Weezer, “Pinkerton,” DGC. (***)

This follow-up to Weezer’s 1994 double-platinum debut packs a novel’s worth of shame and fleeting happiness into less than 35 minutes. The songs here are often sloppy and awkward, but express a seemingly genuine, desperate search for sex and love. By the end, leader Rivers Cuomo is left alone to strum an acoustic guitar and, fittingly, ask forgiveness.

*

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).