Customer Rating: 
Summary: ...Brims with catchy pop hooks
Comment: Pinkerton brims with catchy pop hooks and melodies, yet manages to go beneath the surface of the band's power pop façade and expose all the feelings and desires of a self-isolated nerd/rockstar.
The album was originally panned by critics upon its release in 1996, but has now gone on to develop a cult following and has also gained the respect of critics and fans alike in retrospect.
A good portion of the album was written while Cuomo was attending Harvard, while dually recovering from leg surgery, and in the process, he became a self-isolated hermit. (This is most evident on the track, "The Good Life", where Rivers sings "Can't even get around/without an old-man cane" and "Shivering in the cold/Bitter and alone") Other concerns Cuomo voices concern relationships of all kinds, from falling in love with a lesbian ("Pink Triangle"), receiving letters from a woman living in Japan whom he becomes infatuated with ("Across the Sea") and even a tune about a drug-addled liar of a girlfriend.
Cuomo knows he's a geeky guy, and his lyrics are quirky and self-depreciating instead of pompous and arrogant. Throughout the course of Pinkerton, there are many examples of his writing style, and if I had to choose two songs from here to illustrate them, I'd choose the aforementioned "The Good Life" along with "Pink Triangle". The result is a plethora of fun songs, no matter how depressed or angsty Cuomo gets.
Personally, I love this album. Even though it is still pretty radio friendly and poppy, it somehow manages to be brutally honest and hard to forget. It does require more than one listen to fully appreciate, and if you're new to Weezer and expecting another Blue album from this, you'll be disappointed. Underneath it all is a great album waiting to be discovered.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Dang It... This Is Really Good
Comment: When I first heard Pinkerton, I thought, This is okay. GIVE IT MORE TIME This album is the catchiest rockingest deep lyricest and just plain awesome album EVER. Songs like The Good Life, El Scorcho, and Falling For You are just plain good. They really bring out the awesomeness in this release I didn't know anybody could possibly make an album this great besides them (check out their other albums) and I haven't found one yet. So rock hard and keep bein freakin awesome. WEEZER!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Easily The Best Weezer CD
Comment: No need to write alot, this was and still is the best weezer Cd. No filler, just killer. Instead of all these color CD's, I wish they would go back to these types of songs. Get this one first, then be disappointed by the others.
Customer Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC DEAL!
Comment: This is my favorite Weezer album and at $2 it's a STEAL! If you're looking to get more into Weezer buy this album! It's awesome.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Avoiding the sophomore slump
Comment: I am going to get this out of the way right at the start: I think Weezer's self-titled debut, or "The Blue Album", is arguably song for song one of the more perfect albums that I've listened to with nary a song that I'd consider cutting (even In the Garage which initially I didn't care for). "Pinkerton", the follow-up, is often considered the definitive Weezer release and the best of their entire career but most didn't feel that way and the album got mixed reviews though people now see it as classic over time. While it is certainly a stellar record, I always hold "the Blue Album" in higher regard though "Pinkerton" more than holds its own.
Tired of Sex: About the frustrating easyness of sexual encounters without love, the song is gritty and rocks hard with a great solo. 9.5/10
Getchoo: A great singalong and though the verses are simply okay, the chorus makes up for it and I even prefer the bridge out of all of it with the syncopation going on. 8.5/10
No Other One: Not as raucous as the last one but it's good though it's a bit repetitive so it's not really excellent though strangely that weird lead riff is catchy. 8/10
Why Bother: A bit more punk-rock in its sound and one of my favorites on the album. A bit on the short side but it's a perfect length: get in, get your feet bopping and get out. 8.5/10
Across the Sea: Strangely, people always call this the best song on the CD and while I don't mind it, I never thought it was the best. Very lyrically honest about a letter Rivers received, the song is strong in and of itself and I'd recommend listening anyway. 8/10
The Good Life: Ah, here we go. Catchyness all over the place from its main riff, the beat and of course its chorus. Hell, even the slide solo can be hummable. Definately one of the stronger songs on the album. 9/10
El Scorcho: The first single and the one that practically turned people off immediately. Lyrically it works, it's fun to sing along to chorus and it's got a fast-paced breakdown. Why was it panned? "Buddy Holly II" it wasn't, I guess. 9/10
Pink Triangle: The third single and one of the best on the album as Rivers finds a crush is actually a lesbian. Catchy in its own way and a highlight from their career as well. 9.10
Falling For You: Rivers mentioned this as one of his best songs he's written and while musically complex and a strong hook, it's sandwiched between Triangle and the next song after this so I usually skipped it but it's good anyway. 8/10
Butterfly: Not as heavy or loud as the others but I consider this my favorite on the record. There's quite a lot of emotion in the singing, the lyrical metaphor for relationships, it's kind of befitting that the heaviest song on the record can be the most tender. 10/10
Sure the record shouldn't have gotten that much hatred as it did and while I still prefer the debut, I'd heartily recommend checking out the cd.
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