Make Believe
by Weezer
  • Record Label: Geffen
  • Release Date: May 10, 2005
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 325 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 183 out of 325
  2. Mixed: 45 out of 325
  3. Negative: 97 out of 325

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  1. MikeS.
    Nov 25, 2007
    7
    I can only hope that "tout ensemble" will be back to cuomo's old writing days,not that make believe was particularily bad,its just not up to true weezer standard!
  2. JoshB
    May 11, 2005
    7
    Wow, people are being really harsh. This is a good, solid album. I'm a life-long Weezer fan and I am quite pleased. I hope you naysayers remember that this is how people reacted to Pinkerton when it came out. Now look at the legend that is that album. Who know what may happen?
  3. KevinG
    May 11, 2005
    7
    okay so it's not lyrically up to standard or not breaking any ground but it's still damn infectious (as per usual great hooks) been humming it all day and for me thats makes it more than an average album
  4. SaeedG
    May 10, 2005
    7
    A bit better then Maladroit, has some great songs on it but does have a few howlers. Highlights: Perfect Situation, This is Such A Pity, The Other Way Skip: Beverly Hills, Freak You Out
  5. RobertA
    Jun 7, 2005
    7
    Well from listening to maladroit you can tell that weezer is on a downhill spiral. I am not sure which cd I like better maladroit or make believe. Well either way Make Believe was made with some kind of twisted humor. Is this really the Weezer we remember? No, but if you make believe that it is, it might just help you figure out that Weezer may be playing with your mind. 7 for the beats Well from listening to maladroit you can tell that weezer is on a downhill spiral. I am not sure which cd I like better maladroit or make believe. Well either way Make Believe was made with some kind of twisted humor. Is this really the Weezer we remember? No, but if you make believe that it is, it might just help you figure out that Weezer may be playing with your mind. 7 for the beats and treats, and -3 for the trickery and mediocrity.… Expand
  6. MatE
    Sep 27, 2006
    7
    this is an avarage weezer album. but compared to other records, its still a very good album with very good songs (Perfect Situation, Freak Me Out, Haunt You Everyday).
  7. J.Charreaux
    May 22, 2005
    7
    Great drummer, good singing and production. The guitar solos show joy and abandon, but for a band supposedly so obsessed by perfect pop, they come off as bland and uninspired as when I first saw them in L.A. right before and right after they got signed. The first CD suceeded due to a combination of contributors that never appeared on subsequent releases.
  8. NathanS.
    May 24, 2005
    7
    There was a lot of hype for this album, and it delivers in parts. Everyone was lookign for the next Blue album or Pinkerton, Instead, they got an album somewhere between 80s synth rock and your average emo band. That's not necessarily a bad thing. There are some decently good pop songs on here (I love the chorus on "Perfect Situation" and have grown to love both "Beverly Hills" and There was a lot of hype for this album, and it delivers in parts. Everyone was lookign for the next Blue album or Pinkerton, Instead, they got an album somewhere between 80s synth rock and your average emo band. That's not necessarily a bad thing. There are some decently good pop songs on here (I love the chorus on "Perfect Situation" and have grown to love both "Beverly Hills" and "We Are All On Drugs"). However, overall it doesn't sound like a Weezer album. Not too dissapointing, but nothing overly outstanding either.… Expand
  9. JeffS
    Jun 17, 2005
    7
    critics are scrutinizing this album way too hard. its the classic Weezer sound. And although its not as good as the Blue or Pinkerton, definately not as miserable as Malidroit...perhaps the bitterness of that album spilled over to the reviewing of this one.
  10. ChrisA
    Aug 22, 2010
    7
    A very inconsistent album that still has enough good songs to make it good. The first half is great and favourites are Hold Me and Peace. From there I find the album goes downhill with songs that have mediocre lyrics. I find that out of all Weezer albums I listen to this the least. I rated it the same as Raditude as it does have deeper songs, however it is not as catchy and fun. DespiteA very inconsistent album that still has enough good songs to make it good. The first half is great and favourites are Hold Me and Peace. From there I find the album goes downhill with songs that have mediocre lyrics. I find that out of all Weezer albums I listen to this the least. I rated it the same as Raditude as it does have deeper songs, however it is not as catchy and fun. Despite this I still enjoy it and feel it earns a 7 rating.… Expand
  11. peo
    Mar 1, 2019
    7
    This album its not that bad , in fact is a good album at all. I know the album has a lack of cohesion and have a few tracks that are really bad.
    But the best things of the album ends up having more weight altogether
  12. Chris182
    Apr 26, 2021
    7
    Whenever i think of albums that get way too much hate, Make Believe always comes to mind. This is not amazing, its not even great but its still a pretty good listen. I know a lot of people put this as their least favourite Weezer album but don't let those preconceived notions sour your listening experience. Its far from their best but definitely not one of their worst.
    Best Songs: Perfect    Whenever i think of albums that get way too much hate, Make Believe always comes to mind. This is not amazing, its not even great but its still a pretty good listen. I know a lot of people put this as their least favourite Weezer album but don't let those preconceived notions sour your listening experience. Its far from their best but definitely not one of their worst.
    Best Songs: Perfect Situation, Haunt You Every Day, The Damage In Your Heart, This is Such a Pity, Hold Me
    Worst Songs: Freak Me Out, We Are All On Drugs, My Best Friend, The Other Way    … Expand
  13. MarcB
    Jun 8, 2005
    6
    When i was 15, their blue album came in my life like a 300 tons rock on my head!It was refreshing, a new kind of pop-punk and the guys were doing great vocals almost reminding the beach boys. For this one the first time was really deceiving(except bev.hills and We are all on drugs). Then i heard it a couple of times(i work in a cd store),And found that there's credit to give to When i was 15, their blue album came in my life like a 300 tons rock on my head!It was refreshing, a new kind of pop-punk and the guys were doing great vocals almost reminding the beach boys. For this one the first time was really deceiving(except bev.hills and We are all on drugs). Then i heard it a couple of times(i work in a cd store),And found that there's credit to give to weezer for trying to try some new things.The last song (so alone in love,i think) is the best example(reminds me of Radiohead "Life in a glass house" )We are all on drugs will surely be the next big hit for them.… Expand
  14. HomieBB
    Jun 26, 2006
    6
    the first half is good but the second half of the record is garbage except for "best friend"
  15. PeterV
    May 12, 2005
    6
    Huge disappointment....The worst Weezer album yet. Although the Pitchfork review is too negative.
  16. JesseP
    Jan 30, 2006
    6
    This album is interesting. I've been a Weezer fan ever since I heard the opening notes to Say It Ain't So. At first, I heard Beverly Hills on the radio and completely dismissed the album, I immediately thought it a joke and pale imitation of music much less Weezer. After the first knee-jerk reaction, I gave it an actual listen when my cousin brought it over. I was reluctant, but This album is interesting. I've been a Weezer fan ever since I heard the opening notes to Say It Ain't So. At first, I heard Beverly Hills on the radio and completely dismissed the album, I immediately thought it a joke and pale imitation of music much less Weezer. After the first knee-jerk reaction, I gave it an actual listen when my cousin brought it over. I was reluctant, but curious so I just listened straight through. Now, I'm glad I did. While I feel this is their worst album, it at least has some real catchy tunes and pretty good lyrics. The ones that really stick out to me are Perfect Situation, This is Such a Pity, Hold Me, Peace, and Pardon Me (Freak Me Out is good as well, just a little.... weird). Some songs are just god awful... I'm sorry but We Are All On Drugs, Beverly Hills, and My Best Friend.... I just can't listen to them. Overall, I'd say its worth a listen through, although I don't think I will listen to more than 3 or 4 songs more than a few times.… Expand
  17. RobJ
    May 18, 2005
    6
    This new Weaver album is neither as great nor as terrible as people claim. It
  18. LucasW.
    Feb 16, 2008
    6
    Good album musical skill, and songs such as hold me as well as haunt you every day are very well crafted, however after listening i feel unsatisfied. It has no ability to evoke feeling.
  19. Ricko
    Dec 15, 2014
    6
    I've split Weezer into 3 periods. Early Days (Blue and Pinkerton) which was the band at the peak of their creative powers and when the created 2 modern classics. Then we have the early 00's (Green and Maladroit) which were not quite as good but still decent albums and really good fun. Then you have everything that followed - mediocrity - the rare ok tune and then lots of more mediocrity.I've split Weezer into 3 periods. Early Days (Blue and Pinkerton) which was the band at the peak of their creative powers and when the created 2 modern classics. Then we have the early 00's (Green and Maladroit) which were not quite as good but still decent albums and really good fun. Then you have everything that followed - mediocrity - the rare ok tune and then lots of more mediocrity. This is the start of the third Weezer period. The lead single "Beverly Hills" doesn't really sound like a Weezer track, more bland aimless AOR rock than the geeky surf/punk pop the band became renowned for. The good songs on this album can only really be classed as decent rather than great and even at that there are very few of these (We are All on Drugs, The Other Way are the only ones that immediately come to mind). The rest of the songs on this record fall somewhere under poor, average or boring and if I'm honest this album marks the beginning of the end for the band and where I stopped taking any real interest of note in what Weezer were doing.… Expand
  20. Jamison12
    Sep 26, 2013
    6
    A couple of really good tracks do a valiant effort for trying to make up for other poorly written, fairly bad songs. Don't get me wrong, I love Weezer, and if I let that bias in this review, I give it 10/10, but I find myself listening to their other albums more often than Make Believe.
  21. PeterA
    May 30, 2005
    5
    A mediocre album--I was expecting a lot more when I heard Rick Rubin was working on it. There are a few good tunes such as "perfect situation" and "hold me" but overall this is a fairly boring album... and I have all of their albums. I would hope for more on their next effort (if they last that long).
  22. JeffJ
    Jul 29, 2006
    5
    Rivers just tried too hard to come up with something good, it ends up sounding pretty cheesy at points. It's not totally unlistenable though.
  23. DanK
    May 11, 2005
    5
    I expected more from a comeback album. Compared to the likes of Pinkerton and the Blue album which i stil love to listen to now, this album is much like Maladroit in having jsut a few decent tracks. My fave track on the album is "perfect Situation" even though he seems to run out things to say by the time the chorus kicks in. The track "This is such a Pity" pretty much sums up the album I expected more from a comeback album. Compared to the likes of Pinkerton and the Blue album which i stil love to listen to now, this album is much like Maladroit in having jsut a few decent tracks. My fave track on the album is "perfect Situation" even though he seems to run out things to say by the time the chorus kicks in. The track "This is such a Pity" pretty much sums up the album for me in that it is a damn pity! We can only hope their next album if they do one, is an improvement. Don't get me wrong i don't think its tragic, just aint no pinkerton!… Expand
  24. kylea
    May 9, 2005
    5
    Worst Weezer yet, but they're still Weezer - there's definitely some good.
  25. HoldenC
    Mar 31, 2006
    5
    A couple standout songs, a few more that are pleasant but not especially good. But Weezer is Weezer, and the album as a whole still has a good vibe, although it's not very exciting. 7/10 for Perfect Situation and Peace, -2 for the album lasting too long and boring me.
  26. carlos
    May 17, 2005
    5
    umm not so good, kinda playing.
  27. j30
    Aug 15, 2011
    5
    Not a terrible album but not a good one either. Average at best.
  28. Danm95VFF
    May 11, 2016
    5
    It's not quite the car crash that Raditude would prove to be. It tries to fuse the melancholy demeanour of Pinkerton with a much more radio-friendly punch never heard from the band before, and falls short for the most part, and much of the album isn't particularly memorable though it tries hard to be.
  29. BillS
    May 20, 2005
    4
    Rob J, Pinkerton and the blue album were excellent records. It has nothing to do with nostalgia. Make Believe is mostly a boring, generic record. It's not in the same league as the first two weezer releases.
  30. MattG
    May 11, 2005
    4
    The problem with this album isn't that it's awful. It's not. It's really, really not. However, it is so mediocre when compared to Weezer's past records it's heartbreaking. Even Maladroit and the Green Album has shining moments of creativity and good old fashioned rock in songs like "Burndt Jamb" and "Hashpipe". All Make Believe has are unsightful and The problem with this album isn't that it's awful. It's not. It's really, really not. However, it is so mediocre when compared to Weezer's past records it's heartbreaking. Even Maladroit and the Green Album has shining moments of creativity and good old fashioned rock in songs like "Burndt Jamb" and "Hashpipe". All Make Believe has are unsightful and uninspired whines set to standard chords. Such a disappointment from a such a talented band.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Most Discussed Album of 2005
86
#86 Most Shared Album of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
52

Mixed or average reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 25
  3. Negative: 8 out of 25
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    67
    Weezer's most conventional disc... a cleaner-sounding record heavy on way-earnest power ballads. [13 May 2005, p.85]
  2. Rolling Stone
    80
    A breakthrough for Weezer... Cuomo's songs are his most plaintive and brilliant since Pinkerton. [19 May 2005, p.74]
  3. Pitchfork
    4
    Sometimes an album is just awful. Make Believe is one of those albums.
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