Search - Weezer :: Maladroit

Maladroit

Alex | Hartford, CT | 11/01/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Maladroit, like Pinkerton, marked a departure from straight-forward sunshiny pop to new rock experiments. Whereas Pinkerton's departure was into emotional, spontaneous territory, Maladroit moves into something more self-consciously rock, more eagerly heavy, more defined, and saddeningly, more calculated. Even the Green Album had a certain care-free attitude about it. Maladroit wants to be something great, something powerful, there's a vicious megalomania about it, and that keeps it from being perfect. New-wave experiments like "American Gigolo" and "Take Control" are good songs, but unlike their former counterparts "Tired of Sex" and "Getchoo", they are songs which want to be great. They are built upon Rivers' studies and analysis of great pop songs. Their influences are beared proudly on their sleeves, and they are pushed underneath the waves of originality. There are some wonderful moments on the album, where Rivers' former genius creeps its way through into full-length songs. Keep' Fishin is a great pop song. Slob is something virile, and for all its angryness and self importance, works quite freshly, in a sort of violent rehash of David Bowie and Suede. Burndt Jamb is lovely. As a whole Maladroit sounds quite solid, and it's a good album, but following the perfection of something like The Green Album, it's just slightly sad that Rivers thought this was the path to take. He would soon find out that it was the wrong path, and Maladroit never reached the heights that he hoped so eagerly it would."

Maladjusted.

Joseph M. Perorazio | Columbus, OH USA | 11/10/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The rough garage band sound of "Pinkerton" is present on "Maladroit", along with a wider variety of musical styles. Instant classics include "Dope Nose", the epic "Slob", and "Love Explosion". Other standouts include "Fall Together" which borders on classic rock, the funk-lite "Burndt Jamb", and the retro-punk "Possibilities." Midway through the proceedings is "Death and Destruction", a slow crawl through Rivers Cuomo's apparently endless relationship troubles. The closing "December" is a singalong with some downright positive lyrics (by Cuomo standards at least). The band's sound throughout the record is aggressive yet melancholy, introspection bordering on narcissism. Several video clips are included, mostly of live performances, and the initial pressings include a serial number gold-embossed on the back cover (Mine is 357007, hardly a collector's item). "Maladroit" is another winner from the best nerd party band around."