"Pinkerton" is by a mile one of the most uncomfortable records I've ever listened to front to back. It was so uncomfortable an experience, I don't think I ever want to do it again. Even the few upbeat tracks are relentlessly and unapologetically harsh, nakedly emotional, and nearly a pain to listen to.

If you think I'm criticizing this album for these reasons, then you're wrong. The pain that this album is to listen to is not a pain that hurts; it's a pain that demands your attention, intrigues you, demonically interests you, and nevertheless makes you want, almost need, to hear the rest of the album; just because you really want to relate to Rivers Cuomo and understand his pain.

Besides all this, I can't say much about the album that hasn't already been said. But I will say this: If you had a gay ol' time listening to The Blue Album, or any other Weezer album, and are expecting anything similar, you'll be wrong.

This has always been my favorite Weezer album. My old one was damaged, so I needed a new one.

Very heartfelt, not trendy lyrics. Completely different than the red album.

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.

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!

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.