The album starts with him saying “I’m tired,” and ends with “I’m sorry,” so that gives you some window to his mindset at this time period. Great record.
The three vocalists recorded their vocals simultaneously without isolation so the lead vocalist simply went with his best takes regardless of what strange stuff the other guys were doing on those takes, which adds to the goofy character of the background vocals.
Really?! This makes my heart happy, I'm so glad these little videos of mine give long time fans of these bands a sort of re-experience of hearing them for the first time. It's honestly why I really enjoy making these videos, along with being introduced to awesome new music of course! :D
THIS--and exactly how I felt watching her experience Blue for the first time. Finding this series is a blessing because Weezer has been my band since '94 and watching her discover this band is giving our love for the Weezer a fresh and brand new life. I'm so ready for this journey. (FWIW ...El Scorcho is THE SONG to sing with your mates on a drunken night.)
The story behind Across The Sea is pretty interesting but at the same time weird. Rivers received a fan letter from a Japanese girl and that kinda spiraled into the creation of that song. I’m pretty sure Rivers said in an interview the girl actually gets royalties from that song since some of the lyrics are from the actual letter.
That's funny you said you believed Pinkerton had a more polished, put together sound than the blue album considering the blue album was mixed, engineered, and mastered to hell and back for a more commercial audience, while pinkerton was done in house by the band and was actually criticized for its sloppiness. Glad you enjoyed the album so much, definitely one of my favorites! You should totally keep diving in to Weezer, I really enjoy these uploads.
That's interesting, I would not have guessed that! Maybe Pinkerton sounds more polished (at least to my ears) because it was all recorded in a similar way. There was less external feedback and it had less handling from producers.
@@mollyesanborn I think youre mixing up polish with cohesion here. I get what youre saying though. Pinkerton was all written within the same time frame, whereas blue was written over the course of 3 yrs or so, and was moreso just a collection of Rivers' demos from before weezer was even a thought in his head.
@@mollyesanborn I feel like they're both more put together in their own ways, like Blue is much more highly produced but also has a more carefree and innocent energy, while Pinkerton is more raw, visceral, and lo-fi while also being more complex and calculated in terms of the theory behind it, what with the changes in dynamics and tempo, modulation, chord/note progressions, etc.
I would recommend against listening to further Weezer. Nothing ever comes close to Pinkerton or blue album. OK human is a good return to form and their best since but it still doesn't compare
Across the Sea, a song about wanting to fuck a 14 year old Japanese girl who Rivers had never met. Pink Triangle, a song about wanting to fuck a lesbian. Sounds fairly accurate.
I had the same reaction the first time I heard "El Scorcho". It seemed so odd to me, yet I was so intrigued. Now its literally one of my favorite songs of all time.
Pinkerton was initially supposed to be a fluid rock opera called "Songs from the Black Hole", but it ended up being scrapped when Rivers had his leg surgery. He decided to instead write about his personal life and all his emotions while in college. He felt very insecure, had a hard time finding someone, and ultimately decided to practice celibacy (which is where that line of becoming a monk came from). When the album was first released, it was heavily criticized since it was almost a complete 180 from the blue album. Overtime though, it has turned into one of their best albums. Would love to see you continue the Weezer discography and do "Green Album" next :)
She should stop before Make Believe so she thinks Weezer never started sucking 😂 I kid, but she should check out Songs From The Black Hole. It may not be released officially but it's out there.
Funny story about Pink Trianlge, Rivers Cuomo fell in love with a girl in his class when he went to Harvard, but ine day he noticed she had a pink triangle, which is commonly associated with lesbians, on her backpack. He was super depressed because she was a lesbian and wouldnt like him back, so he wrote that song. About a year after the album was released, he met that girl again, and found out she wasn't actually lesbian, she had the pink triangle to show support for her friends. I might be a little inaccurate, but I tried ny best.
As a musician myself, this album really changed a lot of things for me. Wonderful album... People didn't like it as much when it released, but it just fits the fact that people sometimes don't like facing "truth" but instead prefer the fantasy of things being all sunshine and rainbows. The emotional intensity of this album is amazing.
One thing that makes this album so impactful and important to the fans is the fact that Rivers was really wearing his heart on his sleeve for this one. Almost all of the tracks were inspired by his life and in the case of "Across the Sea", Rivers actually received a letter from a Japanese fan and even used some lines while writing the song. Basically, Pinkerton is good because Rivers is using it to confront his darkest thoughts.
It's especially cringy on purpose, Rivers was riding the wave of the mid-90s zeitgeist of alternative popularity but felt restricted by what he thought at the time was over-production of the Blue album. Pinkerton was meant to catch the sound of how Weezer actually sounded live.
for those who don’t know: rivers actually imposed a two year celibacy on himself before writing pinkerton, as the little nerd boy got overwhelmed by the rock and roll life style from blue. So Pinkerton was the result of this.
Molly PLEASE listen to their unreleased song, "Tragic Girl." It was meant for this album but they finished it too late to get it on the album. It brings together several musical themes that run through the album. It's a perfect encore for the album and it's a really, really good song too.
I always hear people parrot the same critiques of Pinkerton's problematic themes. It actually depresses me. There's a lot of problems in this world, and picking on this band's masterpiece does nothing to help anyone, and doesn't change the minds of anyone with one (a mind). There are always immature people who like it, but then there are the people who needed an honest piece of art about the tattered connections we can have to ourselves and others. It is one of the most emotionally mature albums of the nineties and certainly the most emotionally mature work by men of that time. Most men hide their flaws to become successful, and that's just boring. Rivers is painfully honest in a way that not only continues to hurt his reputation but it is immensely relevant to the world we currently live in. This album has matured alongside me. Check out Rivers' diary reading from their cruise if you want insight into how much he understood the themes of his record.
Very well put, I agree with your points! I can understand where critics of Pinkerton are coming from, but the fragility and vulnerability that it must have taken to pour himself into the lyrics, exposing the ugliest parts of him, is what makes this album so great.
I heard this when I was 13 in 2002. I can't even begin to tell you how much it meant to me back then. Rivers wrote this album while he was undergoing medical treatment to have both his legs be the correct length and after he enrolled at Harvard. You can hear the pain and confusion.
I'm not super attached to Weezer for the most part, but the 3 song hit (Good life > Scorcho > Pink Triangle) were so huge in my life in the 90s and every time I hear them they transport me in time to my teenage years. That's a good thing and a bad thing - just like the 3 songs. I'm glad you enjoyed this and are enjoying 90s music. There's so much music to love back there.
Weezer is one of those bands that always splits my group of friends in two - one that loves them to death, and one that hates them beyond my comprehension. Maybe that's why I never got around to listening to their records, however, since my musical taste have grown and I've become more and more interested in the 90's emo/alternative scene, *Pinkerton* has seemed more and more like an obvious listen for me. And oh boy it was. That album just broke me, mostly because the lyrics resonated so strongly with the things I was going through at the time and also during my teen years. It's grown on me ever since, even though I can't listen to Butterfly without being on the verge of tears, Rivers Cuomo really poured out his soul and brought out his innermost desires and feelings. IMHO he really tapped into the unconscious and imaginary desires that drive so many young men into bad decisions of _chasing butterflies_ . I can't help but to draw parallel's with the work of French psychoanalyst Jaques Lacan. Fellas, isn't the "Butterfly" just an expression for _the objet petit a_ , the unattainable object of desire?
Classic alternative rock / power pop album, when I first heard “Tired of Sex” I was blown away by the explosive energy because after Blue Album I wasn’t sure what to expect. Fun reaction as always :) I would love to see you react to any of Mike Pattons bands, but more specifically Faith No More and Mr Bungle. Cheers!
Yes, there is quite a power to the delivery on Pinkerton that is very different from the laid back quality of the Blue album. I've just barely started dipping my toes into Mike Patton's music, namely Peeping Tom and Tomahawk. I'm honestly loving it so far. I'm planning for a Faith No More reaction, hopefully sooner rather than later :)
@@mollyesanborn Ah yeah Tomahawk and Peeping Tom are great, the song “God Hates a Coward” by Tomahawk has been on repeat lately. Can’t wait for your Faith No More reaction, Angel Dust is definitely their best album and inspired so many bands like Deftones, System of a Down and more.
Super great reaction. You really dug into the lyrics and themes in a meaningful way in your first look. Glad you took the time to do Pinkerton as well!
I'm so excited people are still listening to this album! Such a classic album. First time I heard this album was in 2009 in high school and it's just as amazing now as it was then.
This album can make cry every time I listen to it. Butterfly is such a beautiful vulnerable song. It’s difficult to listen to it, but it in the end of I always feel a sense of relief.
you can't even imagine what it was like to hear the good life on the radio as a 5th grader...life changing! this was super fun to watch. also love that you ended up gravitating most to the two singles (good life and el scorcho)...that's interesting. i feel very lucky to have seen them do this whole album start to finish
You are no joke on the reviews.. meaning one the best I have heard in a while. I grew up on pinkerton and knew back then I liked the album but you just encapsulated it here. Thanks!
Pinkerton and The Smashing Pumpkins' album Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness kinda bridge the gap Between Grunge and Emo. I believe Rivers has actually talked about Pinkerton and Emo. If you think about it, in many ways the My Chemical Romance album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge sounds like the child of the Pinkerton and Melon Collie albums.
Undoubtedly weezer was a pretty big influence in the early days of emo, along with capn jazz, jimmy eat world, modest mouse, sunny day real estate, american football, etc. 1000% gerard and co were jamming to music like this growing up.
Dude they’re were bands pushing the Emo esque sound even before Pinkerton in 1997…. Jawbreaker’s Dear you in 1995, The promise ring, Mineral etc. Pinkerton was a commercial failure at first and only years later became a “cult classic” don’t get me wrong it’s a good album but with that being said there wasnt a bridge the gap between the two. (Melon collie to Pinkerton) at least in my opinion
@@TheAbandonedAccount7 Depends what era of emo you're talking about. Rites Of Spring S/T is 1985, Sunny Day Real Estate's Diary is 1994, Pinkerton is 1996, Orchid or PG.99 are 1997
You should check out OK Human. It’s the first of the 2 albums Weezer released this past year, and it is by far the most different sounding from any of their previous albums. The album doesn’t use any electric guitars, and instead they go for a more classical style with an entire orchestra behind them. Not to overhype it too much, but it’s probably the best thing they’ve done since Pinkerton.
I had the same thought. Would be really cool to compare not only the drastic change in style but one of the newest albums right after the big 2. Doesn’t hurt that the album is pretty good too.
Yeah, such a sad album lyrically. Honestly I'm not sure if I like Pinkerton or the Blue Album better, they both bring different elements to the table that I enjoy.
I'd highly recommend Weezer's Everything Will Be Alright In The End (EWBAITE) if you like the bombastic quiet/loud sound of Pinkerton. It's heavy, melodic, and really hones in on what makes Weezer's sound so unique. Also, Rivers really steps it up on his vocals and guitars on this one. Even if you don't make a video on it, definitely check this out (and the outtake track Everybody Needs Salvation) if you get a chance!
Hey great channel. Definitely gonna do another listen of Pinkerton which is something I’m always forgetting to do. El Scorcho rocks and I’m seeing you have some other cool reviews so yeah thanks for the great content keep it up
Awesome listen and video! Great to experience the album with someone new. Lots of great comments too. Im sure people have already recommended things but check out some of the other stuff from this era (inbetween blue and pink, then of course the sftbh/pink demos, bsides, and other songs that didnt get released) Some really interesting stuff all around that I think you'd like! ("Weezer - Getting up and Leaving" is fun bside from this era, same with "You Gave Your Love to Me Softly" which was after blue but before pink)
I love this album. It's my most listened to and favorite album of all time, not just for Weezer. I also came to this album late in life (early 2021) and it turned out to be a major turning point for me especially while going through my own lousy feelings (pandemic, political turmoil etc). I enjoyed getting to listen to this album with someone who had never heard it before. It's a really special work of art.
I've listened to this album since it was first released. Probably 1000 times over the years. You seem to have understood it more after listening to it just once.
fun fact, the ending of Pink Triangle and the start of Falling For You flow perfectly into one another. There's videos on RU-vid connecting them and it sounds like one song, almost.
Pinkerton is a record I have grown to love despite acknowledging some elements of its songwriting that haven't aged too well. The songs are so well made and catchy, yet its undeniable how depressing and uncomfortable a lot of the lyrics are in relation to Rivers and his mentality at the time. Pinkerton is almost honest to a fault with how authentic and open it approaches the ugliness of what Rivers was thinking and feeling at a very low point in his life. While it makes sense that he would reflect on Pinkerton and change his songwriting approach moving forward, it makes me wonder what they would sound like now if the album was more appreciated upon its release.
I really hate how much I relate to this record. It's embarrassing, it's cringy, but it's brutally honest and Rivers had a lot of guts releasing this for the whole world to hear.
This album only exists because of Surfer Rosa from Pixies, which itself inspired Nirvana's In Utero, which also has some dark and visceral lyrics, just like Pinkerton, and Pinkerton inspired a lot of emo bands. The cycle of creativity and inspiration never stops.
and now you understand the Weezer fan debate "Blue Album or Pinkerton?". They released a slew of divisive albums for another decade and then brought a new debate in the 2010's: "Everything Will Be Alright or White Album?"
Between Pinkerton and Blue I can see why it's so debated which one is better. Both have a very different energy to them, even though sonically I can pick up on a lot of similarities. Right now i really don't know which I prefer...
@@alejandrogonzalezmoreno7950 Okay this is a genuine question, but how has EWBAITE been so overlooked by so many Weezer fans? I see so many people call White the best Weezer album since Pinkerton but like... while White is undoubtedly incredible, are we just going to pretend Maladroit or EWBAITE didn't exist? Not to say that those albums are necessarily better (depends on the wind that day for me) but they really shouldn't be ignored wholesale by the trite revisionist talking point that Weezer between Pinkerton and White just completely sucked.
Weezer is one those bands (at least to me) that they become more interesting the more history you know about them. Think the important phases are “Blue Album”, “Pinkerton”, “Make Believe”, “Hurley”, “Everything Will Be Alright In The End”, “White Album”, “Ok Human”. These I feel show the progression of the band (for better or for worse). Definitely check out Songs From The Black Hole if you are interested in unreleased albums.
The original bass player for Weezer (was on the blue album and pinkerton) also had a band called The Rentals. You should check out their first album called "Return of the Rentals".. it's a fantastic album from start to finish
Some other great weezer albums i think would make for good reaction videos: Maladroit, Everything Will Be Alright In The End, OK Human, Red Album and White Album
Loved your genuine reactions!! 🤍 If you ever decide to come back to Weezer, I would suggest skipping all the way to the White Album. It's a super different vibe (very 'beach rock'), but very much worth the listen.
@@mollyesanborn you should also totally listen to maladroit by weezer which is more intense then the green album. Maladroit gives off more of the same vibe as pinkerton, If you liked pinkerton I recommended maladroit
i know this is like a year later but id like to add that 1. pinkerton is named after the play, pinkerton. alot of the play's elements ate included in 'butterfly', where rivers says that 'I told you I would return, When the robin makes his nest, But I ain't never coming back.', this is a reference to the play itself (i'd recommend doing your own research.) 2. all of these songs are based off of events in rivers real life 3. the first four songs were originally part of a scrapped album called 'songs from the black hole', however 'tired of sex' and 'getchoo' were written even longer before this album. 4. pink triangle transitions perfectly into falling for you
@@mollyesanborn you channel is awesome🤘 Love your complete openness to music and your take on every track is refreshing to hear someone talk about music the way you do. It makes me want to start listening to music the way you do. I feel like ive been doing it wrong and I am a full time musician! haha. But very good work on this channel and Im enjoying it👌
Fyi the intro to Pink Triangle is a Glockenspiel/Xylophone. Your theory was a good thought though. The song is about Rivers' crush being a lesbian... haha
Glad you enjoyed the video! I agree, I think Pinkerton got stuck in my head more but the Blue Album has a certain carefree vibe to it that I really enjoy too. Both albums are great!
@@mollyesanborn I think at this point you should just do every Weezer album, you already have the first two down. Make sure you wear a seatbelt because it’s definitely a musical roller coaster with how drastically they change
I'm surprised I'm not seeing it in the comments so far, but Pinkerton is very loosely considered to be a concept album based on the opera Madame Butterfly. A lot of themes there are very loosely used throughout the album, lyrically. The main character of course being the emotional restlessness, conflicting desires, and dark/toxic attributes of Rivers that he is confronting & expressing, so cathartically.
i know people are saying Green and White but if you decide to do green or not, please do Maladroit. It’s their last good album before they went into their…experimental phase.
Great reaction. This album was singer-songwriter Rivers Cuomo birthing the emo genre. After the sunny debut, this album was not well-received, landing on many "worst" album of the year lists. It wasn't what people were expecting at all. After bearing his heart (and slightly creepy fantasies), this reaction nearly caused Rivers to quit music. But time has shown PInkerton to be an amazing album.
Yeah, I think Pinkerton is amazing for that reason. I actually love how it was hated at first and today it's such an acclaimed album. Just goes to show how quickly trends in music can change. I love musicians that just do what they want and aren't afraid of changing their sound and evolving.
@@mollyesanborn Rivers did what he wanted on Pinkerton, but the negative reaction to it caused him to do what he thought the audience wanted for many of the subsequent years. He eventually got back to doing what he wanted, but the the hate Pinkerton received undoubtedly deprived us of some great songs he would have otherwise written in the late 90s / early 00s, though his melodic virtuosity still shined through on some.
@@mollyesanborn True. Unfortunately, that initial bad reaction resulted in big changes for Weezer, and in my (and many others) opinion, they never touched the high bars of the first two records. River's has said he is now "embarrassed" by Pinkerton, and from then on, Weezer placed their tongue firmly in cheek, and has since made many fun, catchy, ironic, and some might say "questionable" music decisions. Now and then, a glimpse of their former glory appears, but it's been a frustrating ride for many of the fans that followed them. You might try listening to Pavement. Slanted and Enchanted is their first (amazing) album. They came out around the same time as Weezer, but were more brainy/quirky/"alternative". They kept their quality at a high level for nearly all their career.
@@mollyesanborn Part of the reason is back then the critics had more say in that when the album was brand new. Fans didn't have as much power back then
Rivers DID NOT birth the emo genre. Bands like Rites of Spring, Embrace and Fugazi did. Still, Pinkerton might be one of the best emo records that is not labelled emo.
Great reaction!!! This album took awhile to grow on me, but over time it became one of my favorites. The instrumentation was heavier and sloppier than the blue album but the lyrics were much darker, which was a certainly a cool combo. I hope you keep going with the weezer albums. The next one (the green album) was a huge departure from this sound, but had some really well written songs.
Yeah, definitely a heavier/darker tone to Pinkerton compared to their first album. I'll definitely check out their Green album, I'm curious to hear what direction they go in after Pinkerton.
I loved the blue album. I listened to it to death. It had seemed like Weezer had broken up. I didn’t love Pinkerton. Since it seemed like there might not be anymore new music from Weezer, I found myself relistening to Pinkerton (since I’d already listened to blue 1000+ times). The songs grew on me and it ended up becoming my favorite album because of how specific and personal it was. I wonder if it was like that for anyone else?
The first 4 songs are leftover tracks from the aborted concept album Songs from the Black Hole. The rest of the album is a pseudo-concept album based on Madama Butterfly.
lmao your face when listening to el scorcho is too good, it’s one of my favourite songs of all time but i assume that was everyone’s first reaction when listening to it
Man, i forgot that Pinkerton doesnt have the Pinkerton Deluxe tracks like Devotion, Longtime Sunshine, and of course Tragic Girl. It doesnt even feel like a complete album to me anymore ending at Butterfly.
Honestly should listen to the b sides to this album that are on the deluxe version, Pinkerton has the best b sides for any album imo. Usually it’s just demos of songs that never get fleshed out but songs like Tragic girl really could’ve been on the album instead of being a b side
The album is a concept album loosely inspired by the opera Madame Butterfly and the character B.F. Pinkerton. The album basically tells the loose story of a rockstar who goes to Japan for a tour and his indulgence of the rockstar lifestyle leaves him alone and longing for romantic intimacy but he can't seem to find it. Or at least that's how I interpreted it.
