Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright in the End

A review of Weezer’s latest album.

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The cover of the new album, released by Republic Records.

by Jack Whyte, Staff Writer

Veteran Los Angeles Alt-Rockers Weezer has done it again. Their ninth and most recent studio album, Everything Will Be Alright in the End, was released on Oct. 7, 2014 off their new record label Republic Records.

Everything Will Be Alright in the End is the third Weezer album to be produced by Rick Ocasek, the lead singer of the 80’s new wave band The Cars. The previous two Weezer-Ocasek collaborations were 1991’s Weezer (commonly referred to by fans as “The Blue Album”) and 2001’s Weezer (similarly known as “The Green Album”), the former being widely considered one of the best rock albums of the 1990s.

According to the band, the focus coming into this album was to depart from the “modern pop production” that they felt was too prevalent with Weezer’s previous two releases, Raditude (2009) and Hurley (2010). This departure was achieved by reuniting with Ocasek and other members of the creative team that contributed to “The Blue Album,” by far the band’s biggest success (both commercially and critically, receiving a triple-platinum certification).

The album features a polished, mastered sound that recalls the achievement of musicianship that made Weezer’s first album such a revelation. At the same time, lead singer and principle songwriter Rivers Cuomo’s lyrics are touching on topics and material unprecedented in his previous work. The rhythm section of bassist Scott Shriner and drummer Patrick Wilson provide a thunderous foundation upon which the fantastic guitar work of Rivers and rhythm guitarist Brian Bell is laid. Cuomo’s vocals sound as good as they did in 1991.

Interestingly, parts of Everything Will Be Alright in the End may come across as strangely familiar to Glen Rock residents. The album’s 10th track, “Foolish Father,” was written by Rivers Cuomo with a guitarist named Patrick Stickles, a Glen Rock High School alumnus and lead singer of up-and-coming indie rock band Titus Andronicus. Weezer teamed up with a number of other lesser-known performers, including indie rockers Best Coast and pop songwriting duo Josh Alexander and Billy Steinberg.

Overall, Everything Will Be Alright in the End is a wonderful balance of old and new. It features elements that will please long time Weezer fans that loved their early work as well as newcomers to the alt-rock genre. The only criticism is the departure of modern pop production may not have been completely achieved given the receptiveness of certain tracks such as “Go Away”.

Key Tracks: “Ain’t Got No Body”, “Eulogy for a Rock Band”, “The British Are Coming”