Weezer - OK Human

 

I'd grown wary of Weezer albums for what is I suspect the last decade, but certainly everything from Everything Will Be Alright In The End. That was an album that sounded really mediocre, yet the instrumental version of it was ace, 

Since then, most of the albums seem to have been written for algorithms. There is the odd gem, but that's your lot. It wasn't that I wanted them to become their original college rock self depreciating selves, I just wanted to be able to like the songs, rather than end up frustrated with a musical paint by numbers.

When I heard they were working on a Guitar album in 2020, named Van Weezer, I was buoyed, not because I wanted it to be 1994 or The Green Album again, but because I like Weezer as a group that is Guitar led. Due to the pandemic that album got temporarily shelved and so the album that was largely completed before it went centre stage.

Thus we have OK Human, a pun on Radiohead's OK Computer, an album recorded with a 38 Piece Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios. I wasn't that hopeful of being wowed and the first couple of listens seemed to reinforce that opinion. Then it was though someone had turned the lights on.

This album does require repeated listens, but when you get it (and you will get it) you realise what a great Pop album it is. It is laden with hooks. Everyone at home, all with different tastes, can't get the earworms out of their head. 

OK Human could be Weezer's most complete consistent album. There are better individual songs on other Weezer albums, but this is a complete listen. I'd also note that if this were an Indie Guitar album, the songs wouldn't sound half as good. If anything it is a Piano led Orchestral Pop affair. 

A song like Numbers feels like it should be on one of the great late 60's Singer Songwriter Studio Sessions, Playing My Piano is great McCartney Beatles Pop. Screens is splendid Mid 70's Pop Rock. Bird With A Broken Wing could be The Explorers Club. Here Comes The Rain could be ELO in their jauntiest prime and you would expect a Jeff Lynne song to be about the rain. 

Essentially, this is a slower tempo, almost ballad like. With this in mind, all the modern pop and likely singles are up front. All My Favourite Songs, Aloo Gobi and Grapes Of Wrath are absolute Pop Gems and Rivers Cuomo sounds in fine voice throughout.

Ask me in six months time, but OK Human feels like it could be renowned as one of the great Pop albums. There is layer after layer to discover. Next up, if touring is back on, will be Van Weezer and this album will feel very different, but isn't that what this band have been about for that past decade.

You can listen to all 12 songs in full here. You can buy and stream the album everywhere.

The Relationship - Clara Obscura

The Relationship is Weezer's Brian Bell's other band. Their 2010 debut album was a fine listen. Seven Years on, Clara Obscura is a real step on. Weezer are in the middle of Power Pop and Indie Rock, The Relationship veer more towards 60's and 70's Melodic Pop Rock with a hint of Psych. Refreshingly so!

There will be a search for Weezer comparisons and there aren't many, the superb Hate That I Love You is the nearest. This album has a much higher quota of pop, a lot of it retro and it works beautifully. Without Me is a real anthemic Sing Along, Working On Myself is a broody stomp along that gets faster and faster as it progresses.

Smile is all Byrds jangle, Hawthorne is Petty at Muscle Shoals. This Year's Children has an ace Orchestral arrangement, all Ringo Drums, a big album closer. Suzy Don't sounds all Paisley Pop, Missing is early 90's Scots Pop and Break Me Open is the obvious single.

There are a lot of ideas here, all lead towards clever 60's Pop, perhaps a few too many ideas that may confuse the listener. The Relationship now sound more like a proper band, not a rolling collective and it shows. Clara Obscura is a great listen, a real joy.


You can buy the album everywhere.

Scott And Rivers - ニマイメ

As a long time Weezer fan, the last few years have provided diminishing returns. I compare them to Cheap Trick in that you wait excitedly for every new album and you are told in advance that it's a real return to form. What you get is actually one or two killer songs accompanied by a load of disappointment.

Rivers Cuomo always seems to provide far more away from the band and the Scott And Rivers follow up to the 2013 debut is stunning. Murphy and Cuomo together offer something very different to their respective bands, Allister and Weezer.

This is J Pop, sung in Japanese and it's outstanding. There's the odd departure into ska and even rap, but largely it's great great pop and in Doo Wop, they have come up with one of the best Power Pop songs of 2017.

Normally, I'd direct to you where you can listen to and find it. However, I got hold of this via Japan from who I know rather than what I know. It is available on i-Tunes Japan here. As soon as I know of more availability I'll tell you. However I can't hold back on telling you how much that I am enjoying the album.