In an attempt to draw back the fans that launched Weezer to fame in 1994, the band released its ninth studio album in its now 21-year career, titled Everything Will Be Alright in the End, on Oct. 7.
Weezer has drawn heavy criticism over the past decade and a half for straying away from the sound that made them a staple of ’90s alternative-pop music. However, the band has reached a compromise between slight adventurousness and sonic familiarity on its most recent record.
Ric Ocasek — also a founding member of The Cars — produced Weezer’s first two albums as well as Everything Will Be Alright in the End, which could partially account for the semi-return to form.
Nevertheless, the album’s purpose raises a new question: Exactly how much of a return to form is Weezer’s most recent record?
According to Pitchfork’s Contributing Editor Ian Cohen, Weezer’s backtracking efforts are only minor improvements.
“[Everything Will Be Alright in the End is] actually not terrible... certainly better than Hurley,” Cohen wrote, referencing the band’s previous album.
This criticism aside, those who have tuned out everything that Weezer has produced since the mid-90s may still want to tune back in for this recent release. Everything Will Be Alright in the End shows the band catering to the demands of its fans by showcasing their classic ’90s musical style.
Weezer’s expansive career began with the band’s eponymous debut album, commonly referred to as The Blue Album (1994). Certified triple-platinum in the U.S., The Blue Album was — and still is — universally acclaimed as one of the best and most influential albums to be released in the ’90s. It includes hits such as “Buddy Holly,” “Say It Ain’t So” and “Undone (The Sweater Song).”
Following the success of The Blue Album, frontman Rivers Cuomo took a break from the spotlight to enroll at Harvard. There, he dealt with the pain of a recent surgery and the need to get away from the public eye. Cuomo’s feelings of isolation and experiences at Harvard both shaped the band’s second record, cult-classic album Pinkerton (1996).
Pinkerton didn’t yield any top ten hits, but songs like “El Scorcho,” “Pink Triangle” and “Across the Sea” are still fan favorites today. After the release of Pinkerton, Weezer’s musical output began to receive a lot of flak from critics and fans alike.
Weezer’s third album, also eponymous, but referred to as The Green Album (2001), was particularly poppy, a trend that followed the band all the way through the 2000s. To many, The Green Album showed the band selling out and pursuing more mainstream pop material.
The change in sound could partially be attributed to the departure of founding bassist Matt Sharp and Cuomo’s disdain for Weezer’s previous record, Pinkerton. The more albums Weezer released, it seemed, the further they got from the garage pop-rock that made The Blue Album and Pinkerton so popular.
In Everything Will Be Alright in the End, Weezer does a surprisingly good job of returning to popular form, a sign of hope for fans of earlier Weezer releases. On the album’s opener “Ain’t Got Nobody,” the band sounds more gritty and characteristically introspective than they have in recent years.
In addition, lead single “Back to the Shack” is a sentimental throwback that lyrically hails the band’s glory days in the ‘90s. The Heartfelt duet “Go Away,” which features Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino, is a standout on the record.
In some instances, Weezer has yet to shake off the pop music superficialness that has driven many listeners away. That being said, Everything Will Be Alright in the End is uplifting when it succeeds in blending slight cliché with the Weezer sound that everyone knows and loves. “Cleopatra” and “The British are Coming” feature cheesy references to historical figures and events, but ultimately offer the most satisfying melodies that Weezer has offered since at least 1999. Furthermore, “Lonely Girl” is a pop anthem that would fit perfectly on The Green Album.
At the end of the day, Weezer has exceeded the current expectations of critics and fans alike. The band returns to its ‘90s roots and puts out a record worthy of audiences’ attentions in 2014.
Everything Will Be Alright in the End is out on Rebublic Records now and Weezer is touring clubs across the U.S. through the fall.
