Crazy week huh? The Royals in the playoffs. And a new Weezer album? And a blood moon with a partial eclipse? The Mayans predicted this.
So I was sitting in class last night at SMU. I was kind of bummed because it didn't look like I was going to be able to buy the new Weezer album on the day it dropped. But then it struck me...let's go digital. I never buy CDs anymore. I download all my music now from the interweb, mostly iTunes. But Weezer is different. Except for rare B sides, I always bought my Weezer albums in the once popular Compact Disc format. Hard copy. Tangible. I can hold it in my hands.
But then I thought, it's music. You can't hold music (excepting sheet music, etc...) in your hands. It's aural. So while my professor was off on a tangent about wall paintings in Pompeii, I pulled out my phone. I went to the iTunes store. I downloaded Everything Will Be Alright in the End. After class I went to my car. Pulled up iTunes radio on the phone and through the magic of Bluetooth (which we take so for granted these days) was able to blare the new Weezer on my car stereo on the way home.
So let's get this out of the way: it's not the Blue Album. Nothing ever will be. The Blue Album arrived in this world fully formed in musical perfection. And EWBAITE is not Pinkerton. But it is a lot better than the last couple of albums. Much better than Death to False Metal, Hurley or Raditude. I'd even put it up over the Red Album. I've only listened to it twice so I need time for it to marinade before truly giving it fair judgement. I'd put it above Make Believe and on par with The Green Album and Maladroit. Maybe even better than Maladroit.
Way too early rankings...
1.) Blue
2.) Pinkerton
3.) Green
4.) Everything Will Be Alright in the End
5.) Maladroit
6.) Red
7.) Make Believe
8.) Raditude
9.) Hurley
10.) Death to False Metal
Glad they brought back Rick Ocasek to produce. Some of the tracks really rock. My favorite at this point is the duet with Bethany Cosentino, from Best Coast. Best Coast is another great band and Go Away is very nicely done. Lots of guitar solos that harken back to Maladroit. I'm happy with it. Not a huge fan of Back to the Shack...the first single released. It's okay, but instead of singing about how you're going to play like it's 1994...just play like it's 1994...which they do on most of the tracks.
I came away happy after the first listen. The last couple of releases have some nice moments or two but I always came away meh. This one actually rocks. So yeah, I dig it. Nice comeback Weez.
