Take This Track For A Ride: Surf Wax America

Weezer has gone down as one the defining bands of modern music. There is an argument to be made (not today) that they pioneered the transition between the grunge of Nirvana and the alternative of Foo Fighters. Their pioneering career began with their debut self-titled album in 1994. It is saturated with fun tracks that show the full spectrum of Weezer's ability as a band. The songs sound differently and Rivers Cuomo sings about a variety of subject matters, both serious and light-hearted. One song of the latter description is "Surf Wax America".

What seems like a displaced early 60's Beach Boys song fits nice on this early 90's album between the more famous singles of Undone (The Sweater Song)  and "Say It Ain't So". It is 3 minutes and 6 seconds of crashing drums and striking cords. The music maintains a balance of urgency and calmness. There is room for the listener to enter, relax, and tap his or her foot along to the song. Cuomo announces that he is hitting the seas as if he is in a hurry. He is practically running across the sands as he sings and makes a statement about his preferred means of transportation. He plainly states at the onset of the song "the wave is coming but I ain't got no fear" and later declares "you take your car to work, I'll take my board. And when you're out of fuel, I'm still afloat."

For me, what is truly enjoyable about this song is the subject matter and how it places Weezer in a tradition. They are an American band led by a young aspiring song writer with an ear to the world he lives in and in this song he is singing about the piece of Americana known as surfing. Now I am not comparing Rivers Cuomom to Brian Wilson but it is should be noted that at least for one song he put on Wilson's flowery button down shirt and made a track worth listening to.