By: Jesse Striewski
If ever there was a band that can do whatever it wants artistically, it’s Weezer (fair assessment considering this is technically their fifth self-titled album). Their climb back to the top of the rock charts since reforming in the early 00’s has been nothing short of monumental, and they decided to pay homage to some of their early influences with this latest effort (or perhaps just have a good time with it).
There’s plenty for old school fans to enjoy here; their covers of such ’80s anthems as “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” and “Africa” are all fairly spot on (though the latter has been a tad overplayed already by radio). And the video for their cover of A-Ha’s “Take on Me,” featuring Stranger Things actor Finn Wolfhard and his band Calpurnia, is simply irresistible. They even dare to take a shot at the King of Pop’s “Billie Jean,” which surprisingly works.
There is a questionable moment or two, though; Their rendition of TLC’s “No Scrubs” is just a tad out of place. But overall, Weezer does most tracks here justice, putting their own spin on each song the only way they know how. My only hope is this album gets a proper release on either vinyl and/or cassette, which is what it truly deserves to be listened to on.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
