Few bands are more frustrating than Weezer. They produced two of the best records of the last fifteen years, Weezer and the early emo classic Pinkerton, but recent, unfortunate efforts have reduced the band to a parody of itself. Their last few successful songs have been candy-coated, sugar pop anthems that become favorites at sweet sixteens and lame karaoke bars. But hidden in all the garbage they’ve released, you could always hear a glimmer of their old sound, teasing listeners with the possibility of one more great album. So when Weezer parted ways with their major label, Geffen, to release their eighth album on the indie-punk powerhouse Epitaph, expectations soared. Is Hurley, their newest release, the band’s return to their endearingly-nerdy roots?
No. No it is not. But it’s a step in the right direction.
Hurley kicks off with, “Memories,” a synth-drenched dance track with enough rock’n’roll edge to sound at home on The Killers’ Hot Fuss. Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo brings back some of his quirky lyrical delivery, occasionally breaking into a full-on scream. The track’s hook is repetitive and catchy enough to guarantee some major radio play, even if it does sound like it was written to be an NBA pump-up song.
Beyond “Memories,” two tracks really stand out on the album. The first is “Unspoken,” which features Cuomo moping over a jangling acoustic riff. Lyrically, it’s typical Weezer—meditating on love and tragic loss—but the song earns points for its subtle string section and surprisingly electric finish.
“Running Away” is the other particularly rocking track, co-written by alt-rocker Ryan Adams. The sound is more raw and emotionally darker, paying homage to what made Pinkerton so great. “Where’s My Sex” is also a great throwback, hearkening the weird, smart-guy lyricism of classic Weezer tracks like “El Scorcho” and “Pink Triangle.”
Although Weezer doesn’t fully embrace their roots on Hurley, the record is well-written and has a few good tracks. It’s funny, though, because Weezer clearly knows what its oldest fans want—to accompany the re-release of Pinkerton on Epitaph later this fall, Weezer is also planning a tour on which they will exclusively include tracks from Pinkerton and Weezer. So who knows? Maybe, for the first time in the decade since their return, Weezer is finally listening
Voice’s Choices: “Memories,” “Unspoken,” “Running Away”
