Weezer has been cranking out alternative hits since 1994, and I’ve always been a fan. But the quest for popularity on its latest record, Pacific Daydream, left me confused and disappointed.
Why would a band that has proved itself for over two decades have anybody left to impress? Why would a band that has always been different choose now to conform to the tired formula of radio singles?
“Feels Like Summer,” one of Pacific Daydream’s singles, sounds like a mashup of the worst parts of a Twenty One Pilots and an Imagine Dragons single – too electronic and simplistic.
“Happy Hour” also saw some radio success, but offered nothing to set it apart from any other repetitive, 3-chord, formulaic alternative hit.
Weezer attempted to mix classic with contemporary, as the best producers in the game have been doing lately, but its effort was in vein.
The bridge on “Weekend Woman” is an effort to mimic the way the Beach Boys harmonized, but it comes off as insincere. Weezer even included an ode to the band on Pacific Daydream, “Beach Boys,” but the track fails to capture anything unique.
“Mexican Fender” is the one of the few songs on Pacific Daydream that is reminiscent of the band’s style. The lyrics are more relaxed and the music is more complex. For a brief moment, it doesn’t sound like the band is trying so hard.
But the bottom line is that Weezer’s new work don’t sound like Weezer. There are no crafty riffs. There is no perfectly-timed pickup. There’s nothing quirky about it, and the lyrics don’t sound genuine at all.
A huge part of what made Weezer a standout band for so many years is frontman Rivers Cuomo’s creativity and songwriting talent. In Weezer’s new work, this skill is nowhere to be found.
Switching up your style is a common gamble that artists on the rise take, but a band with cemented status doing a 180 seems odd at best and desperate at worst.
Part of being an artist is trying new things, but someone as seasoned as Cuomo knows how to incorporate new techniques that will enhance his music, and that is not what he did at all.
The reason I find this more alarming than other money moves is because I never expected it from Weezer. It also makes no sense because the band can easily sell music by staying true to itself; the band has a cult following and has always been a critic favorite.
I hate to say it, but Pacific Daydream is a sellout; there’s no way around it. It’s a basic, lazy production. All we can do is hope Weezer realizes its mistake and compensates on its next record.
Halle Weber is a sophomore studying journalism with a focus in news and information at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Let Halle know by tweeting at her @HalleWeber13.
