’s 7^th LP, Weezer are unashamedly making more mainstream music with hooks included, aiming to spread the love to a larger audience.

The record is a fast ride at 33 minutes and I feel it is a worthy attempt to win back fans that fled after The Red Album and the preposterous Make Believe. They have enlisted the service of several influences from an assortment of musical pedigrees to co-produce Raditude, and the effects have paid off from taking a break from Ric Ocasek.

There is no theme to the album as a new style is introduced on nearly every track. Weezer became popular with their Happy Days inspired “Buddy Holly” and return to the 50’s with “(If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To and here they show instantly they have risen above the popular but diabolic “Pork and Beans”.

The pep pop “I’m Your Daddy” is a solid effort to become a dancehall favorites and alongside the catchy “Can’t Stop Partying” feat. Lil Wayne takes this sound into being the stand out tracks of the L.P.   The rest of the album is difficult to decide on however. The question is it generic pop laden with cliché lyrics and uninspiring melodies or the return of the Weezer?

Click here to watch "I Want You To"

Well it seems half and half which is not a bad thing and it seems like Cuomo really cares about his work again which is hopeful for the future even if there recording contract is not renewed. With the new mainstream Weezer we get radio-play pop with “Love Is the Answer” set to over sentimental lyrics and a sitar.

There is no satire involved and its fun lovin good times of a bygone era are recalled with “The Girl Got Hot” and “Let It All Hang Out” and the care freeness of “In the Mall” sums up the mood. The whole sound on Raditude is about keeping things simple and sweet. No-one is target, no politics and no worries.

Overall I wouldn’t recommend it long term fans expecting the high times of Weezer. For those who have gone through the pain of the past few releases this at least resembles the original vibe and at least they seem to care about production. Raditude has is fair to good without too many highlights or lowlights and will keep the listener satisfied. The verses could do some serious revamping and some inspiration and experimentation is needed in the sound but things are looking up.

I once heard Mark Metcalf say that he believes Coen brothers’ movies seem to contain an inside joke that the viewers are never let in on; almost to say that these two auteurs are laughing at us all the way to the bank.  More than any other band, Weezer makes me feel the exact same way.

Now don’t get me wrong, I like Weezer (and the Coen Bros), but I have never struggled to understand a band as much as I have with Rivers & Co.  I’ll dissect the albums the best I can:

-Everyone pretty much agrees that The Blue Album and Pinkerton were great.

-The Green Album sounded like a band that had mastered Weezer’s sound.

-Maladroit was a hodgepodge of decent songs, labeled by many as unfinished (though I have a theory that the album’s poor sales are the direct result of Rivers Cuomo growing a beard.)

-Make Believe, besides featuring their weakest single “Beverly Hills,” is on par with Pinkerton (though I’m sure there’s millions that disagree)

-The Red Album, despite featuring their catchiest single to date, “Pork & Beans,” sounds forced and insincere, which actually might mean that it’s more sincere than anything else.  Nevertheless, I didn’t like it.

This brings us to the band’s latest release, Raditude.  About 70% of this album is full of guitar driven party-pop tunes.  Rivers mixes tired hip-hop slang with 1980’s era themes and cakes all of it off with his trademarked, sometimes unemotional, vocals.  And for as bad as all of that sounds, the songs somehow remain catchy.  Tracks like “Can’t Stop Partying,” “Let It All Hang Out,” “In The Mall,” and “The Girl Got Hot” sound fucking terrible on the surface.  But after a full day, I still find myself listening to them.

My conscience can’t tell you to run out right now and pick this one up (instead go buy Nirvana’s Live At Reading), but I can tell you not to be so quick to dismiss it.  It might just grow on you.  I don’t know for sure if Weezer is secretly laughing behind the backs of all of their fans, but I doubt it.  You can’t convey awkwardness that well without it being sincere.

Or perhaps I’m just overanalyzing everything and this record blows.  You decide.

P.S. Love or hate the album, this might be my pick for album cover of the year.

Aca van un par de videitos que encontré por la web de gente haciendo temas de otras gentes, espero les gusten

In an earlier post on here, Simon lamented that Weezer’s Lil Wayne collaboration was the equivalent of an ex-girlfriend you still have mixed feelings for “contracting Syphilis for the fifth time.”

I’m afraid to ask what one would be with wussy soprano sax legend/running joke Kenny G?

This video speaks for itself, but come on. This isn’t even funny in the ironic hipster sort of way.

On first listen, it’s easy to dismiss Weezer’s latest album — with the cringe-worthy title “Raditude” — as utterly inconsequential.

That’s because, to be perfectly honest, it is. Catchy hooks abound, to be sure, but don’t look for anything resembling substantive or personal lyrics from frontman Rivers Cuomo.

The album serves as further proof that the Rivers Cuomo who penned “The Blue Album” and “Pinkerton” is probably lost and gone forever.

At this point in the band’s 17-year career, fans can either throw in the towel or look for the silver lining. I’ve decided to do the latter.

I saw Weezer in Kansas City on a gloomy fall evening not long after Sept. 11, 2001. Following a wildly ridiculous (but in a good way) opening set by Tenacious D — which ended with Jack Black tearing off his shirt and doing somersaults — Weezer took the stage and tore the roof off the place.

The 90-minute set was a blast of pure power-pop, loaded down with “Green” and “Blue” album singalongs, tight harmonies and a refreshing sense of lightheartedness.

It was, looking back, probably inconsequential. But it was fun, which counts for a lot.

Driving to work this morning and listening to catchy but fluffy new tracks such as “(If You’re Wondering if I Want You To) I Want You To” and “Let it All Hang Out,” it was hard not to miss the band that once was.

But it’s also hard to miss the fact that the Weezer of 2009 seems to be having a blast, which should count for something.

I just got Weezer’s new album Raditude and have listened to it two times in its entirety already.  It’s so fucking good that I’m taking it upon myself to write a review and try to get as many people as possible to pick it up.  After the Red Album… and I guess Make Believe and Maladroit, I can understand why people have lost their faith in Weezer.  I’m personally a big fan throughout their discography, but it’s time people set aside anything they’ve known about Weezer and start fresh with Raditude.  Instead of all this indie music flooding my iTunes library (and just about everyone else’s), it’s so great to finally have some ROCK music in the house.  Even Erik and Joe, non-weezer fans, are digging this album hardcore.

The CD opens up with the single, “If You’re Wondering If I Want You To,” which really sets the mood for the rest of the awesomeness.  Here we have pretty formulaic rock blended with cathy lyrics, not so formulaic instrumentation, and damn good vocals.  And that’s Raditude’s greatest strength.  It lays on the rock with the perfect amount of pop hooks, great musicianship, and Rivers’ phenomenal voice leading it all.

The lyrics are a real joy to listen to.  Rivers’ way of talking so plainly is often times so endearing and terribly relatable.  You’d never think that the line, “I thought tonight would suck like any other night,” could sound so poetic.  There’s one song in particular that resonates scarily well with me which I’ll share the lyrics to at the end here.  It’s a tune called Tripping Down the Freeway.  And then the infamous new song with Lil Wayne, “Can’t Stop Partying” is oddly infectious and will have you singing immediately.  Actually, the whole friggin ALBUM is that way.  Even through the first listen we all caught on to the lyrics quickly and were singing along by the second chorus of almost every song.

One song in particular, “Love is the Answer” is almost surreal to listen to.  It takes Indian music to a level you didn’t know it could reach. If Slumdog Millionaire and the vibe it produces didn’t inspire this song, I’m not sure what did.  It’s not going to be for every one and I can already tell that fans + reviewers are going to shit all over it saying “What the hell is this?”  But it’s easily one of my favorites by far.  Then you’ve got “Let It All Hang Out” that easily could have reached number 1 during the 80s which seriously makes you want to “let it all hang out.”  The genuine rock vibe exploding out of Raditude has made me hop around the apartment like a bunny until my legs have gone sore and I definitely rocked out with my Guitar Hero guitar while clothed in nothing but a towel to “The Girl Got Hot.”

In short, you HAVE to get this album.  Weezer fan or not, it’s a breath of fresh air from anything else being released by a major label and in fact, I’ll go so far as to say even anything from an independent label.  I know I haven’t bought an album like this in a long time and it feels freaking good.  Even right now I’m so tired and need sleep and need to do homework, but all I wanna do instead is sit here listening to Weezer.

Now, as promised… here are the lyrics that touch me deep every time I listen to it.

no way, we ain’t gonna break up
we made a promise and our will won’t fade out
not just in ‘09 and ‘10
we’ll be together from now until the very end
you’ve got the Shirley Applebee look
i’m totally caught up on your hook
you know that we are gonna be ok
we’ll stick together as we’re tripping down the freeway

Also, click the following link to see the most delightful music video I’ve come across in ages.

Weezer : Now Playing : (If You’re Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To.

Weezer's Raditude is scheduled to drop on November 3rd.

PREVIEW: VISIT Weezer’s MySpace
WE GIVE IT: 14/20 Watts

When Billboard announced in November 2008 that alt-rock legends Weezer would be entering the studio to record their seventh studio release, the band’s fan base was immediately abuzz with anticipation, and with good reason. Frontman Rivers Cuomo was bringing back old friend Jacknife Lee, who had produced the Red Album’s Billboard topping single “Pork and Beans”. The album had beginnings as another notable addition to Weezer’s already impressive catalogue. Now, almost a year later, we can finally see the results.

Raditude, which derives its name from a suggestion to Rivers by close friend Rainn Wilson (aka Dwight from the Office), is a classic Weezer party album in every sense of the term. All too obvious is the fact that Rivers decided to take this album much more in the direction of contemporary pop, which will be the aspect that will make or break the album for most listeners. Most of the tracks lack the depth and inspiration of some of Weezer’s earlier albums (see The Blue Album and Pinkerton), and will undoubtedly hail some criticism from fans of those albums.

The record does have its high points, though. Cuomo definitely harkens back to the band’s classic sound on a few of the tracks like “Tripping Down the Freeway” (which sounds frighteningly similar to their past hit “Keep Fishin’”) and “I’m Your Daddy”, which has a deceptively poppy introduction. It quickly evolves, though, into an old school Weezer jam. It’s position as the second track on the album gives you the impression at first that perhaps the rest of the album is going to include similar efforts.

It’s poorly followed, though, by Weezer’s collaboration with Lil’ Wayne on “Can’t Stop Partying,” which feels more artificial than a Twinkie. The track is unnatural, and one of the more disappointing aspects of the record. The second collaboration on the record, which took place between Rivers and The All-American Rejects’ Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler, is significantly more fulfilling. Entitled “Put Me Back Together,” the cut features Cuomo’s most earnest vocals on the album, and is one of the record’s best moments.

While Raditude does retain some good qualities that inspire a sense of Weezer’s golden days, the record comes out sounding mostly overproduced and generic. It lacks the sincerity of their early work, which gives the record a hollow feeling when positioned in their acclaimed catalogue. Even when considering its few fleeting moments, it’s difficult to see the album as anything but disappointing.

– John Luposello

According to Pitchfork.com (by way of MJ’s Big Blog by way of Rolling Stone), Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo co-wrote a newly added tune on Adam Lambert’s For Your Entertainment album called “Pick U Up.” Cuomo tweeted “Adam fans will love it.”

Of course we will, Rivers!! We love everything Adam does!! This should be an especially fun song- can’t wait to hear it! You can read the rest of the article at MJ’s Big Blog to see the entire updated track list plus details about each song on Adam’s upcoming album at: http://mjsbigblog.com/adam-lambert-rivers-cuomo-trackpick-u-up-added-to-for-your-entertainment.htm#more-11219.

Here’s another pic of Adam partying it up on Halloween:

Found this at a site with lots of pics of Adam on Halloween at http://www.markusisthedrug.com/. Have fun looking!!

And finally, if you’re an Adam fan and unless you’ve been under a rock for the past day or two, of course you’ve heard about the rumoured break up between Adam and Drake Labry. This is on every web site on the net, and my husband even heard about it on his way to work this morning on WCBS Radio 660 (a major news radio program out of NYC!)! Never nice to hear stuff like this, wish them both the best going their separate ways.

Hugs,

Claudia

I was watching Letterman tonight and to my surprise, Weezer was one of the guests! Speak of the devils! After watching them perform it was clear to me I know exactly what I want for Hanukkah this year. Besides Rivers Cuomo in a Snuggie….

I love me some Weezer, but even I’m finding it harder and harder to defend Rivers Cuomo. I’m not sure that the man was ever “cool,” exactly, but any hipster cred he may have had he’s been squandering ever since The Green Album. The angsty, scraping proto-emo of Pinkerton now firmly a relic, Cuomo led his Weezer gang through their what I assumed would be the goofiest, most unashamedly uncool album of their career with last year’s Red Album, what with its painfully silly lyrics, its preposterous rhyme schemes, its delightfully over-the-top stab at a “Bohemian Rhapsody” for the mallrat set. Cuomo was making the least fashionable music of his career, but also some of the most interesting: He was breaking his own rigid set of rules, pointing the way toward something– dare I say it?– as ballsy as Pinkerton.

And then he went and stuck a flying dog on the next Weezer album cover and called it Ratidude. And if that’s not enough to convince you that this is the least cool album Weezer has ever made, just check out the song titles: “I’m Your Daddy,” “The Girl Got Hot,” “Love is the Answer,” “In the Mall.” That last song seems almost like it might be a thinly-veiled reference to the band’s new demographic, for Raditude is nothing if not the kind of slick, unabashedly goofy and unpretentious rock you’d expect to hear playing in the food court.

But is that really that different from the kind of music Weezer has always made? The anomaly of Pinkerton not withstanding, Cuomo has always been a rock and roll geek, and Weezer a band that defies anything resembling irony, hipness, or pretense. They’re pop craftsmen in an age when “craft” isn’t cool; they’ve always been more interested in mixing big, crunching guitars and over-the-top hooks than in creating something textured or nuances; their brand of power pop has less Beatles or Who in it than it does Cheap Trick and Green Day.

They’ve always embraced the unhip sides of rock and roll, and Raditude takes Cuomo’s perpetual uncoolness to a new extreme, resulting in some of the most straighforwardly fun music he’s ever made. While he reined in his weirder tendencies for the more by-the-books– and, therefore, dull– power-pop of Maladroit and Make Believe, here he embraces teen pop production cliches, absorbs George Harrison’s Eastern-mystic tendencies into the bilingual, sitar-enhanced “Love is the Answer,” and even takes a stab at painfully whitebread hip-hop on “Can’t Stop Partying.” And you have to give Cuomo credit: Not only does he choose to emulate one of the least popular sides of the Beatles, but, on the latter song, he is able to make even Lil’ Wayne sound goofy, dropping ridiculous “Weezer meets Weezy” lyrics over a stupidly catchy synth beat.

All of this is par for the course for Cuomo, a geekish student of pop songcraft whose forays into different idioms, both with Weezer and on his Alone records, have lately yielded some of his quirkiest and most irresistible music: Certainly, opening track “(If You’re Wondering if I Want You To) I Want You Too,” which somehow apes both glossy teen pop and vintage Motown, is one of the catchiest, most joyfully rocking tracks Weezer has ever recorded, and it’s not hard to hear how the song grew out of Cuomo’s bookish fascination with melody and songwriting. That attention to craft carries over into his lyrics more than ever; those crossing their fingers for a return to Pinkerton’s open-wound honesty will be sorely disappointed to find Cuomo disappearing into character (or is it caricature?) more than ever before, affecting a weird teenage motif that initially sounds odd coming from a fortysomething man, married with children, who hear sings about meeting a girlfriend’s parents for the first time and cruising the mall with buddies.

And yet, for all his affectation, Cuomo is oddly endearing, even in his lyrics: They may be simple, even childish, but they also bear a disarmingly sincere, almost naive purity of emotion. “Can’t Stop Partying” is a lyrically simplistic but morally upright song about the consequences of materialism, “The Girl Got Hot” far more compassionate than its title might suggest, the relationship songs revealing not arrested development such as innocence and tenderness. And that’s the ultimate charm of Weezer, circa Raditude in particular: Their music is devoid of pretension, bereft of irony, and completely sincere, which is, in its own totally stupid way, pretty cool.