https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5agtqh4IO8
Buckle that nostalgia-seatbelt: Weezer’s debut, The Blue Album, came out 20 years ago today. And in the two decades since, being geeky has gone from socially crippling to almost cool.
Listening back through this album, it’s easy to understand why Weezer boomed when they did. The songs are so damned catchy and energetic, you can’t help but air-guitar along. There’s genuine earnestness here that must’ve been an absolute breath of fresh air compared to the grunge everyone else was trying to make at the time.
That earnestness shows itself in another, perhaps more enduring way: this band wasn’t afraid to be geeky. References to Buddy Holly, Dungeons and Dragons, metal bands—it takes a lot of candor to try and become a rock star on that kind of foundation.
Obviously, it worked. These songs may be 20 years old, but they still feel as familiar as ever. Geeking out is almost fashionable now—so go ahead, crank the volume and belt along with Rivers.
