Music review: Weezer – ‘White Album’
“An infectious combination of catchy melodies and rock breakdowns” is the way my fellow co-worker and longtime Weezer fan Liz Wilson describes the alt-rock quartet’s latest effort. Weezer’s 10th studio release and fourth self-titled album possessing a color theme serves as a spirited follow-up to 2014’s “Everything Will Be Alright in the End.”
Lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Rivers Cuomo finds lyrical inspiration in an airy beach album that examines the eclectic elements of the Los Angeles landscape. By carefully extracting successful ingredients from Weezer’s debut release and 1996’s “Pinkerton,” Cuomo playfully channels Brian Wilson depicting the colorful Golden State lifestyle while delivering the perfect summer soundtrack.
“California Kids” opens by initiating a warm reception with Cuomo reassuringly singing, “It’s gonna be alright/If you’re on a sinking ship/The California Kids will throw you a lifeline.”
This sing-out-loud number features Cuomo sounding like a teenager with no worries, no place to be and in no rush to get there through his innocent and nostalgic vocals.
“Wind in Our Sails” carries the optimism of a budding romance when the world is at your feet and new adventures await to be experienced.
“Thank God for Girls” finds Cuomo delivering a whimsical musing about the glorious wonders of women. My co-worker emphasizes that this offering is the most unique song on the album.
She goes on to say that it’s so weird, but it’s so Weezer and that’s why we love them.
“King of the World” serves as a straightforward pop song describing the desire to valiantly always be there for your partner with Cuomo confidently announcing, “We are the small fish/We swim together/No Prozac or Valium/We’ll face tsunamis together.”
While the Beach Boys offered “California Girls” to describe the sun-kissed surfer girls of their fantasies, Cuomo’s ode to these coastal beauties is packaged in “L.A. Girlz.” Sounding a lot like Butch Walker from his days with Marvelous 3, Cuomo’s awkwardness around women is highlighted as he declares, “L.A. girls, please act your age/You treat me like I have the plague.”
“Endless Bummer” brings things to an acoustic close with a mellowness that follows after reflecting on the memories of a summer to remember. Suddenly, we are all reminded that summer can’t be endless like the Beach Boys promised us back in 1974.
Weezer and Panic! at the Disco make an appearance at Pittsburgh’s Stage AE on July 3.