Weezer

(DGC)
by Fitch

Weezer are four guys from everywhere, U.S.A. who met in L.A., got some tunes together, sent the tape to Ric Ocasek (the Cars guy), and are now doing a promotional tour to support their self-titled debut for the David Geffen Company.

Their music is – well, the promotional material asks that they not be classified, but if you’re going to put a double-spread photograph of guitars, drums, and amps sitting in a garage inside your CD case, you’re asking for it. That’s right. A garage band.

Their story, their look, and the sound of their music are so straight-ahead that it’s easy to overlook some of the nice things about this album. As in a lyric: “I look just like Buddy Holly/And you’re Mary Tyler Moore.” (From “Buddy Holly,” a song about getting beat up.) Or the nice guitar bits and falsetto harmonies from bassist Matt Sharp on “Say It Ain’t So,” the best song musically on the album. Or the overall enigma of the single, “Undone.” This song, built on a simple four-chord progression, features party conversation for half its verses and a chorus that makes you think King Missile. To wit: “If you want to destroy my sweater/ Hold this thread while I walk away/ Watch me unravel, I’ll soon be naked/ Lying on the floor, I’ve come undone.” Band leader, Rivers Cuomo, gives the songs low-key humor and occasionally, full-blown personality. Unfortunately, the production doesn’t do them justice. I figure ol’ Ric must have been on some long lunches during the two months of sessions it took to put this record together – and in listening to it, it’s impossible not to remember that better sound has been gotten in an afternoon’s worth of live track recording. On the other hand, if they had wanted it to sound like it was laid down on an some eight-track recorder set in the corner of the garage… I’d like to see these guys live, just to hear the songs fleshed out a bit more.