Weezer - The Blue Album (1994)

1994 was a difficult year for commercial rock. Grunge was just about finished thanks in no small part to Cobain's untimely passing and mainstream pop was particularly uninspired. Everyone was rebelling violently and cursing angrily at nothing in particular. It began to feel as if in order to truly rebel, you had to be happy. And that's exactly what Rivers Cuomo did.

Combining the best elements of The Pixies, Nirvana, The Beach Boys and The Beatles Weezer's debut record set the world on fire. With its combination of thick distorted guitars over poppy hooks, clever dynamic changes and unprocessed vocals, it felt as if the album was recorded in the band's garage. The playing on the album has the energy and vigor of a high school band featuring the songwriting talent of a seasoned pro.

The album's lyrics are not technically jawdropping (Cuomo is no master of prose) but they feel effortless and pure. They are flawlessly imperfect. "Say It Ain't So," overplayed as it may be, is still a lyrical tour de force. It is the perfect expression of a young man's fear and resentment of alcohol due to its destructive effect on two of his mother's marriages. And that's not to discredit some of the more basic lyrics, as they all feature clever lines and heartbreaking earnesty.

The home to several hit singles, the album was both a critical and commercial darling. "Undone (The Sweater Song)" might just be the catchiest song ever written about an existential funk and "Buddy Holly" is a heartwarming tale of platonic love. But it's the deep album tracks that prove just what a unique talent and entity Weezer was. Despite not making a great album in over a decade, their fans have always stuck with them, and when you hear the final jawdropping guitar solo finale to the epic album closer "Only in Dreams", you will see why.