Weezer is one of the bands who can pull off almost anything they want. The proclivity to write peculiar lyrics and persistent delivery of great albums have helped them build a strong fanbase. If listening to their self-titled album at least once in a month makes you a hardcore fan, then I am a certainly member of their fanclub.
This March, Weezer have released their new album. White Album is not The Beatles reference in any way, but it is certainly a 60s reference. The only concept of the legendary white album was that there was no concept, while this time we are facing one glorious conceptual effort. Not only that this is an ultimate eulogy to California and its surf and punk tradition, but it is also a curtail and precise rock ‘n’ roll feel good album that does not succumb to any mimesis and echoing. At the same time, it reminds us of the best moments of the 60s rock when pop forms started maturing. Pop music became more than a structural form in that period and it fought for its status as legitimate artistic form.
The album describes one summer in California; from the opening track California Kids until the closing song Endless Bummer in which Rivers Cuomo wishes that the summer ends.
It's gonna be alright If you're on a sinking ship (oo-wee-oo) The California kids Will throw you a lifeline And if you're up all night Thinking about something you did (oo-wee-oo) The California kids Will show you the starlight
Good portion of the songs is dedicated to Rivers’ wife Kyoko, although there are some digressions. One of them is a road trip to Mexico with the neurotic chick, which is also a part of Californian mythos. It is called Do You Wanna Get High.
Overall, this is an amazing set of songs with a lot of potential hits. Even those non-catchy songs serve the purpose of perpetuating the mentioned narrative. This might be the Weezer’s best album.
