Review Summary: Weezer’s White Album is a beach album in the sense of getting stung by a jelly fish at the beach, or getting jumped by a gang of surfers.
It’s becoming entirely grating how every Weezer album since Pinkerton is hailed as their “comeback” album. At this point, what does that even mean? Around the time of The Green Album that meant a return to The Blue Album sound but at this point it just seems like a promise that Rivers won’t feature another rapper like Lil Wayne on a track or that he won't let any of the other band members on the mic (which is much appreciated). Everything Will Be Alright In the End made well on these promises and found the band playing towards their strengths- catchy choruses, soaring guitar solos- while steering clear of the I’m-fresh-off-my-meds creativity of songs like “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived."
Weezer continues down this path with yet another self-titled release, better known as The White Album. The latest from the 90s alt-rock band is a beach album, of sorts. Rivers once again tackles feelings of being lost, rejected, being too weird for his own good, but also has moments of optimism with songs like “California Kids” and “King of the World.” These songs exude a thinking that as long as you have the sun in your face and the sand in your toes, everything will be alright. This optimism stands in stark contrast to the creeping guitars in “Do You Want To Get High” and the lyrical depression of “Endless Bummer,” songs that make this thinking seem painfully ironic.
“(Girl We Got A) Good Thing” plays on both these feelings, as the song joyfully jingle-jangles along until everything suddenly bottoms out in the bridge with Rivers screaming, “You scare me like an open window”- the whole band shatters two times in response- BAM BAM!! It’s these intense moments, shared similarly in the verses of “L.A. Girls,” that cut to the core because it actually feels like something is at stake- it could be a loved one, or maybe your sense of normalcy. This threat looms over the album, giving the record a freaky quality over repeated listens.
As for lyrics, you’re going to get your standard Weezer “woah-oh’s” and your fair share of awkwardly revealing moments- “I put my shirt over my head/I’m trying not look at her chest.” Weezer switches things up with “Thank God For Girls,” where he messes about with gender roles. The track doesn’t do anything groundbreaking, but the imagery of cannoli being shoved in a man’s mouth is hard to forget. “Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori” is the only snoozer this go around- a lyrically unfocused paint by numbers Weezer track.
Weezer’s White Album is a beach album in the sense of getting stung by a jelly fish at the beach, or getting jumped by a gang of surfers. The album lures you in with promises of a feel good time but are left with your face in the sand by the end. This trickery is a real treat though, as the contrast of tones keeps things unpredictable.
-Andrew Larrea
