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Weezer

Weezer

Date: Nov 16 2009

Themes: Alternative

Grammar: Present Perfect Tense

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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We all go through different phases, and not all of them are pretty. Just look through anyone’s family photo albums if you want proof. You’re sure to find least a couple awkward snapshots.

But when a band goes through a weird phase, the whole world hears about it. Weezer has gone through a number of different phases already, from their adorably nerdy early years, to the experimental approach of their 2002 album Maladroit, to the poppy tunes of their most recent record, Ratitude.

Beren and Devan were both big fans of Weezer when they first became popular in the 1990s. Find out what they think about the band’s latest phase.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Beren

Beren

Devan

Devan

Beren:  Have you heard the new Weezer single? I think it’s called “I Want You To.”

Devan:  Is that on the new album?

Beren:  Ratitude?

Devan:  Yeah, it’s called Ratitude.

Beren:  I heard the song and I didn’t know it was Weezer, and I thought it was some newfangled pop band. I thought it was like…not Fallout Boy but something similar. The lyrics are really boy meets girl, kind of young seeming.

Devan:  That really doesn’t surprise me because Weezer has changed so much over the years. Like I always forget that they’re still a band, and then all of a sudden I hear an album’s coming out, but if I hear anything from it I’m like, “This is not the Weezer I knew and loved growing up.”

Beren:  What happened? What happened to Rivers?

Devan:  I don’t know. When I was a kid, I loved that album Pinkerton.

Beren:  Oh, that was the best.

Devan:  It was just like a very troubled album. It was very honest. That was back in his days of his black-rimmed glasses and cardigans, and when he was just singing about his girl problems. But I think it was maybe a little bit too much honesty for him, you know, and I think it kind of freaked him out. So I think he’s just decided since then to go with mainstream bubble gum pointless pop that doesn’t really have any meaning.

Beren:  It’s so bizarre. The last album I bought was The Green Album.

Devan:  I think that was probably the last decent one.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Beren heard a single from the new Weezer album, Ratitude, and she didn’t think it sounded anything like them. The single sounded like a simple, sentimental love song.

Both Beren and Devan liked Weezer a lot when they were younger. Devan liked their music because it was emotionally honest and raw. But Weezer’s new songs are lighter and more typical. Devan thinks that the lead singer, Rivers Cuomo, might find it easier to sing fluffy pop songs than songs that talk about more painful subjects.

It’s not just bands that go through different phases. People go through phases, too. Have you ever had a friend who went through a weird phase you couldn’t understand?

 

Comments

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kpl

kpl

Taiwan

omg, I recently feel there is a little bit boring in live , no  newfangled sutff goes down , I indeed need some bubble gum pop music to amuse my live . 

04:24 PM Apr 18 2010 |

Ca_Brazil

Ca_Brazil

Brazil

so, that happens a lot. if you live you go through different phases, its life. i dont wanna be like 10 years ago and i know i will change some things over the years but if i think about it now it will probably freak me out a bit, so i will leave today and work on patiencially in an interesting future.   

11:28 PM Nov 22 2009 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

hahaha yeah really! I can give my own example hehe…In my teen phase I really liked to look as a band member…I wore myself with back clothers and band shirts,torn jeans and military boots and different hairstyles :P Today I'm 35 and I still love bands and its cloting,but I can't wear like them,this phase is finished! I'm more tidy :P hehe

I know that band Weezer,but just one music that I thought cool and funny (Buddy Holly),besides,I know pretty little about them :)

04:31 PM Nov 22 2009 |

Amadis

Poland

I haven't heard of Weezer too, but about friends going through some strange phases – one of my friends who I know since we were kids was trying to 'find' herself in music, so she had a heavy metal phase (and started wearing black and smoking then), somewhere there was rock (I really liked this phase – maybe it's because I love RHCP or Muse :D), she tried some reggae too. Now she is a great fan of… classical music :) She is really crazy person, I think.

02:06 PM Nov 19 2009 |

zhyar

Jamaica

idonk like who is weezer

11:42 AM Nov 19 2009 |

zhyar

Jamaica

idonk like who is weezer

11:42 AM Nov 19 2009 |

kukuka

kukuka

Ukraine

When I was a student I had a friend who somehow started to folow the punk movement. That phase of his life is still lasting. It's weird, because I think at his age it's time to be a grown up and do some serious things in life, but I don't mind.

09:00 AM Nov 19 2009 |

kukuka

kukuka

Ukraine

That was a good remark, fellow!

08:54 AM Nov 19 2009 |

cutebaby1

cutebaby1

Russian Federation

As for me I've never heard of "weezer". But anyway the lesson was pretty interesting. I think every person go thru different phases. For example, when I was about 13 or fifteen I was going thru very difficult phase, like most teenagers. I didn't want to listen to anybody, I was sure that I was old enough to make decisions and had lots of arguments with my mum and grandma. Now I see I wasn't right, but then I thought all peple were wrong exept me:)

07:01 AM Nov 19 2009 |

barth

barth

Mexico

who is wezer? i've never heard them before…

could someone tell me?

lol

12:09 AM Nov 18 2009 |

MaxOfMobbDeep

Russian Federation

Actually the album is tittled Raditude,but not Ratitude…But !whatever!

08:17 PM Nov 17 2009 |

Meyra

Meyra

Turkey

Hi,when I try to play the audio,turns out this sentence:" English, baby! English lesson audio."
That's all.Thank you for attention..

 

09:22 AM Nov 17 2009 |

tiagon85

Brazil

I like rock, but Weezer never was a rock band that called my attention, so I don´t have too much to talk about them, but I prefer bands that their style still being the same from the beginning to the present.

01:11 AM Nov 17 2009 |

rosendo

rosendo

Mexico

jai !!!

09:50 PM Nov 16 2009 |

Meyra

Meyra

Turkey

Recently I can't listen to audio lessons.Does anyone know why??

04:43 PM Nov 16 2009 |

inezy

inezy

Germany

maybe i'm going through a phase now. if that's right, it's a very good (and crazy) phase, i think, and i enjoy it so much
weezer, troublemaker (:

04:34 PM Nov 16 2009 |

mickee85

mickee85

Philippines

As we go along with our lives, we all go through different phases. Some of them are good while some are bad, but both of them have a purpose in our lives.

10:41 AM Nov 16 2009 |

bero11175

Egypt

actually me and my friends have gone through many phases in our live and we must be the support to each other . that means the realty of a friendship what ever I understand thier wierd phases or not Ihave to be patient with  them

10:06 AM Nov 16 2009 |

laurazhang

laurazhang

China

yup.In my mind,all the friends should go through a weird phase.I think that will let friends know each other deeply,and can make your friends see the different sides of you.

06:38 AM Nov 16 2009 |

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