Weezer has come a long way from its days on the indie rock scene of the mid-'90s in L.A. As word leaked out about the chic geek from the underground, Weezer evolved to a national alternative rock poster child. Now, with the release of its seventh album, "Raditude" (2009), the band continues to evolve — into exactly what, fans don't know. And it seems entirely possible that front man Rivers Cuomo doesn't know either.
Devoted Weezer fans from the days of "Weezer" (1994) and "Pinkerton" (1996) will not be pleased with "Raditude" — rather, they will feel betrayed. After waiting four years for the L.A. geek-rock band to make its exultant return with eccentric licks and introspective lyrics, fans will feel an emptiness in their stomachs as they try to figure out why 40-year-old Rivers Cuomo is singing about how ill the mall is, about how fun it is to "Take the elevator to the escalator/ [and] ride it down and start again."
Weezer is the cool kid now. It ditched its old friends in line at Sbarro to hang out in the parking lot with the other cool kids. Departing from the borderline-emo days of "Pinkerton," Weezer has sacrificed all lyrical merit and controversial melodies to pander to the lowest common denominator. Most of the new songs seem to revolve around the fun, superficial aspects of life to the point where it's unclear if Rivers Cuomo is just plain hyphy, or is playing a joke on us all through his insincerity.
In the song "Can't Stop Partying," Cuomo is joined by Lil' Wayne to let the world know that he's "gotta have a lotta girls around [him]" and he's "gotta real big posse, yeah [he's] deep". Good for you, Rivers. There's no need to tell us 12 times how it's impossible to stop partying.
The song's simplistic lyrics go well with the equally simplistic guitar progressions. For the most part, the band has abandoned the darker, flat key-tuning often heard in their older albums. Songs like "The Girl Got Hot," "I'm Your Daddy" and "Turn Me Round," are comprised of uncontroversial, pop-flavored power chords peppered with generic solos. The titles of the songs alone are a testament to the new, "radically cool" vibe of the album.
Of course, the album does have a few gems that breathe life back into it. The single released several weeks before the album, titled "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To," is a poppy but catchy tune that takes the listener back to a hot summer night from the good old awkward teenager days. Hints of Cuomo's true self shine through in songs like this and "Underdog."
A deluxe version of the album is available for a few extra bucks. It includes four bonus tracks, but they ultimately fall in line with the other songs on the album as far as maintaining its upbeat rambunctious sensation.
The lyrics sputtered throughout the songs of this album don't do justice to a Harvard- and Berklee-educated writer who has composed and recorded hundreds of songs. The two solo albums released by Cuomo ("Alone,"2007, and "Alone II: The Home Recordings,"2008) reveal his true disposition, teeter-tottering between depression and ecstasy. "Raditude" was his moment to talk face-to-face with the fans and rekindle the flame of an old friendship
Unfortunately, the latest album is just another example of the homogenized, corporate-pleasing rock that Weezer has been producing for the past seven years. Overall, the album is easy to listen to, but only a few songs are catchy enough to find yourself humming the melody after the stereo's turned off. What's more likely to be stuck in your head is the question of whether all the songs were written by a pubescent 16-year-old.
"Raditude," whose name was actually suggested by former Tufts student Rainn Wilson (Dwight from NBC's "The Office"), is an homage to good times with no repercussions. It is a radio-friendly album and will most likely get its fair share of playtime, but will soon be forgotten amongst the scores of other indistinguishable pop jams. As for the Weezer legacy, this album will be a blemish that will sting for years to come.
