ATLANTA (AP) 鈥� kings of nasal power pop, will release their 20th studio album on Friday. It is also known as 鈥淲eezer (Gold Album),鈥� continuing a tradition of self-titled, color-identified records. And rest assured, it delivers the band鈥檚 signature energy for the faithful.
That said, no boundaries are pushed here. But really, does Weezer need to push boundaries? It should be acceptable by now 鈥� 30-plus years removed from the destroyed sweaters of 1994’s 鈥淏lue Album鈥� 鈥� that the talented foursome, with at the helm, does what it does best: Clock in and jam.
Opener 鈥淪ay Yes鈥� is an easy earworm, where Cuomo questions his place and his worth. It鈥檚 a thinly veiled reflection that can鈥檛 help but be read in reference to the Weezer career journey: 鈥淪omebody here鈥檚 gonna slip me a happy pill / Make me feel dumb if I just can鈥檛 seem to feel the thrill.鈥�
Cuomo and the boys have made it, and their 鈥淕old Album鈥� is good. Sure, there are filler tracks like 鈥淐.E.O.鈥� and 鈥淣owhere,鈥� which went exactly there 鈥� with its redundant hook and shallow premise. But even those missteps are overpowered by stellar efforts, such as 鈥淲e Might as Well Be Strangers鈥� featuring the alt-country Something has been lost, and Cuomo sings believably about it in the lament: 鈥淗appy birthday / Thanks for the Valium.鈥�
There鈥檚 a pattern to the Weezer song matrix. Something awkward is said, Cuomo sings his way toward the predicament, and the band breaks through it all with a furtive blast of memorable hooks and trusty chord progressions. 鈥淲e Might as Well be Strangers,鈥� is a solid song and a perfect example, with its examination of a relationship giving way to nicely soaring guitar work. It’s one of the top tracks.
Weezer has always one foot in the room of stardom and the other waiting outside, laughing about how they鈥檝e been accepted. They’ve long taken wry shots at the fame machine (think 2014’s 鈥淓ulogy for a Rock Band,鈥� or this album’s 鈥淭he LA Sound鈥�) while basking in the oddity that a band of their ilk was ever allowed in to begin with. On their 鈥淕old Album,鈥� fans of Weezer will appreciate their consistency and longevity.
That’s because Weezer is in a retrospective mode now: Still joking. Still rocking. Still touring. Their self-described meta songs about aging will probably age just fine.
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鈥淲eezer (Gold Album),鈥� by Weezer
Three stars out of five
On repeat: 鈥淪ay So,鈥� 鈥淲e Might as Well Be Strangers鈥�
Skip it: 鈥淐.E.O.,鈥� 鈥淣owhere鈥�
For fans of: Barenaked Ladies and other heady, smart aleck bands
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