Geffen, 2005
It's been nearly three years since the release of Weezer's Maladroit, which was, like the album preceding it, (dubbed The Green Album by Weezer fans) widely considered to be disappointing, especially in comparison to the band's legendary first two albums. In the time between Maladroit and Make Believe, Weezer recorded and released dozens of demos, only one of which ("Hold Me") actually made it to this latest album.
Make Believe beats any expectations I had for it, though. After hearing "Beverly Hills," the album's first single, and seeing its accompanying music video, the possibility of hearing new, interesting Weezer music again was looking dim. However, as the first track of Make Believe, "Beverly Hills" almost makes sense. It feels like an opening track, just as it should. Even the handclap percussion grows to be addicting after several listens.
An interesting addition to Make Believe is the presence of keyboards. Though this is an element that Weezer has been known to use from time to time, they have never actually used it with such frequency amongst tracks. It's most notable appearance is in "This Is Such A Pity," one of Make Believe's outstanding tracks. The track itself is certainly not "classic Weezer," but such does not remove any potential quality from it. Another primary feature of "This Is Such A Pity" is the meaningful vocal style that many complained was noticeably absent from Weezer's last two releases. In fact, the vocal style of Rivers Cuomo seems to have somewhat recovered. It is more refined than in their first two releases, and certainly more emotionally charged than their last two releases.
The production quality is another notable aspect of Make Believe is the production quality and style. The notable Rick Rubin is listed as producer, but his involvement waned across the year-and-a-half production of this album, so it is important to note that Weezer as a band also had large amounts of involvement in the production. Make Believe's production is not super-slick, nor is it rough and unrefined; it is best described as well-polished.
All said, Make Believe is not Weezer's best release, but it is certainly not their worst. From the opening drumroll of "Beverly Hills" to the final strains of the surprisingly emotional "Haunt You Every Day," this album is certain to leave its mark on music for a long time to come.