Weezer and AWOLNATION at Williamsburg Waterfront ...
Eric Shapiro - New York Press - Posted 7/18/2010
AWOLNATION didn’t get as much attention as they deserved, likely on account of the sweltering heat and humidity that accompanied their brief set. They were the perfect choice to open for a major act like Weezer at the Williamsburg Waterfront, with plenty of adrenaline-pumping dance beats and bash-you-over the head arena rock riffs. AWOLNATION’s hardrocking tendencies were definitely at the forefront of their performance; they are clearly a lot different live than on their studio recordings, where synthesizers are as prominent as guitars.The band members acted like full-blown rock stars with a level of unselfconsciousness refreshing at a time when irony and self-deprecation are the name of the game in indie rock. It was clear that these guys just wanted to have fun and saw no need for pretension or cleverness.
The same can be said for Weezer, albeit in a less flattering way. Rivers Cuomo was his usual charmingly awkward self, but he volunteered his bizarre comments and observations with a level of confidence that suggests he has gotten beyond the insecurity he is so well known for. I was too young to appreciate Weezer in their heyday, but as a fan of their old music, I can see that they’ve changed. Sure, Cuomo will always have an oddball personality (who else would go out of their way to casually point out the convenience of working portapotties in between songs?).
The ADHD-riddled online hype machine has unfairly turned its pitchfork on many bands that still put out worthwhile music, but alas, its deflation of Weezer is warranted. The difference in quality between Weezer’s old and new material is particularly noticeable when they play songs from both periods (pre- and post-Pinkerton or Green Album, depending on whom you ask) back to back. Cuomo’s quirky lyrics (“The Sweater Song,” “My Name is Jonas”) and distinctive, uniquely catchy melodies (“El Scorcho,” “Buddy Holly”) are all but gone in subsequent releases.
It’s safe to say Cuomo will never lose the ability to craft serviceable hooks (“Dope Nose” and “Beverly Hills” are forgettable pop songs of the highest caliber), but something is clearly missing even in their best post-Green Album songs. And there’s also unspeakably awful fare like “Can’t Stop Partying,” a completely generic dance-pop club tune complete with a Lil Wayne cameo and embarrassingly juvenile lyrics about, you guessed it, partying. When Cuomo sang that he was tired of sex on Pinkerton, he sounded like a genuinely angst-ridden neurotic exorcizing demons through his art. Now he just sounds like he’s showing off.
Critics have blasted Weezer’s post-reunion material for trading the honesty that made their original albums so great for commercial success, but maybe honesty is the problem. On “Beverly Hills,” he sings: “I wanna live a life like that/I wanna be just like a king/Take my picture by the pool/Cause I'm the next big thing.” If that’s not a mission statement, I don’t know what is. If Rivers is happier as a rock star than as a neurotic, suffering artist, then kudos to him. It’s a shame that a contented Cuomo has to be a boring one though.
None of this is to say that I didn’t enjoy Weezer’s show yesterday. Their old songs are timeless classics that have lost none of their genius over time. It’s just that the band has long since forfeited its artistic relevance; they may still have hits on mainstream radio, but one can’t help but be reminded that they're just not truly inspired anymore. When the band played a brief cover of Lady Gaga's "Polkerface," it seemed more appropriate than ironic.
Kurt Cobain once said he’d rather die before he became Pete Townshend. A little extreme, sure; most rock songwriters and musicians would gladly claim membership in a band that has made such an impact and received such acclaim as The Who. Nevertheless, Cobain’s comment does speak a certain truth. There’s just something disheartening about watching great artists going through the motions. At this point in rock ‘n’ roll history, it would be sadly appropriate for a current alternative/indie icon to say: “I’d rather die before I become Rivers Cuomo.”
AWOLNATION didn’t get as much attention as they deserved, likely on account of the sweltering heat and humidity that accompanied their brief set. They were the perfect choice to open for a major act like Weezer at the Williamsburg Waterfront, with plenty of adrenaline-pumping dance beats and bash-you-over the head arena rock riffs. AWOLNATION’s hardrocking tendencies were definitely at the forefront of their performance; they are clearly a lot different live than on their studio recordings, where synthesizers are as prominent as guitars.The band members acted like full-blown rock stars with a level of unselfconsciousness refreshing at a time when irony and self-deprecation are the name of the game in indie rock. It was clear that these guys just wanted to have fun and saw no need for pretension or cleverness.
The same can be said for Weezer, albeit in a less flattering way. Rivers Cuomo was his usual charmingly awkward self, but he volunteered his bizarre comments and observations with a level of confidence that suggests he has gotten beyond the insecurity he is so well known for. I was too young to appreciate Weezer in their heyday, but as a fan of their old music, I can see that they’ve changed. Sure, Cuomo will always have an oddball personality (who else would go out of their way to casually point out the convenience of working portapotties in between songs?).
The ADHD-riddled online hype machine has unfairly turned its pitchfork on many bands that still put out worthwhile music, but alas, its deflation of Weezer is warranted. The difference in quality between Weezer’s old and new material is particularly noticeable when they play songs from both periods (pre- and post-Pinkerton or Green Album, depending on whom you ask) back to back. Cuomo’s quirky lyrics (“The Sweater Song,” “My Name is Jonas”) and distinctive, uniquely catchy melodies (“El Scorcho,” “Buddy Holly”) are all but gone in subsequent releases.
It’s safe to say Cuomo will never lose the ability to craft serviceable hooks (“Dope Nose” and “Beverly Hills” are forgettable pop songs of the highest caliber), but something is clearly missing even in their best post-Green Album songs. And there’s also unspeakably awful fare like “Can’t Stop Partying,” a completely generic dance-pop club tune complete with a Lil Wayne cameo and embarrassingly juvenile lyrics about, you guessed it, partying. When Cuomo sang that he was tired of sex on Pinkerton, he sounded like a genuinely angst-ridden neurotic exorcizing demons through his art. Now he just sounds like he’s showing off.
Critics have blasted Weezer’s post-reunion material for trading the honesty that made their original albums so great for commercial success, but maybe honesty is the problem. On “Beverly Hills,” he sings: “I wanna live a life like that/I wanna be just like a king/Take my picture by the pool/Cause I'm the next big thing.” If that’s not a mission statement, I don’t know what is. If Rivers is happier as a rock star than as a neurotic, suffering artist, then kudos to him. It’s a shame that a contented Cuomo has to be a boring one though.
None of this is to say that I didn’t enjoy Weezer’s show yesterday. Their old songs are timeless classics that have lost none of their genius over time. It’s just that the band has long since forfeited its artistic relevance; they may still have hits on mainstream radio, but one can’t help but be reminded that they're just not truly inspired anymore. When the band played a brief cover of Lady Gaga's "Polkerface," it seemed more appropriate than ironic.
Kurt Cobain once said he’d rather die before he became Pete Townshend. A little extreme, sure; most rock songwriters and musicians would gladly claim membership in a band that has made such an impact and received such acclaim as The Who. Nevertheless, Cobain’s comment does speak a certain truth. There’s just something disheartening about watching great artists going through the motions. At this point in rock ‘n’ roll history, it would be sadly appropriate for a current alternative/indie icon to say: “I’d rather die before I become Rivers Cuomo.”