Indie-geek-rock band Weezer's new album 'Hurley' is now available. (Photo courtesy Universal Music Group)
Less than a year after the release of “Raditude” last November, Weezer keeps the hits coming with their signature witty lyrics and simple yet powerful melodies.
Almost all of the 10 tracks—14 in the deluxe edition—are noteworthy. And it’s even more impressive to think Weezer did it all in just 10 months.
The album starts with Cuomo’s peppy and reminiscent “Memories,” reflecting on the band’s life back in the days of “Pinkerton.” Easing its way in with serene violin before coming on full force with a shredding guitar riff and hard-hitting drums, the opening track is one of the best.
With a hypnotic synthesizer and steadily strumming guitar, “Trainwrecks” is an ode to partying hipsters living on a budget. The jokey jingles continue with “Where’s My Sex?” a song about socks…maybe: “She’s always trying to get me clean / She adds detergent and bounce to eliminate static cling / It’s gonna be another hour or more / Till I am ready to walk out the door.”
Staying true to their nerd-rock roots, Weezer explains to everyone the gift of “Smart Girls” in a frisky, up-beat ode to females with a brain.
Cuomo also gets sentimental with the helplessly-in-love story of “Ruling Me,” the elopement proposal in “Run Away,” and explains his endearing and addicting affection for a friend in “Hang On.”
With a bass drum heartbeat and delectably depressing lyrics, “Time Flies” describes the life of an aging rocker whose legacy will live on when “this stupid damn song will be in your head.” The song comes to a tragic end when the heartbeat abruptly stops and listeners are left with nothing but the sound of a ticking clock.
The deluxe version of Hurely is worth the extra $3 for the kooky yet catchy “All My Friends Are Insects,” Cuomo’s charming, orchestral cover of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida,” and the distressed, somewhat whiny, but still pleasant ballad “I Want to Be Something.”
While it doesn’t quite equate to the epic-ness of “Pinkerton,” Weezer fans will still appreciate the ironic appeal of their new album. Even after going semi-mainstream, Weezer continues to stick it to the man with their fantastically clever lyrics and wailing guitar riffs.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Danni Goodmann at Danielle.goodmann@colorado.edu.
