Pinkerton Goes Platinum

By: Iain Higgins

Post-grunge alternative rock fans can always rely on Weezer. The White Album is Weezer’s new addition to their extensive list of albums, and it hits hard with catchy hooks and cohesive riffs. Rivers Cuomo, Weezer’s slightly nerdy, yet somehow effortlessly cool front-man leads the charge in their explosive beginning. Their debut album, Weezer (The Blue Album), made serious waves back in 1994 for adding pop sensibilities to the heavy grunge made famous by Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder. The album charted well, sold better, and received critical acclaim.

Their sophomore album, however, was much more off the wall. It was still unmistakably Weezer, but the band had swapped the cool carelessness of The Blue Album for a more calculated approach to songwriting. Their second record feels tense comparatively, a surprising benefit. In fact, Pinkerton just might be their best release to date. Though the album debuted to horrible sales and reviews, (critical analysis pegged the album at around a 1/10 in some publications!) the music world has come around.

Pinkerton now finds a home on many critics “Best Albums of All Time” lists, and has been certified a platinum album, as of September 16th, 2016, by the Recording Industry Association of America. Junior Jake Donnelly reaffirms: “Pinkerton is debatably one of the best sophomore LPs in the entire alternative rock scene. I find it hard to skip any song on that album.” Coincidentally, the album also turns twenty this month. It was originally released in 1996 on September 24th. Weezer deserves every accolade they receive and more for their hard work, it’s comforting to see Pinkerton finally get the recognition it deserves- even if it is twenty years after the fact.