Weezer - Maladroit
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Free Music Notes for Maladroit
Free Music Review: Controvresial but lovely.
Hit: 5 Stars
While some people say that Maladroit doesn't come up to Weezer's usual standards, i must disagree. To the whole "Rivers isn't as emotional/deep/personal" etc, i say: not true! 'Love Explosion', 'Slob' 'December', and 'Death and Destruction' are all emotional, and all are very personal if you actually listen to the lyrics.American Gigolo - 8/10 - Very catchy for the first track- i like it a lot, but if you listen to it too long (maybe if you put it on repeat for a few hours) you want to switch tracks after a while.
Dope Nose - 6/10 - Somewhat repetative lyrics, but also a lot of imagination and a catchy tune.
Keep Fishin' - 7/10 - Sweet; has a nice tune and they did very well on it when played on Letterman.
Take Control - 5/10 - Repetative but not bad. It's better if you're in the mood for it.
Death and Destruction - 8.5/10 - Very emo, very beautiful guitar parts and i love the lyrics. Some people debate on this song because it's slow. To that i say: Get a more open mind and come back.
Slob - 7/10 - Very personal; something all musical artists can relate to. Seems like Rivers was irritated when he wrote this.
Burnt Jamb - 10/10 - My favorite. The first few times you listen to it, it's so-so, but after a few times it grows on you. It has sort of a summery feel, and is sort of similar to Island in the Sun. Beautiful guitar solos.
Space Rock - 5/10 - Sticks in your head very easily and is repetative, but it's still not bad. It sort of never really reaches a climax.
Slave - 8/10 - Catchy and very personal. This song would be good for a songfic (Draco/Harry, anyone?) and has nice vocals and guitar.
Fall Together - 9/10 - Another of my favorites. It wasn't really a favorite when i first got the CD, but it really grows on you with it's powerful guitar parts.
Possibilities - 7/10 - This song doesn't really fit into the CD like it should; if it was placed somewhere else, i think it might fit better. Otherwise nice guitar.
Love Explosion - 7/10 - A somehwat emo but somehow inspirational song with an amazing guitar solo.
December - 8/10 - An old favorite for me... but i was still suprised when i heard it, because the version i had heard before was much, much slower, and i liked it better and i also think that the version i had heard would have fit the CD better than the half-emo, half-rock version on the CD. i still love it, but i wish the slower version was put on.
Averaging these scores, you get about an 8. Most CDs have one or two songs that you completely HATE, so i rated the overall CD with a 5- the extra video footage is awesome.
Summary: Highly recommended.
Free Music Review: Fans of Green: Rejoice / Fans of Blue and Pinkerton: Moan.
Hit: 5 Stars
Having downloaded half of the songs off of Maladroit before the CD even came out, I essentially knew what to expect when I popped it into my CD player. After listening to "Maladroit" one time through, I concluded that it had lived up to my expectations, however, it far from surpassed them. "Maladroit" is uncomfortably similar to Weezer's previous release, the so-called "Green Album." The lyrics are impersonal, the songs are short, and Rivers' guitar solos are anything but astounding. That said, there are no mimicking guitars reminiscent of the Green Album, there are three more tracks than the Weezer standard 10, and the band also manages to experiment with their sound on several tracks (see the jazzy "Burndt Jamb.") Overall, "Maladroit" is an excellent CD, however, the magical, personal Weezer touch found in Weezer's first two Lp's is still missing.1. American Gigolo: Strong track. Pretty catchy chorus. The repetition of the phrase "Keep On" becomes somewhat cumbersome after several listenings.
2. Dope Nose: Let's see, "Hash Pipe" and "Dope Nose." What next, "Smoke Lungs"? The first single off of "Maladroit." The mood is happy, the melody is catchy, and the lyrics are cryptic.
3. Keep Fishin: Reminds me a lot of the Beatles.
4. Take Control: Weezer's take on heavy metal.
5. Death and Destruction: Sullen, not very catchy at all, and short.
6. Slave: The only Weezer song I hate. I hate this track!
7. Burndt Jamb: Very jazzy. It's kind of like an organized jam.
8. Space Rock: Great track, however, it's an example of the major problem with the CD. On every single track with a catchy melody, be it the opening guitar riff on "American Gigolo" or the spectacularly catchy verses before and directly after the chorus of "Slave," Weezer manages to shy away from the truly great stuff that the songs have to offer and focus on the stuff that isn't very catchy or entertaining. The only twice repeated OOOOs in "Space Rock" are a shing example of this notion.
9. Slave: Dammit! If they had just repeated the opening melody sung by Rivers more often in the song, I'd be listening to the song all the time! This will be Weezer's single after "Dope Nose."
10. Fall Together: Kind of cheesy.
11. Possibilities: Boy, was Rivers ever short on ideas when he wrote this one. Childish.
12. Love Explosion: This and the previous track would have fit right in with The Green Album (aside from the differences in guitar solo structure). Just not very original.
13. December: I think Rivers was striving to replicate the sound of the Beatles on this one. Nice, slow song.
Free Music Review: Maladroit (originally written in 2006)
Hit: 5 Stars
In 2001, after a 5 year hiatus (Pinkerton, due to it's extremely personal, non-pop, radio un-friendly lyrics and it's overall feel of emotional claustrophobia flopped.) Rivers Cuomo finally unleashed the long awaited Green album. Fans were divided, the Weezer that surfaced on Pinkerton totally disappeared, and instead gave us Blue album-esque happy, poppy, lovely dovey, vague, seemingly emotionless pop ballads.
Now, the thing about mentally unstable musicians, Rivers is certainly a borderline mondernday Brian Wilson, is that from one album to the next you have no clue what you're going to get. In interviews, granted they even attend them, they can hint and tease what the new material will sound like, but you can never be sure.
2002, after the phenomenal success of the Green album, Weezer released Maladroit. Basically, their 2nd Pinkerton. Two songs saw minor radio play, and overall the album was a failure. Why? Because this isn't Weezer. The vast majority of the songs on this album could pass for songs Corrosion of Conformity (i'm trying to think of a band that doesn't suck to compare them to, but it's late, leave me alone.) wished they had written.
Thick riffs, serious solos and, again like with Pinkerton, incredibly personal lyrics. Of course, the vocals are the same, so if you couldn't stomach them before, don't bother.
In pre-release interviews Rivers mentioned a major Judas Priest influence, and has appeared in numerous Guitar magazines in Malmsteen shirts, that Maladroit was the closest Weezer were ever going to get to metal, and, he couldn't have possibly been more right.
Songs like Take Control and Slob are heavier than anything the band has ever come up with in their 10+ year career, and to some degree I can feel confident in saying that some of the riffs were stolen from Stoner gods Kyuss (yes, i'm serious.) Distortion and feedback found a momentary home on this album, and it was far too early a departure.
It's a god damn shame that they returned to their pop roots with Make Believe, but if history has proven anything, it's that they release a pop album, then something to make your jaw drop.
Here's to hoping
Bottom Line: An absolute gem that every single breathing person should own, be it in MP3 form or on disc.
standout tracks: Take Control, Slob, Fall Together
Musicianship - 10
Originality - 9
Atmosphere - 10
Production - 10
Free Music Review: A Band At the Height of Their Power
Hit: 5 Stars
The immortal Rivers Cuomo and his first-rate crew strike again with Weezer's forth installment. Maladroit's loud, catchy as hell and leaves a lasting impression on listeners. And Weezer played their cards just right with this one: The initial flop of Pinkerton left the band dead in the water; they were left flummoxed, heartbroken and in desperate need of a booster in their discography. Thus began Weezer phase two: They go to work recording two albums in one session, putting their two strongest singles, `Hash Pipe' and `Island in the Sun,' on The Green Album, which would debut first. These singles along with a revitalization of Pinkerton's popularity from the second generation of Weezer-faithful re-establishes the band as the kings of Pop-Rock--a title not held since the `Buddy Holly' era. But of course, Rivers never dies of surprises; he puts the bulk of the band's best work on the second release--Maladroit. Where The Green Album is carried on the reputation of just a few tracks, Maladroit contains 13 consistent, powerful songs, becoming the hardest-rocking album in Weezer's discography in the process. The album is relatively raw in comparison to former works, less lyrical, mainly focusing on the massive riffs (`Fall Together') and the huge choruses (`Take Control'). The tight hooks of `Possibilities, Space Rock' and the passionate anthem `Slob' stress the integrity of lighter numbers `Burnt Jamb, December,' and the concert staple `Death and Destruction.' Prove the consistency? Make a best of Weezer playlist and I'll bet you struggle to find the right Maladroit songs because each is as quality as the next--`Dope Nose,' possibly the best riff of Weezer's existence, is the closest the album comes to a stand out, but there are plenty of others that could take the crown, namely the drum giant `American Gigolo' and blissful `Keep Fishin''. On a personal note, `Burnt Jamb' reaches number 8 on my all-time favorite Weezer songs; that's really high, especially for a deep cut such as this. It's been a personal favorite since the album's release, with its climatic harmony after each chorus and its happy-go-lucky "I'd be happy/for one moment/of my lifetime." With Maladroit, Weezer draws all their energies into one work to create an extremely solid fan-favorite that will be remembered as the product of a band at the height of their potential.Free Music Review: from a fan of pure rock and =weezer=
Hit: 5 Stars
It seemed to good to be true in may of 2001 when weezer released another self-tiltled album, dubbed the Green Album. After half a decade of absence from the industry could they pull of a comeback? Thier most recent release, Maladroit, proves that they are back, and they're not going anywhere. Maladroit is brilliant. Full of steady rock music with great riffs and Rivers Cuome's awe-inspiring lyrics. The drumming is unbelieveable. This Album is totally Weezer.
For those of you who, like me, were a bit disapoointed by the Green Album's lack of musical expression despite its amazing songwriting- Maladroit will restore your faith. Gone are the simple melody-line guitar solos. Maladroit is full of scales and progressions that I could only wish to be able to play. I've played the guitar for years, and I can't help but wonder how they found so many notes on the fretboard, let alone played them so precisely.
Maladroit has been compared to Pinkerton in its musical expression. Pinkerton, with its wild, and sometimes astounding discord and effects could sometimes be a bit too much. In Maladroit weezer is simply just having fun doing what they want to do.
Long time weezer fans will find it somewhere bewteen their debut (the blue album) and Pinkerton and will not be disappointed. Maladroit returns to the pure Guitar-Driven rock that made weezer popular in the 90's. Fans of the Power-pop "green" album will be amazed to hear the ability of weezer's guitarists and will most likey be hitting the record stores picking up previos weezer releases.
Part of the greatness of this album is that the track demos were realeased on the internet on Weezer.com enabling fans to preview the tracks. I have been greatly aticipating this release being in possesion of its tracks in demo form for almost 3 months prior to the release of the album. The progression of the songs from demos to album tracks is amazing- I didn't think the songs could get any better, but they did!!
If you are even reading this then you are thinking to hard, just by the album already!! You know that you want it!
And for those fans who can't get enough - Weezer had already begun recording album #5 before Maladroit's May 14th, 2002 release. Watch for a Tour this summer (Check Weezer.com), and just buy the album AND the tickets!!
=W=
ROCK ON