Simply State

Apr 21, 2024

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Simply State isn't really on a Weezer album. It's a demo made by Rivers Cuomo in 1992, after Weezer had formed but before their identity was really set in stone. Simply State would never be released in its original form until 2020, but it formed the basis for Negativland, which formed the basis for Blast Off!, which formed the basis for El Scorcho. It's a pretty important song, spawning two other great melodies, but how is it as a song? It's not as flashy or as well-developed as any of the tunes it inspired, not even close. The bridge is a bit awkward, the ending is abrupt and weird. Still, I find something comforting in its simplicity (fitting, I guess). It has an innocent sound to it, it feels almost confidential. Which, I suppose it was, considering the demo was never intended for the public until it was just randomly dropped in a huge pile outta the blue. The lyrics are very rudimentary. They feel like the first tentative experiments of a teenager who just got his first guitar, but I think this adds to the innocent mood the song sets. Overall I really like Simply State, even if it doesn't have the same punch as a fully-formed song.