Mundo Musique: Weezer's "Everything Will Be Alright In The End"

I wasn’t originally going to write about Weezer today, but I gave Everything Will Be Alright In The End a chance last night, and I couldn’t help myself. This is the Weezer I love, carefree yet intelligent and quirky. Rivers Cuomo channels Rivers Cuomo of 20 years ago, and that leads to a pretty memorable and fun record, especially for those like myself who grew up listening to their self-titled blue album and Pinkerton.

Let me put this out there, Everything Will Be Alright In the End is my favorite Weezer record since Pinkerton. I wrote about “Back To The Shack” and that seemed like a sign of things to come, it was a throwback to the old days, a much overdue return to roots for Cuomo and his group. There are some Weezer-esque power pop tracks like “Lonely Girl” and “Da Vinci”. “Da Vinci” has some of that Cuomo innocence and quirkiness to it, with lyrics like “Stephen Hawking can’t explain you, Rosetta Stone can’t translate you” and almost feels like it could fit in on Pinkerton if it weren’t for the additions and changes to the band’s lineup. There’s an interesting duet “Go Away” that’s catchy, and that’s followed by “Cleopatra” which is a freakin’ cool rocking track. The album ends with a three part suite that’s pretty cool as well.

If you’re around my age, in your mid-twenties, you probably grew up with Weezer. You probably also have come to the realization Weezer has lost it over the last fifteen or so years. Everything Will Be Alright In The End is not their best, but it’s a step back in the right direction. Weezer fans of old will probably appreciate the nostalgia. There’s a bit of a story to the record, and it’s hard not to draw parallels to their long career. It’s great to finally hear a coherent record from a band that’s released some great tracks like “Pork and Beans”, yet absolutely abysmal records like “Raditude” and “Hurley” over the last few years.