Weezer Maladroit label: Interscope released: 06.14.02 our score: 4.0 out of 5.0

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After Weezer's five-year-hiatus between Pinkerton and their self-titled "Green" album, many people wondered whether or not the kings of geek alterna-rock still had what it took to make a good album. And, after "The Green Album's" poppier feel many people were still left wondering.

Now just a year later, Weezer have come out with Maladroit, the second album in their "comeback." This move has left many wondering even further - wondering whether the band has reduced itself to spitting out low-grade songs just to put out new albums, or whether the band has finally reached its stride once again.

Fear not, for if Maladroit is any indicator, "The Green Album" was the result of a band working to regain its footing. It did its work, creating new Weezer fans by the thousands. Maladroit, on the other hand, pulls Weezer back a few years to that "Blue" album feel, ripe with an overall heavier guitar crunch than we've heard before from Cuomo & Co.

The album's intro track "American Gigolo" is proof alone Weezer's sudden infatuation with big, dirty guitars, and the album's first single "Dope Nose" attests once again to this fact. However, on tracks like "Burndt Jamb" Weezer likens back to their lighter surf-rock style so prevalant in "Green's" "Island in the Sun."

Still, Weezer's signature grace has always been their penchant for alluring vocal harmonization, and on Maladroit the band continues to deliver. That and Cuomo's warped lyrics (see "cheese tastes good on a burnt piece of lamb" from "Dope Nose") flesh out Maladroit's vocals nicely.

All of this considered, it is somewhat disappointing when, once all is said aid done, there is nothing on the album that truly sticks with you. Maladoit alas, has no "Buddy Holly" or "Sweater Song" - leaving the "Blue" album reigning supreme. Those still new to Weezer would be best going with said album, leaving Maladroit as a worthy continuation with what's sure to become an infatuation with this continually impressive band.
17-Jun-2002 11:15PM

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