Weezer’s Almost Return to Form
Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright in the End
By Leah Brzezinski
Thirteen year-old me loved Weezer SO MUCH. 23 year-old me still loved them, got the album autographed at Tower Records, adopted “El Scorcho” as her college anthem. But 33 year-old me was pretty much over it. Everything since the Green Album was overproduced and disappointing, and once “Beverly Hills” hit the airwaves, I was done. I figured if Weezer started making worthwhile tunes again, I’d hear about it.
I finally heard about it. Their ninth studio album has Ric Ocasek back in the producer’s saddle again, and there’s an obvious desire to return to the guitar-heavy pop-rock sound that made Weezer a household name. “Back to the Shack” is as much a mission statement to “rock out like it’s ‘94” as it is an open apology for abandoning their core audience. Other standout tracks include “I’ve Had It Up To Here” and “Go Away,” a doo-woppy, harmony-rich duet with Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast.
I don’t know if any band can fully recapture the energy of their original breakout era zeitgeist after 20 years. But they can remain relevant, and Everything Will Be Alright in the End certainly earns its title. Is it their best? No, but it’s a vast improvement, and hopefully not the end. – (6.5/10)
Leah’s review also appeared in Savage Henry, a music and culture magazine in Northern California.