It wasn’t until my freshman year of college that I was a Weezer fan. I was going through a 90s grunge phase, and I’m not sure if that’s something that’s making a comeback or if every 19-year-old girl who’s trying to figure herself out goes through. Either way, I was stoked to hear they were coming out with a new album. It was going to be what, their 10th album? And unlike their last few albums, they brought back the self-title. I had a feeling this was going to be great and like the old Weezer.
Ultimately, I was disappointed when the White Album was released. I heard “Thank God for Girls” and didn’t even bother to listen to the other songs for a while. Why does every band become so pop-y eventually? What happened to the kooky, grungy Weezer I fell in love with?
Finally, three months after White Album was released, I gave it a chance and stopped being so hung up on the old Weezer. When you do a little research and keep an open mind while listening to this album, you realize it’s actually a work of art. There are reasons it sounds different than their old music, although there are traces of Pinkerton and the first three self-titled albums.
Although Weezer has a loooooong history that I can’t claim to know everything about, I have done my time trying to learn as much as I can about them. So I don’t think I am at all out of place by reviewing their latest album simply because they were “before my time” or whatever.
“California Kids” is the opening song for the White Album. The song opens up with the sound of seagulls in the distance, the light crashing of waves, and even a xylophone. The first verse builds up to a chorus filled with harsh guitar playing, which is much more like the Weezer we know. Using phrases like rigor mortis reminds us of the silly things they’ve always sung about.
Next comes “Wind In Our Sail.” With a combination of words like “albatross,” “cumulonimbus,” and references to Darwin and Mendel, you really don’t have to be a nerd to know what this song is about. It’s a sappy song with a super catchy chorus, what’s there to complain about?
The following song, “Thank God For Girls,” is what originally turned me off from this album. I thought it was just not the Weezer style and they were trying too hard. Like who sings about cannolis and sweaty overalls? Oh yeah, that’s something they would do. This song is grungier than others on this album with its strange lyrics and chorus that’s inconsistent in its beat.
“(Girl We Got A) Good Thing” comes up next and it’s like, really? Another song about a girl? Have they run out of things to sing about? But then you hear the piano and the tambourine and everything’s alright. You even start dancing along to the catchy chorus and then the bridge hits you like a train and you’re like, damn. It feels good to hear that grungy Weezer if even for a second.
“Do You Wanna Get High” opens up with the guitar and it remains there throughout the song. The low-pitched singing, guitar, and darker lyrics reminds us of Pinkerton. Following that is “King Of The World” with lyrics of a frat boy. But it’s still catchy. And it opens up with a glockenspiel, which is another different sound they’ve tried in this album.
The familiar sound of the guitar comes back around in “Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori.” After that is “L.A. Girlz,” which keeps the guitar around and has a catchy chorus with phrases like “sweeten up your lemonade” and “you treat me like the plague.”
The piano becomes more evident again in “Jacked Up.” Rivers Cuomo hits some high notes in the chorus of this song. “Endless Bummer” is the closing song of the White Album and reminds us of the beachy, Californian vibe this album holds.
There are a few reasons why this album is totally different than what we’ve been used to from this band. The White Album is influenced by California, the state where Rivers Cuomo, the lead singer and guitarist, resides. The Californian undertones are evident in the sounds of seagulls, waves, and the lighthearted, easygoing lyrics.
Another influence on the White Album is the producer, Jake Sinclair, who is also a producer for 5 Seconds of Summer. Sinclair told Rolling Stone that his aim for the White Album was to get “all the brashness and unpredictability of Pinkerton with the summer Beach Boys grunge-pop of the Blue Album.” Grunge-pop. I guess I never even thought of this as a genre, but he nailed it.
You’ll notice many instruments in this album that were either never used by Weezer or just never apparent in their previous music. From glockenspiel to piano to xylophone, you could say they’ve stepped out of their comfort zone. You definitely have to appreciate this – it’s like teaching an old dog new tricks.
After listening to the White Album through and through and learning about why it has a different beachy, grunge-pop vibe, I have grown to love it. I do think this album targets teens and college students in today’s age, which is a bit younger than many of their listeners in the 90s. However, it’s still the same age group they targeted back then. If you think about it, they have just expanded their fan base dramatically, because, let’s be honest, once you’re a Weezer fan, you’re always a Weezer fan.
