In 2004, ten years after its release, Popmatters declared Weezer's debut eponymous album (also referred to as the Blue Album) to be "one of the greatest records of the last 20 years."
Produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars and recorded at the legendary Electric Lady Studios in New York, the ten tracks written mostly by Rivers Cuomo deal with his experiences such as his brother's car accident, his parents' divorce, heartbreak, jealousy, alcohol and former girlfriends. According to Ocasek, Cuomo laid down all ten tracks in one day, each in one take.
During the recording sessions, founding member and guitarist Jason Cropper left the band and was replaced by current guitarist Brian Bell. Cuomo re-recorded all of Cropper's guitar parts.
Fifteen songs were rehearsed for the album, though five were eventually left off: "Lullaby for Wayne," "I Swear It's True," "Getting Up and Leaving," a reprise of "In The Garage," and "Mykel and Carli" which would make its way onto a B-side a year later.
Allmusic gave the album five stars: "What makes the band so enjoyable is their charming geekiness; instead of singing about despair, they sing about love, which is kind of refreshing in the gloom-drenched world of 90's guitar-pop."
The Blue Album peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200 and less than seven months after its release, it was certified gold; it went platinum on January 1, 1995 and since then it has gone triple-platinum in the United States, selling more than 3 million copies.
Rolling Stone listed the album at #297 on their list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time: "Weezer's Rivers Cuomo is great at sketching vignettes (the Dungeons and Dragons games and Kiss posters that inspire the hapless dreamer of "In the Garage"), and with sweet inspiration like the waltz tempo of "My Name is Jonas" and the self-deprecating humor of lines like 'I look just like Buddy Holly and you're my Mary Tyler Moore,' his songs easily ingratiate.
Personnel:
Rivers Cuomo - vocals, guitar
Matt Sharp - bass, vocals
Brian Bell - vocals, guitar
Patrick Wilson - drums
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