Posted by Remember when Weezer were releasing singles like ‘Beginning Of The End’ and ‘Hero’ to hype up the release of their upcoming album ‘Van Weezer’? Forget about all that for now! The lads have decided to release a surprise new album instead…
If there’s anything you learn from being a fan of modern-day Weezer, it’s that hoping a new Weezer album is brilliant is like playing roulette and putting your entire month’s pay check on green.
Whilst Cuomo & Co’s recent release schedule would imply that the band are more focused on quantity over quality – they have will have released four albums in just over two years by the time their next effort ‘Van Weezer’ drops on May 7th 2021 – ‘OK Human’ defies that idea and is actually the best album Weezer has released since 2016’s self-titled White Album.
Whilst ‘OK Human’ doesn’t exactly channel Radiohead like the name would imply, it does take Weezer in a completely different direction. It feels like Cuomo has learned from ‘Pacific Daydream’ and the black album – the songwriting style across ‘OK Human’ is very reminiscent of those two efforts, but it comes across as more careful, sincere and delicately crafted.
Weezer’s strength has always been Cuomo’s incredible knack for killer harmonies and melodies, and the absence of electric guitar and focus on almost-orchestral string arrangements work beautifully to accentuate Cuomo’s voice. Tracks like ‘Bird With A Broken Wing’, ‘Grapes Of Wrath’ and lead single ‘All My Favorite Songs’ expertly showcase this.
Lyrically, the band aren’t really breaking any new ground, but it certainly comes nowhere close to the level of cringe that the band are capable of reaching, as they showcased on their last full-length effort.
The complete departure from Weezer’s usual formula of distorted electric guitars and pop rock will almost certainly be divisive amongst the band’s incredibly dedicated fanbase. But ‘OK Human’ undeniably contains some of the Weezer’s catchiest songs Weezer have put out in their entire career – just try getting ‘Here Comes The Rain’ out of your head!
What a lovely surprise from a band who are becoming increasingly more marmite as they near their third decade as a band. If they can keep this up with ‘Van Weezer’, they may just manage to keep the wolves from their door.
8/10
Words: R.A. Hagan
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