Sometimes it’s hard to believe that Weezer is still going. They debuted in 1994 with the now-classic, self-titled record that fans dubbed “The “Blue Album,” filled with hit songs about awkwardness, trepidation and angst. Then came the initially-reviled-but-then-loved Pinkerton in 1996, which featured even more songs filled with awkwardness, trepidation, and angst but contained nothing that resembled a hit.
Since then, Weezer have released many more records, most of which were critically drubbed. Even so, the band has been doing just fine, packing arenas and reeling off hits like “Island in the Sun,” “Pork and Beans” and “Beverly Hills.” There was even an “SNL” skit featuring Matt Damon and Leslie Jones arguing over whether the band’s output post-1996 is any good or not.
Rivers Cuomo and company have returned with their 20th studio record, unofficially dubbed “The Gold Album,” and even though it features crunchier guitars and harder-rocking songs than more recent efforts, it’s more of the same thing. Early reviews have been strong, claiming that “The Gold Album” is the Weezer record longtime fans have been craving. But Cuomo is now in his mid-50s and so are many of these fans. Do they really want something that sounds like a facsimile of the stuff that made them love the band in the first place?
The album begins with Cuomo singing over arpeggiated guitars on “Say Yes,” slowly building to its explosive chorus. Never the poet, Cuomo chucks in lines like, “Everybody here’s gonna make me feel so afraid / So I only think about how my ass is getting paid.” Back when he was a bespectacled nerd in his 20s, these sorts of lyrics came off as endearing in their try-hard way. But not so much now.
Take “Don’t Make It Weird,” which features one of the most awkward lyrics on the record. “Some people call me “River” / And then they tell me that I don’t got any flow / It’s like they can’t see me / I’m standing right here, though,” Cuomo sings. Yes, many of us experience imposter syndrome, but how many people in their 50s say something like “And then it got weird, yo” without any irony?
It doesn’t feel good to dunk on Weezer, especially since the band feels more earnest this time out than on prior efforts. Bringing in members of the band Wednesday to guest on “We Might As Well Be Strangers,” including guest vocals from Karly Hartzman, adds a freshness to the song, but there are also plenty of old man yelling at clouds moments, such as on “Hoops,” where Cuomo complains about QR codes and other modern trappings. Or maybe he’s just being ironic.
Then there’s “C.E.O.,” where Cuomo swipes at critics (like this one) who said the band peaked in the ’90s and hasn’t been able to come back since. The song purposely sounds like “Undone (The Sweater Song)” with its spoken word intro, fuzzy chorus, and even a similar guitar solo. Critics have hailed the song as a return to form. But what have they returned to exactly? With “C.E.O.” and “The Gold Album,” Weezer have proven which side of the Damon-Jones argument is the correct one.