Category: Music

Pinkerton (Deluxe Edition)
Geffen Records

Pinkerton is an album close to the heart of many a Weezer fan. And ultimately, this new edition of the classic is very much a fan’s collection of songs. The first disc features the original album but also has some superior B-side gems tacked onto the end. ‘You Gave Your Love To Me Softly’ and ‘I Just Threw Out The Love of My Dreams’ are undoubtedly two of Weezer’s best songs to date and haven’t really received the attention or prominence they deserve on a Weezer release until now where they are featured in proximity to the original collection of songs that is Pinkerton. Almost as a natural extension of the record itself. Some alternate versions of tracks also give a more in-depth look at the band’s catalogue and the workings of their songwriting prowess in those days. An interview snippet at the end of the disc sees the band discussing the merits of Pink versus Blue in a radio interview. If I have one qualm about this release it’s that maybe this interview track should have been included on the second rather than the first disc.

The second half of this classic re-issue features a CD of some rough and alternate versions of tracks as well as live and session versions. A theme amongst this particular side of the collection is the band’s tendency to go off on a slightly discordant tangent and mess around with the fibre of the songs in a live setting. This really demonstrates a specific period of live performance for the band as they soon went on to cut right down on playing Pinkerton tracks live (remember when they became disillusioned with it?) and would play any material included in their set in a very straight-up, true-to-the-record manner.

Pinkerton as it stands in its original guise is a joy of an album which consistently and expertly treads the line between perfect pop song and rough around the edges raucous rock onslaught, with a touch of tenderness thrown in too. It’s difficult to fault the album and the wealth of new material added to this new edition will be a most welcome addition to any fan’s collection, particularly with those amazing B-sides. If you’re not big into early Weezer though, you’ll most likely be slightly perturbed by Rivers’ rough and ready vocal stylings in the offerings on disc 2. No matter, stick to disc 1! It’s a classic.

Winegums

I Am Not A Human Being
Young Money

So much is written about Lil Wayne and his recent stint in jail, that his music has been pushed aside and almost forgotten. What better way then, to make sure his rapper hasn’t been forgotten, than to release an EP whilst still in prison?

This 10 track release, which was released virally on the rapper’s 28th birthday, is the perfect fillip for fans foaming at the mouth for Tha Carter IV. Kicking off with Gonorrhea, its Fireman-esque high end and booming bass, Weezy drops his usual new-age savvy knowledge with lines such as “You guys is washed up and I’m shitting on ‘em like two girls and one cup” – Nice.

There are some typical heavy rap numbers on this record to go along with his opening gambit such the title track which takes a chopped guitar riff and moulds into an 80s era throb, the Microsoft-boss named Bill Gates and Hold Up which shows the New Orleans native hasn’t lost any of his edge but this EP shows many other dimensions to his arsenal.

Tracks that really shouldn’t work, do, because of his unwavering confidence and readiness to go places other rappers don’t even think to tread. With You has a sung hook that wouldn’t be out of place in a 1950s diner, Popular features Lil Twist with a flow that makes him sound even younger than his 17 years and the Nicki Minaj guested track What’s Wrong With Them has Weezy sounding very similar to a girl on the second verse though which stands up against any of the tracks on Tha Carter II and III.

Moving from lyrics that cover romance and filthy sex [he definitely loves a certain part of the female anatomy] to internet-led lingo, Carter doesn’t let up throughout and stamps his mark on the rap world once again. It’s not a release that could be considered an album but it still stands head and shoulders above 99% of mainstream hip hop’s releases in 2010. Even with guests on almost every track including the pointless Jay Sean [seriously, what?] and over-saturation of Drake, Wayne steps up to the plate and knocks it out of the park. He is the best rapper around at the moment and if this is anything to go by, Tha Carter IV is going to be bananas.

Abjekt.

The Dissent Of Man
Epitaph

2010 saw SoCal veterans Bad Religion notch up a grand 30+ years in existence. That’s some legacy, and a plaque of honour in the Punk House of Fame is already long assured. They have also released their 15^th studio album, containing fifteen new songs. Those with a keen ear will recognise ‘The Resist Stance’ from the free download live album released earlier this year, whilst an acoustic version of ‘Won’t Somebody’ was included in the deluxe version of their last album ‘New Maps of Hell’. And to be honest the blistering lead riffage of ‘Meeting of The Minds’ (one of the best tracks on here) has been recycled a fair few times over the years. Hey, I’m a big believer in the benefits of recycling to protect the planet and all that, but, you know…

So look, the big question is, with all this rich history under their belts, and a collective age that’s downright Jurassic, can Bad Religion 2010 still cut it across 15 tracks, or should these 21^st Century Dignitas Boys be sent packing?

Well, as a long term fan of their music, I must admit it took a couple of full spins to start warming to these songs, as a collective entity. Sure, the opening salvo of ‘The Day That The Earth Stalled’, ‘Only Rain’ and the already mentioned ‘Resist Stance’ will easily satisfy even the most cynical BR listener. There on in it’s a bit patchier; ‘Pride and Pallor’ is a smart rocker, fired up by a Social D lead, and “Someone to Believe” rips heavily from The Germs. The anthemic ‘Wrong Way Kids’ is benchmark mid-period (major label era) Bad Religion with punchy verse and cheesy woah-woah chorus you still can’t resist. ‘Avalon’ is a standout, would have fitted in perfectly on ‘Process to Belief’. But it’s followed by ‘Cyanide’… c’mon, a song called ‘Cyanide’ should not sound this, well, MOR. Apparently a member of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers plays lead guitar. I always preferred the Johnny Thunders version myself. In the latter stages ‘Ad Hominem’ raises the spirits, with its intelligent lyrics and burning guitars… “I’m just a soft cover version of a much harder tale, a walking resemblance of ruts in the trail”. The album closes out with the very poppy ‘Won’t Say Anything’, that’s actually a really nice textured song, but I was urgently waiting for a final loud burst… that never came.

In summary then; a very mixed bag of tunes on this album, or as The Damned would have it… “another case of hit or miss”…

Pete Craven

Bad Religion – The Resist Stance by Epitaph Records