Weezer

Weezer: Death to False MetalDeath to False Metal (2010)
Geffen

Reviewer Rating: 2.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: thepopeofchili-townthepopeofchili-town
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Published on February 8th 2011As is the case with most everything Weezer has done since regrouping in 2000 after a nearly four-year hiatus, last year's odds and ends collection, (originally titled Odds and Ends) Death to False Metal is a bit of a mixed bag. There's some great songs here, along with some mediocre ones, and some r.

As is the case with most everything Weezer has done since regrouping in 2000 after a nearly four-year hiatus, last year's odds and ends collection, (originally titled Odds and Ends) Death to False Metal is a bit of a mixed bag. There's some great songs here, along with some mediocre ones, and some really, really bad ones that drag the record down as a whole.

"I Don't Want Your Lovin'", originally a somber piano ballad on Songs from the Black Hole, retooled here as a pop-rock powerhouse, is an example of the good, and would have ranked among the better songs on The Green Album. "Turning Up the Radio" and "Blowin' My Stack" are decent enough; the lyrics are nowhere near the greatness of the Blue/Pinkerton era, but they sure beat the hell out of "Can't Stop Partying".

"Trampoline" is the high point of Death to False Metal, and shows that frontman Rivers Cuomo is still capable of writing a good song-he just chooses not to, which is best exemplified by the electronic-driven "Autopilot" and "Odd Couple". They sound like third-rate sequels to Styx's "Mr. Roboto" and, quite frankly, make "Beverly Hills" sound like "Only in Dreams". Also, covering Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart" was an absolutely terrible idea in the first place, but closing the record with it? Yeesh.

Death to False Metal came hot on the heels of Weezer's Epitaph debut, which, much like this record, had some great songs surrounded by a whole lot of filler. Hurley itself came out barely a year after its predecessor, Raditude, which came out a little more than a year after their self-titled Red Album affair. Among those four releases, there's a great album. Cuomo just needs to realize that not every idea deserves to be recorded, and that great albums take time. If he would actually take some time and put some thought into his craft, he could put out something worth listening to in its entirety again, but as Weezer already intend to have another studio album out this year, it appears that won't be the case. Oh well.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

blanktapesemptybottles (February 11, 2011)

Rivers stated in an interview that they have to churn out albums now in order to stay fresh and popular, yeah, immediacy is insane nowadays but to think people would forget about them if they took their time on an album is crazy

thepopeofchili-town (February 10, 2011)

I think "If You're Wondering..." can stay, but Troublemaker definitely has to go. Add in "Ruling Me" from Hurley, "The Prettiest Girl In The Whole Wide World" from Raditude, "Trampoline" and "I Don't Want Your Lovin" from this and you have a hell of a full-length,

punkyopunk (February 10, 2011)

inagreendase is THE man.
I do agree with 99.2% of your post, but you gotta take out "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To" from your full length to make it a perfect score (and by the same way, a perfect post).

doyleangel (February 9, 2011)

Hey everyone. Have you heard of this awesome band called Hey Monday? Well they have a NEW EP out! It has a couple versions of their song “Candles” plus a new song! Get it here: http://bit.ly/hmcandles

froggerwithmylife (February 9, 2011)

I really really really really really really really really really really really do not understand the appeal of this band. And that goes for their whole catalogue. Really.

Dycelot (February 9, 2011)

I understand your rating for the album, and mildly agree. In defense of Rivers Cuomo, however, I implore you to explain how you could believe that someone who has released as much work as he has in the last four years hasn't been "thoughtful"?
It seems to me that his craft is the only thing he has been putting much "thought" into lately. I understand that we don't have to hear everything he records or writes, yet a quick trip to allthingsweezer.com and you will find a huge network of obsessed fans who continuously poke and prod the band to do just that: reveal everything they record to their grateful obsessed. Perhaps Rivers himself agrees with your opinion of the songs, which is why they are in fact castoffs that didn't even make it to the B Side collections for the respective albums. Seriously though, there are people who want to buy this stuff, which is the only reason it was released. It was also essentially a vehicle to release the collectively fan inspired "Turning Up The Radio", a product of his Youtube series "Lets Write a Sawng". His fans wanted to see the song in a major release.

MagnetBox (February 8, 2011)

Everyone suck a thumb. Everyone kick a bum.

That is all.

MN_DrNick (February 8, 2011)

Well I liked this one.

StraightToHell82 (February 8, 2011)

Enough on here that's decent enough.
Nowhere near as terrible as The Red Album.

keithybobeefy (February 8, 2011)

I really liked this. Yeah, it's not anywhere near as good as their first two, but it's a fun album. It was in my top 20 for 2010.

superskabro (February 8, 2011)

So let me get this straight: The "new" Dopamines' record was released LAST summer and these punknews punks STILL haven't posted one of the half-dozen submitted reviews? But they found time to post a review of THIS?!?!?! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!

d_boons_ghost (February 8, 2011)

I love Weezer, but I haven't bothered listening to anything since Make Believe. That album was AIDS. And that's coming from somebody who really enjoys The Green Album and Maladroit.

inagreendase (February 8, 2011)

1. Pinkerton
2. The Blue Album
3. The Green Album
4. Maladroit
5. The Red Album
6. Make Believe
7. Hurley
8. Raditude

A pretty good full-length you could assemble from the last four installments of mediocrity:

1. Troublemaker [Red]
2. (If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To [Raditude]
3. Perfect Situation [Make Believe]
4. Pork and Beans [Red]
5. Hold Me [Make Believe]
6. Peace [Make Believe]
7. Dreamin' [Red]
8. The Damage in Your Heart [Make Believe]
9. Thought I Knew [Red]
10. Brave New World [Hurley]
11. I Don't Want to Let You Go [Raditude]
12. Time Flies [Hurley]

atomicgarden89 (February 8, 2011)

I don't think taking more time to write an album is going to help them at all. First there was a 3 year gap between "Maladroit" and "Make Believe", then there was another 3 year gap between "Make Believe" and the red album. Maladroit was disappointing to say the least, and they got progressively worse from there. I just pretend this band broke up sometime Maladroit was released, got back together to record "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" (I do actually like that song..), then broke up again.

thepopeofchili-town (February 8, 2011)

"The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived" from the Red Album was kind of American Idiot-esque. It wasn't very good.

eatdogs (February 8, 2011)

maybe they will have their comeback when they make their own "american idiot" styled piece of work. the often bloated, concept album...

startrekthenextgeneration (February 8, 2011)

Although I agree with your review, your conclusion is based on a false premise. I don't believe that Rivers Cuomo or any of his cohorts have any interest in writing great songs anymore. In fact, they are probably well aware of the fact that they could spend a little more time on a record and turn out gold. But they are also well aware of the fact that they will sell a shitload of copies of whatever they put out, regardless of its quality. Mark my words: if they ever put out another good record (and that's a big if) it will not be until they lose their confusing but immense mainstream popularity. When money is no longer an option, they might turn back to art.

Make_Way (February 8, 2011)

This was a seriously disappointing release. Not sure why I went into it with any sort of high hopes, though.

skolarx (February 8, 2011)

just realised after reading that last paragraph that rivers is the pop rock equal of ryan adams, if someone was there to censor his ideas, he would be one of the greatest songwriters of our time instead of a mediocre artist with flashes of complete unparalleled genius