Although a bit darker than the brilliant 1994 debut, Pinkerton stays true to the bands format -- Two parts Beach Boys, Two parts Cheap Trick and one part Queen. Although there is no Undone, the sweater song, frontman Rivers Coumo continues to naively harmonize in his almost corny way over-the-top beautifully executed chunky guitar pop/punk rhythms.

Coumo is at his best on Pink Triangle, a desperate tale of falling in love with a lesbian:

"Everyone's a little queer, Why can't you be a little straight... I'm dumb she's a lesbian, I thought I had found the one... We were good as married in my mind, But married in my mind's no good..."

Other highlights include the album's opening track Tired of Sex, and the un-avoidable catchiness of Getchoo.

Weezer has been lumped into the "geek rock" genre by the popular press -- Pinkerton reminds me that that's not such a bad thing.

--MA