Weezer
Maladroit (Geffen) The 2001 comeback kids follow up their buoyant “Green Album” with an album that’s likely to make lead Weezer Rivers Cuomo the first-ever arena-rock frontman with a crippling case of Social Anxiety Disorder. Cuomo’s romantic difficulties are well documented on, well, every other Weezer album, and Maladroit (note the title) is no different, except here he couches his insecurities in even more rawk bravado than usual. Opener “American Gigolo” channels Axl Rose, “Take Control” features honest-to-God chord choking, and “Fall Together” steals at least a page from the Toadies’ “Possum Kingdom.” Elsewhere, “Death and Destruction” cries out for a Paxil refill, “Possibilities” is possibly the result of tour-bus jamming with the Get Up Kids, and “Slave” is too perfect to be left off the reunion-tour set list. “Keep Fishin'” and “Love Explosion” are likewise classic Weezer, even if the latter demonstrates why white people should never (ever) use the words “get your groove on” in a song. Still, throw in a summer make-out ballad par excellence about not getting the girl (“December”), and it seems Cuomo is destined to write great songs for as long as his heart keeps getting stepped on. Some revenge for this nerd.
This article appears in June 28 • 2002.