Van Weezer - Weezer: Review

Weezer

is a California rock band. If you're not familiar with them, getting you up to speed would take a lot longer than just one introductory paragraph. The short is that they are a frequently memed band whose material in the 90's is universally respected as classic, but everything since them lands with a high variance. Earlier this year they dropped a baroque pop and rock record OK Human that was met with generally positive reviews. 

Review By Lav:

Well here it is, Van Weezer. The dorky but incredibly loveable rock band taking on the late 70's hair rock and guitar heroism era felt like the punchline of an elaborately planned joke but it is very much real. Like 10 tracks and half an hour real. Honestly with Weezer you really never know what you're gonna get. I have to say that Van Weezer is very entertaining, the merit of its musicality however is much more up for debate. 

Honestly as hesitant as I was to the concept of this album when it was originally announced last year, I did enjoy the lead single. The End Of The Game features the exact Van Halen guitar heroism I was expecting and honestly this is like the best case scenario. The stark contrast between the songwriting and instrumental is actually kind of infectious and the resulting song is quite fun. The records most recent single followed in those footsteps as well. I Need Some Of That features the crashing cymbals and wailing guitar leads that I'm sure many will be looking for going into the record. Seriously though it's a pretty solid song even if Rivers' lyrics literally detailing what he is doing can be quite comical. 

Unfortunately the record doesn't deliver much more that's on the execution level of these two tracks. Sheila Can Do It is the best example even though the lyrics can be coy and a bit hit or miss, it is a Weezer song after all. I like the instrumental quite a bit and if you toned the guitars down just a touch I could see this song being like a White Album bonus track or something. The hook is one of the records best and the guitar solo on the back end very politely asks if its okay to knock your socks off. Speaking of lyrics 1 More Hit has been one of the most talked about tracks since the record came out. It's got the records heaviest riff straight out of the Green Album and is literally all about drugs. Yes this Weezer song is actually about drugs and doing drugs and trying to quit but just taking one more hit. That element has been slightly overshadowed by the honest to god lyric where Rivers asks for said drugs to be "pumped into him daddy". Aside from the lyrical lunacy it's a pretty decent tune that engages appropriately with the records rock and roll concept. 

Hero is a track I had pretty much forgotten about since it was released as a single and there is definitely some subconscious work going on there. The track isn't terrible even if I can't help but cringe at some of the super hero analogies being delivered with Rivers dorky performance style. Thankfully the hook is much better and really gets the record rocking as an opener. Beginning Of The End isn't a favorite for me but I don't think its a bad song either. The verses and vocal bridge are definitely the weak points making a song that is only 3 minutes long feel like much more of a slog. The hook on the other hand is pretty solid and the  extra electric guitar solo fits in well with the rest of the album. Precious Metal Girl is a tolerable ballad to close off the record even though I can't help but wish it had the baroque backing of an OK Human track instead of the kind of dinky acoustic guitar. The lyrics are kind of funny and a little bit tongue and cheek even though they don't always land, but what did you expect it's a Weezer album. 

All The Good Ones is the first big miss in the tracklist, it's also the second song in the tracklist. It features chugging guitars that are WAY too Beverly Hills and while it doesn't reach anywhere near that level of corniness there is absolutely reason for cringe on the second verse in particular. The hook definitely doesn't save the song and generally I see it as one of the weaker tunes here. Blue Dream for some terrible reason borrows the exact riff from Ozzy's Crazy Train but the borrowing doesn't stop there once Rivers starts having a conversation with a fish ala Pixies' Where Is My Mind. The hook is the song is totally flat and the only exciting moment if when everything drops out and they are just playing the riff from another very famous song, truly a head scratching inclusion. Finally there's She Needs Me which kicks off with guitar work that feels more southern rock inspired before erupting into more 70's hair rock worship. The song is thematically kind of cute but also kind of weird as Rivers lists off all the reasons his love interest needs him which is apparently the reason that he needs her. Shockingly this is really the only track here that falls into the same kind of pitfalls that the era of music they are tributing often did.  The rising bridge sounds absolutely hideous on the ears and the impending guitar solo is over before its even started. Honestly this kind of messily prioritized track was what I was expecting from the whole album so I'm presently surprised as its loneliness. 

Van Weezer just sounds funny to say out loud. If you have never said it out loud, try it and I bet you'll make yourself laugh. That's about the level of seriousness you should approach the record with because it does have some honest to god fun moments to be had. But when all is said and done it's clear that this is far from the bands work and even on its highlights there are lyrical and thematic pitfalls everywhere. While this record could have been far, FAR worse, we heard just a few months ago that the band can also do far better. 5.5/10

Album Cover Review By Tyler Judson:

This cover is dated but it's supposed to be. Given the genre and the sound of this album it makes since to do a nostalgic style cover even though right now it would be jaded. I like the font and colors but I could've personally done without the lightning but overall it gets the point across. It's just not my personal taste so its middle of the board. 5/10 

For more ROCK check out my review of Royal Blood's Typhoons here