First off, the obvious needs to be stated: Weezer is now a pop band. They’ve turned their backs on what made them great in the first place and have traded it in for pop hacks and a sound unlike what we’ve always liked. Apparently, being a rock star isn’t good enough for Rivers; he now wants to be a pop star à la Taylor Swift. But unfortunately, it doesn’t work out well for him or the band. While we may have to accept that Weezer has turned into Fall Out Boy or Panic At The Disco, it’s not something I will take lightly.
The first single released, “Feels Like Summer,” is the worst song I’ve heard since “Body Like A Back Road!” It’s just utter trash; the lyrics don’t make sense at all. Of course, it’s become their biggest hit in almost a decade, but that doesn’t justify its worthless existence. A band like this should be ashamed of unleashing something so utterly terrible.
“Mexican Fender” is an okay song with a few old school Weezer elements combined with a 21st century sensibility. It’s alright, but they are capable of so much more. “Beach Boys” is good until it gets to the chorus where Rivers comes across like a white boy rappin’ again. Bad elements bringing down at least a halfway decent song, just like their last few records.
“Weekend Woman” is a decent enough song that’s a bit of a throwback to “Island In The Sun,” sunny and musically vibrant. “Happy Hour,” the album’s current single, isn’t even memorable. The reference to Monty Python makes no sense and the song just falls flat on its face. The track just doesn’t work, not even as a memorable pop song.
By the time you get to the middle of the disc, everything has fallen apart amidst pap and material that just don’t work. This release is just utterly miserable and at this point in time, even though the band is Weezer in name only, something has to be done in order to restore and preserve this once great group.
After listening to this crap, I went and put Pinkerton on and was instantly reminded of why I loved this band so much twenty years ago. They were a much better band, especially lyrically, and I just wish they would put a song or something that sounds like the Weezer we all grew up with.
