Way better than album seven is going to be

Although Weezer sucks more and more by the day, the group’s early material remains as good as ever. Really, has there been a better summer album released in the past 20 years than 1994’s Weezer (aka The Blue Album)? (Feel free to dispute that. Perhaps Person Pitch?) Rather than hear any more Make Believe/Red Album-caliber crap, I’d much rather hear reinterpretations of the group’s classic material—which is why I’m getting such a kick out of Weezer – The 8-bit Album, released today as a free download by the netlabel Pterodactyl Squad.

The album is exactly what the title suggests—a Weezer tribute album with all of the songs reinvented as 8-bit electro jams that would have fit nicely in any Nintendo game circa 1986. It’s a hilarious concept, and actually makes a surprisingly entertaining listen. It draws on a variety of lo-fi artists, and its 14 tracks cover a range of well-known singles and obscure b-sides.

The best tracks are those that are most faithful to the source material. “Buddy Holly” (performed here by nordloef) follows the melody of the original tune exactly, but transforms it into a Street Fighter-style rave-up. Tugboat‘s take on “El Scorcho” is gently plodding, and its chirpy melody could have been drawn from Super Mario Bros., an effect that’s intensified by sounds that resemble mushroom power-ups.

Download: “El Scorcho”

The tracks with vocals don’t fit so well as the instrumentals, as they somewhat diminish the video game atmosphere. Bit Shifter‘s version of “The World Has Turned and Left Me Here” is especially awkward, as it includes an interpolation of the Pixies‘ “Wave of Mutilation”—an interesting medley to be sure, but it’s out of place here.

But I’m probably over-thinking it. After all, the whole album is fun to listen to, and it accomplishes what any good tribute album should—it makes you realize just how great the source material truly is.

Head over to Pterodactyl Squad’s website to download the whole thing for free.