On Track

Weezer - "Beverly Hills" Make Believe (Geffen)

Rivers Cuomo has turned being ironic in three minutes or under into an art form, and it's brought Cuomo and Weezer success. In the post-Nirvana 90's, Weezer was labeled the voice of the geek, the outsider, and no one could have expected in ten years this band sitting at the cool kids table.

So, what happens when the geeks try to be somebody they are not? Well, "Beverly Hills" is the result. The theme of insecurity runs through many of Cuomo's songs. Never good enough. Never part of the crowd. But in the course of ten years and five albums you'd think people would have gotten the point by now. Rivers, you had me at "Tired Of Sex." On the band's self-titled album (the Blue album), producer Ric Ocasek (The Cars) helped give Weezer the polished pop sound with a harder edge that The Cars slipped away from during their career. That sound hasn't changed much. If anything, Weezer has adopted the trappings of arena "rawk" with big drums, big guitars, and big, anthemic choruses.

"Beverly Hills" could have been written while Cuomo slept in-between classes at Harvard. The delivery is straight-forward and simplistic, a formula Weezer has perfected. The difference this time is that the band isn't doing anything extremely interesting. "Beverly Hills" is an edible song that doesn't leave much of a taste in your mouth afterwards. Maybe that's how you get radio to play your songs.

Does "Beverly Hills" pull Weezer's fifth album Make Believe into the trash with the scraps? No. But when Weezer films a music video at the Playboy mansion and sings about being a "no-class, beat down fool" the irony gets old. Scott Lucas of Local H expressed a sentiment that possibly many non-West Coast folk hold deep down, "We know you love L.A./There's nothing more to say/Please no more California songs."