All That's Old is New Fragments

The fall is fading behind us and winter is now upon us.

Here in South Texas that doesn't mean much, except sometimes it gets kinda cloudy for 4 days in a row and a little cold and then we're back in the 70's or 80's for four more days.

Still, it's in the air and the holidays are here too. The lights, the excitement of the children, the holiday parties and the general bustling about of everyone as you travel around town. I like its  distinctness from the rest of the year.

Here's some Fragments (some of them on the holiday season):

Ya know what my holiday promise is? I'm gonna make me some homemade Chex mix. Ya know, legit, Chex mix. I haven't had any in years.

I always liked holiday decorations. The fam and I put them out the day after Thanksgiving, I'm lazy so the whole idea is if you're gonna bother with this stuff, it might as well stay up for a good long while. It typically stays up until Ethiopian Christmas (1/07) - this year we are are set to move after 12/30, so its coming down early....but next year, we'll be back on regular schedule.

We lost our Elf on the Shelf this year. Holy Holiday Meatballs. I'm 93% sure it's my fault...it wasn't where I typically put it. The younger kids were really confused, but my sister let us borrow hers. I told the kids our Elf was had been pregnant and just had a baby. They didn't believe me, in fact my youngest already has really strong doubts about the whole Santa thing already (and did last year when he was six).

Oh yeah, looks like we're moving, just a little down the road. Good times. When I type "Good times" what I mean by that is that I hate the moving process and hope we don't move again for another 14 and a half years.

Coming soon: Our First Home Fragments.  Are you excited yet?

Old White Man Pop Culture Fragments

The new Beck album is really great. I could never get into the last few album's despite their critical acclaim...so this was a welcome surprise. Here's a track I particularly love:

Finished up Man in the High Castle....it's good. Never understood why it had such low viewership while other stuff I think is okay/boring/etc. is the bee's knees. ?

Watching The Mandolarian. It's okay. Sci-Fi Fluff. It's nice to watch instead of doing housework.

That's it, I'm done. Don't forget to reward yourself with a long hot shower every so often. Good night all.

Warm & Cozy Again (Why I love Lord of the Rings)

Well, I'm back.

Back to reading The Lord of the Rings once again.  I've read this book at least twelve times, more than any other book....and yet when I started to read it earlier this week, I still got a little excited.

Usually when I start reading The Lord of the Ring (LOR), it's usually the fall or winter. After all, it's a cold weather book. At least it feels that way to me. In the last decade or so, I usually wait about 2-3 years between readings after another decade or so of usually reading it once a year. I like to wait until the first real cold front of the season to begin. Most of the book is read late at night, next to a warm lamp, covered up cozily in bed. I usually read as long as I can until I drift off to sleep, sometimes with the book on my chest.

Just typing those words makes me happy.

With each re-read I deliberately read slowly, taking my time with the Tolkien's (at times) overly descriptive text. It's a slow book and I love it that way.  I especially adore the beginning of the book and by the end of the book (yes, of course the appendix, too) I'll be glum at the thought of being finished. Usually what this means is that I will re-read a whole host of other Tolkien stuff, of course, The Hobbit, Unfinished Tales, sometimes referencing back to the something in the appendix of LOR and last time around I re-read The Children of Hurin  and then, almost sputtering out of Tolkien overload, I usually break down somewhere in The Silmarillion and stop. Now you know why I do this only every 2-3 years...it becomes all engrossing.

The first time I read LOR, it was the late summer of 2001. I had heard the the movie was coming out that winter and I felt like I ought to see what all the hype was about. I heard it was boring, but it didn't deter me. I picked up The Hobbit first, not knowing what to expect.  I was charmed after reading the first page. It felt like you were taken right into the fairy tale world and it just felt, safe, safe and homely. 

After a few more weeks, I purchased a paperback version of LOR and while I was on the edge of my seat reading about the Black Riders, after Rivendell, the narrative seemed to slow down and I was a little frustrated. Then, I had a huge car accident that I was lucky to survive. My copy of LOR had been in my truck and it tumbled and flipped across the road just as much as my truck did. It was destroyed.

I was happy to be alive and being in graduate school, I was also extremely busy, so I did not immediately pick up a new copy. However, my best friend's mom was a huge Tolkien fan and she had found out that my copy had been destroyed in the accident and bought me another copy as a gift. It inspired me to finish it before the first movie came out. I still have this paperback version today and although some of the appendix is falling out, I feel like this little edition and I have a long history together. One day, it may fall apart on me, but until then, we're sticking together.

For me, The Lord of the Rings isn't just about the way it makes me feel, but the way it brings you into an almost fully formed world. An alien world that is just out of reach, and yet fully touchable. At times the narrative gets unwieldy, but it doesn't let you go. Some characters feel flat and fairy tale like, but others real and grounded.  A mix of the a fantasy and at times not quite a real world (or maybe as the world should be). It's philosophical and a bit dry, other times it reads as a history narrative and other times, it's downright funny while other parts of the book are pure adventure...but it is always thoughtful and always detailed.  Don't get me wrong, it has its flaws.

The most important flaw being Tolkien's use of race and 20th century "race theory" in the book. It's used to describe the differences between the "races" (elves, hobbits, humans, etc.) and even more disturbingly between the human cultures.  It's sad and enraging and yet, it doesn't make me stop reading the book. Tolkien was a man of his times, he was ignorant but not quite a bigot. It reminds me the way I feel about Carl Barks. I'm conflicted and yet drawn to their art.  Maybe I'm letting them both off the hook too easily but this is a debate for another time....

This fall or winter we may be moving and so I felt a strong need to be grounded and closer to a feeling of "home" more than ever. I'm glad I'm back once again for the ride.

Update from 2020: I ended up reading the Annotated The Hobbit, which is great but all my other Tolkien stuff is stuck at work because of the Pandemic (it's at work because of the move).  To be honest, I have my Tolkien fill and I'll be ready for more in a couple of years.

Pic Dump: Leftovers

Here's some leftover pics I had saved on my phone. Enjoy, or don't. See if I care, cause I don't care. I really don't. I actually kinda do hope you enjoy these. 

Neglectful Fragments

I've been a bit neglectful on the blog. I would apologize, but there's no one to apologize to. I came down from a busy summer to (surprise) a busy fall.

I've started a few blog posts but never finished them. Some abandoned ideas that might come back: Ranking Spurs Championships, Ranking my favorite Nirvana songs, discussing the insanity of cartoon teeth (this is the one most likely to be written). 

I'm in another community play but this time it will be my last one for awhile. It's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest". I play Dr. Spivey. It opens this weekend and we have four shows. It's been great because it's not too big of a role as far as lines. Plays tend to eat your life, even in smaller roles, they take up time for rehearsal (weekends!), head space, thought space and your mind is always thinking "don't forget your lines!".  I have a lot of acting with my face on stage when I'm not speaking, so that's been an interesting challenge, it's also been nice to work on a drama instead of a musical or comedy.

We've been getting our house ready to move, it's kinda awful, but we're confident showing the house well can net us an additional 10K. It's a seller's market down here, so even though it's fall...hopefully it can sell quickly.

Being a father will be the hardest and best thing I ever do but damn, it's tough.

We went to the beach a few weeks back...and...even though I hate beaches, it wasn't too bad. It was cloudy on the day we went too and that made me happy.

I often get random ideas to blog about but my motivation isn't what it used to be with the move and the play. Then, there's YouTube and I've been playing my SNES mini lately too.

Maybe one day it will return....or not. Even still, I have pretty much decided this blog is part of my life, for my life. (Distant cheers). It's just something I will turn to from time to time, a little scrapbook for my life.  In the meantime, bake some cookies to make your house smell good and take a walk outside to feel the fall.

Quote of the Day

"Likewise, if all experiences are indifferent, that of duty is as legitimate as any other." - Albert Camus

I was thinking of this one the other day. Even if there is no objective ethical standard or morals...it's good to know that you might as well be good. 

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things

Oh, I know this is lame.

So what?

These are a few of my favorite things off the top of my head.


1. Driving with the windows down on a summer night listening to  rock n' roll
2. Finding a fry at the bottom of the bag
3. Pizza
4. Air-Drumming along with a song
5. Reading old comics cozily in bed before I go to sleep
6. Remembering a dream from the night before that I had forgotten about until that moment
7. Cold mornings with hot coffee
8. Laughing at my own jokes that no one else will
9. Drawing a little doodle or comic at work that I deem good enough to file away in a special folder for good doodles/comics
10. Washing dishes late at night listening to music
11. Comfy t-shirts and jeans (that's kinda my look)
12. Walking outside with mindfulness of my ability to walk and be alive
13. Looking at the stars in wonder and awe
14. Finding a good shade spot on a hot day in a crowded parking lot
15. Making my class laugh or really finding another way to impact the room
16. A good conversation with a good friend (more rare than you might think)
17. Writing a good poem/blog/something and feeling good about it
18. Ad libbing without planning while acting and sharing a moment with the other actor
19. Painting when I get a chance
20. Carl Barks comics, always and forever
21. Discovering a new album/band/music on YouTube
22. Trying new restaurants with my wife
23. Trying a new beer
24. A beautiful spring day, not too cool, not too warm
25. Going to the bookstore, aimlessly browsing and hoping to find something surprising
26. Drawing mustaches on photos/advertisements/whatever and waiting for my wife to discover it
27. Doing something random, hoping someone will notice later and wonder "why?"
28. Reading to my kids, telling stories to my kids
29. Talking nonsense with kids, just being silly with them any chance I can get
30. Taking each of the kids on "dates", alone time is so great
31. Free Comic Book Day with kids, one of my favorite holidays of the year
32. Rewarding myself with breakfast tacos before I do something I really don't want to do

Must be a jerk, I didn't think of my kids until #28...but my excuse is, I was thinking of "things".

Six Underrated Albums From the Late 1990's

I was going to write an intro about how awesome the 90's were but then I realized all I want to do is write about some underrated late 90's albums. I don't need write a pointless introduction on a blog post maybe no one will ever read!

So, in no particular order, here's six underrated (or unknown) late 90's albums. There are more out there...so maybe one day a sequel is in order (you know the drill, don't hold your breath).


The Pulsars - S/T - 1997




Have you ever wondered what would happen if someone dropped an near perfect pop album in a time when the style just didn't fit the times?  This album fits the bill.

Because The Pulsars didn't sound like anything at the time, it was probably doomed to fail.  And fail it did, as hardly anyone knew this album existed at the time of its release but it's something of a cult hit among indie rock/alt rock fans today (or cool people like me, I have no idea how to label this music anymore).

The song writing is timeless but the sound is time bound (and that's a good thing), you'll know what I mean when you listen to it.  The Pulsars album is all about the future - electric beeps and bops, countdowns and songs that usually feature synths and keyboards. Most songs are focused on the future as well; technology, pet robots, silicon teens, and of course, love. The lyrics are are charming and fun with a dash of paranoia and melancholia. The album reminds me of a darker and weirder  Fountains of Wayne and just like a Fountains of Wayne album, you'll be singing along with the songs before they finish. When I first heard this album about 5 years ago I couldn't believe I hadn't discovered it by now.

Now, it's your turn. You're welcome.

Standout tracks for the lazy: Tunnel Song, Suffocation, My Pet Robot, Submission Song 



Sloan - One Chord To Another (1996) 




If there's any band that did the Beatles better than the Beatles, it's Sloan on One Chord To Another. I am not writing that lightly....it's that good.

It might be the most self-aware rock album that I know of (from the faux-live concert track to various song titles and themes including "G Turns to D" and "A Side Wins") this is the equivalent of breaking the fourth wall during a movie. It can be off-putting if not done well, but it works here.

Just because it's self-aware doesn't mean it doesn't have heart. It's got that in spades.  It's a perfect album for the college years or for times of figuring things out. I am a little biased because this album was there for me during college.  I discovered the album as a DJ at my college station and I loved it so much, I stole it. Yeah, I stole it and I am not that sorry about it (okay, so I do actually feel a little bad about it).  I just couldn't imagine my life without it and this is before I felt safe buying anything on the internet yet and this album wasn't at any store I had seen.

Many songs are about figuring out who you are, figuring out who other people who you love are and about experiencing the forlorn nature of love and life. This is easily the album on this list I am most personally connected to. Most songs on this album draw me back to particular people, times or feelings. One of my favorite albums of all time.

If you're bored of Beatles albums you've heard a million times and want to hear a band at their peak, check it out. 

Standout tracks for the lazy: The Good In Everyone, Autobiography, Everything You've Done Wrong, The Lines You Amend


of Montreal - Cherry Peel (1997)




I am embarrassed to say I only discovered this album for the first time last year. I can say I would have pretty much worshiped this album in the 90's if I had only know it existed. Even all these years later (and me being an old man) it's rocketed into maybe, just maybe into my top ten albums of all time.

Cherry Peel is a lo-fi rock masterpiece that's all about unrequited love....if you're in love with someone and they don't know it, you need to pick this up ASAP.   It's weird, catchy, acoustic-indie pop with clever, sometimes bizarre lyrics and songs. It will charm you and make you feel young again.

Standout Tracks for the Lazy: Tracks 2-6: Baby, I Can't Stop Your Memory, When You're Loved Like You Are, Don't Ask Me To Explain, In Dreams I Dance With You

 Superdrag - Head Trip in Every Key (1998) 

No full album link is available, but this is the first track and it's outstanding. 

John Davis might be a genius and I think Head Trip in Every Key might be his peak achievement. Maybe I just love this album and I'm not sure I can be objective about it. It's not a perfect album by any means, but it more than makes up for its middling middle-act. This album feels like a realization of what "alternative rock" could achieve; "Mr. Underground" is a welcome re-hashing of classic rock riffs while "Shuck & Jive" blends punk with a Beach Boys' bridge. "Shuck & Jive" uses a similar (the same?)  riff to Nirvana's "Stain" and crafts a much better song than Cobain did with that riff.

With it's pulsating, driving songs, you'll be pounding on a desk or whatever else is nearby playing the drums along with songs like "Hellbent"  and "Sold You An Alibi". This album is about a relationship falling apart that hasn't yet met it's end. How do you end something you don't know how to end?  If you like your rock a little more straight ahead, check it out.

Standout Tracks for the Lazy: I'm Expanding My Mind, Hellbent. Pine Away (a personal favorite that is objectively not as strong as the other tracks listed here), Shuck & Jive


The Apples in Stereo - Tone Soul Evolution (1997)



My second Elephant Six Collective offering on this list (the other is of Montreal). This album was my introduction to the AIS in 1997. I was taken aback and didn't quite know what to make of them at first but I loved "You Said That Last Night" and played it on our radio show, The Paba Free Show.  Tone Soul Evolution is a perfect balance between AIS' early work (Fun Trick Noisemaker) and later, somewhat over-the-top pop work (which I still like). If you're unfamiliar with the AIS, it's like if the Beach Boys were blended with indie rock from the 90's.

It's a perfect album for summer night drives or listening by the pool side. It's light,fun and you'll be bobbing your head. Beautiful back-up vocals, melodies and guitar work are abound. A rare album that just makes you feel good for being alive just to hear it.

If you want to listen to something fun with beautiful melodies....give it a spin.

Standout Tracks for the Lazy: Heard About Your Fame, Silver Chain, Tin Pan Alley, You Said That Last Night

Spoon - A Series of Sneaks (1997)

 There is no full-album link of Youtube, but you'll find the playlist if you search for it. Instead, here's the best song (which is technically on the deluxe version). 

Not Spoon's first album, but their first minor splash in the big music world. If you love modern Spoon, let me warn you, this is baby Spoon, taking it's first steps. It's more straight-ahead, punk and rock than the later, angular, more mature Spoon. A Series of Sneaks is one banger after another (four songs are under 3:05 and two are under one minute). That said, many songs show the promise of Britt Daniels finding himself as an artist and songwriter. I am partial to the punk-infused "Execution" (with a whistling bridge, no less) and later my personal favorite on the standard album, the lo-fi, chill, gem-of-a-song, "Metal Detektor".

Honestly, this album is a little all over the place. Yes, there are some good songs but there's some clunkers as well. Your mileage may vary...but if you're a Spoon fan or a 90's music fan, it's worth a listen. As with any Spoon album, much of the songs brilliance come from the lyrics. There's an obvious mystery and vagueness to each song that makes the album fun for the listener to find their own connections and meanings with. Not to say there's not some obvious references to the music industry...which brings me to the real reason you should listen to this album (on the deluxe album) the beautiful and amazing bonus tracks, "Laffitte Don't Fail Me Now" and "The Agony of Laffitee". Both songs were recorded in response to the failure of the label to support the band...and both are acoustic-based, beautiful pop creations ("Agony" is a masterpiece) if you listen to these songs, you'll know what kind of music I love.

Standout Tracks for the Lazy: Execution, Metal Detektor, Car Radio, Advance Cassette, Laffitte Don't Fail Me Know, The Agony of Laffitee

The idea that maybe, just maybe, by the tiniest of chances, someone might discover one of these albums because of me makes me happy. What can I say? This freaking blog has "hopeful" in it's title! Happy listening folks!

Chillin' Fragments

It's late and I am chillin' reading my old blog posts....so I am inspired to contribute more to a blog that has no readers. So here's some questions that occasionally pop into my head (or just popped into my head right now).

How do I feel about having zero readership?

Good question, its fine, really. No, really. The last person I told I had a blog, I made it out like it's a secret blog and I don't really want readers, so I can really just be myself.  And I suppose that's kinda true, but I wouldn't mind having a loyal reader or two. I mean, even my wife doesn't read my blog.

What have you been listening to lately?

Chillwave or lo-fi vaporware or lofi hip hop. I dunno, still trying to figure out what it's called...I am putting a sample below....it's good music to grade and get work done. Also, Hollow Coves (not listed, just look em up, bro)





What did you think of the new Weezer album, The Black Album?

It is terrible. I mean, I like "High As A Kite"...that's it. That's even bad for a bad Weezer album.


What's a random dream you have?

I thought of creating a podcast of just interviewing regular people, as if they were someone important. Just talking to regular everyday people. I think it would be called "Everyday People". I bet someone is already doing it.

What are the things that make me feel old?

1. My children 2. My back (its been a bit weird lately) 3. pop-culture references that I can't use in class anymore because I am so old (for example, a "Cheers" reference I knew wouldn't work, but did it anyway.... I just looked right over at my older student in the room and she gave me a knowing look with a smile).


What keeps you excited about work?

It ain't teaching to be honest. This semester has been a rough one, it's been busy and my students have largely sucked. I like teaching particular subjects more than others but the real excitement is planning trips. I have one in May-June this year and hoping to start planning my next faculty-staff  retreat to Northern Ireland next year or the year after. I have further plans after that, going back to Peru for a study abroad and later to Europe for another study abroad....we'll see.


What are you hopes and dreams for your children?

To lead safe, healthy, meaningful and  happy lives. To be where they can just be. I hope so much for them and yet see a world falling apart. I hope their generation steps up, ours has done them no favors. I love them so much, when I think about it, my heart bursts a little.


Are you getting tired of this stupid Q&A format blog?

Yes, thanks for asking, this was a dumb idea

Late Night Fragments

It's been awhile and it's late at night...so here's some fragments.

No, if you were hopeful these would be fragments about the NBC show "Late Night" you will be dissapointed....but since you're here.

Late Night Host Rankings

1. Conan
1a. Dave
2. Seth

Speaking of which, I do recommend Conan's new podcast. Great for listening while doing yard work.

I took my son to see Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in December and was blown away. I loved it. It might be my favorite super-hero movie ever. One of the few movies I have ever seen and been visually stunned at how it looks. I suppose I haven't felt that way since Lord of the Rings: Two Towers with Gollum's animation (and before that the OG Jurassic Park). Spider-Verse just captures what comic book would look like brought to life. Also, the script, the characters, etc. loved all of it.

My Favorite Comic Book Movies

1. Spider-Man 2
2. Spider-Verse (may move up, I need to see SM 2 again to really know)
3. Ant-Man (probably too high, but it's cute and made me laugh)
4. Spider-Man 1
5. Captain America 1 (really liked this more than most people)
6. Iron Man 1
7. Guardians of Galaxy (1 & 2 ...why not)?

(I like Spider-Man, in case ya didn't notice)

Also, I have seen a ton of the Marvel movies with some major exceptions...like I think I have only seen the first Avengers movie and I missed Black Panther but whatever. I am super-heroed out. That's why Spider-Verse knocked me off my feet. Marvel movies are fine, they are good but it's like pizza. By itself, once a week, it's amazing....but if you have it every day during the week....it gets a little old.

And since I am on a list-rage...

Pizza Chain Ranking

1. Pizza Hut
2. Papa Murphy 

3. Little Caesar's
4. Domino's 
4. Papa John


I dunno, I don't feel that strongly about any of that...except we have Little Caesar's every Friday and man, some Fridays that makes me sad.



The kids and I just finished up our eight-show run of Willy Wonka a few weeks back. Fragments are forthcoming....but it went great and it was a lot of fun.  There were few nights during our two week run that I woke up at 2 or 3 AM in a nervous half-dream and thought I had forgotten to get on stage. I actually got out of bed and was ready to leave...very bizarre.

The other night I had a strange dream featuring going to the bathroom that was built in a "bounce house" with my son. When we came out Tom Hanks was there and we took a walk with him as he bounced my son's basketball. He ended up accidentally dropping it down a ravine and was like, "don't worry, I'm very wealthy".

I recently had a couple of weird things happen between myself and a friend at work. I can't get into all the details (it's not dramatic) but my friendship isn't the same anymore and I'm not sure it ever will be. Makes me sad but I remain hopeful. We are currently on "ok" terms (I think).  

Work has also be exhausting, I still feel like I am recovering from Wonka and my crazy programming coordination, which has moved up a level this semester with no pay! A little stressed, but what can I do?  I am getting ready to go travel with students around the country and that does make me excited...I am hoping this summer will rejuvenate me and my friendship with my colleague as well.

Spurs made the playoffs again. Yay. Now that the big three were dismantled and they are a non-contender, I thought I would lose interest....but nope...I found them just as interesting as before! I thought I would have more time to read about important things. Oh well, that's sports for ya. I think they have a great shot to beat the Nuggets....but hey, if they don't, oh well.

It's way too late and I gotta go.

Life can be pretty tough sometimes but I am thankful for the life I have. Don't take anything for granted because some days, even having Little Caesar's is pretty good.

Don't forget to take out the trash and early vote.

Ghost of Ghost

It's been twenty years since one of my best friends died in car accident. I wrote about the night I found out here (holy cow - eight years ago).

Twenty freaking years.

It was a lifetime ago and now she's been gone longer than she was alive.


A few months ago I wrote a poem about a very specific memory I have. I would explain it, but I would rather it speak for itself. I don't think it's a very good poem, but it means something to me all the same. Give someone you love a hug today.

Ghost of a Ghost

No one else will know how close we came.

It was so long ago, like some half-forgotten dream, a ghost of a ghost.

I awoke to this memory and felt ashamed, for I hadn't thought of that night in so many years -

when I held you a little and you held me.

We were children then, brother/sister/lovers.

Reaching for something beyond and figuring out how to be.  

Suddenly, the barrier came between us.

Between two worlds  

Forever intertwined

Forever apart

And the only thing left is this lonely memory

That will one day fade away like a ghost of a ghost.  

My Top Ten Post-Pinkerton Weezer Songs

It's been a good long while since I've had a post dedicated to Weezer and of course, my adoring readers demand it, so here ya go.  In this post, I am deep-diving back into Weezer history and selecting my personal top ten "Post-Pinkerton" Weezer songs.

Before we begin, there's a few things to untangle.

What is "Post-Pinkerton"?

"Post-Pinkerton" is the long accepted standard of dividing time between "Classic Weezer" (1993-1997) to "New Weezer" (everything after). Although now the band is well over twenty years old, this standard is starting to feel more arbitrary ("Pre-Scott Shriner" just doesn't do it for me). Still, I find it the most meaningful way of dividing Weezer history.

According to orthodox interpretations of the Gospel of Weezer, it is believed that the first two albums (Weezer (1994) - AKA "The Blue Album") and Pinkerton (1996) are the two-best Weezer albums and nothing released since really comes close. At this point, many have left the fold but almost all that are part of the flock would admit there are at least a few songs that can come close to the pinnacle of the Classic Weezer era, but that's as close as you'll get for hard-line orthodox fans.

Yeah, I guess I kinda have to bring up the SNL "Weezer" skit that revealed to the world the inner-workings that is Weezer fandom. I was waiting for a White Album mention that never came. All in all, it wasn't bad but.... weird...like someone going into your bathroom unexpected and finding your dirty underwear on the floor.

I would have counted myself quite orthodox for many years but as the years have gone by, a strict adherence to that belief has gotten harder to defend. For a short while, Weezer made really, really good music (2014-2016). I would also meekly submit that the two Classic albums are so-what time dependent (Blue, less so). What I mean is that I am not a raging 20-year-old anymore. Admittedly, I really have to be in a mood for Pinkerton now. It's clear Pinkerton was ambitious and challenging but it's like looking at photos from college. Sure, it's me but I don't want to see that photo of me holding two beers and smoking two cigarettes. I mean, it happened but I've moved on (yes, if you have that photo, please destroy). I don't want to belittle the albums though and nor do I find them "deal breakers" either. They are still great rock albums and they still hold up today, no apology needed.

So, ahem, "Post-Pinkerton" for our purposes of this blog post includes every official release since the release of "Pinkerton" in 1996. I am not including songs only played live (Homie stuff or SS2K, i.e.), demos or other songs released well after 1996 but written in the same era (i.e., "Longtime Sunshine", "Tragic Girl", etc.) of the Classic Weezer era.

I also want to make it clear this is my personal list. It's completely subjective and if you are Weezer fan, it may upset you. Honestly, my list ended up surprising me. Some of the reasons why I love particular songs are completely dependent on my personal history. I really won't be "defending" my choices, as I am sure they might seem quite strange to another Weezer fan. Such is life. 

The Method Behind the Madness 

The easiest way for me to do this was to go back in my head, album by album, track by track and write down what I thought were the best songs from each album. There are many more songs that I find “good” and “okay” but these are the songs that stood above the rest. Most of time I did not need need to google the track list (although I really needed it for Hurley...which is telling).  This initial list is basically songs that I like.

 Notable Post-Pinkerton Songs (as of 2018)

1. Velouria (Pixies Cover)
2. The Christmas Song  (Christmas CD)
3. Don’t Let Go (Green)
4. Island In the Sun (Green)
5. Hash Pipe (Green)
6. Simple Pages (Green)
7. O Girlfriend (Green)
8. Teenage Victory Song (Green B-side)
9. Dope Nose (Maladroit)
10. Brunt Jamb (Maladroit)
11. Keep Fishin’ (Single Version)
12. Slave (Maladroit)
13. Perfect Situation (Make Believe)
14. This is Such a Pity (Make Believe)
15. Pardon Me (Make Believe)
16. The Other Way (Make Believe)
17. Pork and Beans (Red)
18. The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Red)
19. Dreamin’ (Red)
20. The Angel And The One (Red)
21. Ms. Sweeney (Red Deluxe)
22. It’s Easy (Red B-side)
23. Automatic (LA Riots Remix - GT5P Soundtrack)
24. I Don’t Wanna Let You Go (Raditude)
25. The Prettiest Girl Girl In the Whole Wide World (Raditude Itunes Pass track)  
26. Ruling Me (Hurley)
27. Run Away (Hurley)
28. Eulogy of a Rock Band (Everything Will Be Alright in the End)
29. I’ve Had It Up To Here (Everything Will Be Alright in the End)
30. Foolish Father (Everything Will Be Alright in the End)
31. Everyone Needs Salvation (Fan Club Single 2015)
32. California Kids (White)
33. Wind in Our Sail (White)
34. Girl We Have A Good Thing (White)
35. Do You Wanna Get High? (White)
36. Drunk Dori & Summer Elaine (White)
37. Jacked Up (White)
38. LA Girlz (White)
39. Friend of a Friend (White Digital Deluxe) 
40. High As A Kite (Black) (note: this was edited so this song  could be added) 

Notes on the Notable Songs

Again, I want to stress, this threshold was pretty easy to meet and it was a lot more extensive than I thought it would be. That said, it was largely predictable, I love the White Album and I have an affinity for the Green and Red eras, while disdaining the Rad and Hurley eras.

For those scoring at home here's what the album breakdown is:

Green - 5

Maladroit - 4

Make Believe - 4

Red Album - 4

Raditude - 1

Hurley - 2

EWBAITE - 3

White - 7 
Pacific Daydream - 0  
Black - 1 

Other (B-sides, deluxe tracks, etc.) - 9

  

If you included the songs from the album's respective "era", it would add one to Green, three to Red Album, one to Raditude, and one to White. So, does this mean White is the third best album? Yes, and I would go so far to pair it with Blue and Pinkerton as a "Classic" album. Obviously, it will never have a cultural following or impact, but as a quality piece of art - I consider it one of the band's best works. In fact, since the album’s release I have easily listened to White more than Blue and Pinkerton. God forgive me.

Anyway, this isn’t an album post (coming soon in the next decade or so).

The next step was to make some cuts - but I didn't want to think too hard, so I told myself this would the second of three cuts. Here’s what made it to the second round:

Some of my Favorite Post-Pinkerton Songs

1.     Island In the Sun

2.     Simple Pages

3.     Perfect Situation

4.     This is Such a Pity

5.     The Other Way

6.     Dreamin’

7.     The Angel And The One

8.     Ms. Sweeney (Red Deluxe)

9.     I Don’t Wanna Let You Go

10.  Ruling Me

11.  I’ve Had It Up To Here

12.  Foolish Father

13.  California Kids

14.  Wind in Our Sail

15.  Girl We Have A Good Thing

16.  Drunk Dori & Summer Elaine

17.  Jacked Up

18.  LA Girlz

19.  Friend of a Friend (White Digital Deluxe)

This was a little harder, but I focused on keeping songs that gave me the most pleasure or songs I connected with in some way. Surprisingly the hardest cut maybe was "It's Easy" (lately been spinning this Brian Bell-penned song). So, after a first round of cuts the albums break down like so:

Green - 2

Maladroit - 0

Make Believe  - 3

Red - 2

Rad - 1

Hurley - 1

EWBAITE - 2

White - 5 
PD - 0
Black - 0 

Other - 2

Now, comes the hard part, I am going to cut nine songs. Gulp. Here goes nothing.

My Top Ten Post-Pinkerton Songs (in chronological order)

1. Island in the Sun
2. Simple Pages
3. Perfect Situation
4. The Other Way
5. The Angel and The One
6. Foolish Father
7. Wind in Our Sail
8. Drunk Dori & Summer Elaine
9. Jacked Up
10. Friend of a Friend

Notes on the Top Ten

I have to say, I feel a bit dirty. How did" Island in the Sun" and "Perfect Situation" get on this list? What kind of hardcore fan am I anyway???  Here's a bit on some of the songs.

"Island in the Sun"
Almost 20 years later and its hard to believe this song was just a minor hit, but it was. Yet, today most people know and love the song. There really is no deep personal connection with this song other than it's just a really really good pop song. That said, I was there the first time the band played this live and knew it was a hit. It was also the only Weezer song played at my wedding reception, being that it was the best Weezer song I could fit into such a setting (only played during the meal portion for those scoring at home).

"Simple Pages"
I've always loved this song and I have always found it incredibly underrated by hardcore fans. Sure, it's a bit goofy but it's super catchy and manages to bring Green's energy up a bit. It's fun. I also probably have a sweet spot for this song because it was on when I almost died. So, there's that. 

"Perfect Situation"
The first 47-odd seconds are pure Weezer perfection. It's basically why this song is on the list. I love that intro and I admit that's probably stupid logic, but it's my list. I like it. It features the worst lyrics on this list as well. Some a little cringe worthy.

"The Other Way"/"The Angel and The One"/"Friend of a Friend"
All themes of unrequited love, all the while knowing you're not supposed to feel that way. It's a theme that's powerful and intriguing. I have a lot more to say about TAATO but that's for another blog post someday....

"Foolish Father"
Some might think the song is cheesy...but I love it. It comes from the right place of empathy for our fathers and the empathy we will all need later. The last chords reveal the complexity of the album's title as well (again, this song is underrated and I need to write a whole post about it).

"Wind In our Sails"/"Drunk Dori & Summer Elaine"/"Jacked Up"
All tracks from the White album that I love dearly for different reasons. I won't start because I won't be able to quit. That said, your MUST listen to the Song Exploder of DDSE.

Well, well, well....Weezer just dropped the Teal Album (an album of cover songs) and no, none of those songs would get on any of these lists. Ultimately, I find it to be a lazy and uninspired album...I mean I know it was for promotion and it's fun but it's something that could have been something so much more than a novelty/flavor-of-the-week experience.