Weezer, ‘Pinkerton’ – Albums That Almost Killed a Band’s Career
After the success of Weezer's debut, 1994's so-called 'Blue Album,' Geffen execs no doubt wanted more nerdy power-pop nuggets like 'Buddy Holly' and 'The Sweater Song.' Instead, mastermind Rivers Cuomo gave them a brutally honest, emotionally fraught song cycle based on the opera 'Madame Butterfly.' The tunes were catchy, but Cuomo's sexual hangups and struggles with fame weren't exactly the stuff of Top 40 singalongs. Critics balked, the disc peaked at No. 19 and Weezer went on hiatus for more than a decade.
When Weezer returned in 2001, it was with another self-titled effort, this one all about pop hooks. The 'Green Album' kicked off an unlikely second act that continues to this day. Interestingly, Weezer's comeback was largely due to 'Pinkerton,' which had grown in stature throughout the '90s. Whether better than 'Blue,' it trumps anything Cuomo has released since, though the middling likes of the 'Red Album' and 'Raditude' have done little to hurt the band's standing.