red lights

These Dweebs Still Rock

Weezer - Maladroit
(Geffen)
4 stars (out of 5 stars)
Reviewed: June 24, 2002


Weezer

By Tony Bonyata

Who'd have known that eight years after Weezer burst onto to scene with their catchy post-grunge ditties about frayed sweaters and Buddy Holly, that they'd still be at the top of their game creating similar music built on brick shithouse rhythms, heavy metal guitar riffs and addictive pop melodies squinting through a pair of scotch taped horn-rimmed glasses.
While their formula hasn't changed all that much since their inception, on their fourth and strongest album to date, Maladroit, bandleader Rivers Cuomo has further perfected his communicable pop melodies to high art. He's also brought his own simple, yet effective lead guitar to the forefront of this outing, adding a 'less is more' quality to what is, more or less, perfect power-pop rock. And the punchy, bedrock rhythms provided by drummer Pat Wilson, bassist Scott Shriner and guitarist Brian Bell are as lethal as just about any heavy metal band going (I just wouldn't want to see their frail IMac-data-entry bones turned to paste after, say, Pantera or Danzig, gets a load of these four nerds musically blowing them away at their own game).
From the opening carnivorous guitar line that works around the primal drums like a lion slowly circling it's prey on "American Gigolo" to the tough, taunting metal guitar shrapnel of "Fall Together" and the punky pop drive of "Possibilities" Weezer barely slows down long enough to catch their own breath. With an exhilarating momentum, Maladroit feels like a ride on a runaway freight train, although the impending fear of derailment never enters the mind, as these fresh, catchy tunes instead make you want to stick your bouncing noggin out the window and doo-wop along with the addictive harmonies and catchy hooks.
Sure these guys are still dweebs - four lovable dweebs who, not only craft some of the best damn pop songs today, but also who know how to rock like there's no tomorrow.

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