With the release and appraisal of Weezer's latest album, their fourth self-titled, dubbed "The White Album," fans have been quick to see where it fits in Weezer's top three, and, particularly, which one is the best. Fans have been debating for years whether the happy "White Album" or the sad "Pinkerton" was better. Even The Needle Drop himself, Anthony Fantano, discussed this, and now that debate has opened up again, this time with another addition.

Although I acknowledge this will not pronounce a definitive winner, I wanted to take my own crack at this debate between the three albums with a track-by-track matchup. Luckily for me, each album has an even 10 tracks. What I'll do is pit each one against each other and give rank each one 1-3, one being the worst and three being the best. The final tally at the end will determine the rank for the albums. Let's go.

Round 1: "My Name Is Jonas" v. "Tired of Sex" v. "California Kids"

"My Name is Jonas" has a special place in my heart, given that it's the first Weezer song I'd ever heard. Thinking about it, that only sounds logical, being that it's the first song in the first album they've had, but I had a unique experience by playing it on "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock." This is the most unique song Weezer had come out with, with an interesting-sounding opening riff, and it fits in well with the power electric guitar matched in. A classic.

"Tired of Sex" is a brilliant beginning to "Pinkerton," both in terms of sound and theme. From the lo-fi, disorienting guitar to the pouty, complaining vocals, "Tired of Sex" can throw off some, but with an open mind, you can see this as a step forward for the band.

On the other hand, "California Kids" will throw off no one. The opener to "The White Album" has an appropriate beginning and a satisfying chorus, but as an opening track, it's very underwhelming and only a synthesis of what "The Blue Album" was.

Recap: "Tired of Sex" is definitely attractive, but "My Name is Jonas" is a classic. Album order to start off.

3 Points: "My Name Is Jonas"

2 Points: "Tired of Sex"

1 Point: "California Kids

Round 2: "No One Else" v. "Getchoo" v. "Wind In Our Sail"

"No One Else," lyrically, is a precursor to what "Pinkerton" will be: the most evident, sympathetic show of selfishness. "I want a girl who will laugh for no one else" shows just about that. Not as memorable or original as the opener, but a solid track, regardless.

"Getchoo" follows the pattern of "Tired of Sex", a disorienting piece, but disorienting in the way watching a 3-D movie can disorient you. Yes, "Getchoo" is too jumbled and it's chorus is definitely something to be desired for.

"Wind in Our Sail" has a very "meh" hook, and, at this point listening to the White Album for the first time, I questioned why "The White Album" was as good as it was hyped up to be. However, like "California Kids", it's not awful.

Recap: Because of a weak competition, "Wind in Our Sail" gets second. Another three points for the Blue Album.

3 Points: "No One Else"

2 Points: "Wind in Our Sail"

1 Point: "Getchoo"

Round 3: "The World Has Turned And Left Me Here" v. "No Other One" v. "Thank God For Girls"

Another great track, "The World Has Turned And Left Me Here" is perfect humming music. Weezer again goes for a pessimistic mood and expresses it well. Though it might not be the most notable from the Blue Album, it's certainly a solid entry.

"No Other One" is a good return to form with a pleasing chorus. It seems as though Weezer is finding its form again here, even if it's not in that great of a scale.

If the third was a different track, I might have stopped listening, but thank God for "Thank God For Girls." With a staccato beginning about girls stuffing cannolis into guy's mouths and ending with an extended exchange between Adam and God, this song easily subverts any sexism that could be perceived by the title.

Recap: Sorry, "No Other One." This is just too good of a matchup.

3 Points: "Thank God For Girls"

2: "The World Has Turned and Left Me Here"

1: "No Other One"

Round 4: "Buddy Holly" v. "Why Bother" v. "Girl We Got A Good Thing"

I'm going to start off by saying that "Buddy Holly" will win this match-up. This is one of Weezer's beloved songs for a good reason: it's super catchy. Also, the old actor references give it such a quirky 90s feel. No contest.

"Why Bother" is a song you'd love as a song but hate as a mantra. However, you know that, sometimes, you really just ask "why bother?" The drums come in well on this one, hitting along with the vocals for almost every syllable.

Awkwardly listed after "Thank God For Girls," "Girl We Got a Good Thing" has both the word "girl" in it and also an earnest, happy-go-lucky spirit that really throws the listener off-guard. It's a little too sugary and needs more reverb.

Recap: See top

3 Points: "Buddy Holly"

2 Points: "Why Bother"

1 Point: "Girl We Got A Good Thing"

Round 5: "Undone: The Sweater Song" v. "Across the Sea" v. "Do You Wanna Get High?"

I was really annoyed by "Undone" when I first heard it. Half the verses were conversations, and the hook was whiny and basic. However, my gained musical prowess showed that the conversations were satire of the SoCal lifestyle. The hook? Well, it's still whiny and basic, but I can see how it fits in. This song also has unexpected depth to it, culminating to a complex finish to it.

"Across the Sea", though being only four and a half minute, really seems to drag. It's very loose, and the chorus fails to differentiate from the verse. Not terrible, but definitely a stop of momentum.

"Do You Wanna Get High?" matches "Undone," being that its a simple song with a complex finish. However, the hook is much more pleasant, and the finish is much more memorable.

Recap: Is "Pinkerton" really going to be in last?

3 Points: "Do You Wanna Get High?"

2 Points: "Undone: The Sweater Song"

1 Point: "Across the Sea"

Round 6: "Surf Wax America" v. "The Good Life" v. "King of the World"

Following with satire, "Surf Wax America" has the notorious "You take your car to work/I'll take my board, and you will hear that a lot. In fact, there are two hooks in the first minute and a half, and then Weezer proceeds to stretch out the song to an over-long five minutes. It's like when you're making a sign on construction paper and the first few letters take up most of it, so you need to narrow and fit in the rest, but the opposite for this song. However, at least the letters look cool.

Yes! I remember jumping on the table of my Freshman Dorm lounge when the hook of this song came on. Great theme and great great song overall.

Many people consider this Weezer's most mature song, being that it talks about all who have to go through misfortunes instead of them. However, following "Do You Wanna Get High", it's nothing too great. Also, don't you find it weird that the 45-year old Rivers Cuomo is saying "little girl"?

Recap: Finally! "Pinkerton" finally gets three points. Also, the Blue Album still hasn't gotten one.

3 Points: "The Good Life"

2 Points: "Surf Wax America"

1 Point: "King of the World"

Round 7: "Say It Ain't So" v. "El Scorcho" v. "Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori"

Ugh. Match-up, why you do this to me?

"Say It Ain't So" is also regarded as Weezer's best, with one of a great, belt it performance by Rivers Cuomo. From the soothing opening riff all the way to the crescendo of the hook, "Say It Ain't So" is almost a perfect song.

"El Scorcho" is definitely the sign that Weezer has found their tempo on "Pinkerton." Pleasingly unpleasing, it has a good story and a good sound.

"Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori" is seen by many as the White Album's worst song, and I couldn't disagree anymore. Sure, it's not the most complex song, but this is Weezer, not Radiohead. It has the catchiest hook of the album, and it's bridge really brings it home.

Recap: I think I might have to get my fan card revoked for this.

3 Points: "Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori"

2 Points: "Say It Ain't So"

1 Point: "El Scorcho"

Round 8: "In The Garage" v. "Pink Triangle" v. "L.A. Girlz"

I've never really liked "In The Garage", and, with a match-up like this, I'm not going to.

"Everyone's a little queer/Why can't she be a little straight?" My favorite from the album, "Pink Triangle" is such a highlight. A story reminiscent of "Chasing Amy" and a hook reminiscent of Weezer's best, "Pink Triangle" is one of the most honest and freeing songs I've heard. It's such a small change, but the quickened tempo to the last time Cuomo says "Pink triange on her sleeve" just seals it for me.

I'm not particularly a fan of the hook coming first on a song, but there's nothing like hearing the first note on "L.A. Girlz." The belt it out hook reminds me so much of "Say It Ain't So", and the bridge is just so satisfying.

Recap: I can't believe I have to do this to "L.A. Girlz," but "Pinkerton" doesn't get a 10 on Pitchfork for nothing.

3 Points: "Pink Triangle"

2 Points: "L.A. Girlz"

1 Point: "In the Garage"

Round 9: "Holiday" v. "Falling For You" v. "Jacked Up"

"Holiday" is another anthemic song from the Blue Album, but, as it goes on, it's hard to listen to this song without thinking that the spirit of this album has lost its speed.

"Falling For You" keeps the obstreperous nature of "Pinkerton," and having more than just Cuomo sing the hook seems to be the right move. In between "Pink Triangle" and "Butterfly," it's not relatively great, but this is definitely a hidden gem.

Though I don't think its a bad song by any stretch, "Jacked Up" bothers me. It's sleek production and a passive, nasal voice makes "Jacked Up" sound like a matchup of "The Front Bottoms" and one of the worst tracks off of Tame Impala's "Currents."

Recap: Two in a row for "Pinkerton?" Looks like we finally have some real momentum.

3 Points: "Falling For You"

2 Points: "Holiday"

1 Point: "Jacked Up"

Final Round: "Only In Dreams" v. "Butterfly" v. "Endless Bummer"

"Only In Dreams" might just be Weezer's longest song, clocking in at 7:59. It's a decent ending, but I think we can agree that Weezer is best in short bursts.

Speaking of short bursts, "Butterfly" thrives in its brevity, both in its length as well as its instrumentation. An anti-beach song, this is a terrific book-end to the subversive "Pinkerton."

Speaking of book ends (man, look at these segues), "Endless Bummer" ends with the same sound of the beach heard in the opening track "California Kids." However, that's not even the best part. Like "Butterfly," "Endless Bummer" is an acoustic track and, while it does have a sad mood (did Rivers really just say "I just want this summer to end?"), the melody is so sunny. Also, getting the whole band together at the end is a great spin, and wow! that guitar solo really delivers.

3 Points: "Endless Bummer"

2 Points: "Butterfly"

1 Point: "Only In Dreams"

Tally: With everything added up, here is the results, from lowest to highest.

3. Pinkerton (19 Points)

As I said before, fans of "Pinkerton" are going to take this the hardest. It makes sense, too. This is a band that is known for songs at the beach instead singing sad songs with interesting instrumentation. Its the concept that gets people, but as per songs on the tracklist?

"Pinkerton" ties for most 3s with four, but there are also three 2s and three 1s. Though this album does hit often, it also misses often, and I think that it goes to show that while it is refreshing and bold to change one's sound, it also can be very disastrous. Song like "Getchoo" and "Across the Sea" can attest for that. On the bright side, though, this album has one of the finishes to it, having three 3s in the last five tracks.

Best Tracks: "The Good Life," "Pink Triangle," "Falling For You"

2. Weezer (The White Album) (20 Points)

While this album might seem to be a very consistent album, at least compared to "Pinkerton," it actually has four 4s and four 1s. This might be due to Weezer attempting to recapture its old song, which I consider just as difficult as changing their sound. The ordeal here is that you not only have to go back to your old sound that you're not familiar with, but you also have to make it better because the fans have already heard so much. That's why tracks like "California Kids" and "Girl We Got A Good Thing" don't sound bad, per se, but just flat.

While the album isn't consistent on a song-by-song basis, it's wealth is definitely shared. The four 3s in the track listing occur on the third, fifth, seventh, and 10th tracks, so there aren't any real droughts like the first half of "Pinkerton" or the second half of "The Blue Album." It's consistent throughout, which makes its no. 2 placement that much more appropriate.

Best Tracks: "Thank God For Girls," "Do You Wanna Get High?," "L.A. Girlz," "Endless Bummer"

1. Weezer (The Blue Album) (21 points)

That's right. The three albums were differentiated by two points. Does this mean that, virtually, it's a three-way tie? Nah. I'm not really too upset with the result, despite the inner hipster in me begging for justice for "Pinkerton." "The Blue Album" is really just that good because it has individual tracks that, 21 years later, we still listen to it. You won't be surprised to hear "Say It Ain't So" on radio stations or "Holiday" at the beach. Even "Buddy Holly" was featured in a Honda commercial this year. This album has joined the ranks of the best that are still being played today, and constantly.

Best Tracks: "My Name is Jonas," "No One Else," "Buddy Holly"

Yes, "The Blue Album" is number one. Now that we've figured everything out, beach trip?