GENRE(S): Power Pop - Rock- Emo - LO-FI
PREAMBLE - You've never experienced Madame Butterfly like this!
LOOK - Kambara Yoru no Yuki ("Night Snow at Kambara"): a print by Japanese artist Hiroshige is featured on the cover of this exuberantly honest and nerdy album. Those of you who are rightfully obsessed with Weezer know that its Harvard-educated Front Man, Rivers Cuomo, has quite the affinity (either healthy or unhealthy) for Japanese culture; in this case interpreted through Giacomo Puccini's Madame Butterfly. Think I'm kidding? Remove the the CD tray from the jewel case, behind you'll find a map titled "Isola Della Farfalla e Penisola Di Cane" (Italian: "Island of the Butterfly and Peninsula of Dog"). On the edge of your CD you'll see the lyrics for the Opera written in its original Italian. Finally, the album shares its name with MB's cold, heartless character Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton.
LISTEN - These songs were conceived during Cuomo's first, yet, lonely year at Harvard and after painful leg surgery, thus written in a way that would enable him not to move while playing guitar. Result: the rawest, yet simplest, and most lively record Weezer has ever produced. From the opening feedback, thudding bass, and wobbly synthesizer on "Tired Of sex", to the single bass drum and acoustic guitar on "Butterfly", you know this is a self-produced effort.
Over the years Weezer has gained and retained a reputation for being an ironic farce of a band. Truthfully there's much more beneath the surface than just argyle sweaters and horn-rimmed glasses. Channeling all his frustration through the concept of Madame Butterfly, Rivers' razor-sharp witty delivery mixed with the ear-shredding sound of do-it-yourself recording makes this all come off as a comedy, when it really isn't, but it might be. Genius!
SPEAK - My voice is still sore from singing along to "El Scorcho" in my car yesterday. Clocking in at just under thirty-five minutes, this Album can be spun back to back quite a few times before you get home from work (I live in Los Angeles, it takes about an hour to get anywhere). Surely you'll be singing out loud like me: "I'll bring home the turkey if you bring home the bacon!".
Pinkerton is the best look we've ever gotten at what Rivers Cuomo is really like, or, was like: lonely, depressed, socially awkward, Japanese obsessed geek; the most un-rock-star-like rock star you'll ever meet. Now go into your closet, your desk drawer, or wherever you've stashed your copy of Pinkerton (since you've more than likely forgotten about it) give "The Blue Album" a rest and enjoy listening to Rivers purge his insides all over the place.
ALBUM ARTWORK: B+
DO WE HAVE A FIT: YES
I'm a long time fan thanks to Mark!
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