Album Review: Weezer - OK Human

So, new Weezer album. No, not the one they keep delaying, that one is scheduled for release in May, this is a different one. The promotion of this record gets a tad messy, so we shall backtrack.

In the mid 1990s, the Californian rock pop band Weezer released Blue and Pinkerton, two of the most melancholically fun records of that decade. The universal love for Weezer’s early discography is undeniable, as is the loyal fanbase that has followed the group ever since. But, that loyalty has been tested. Weezer’s discography is one of the most inconsistent around and both their fan and critical acclaim dropped considerably throughout the 2000s. In fairness, Weezer’s output during this time was not terrible and is perhaps a little over-hated. Regardless, the sentence on the lips of followers during this time was usually, ‘this is ok, but Pinkerton was better.’ Then, in 2016, the band released White, a record that brought them back to their very best, leading to jubilation amongst fans. Little did these fans know that their newfound jubilation would soon diminish. The albums following White nosedived in quality; quite considerably. Some of Weezer’s most recent records were victims of a desperate want for youthful commercialism and they became detrimentally susceptible to all of the worst pop clichés. I cannot be alone in attempting to block Pacific Daydream from my memory and I live with eternal hope that the band never return to that sound.

The universal love for Weezer’s early discography is undeniable, as is the loyal fanbase that has followed the group ever since

All this leaves Weezer at a tricky stage in their career, made all the more difficult by the Covid-19 pandemic. The band were set to release Van Weezer (no really, that is the name of the album) in 2020. Numerous delays leave that record yet to be released. However, in amongst these delays, noises were being made of another new record. A shorter, understated release, to be called Ok Human. It was barely a month into 2021 that an official release date was announced and now, here it is. With records being delayed, announced, delayed and re-announced, there was little way of knowing what to expect. After all, this is not even the album Weezer fans have been waiting for. Furthermore, this record’s sole single, released barely before the album itself, is vastly different to the singles teasing towards Van Weezer. But memes aside, Weezer have just released not only a good album, but a genuine career highlight.

‘All My Favourite Songs’ is this record’s opener and like many tracks here, the hook is supremely catchy. Many a classic Weezer track is built around Rivers Cuomo’s ability to write memorable earworms and this quality remains on OK Human. But the most curious element of this opening track is Weezer’s full-fledged embrace of chamber pop. The strings and horns that play throughout the song are soaked in influence from The Beach Boys and The Beatles. In that sense, the music is somewhat nostalgic, but tastefully so. In fact, the arrangements and mixing on this album as a whole are wonderfully constructed, with Jake Sinclair’s production bringing a considerable brightness to these 12 tracks. The songs remain catchy, but the clichés absent.

Following ‘All My Favourite Songs’ is the track ‘Aloo Gobi,’ a bittersweet song where Rivers describes the monotony of an evening out with his significant other, a mundane necessity that he paradoxically craves when living during a pandemic. This is a theme throughout this record. The album is called OK Human. Humans are the subject. It is not strictly personal, but it is personable. What does it mean to be alive in a time when many of the aspects that shape humanity are stripped from us? How do humans interact with each other and just as importantly, with themselves? We have this thematic progression going into the song ‘Grapes of Wrath.’ Again, the orchestration is perfectly woven into the band’s natural songwriting and the hook on this track is so good. There is so much I could say about how good this chorus is, but it may be easiest just to say that it is so, so good. The lyrics sweetly detail Rivers’ adoration of audiobooks, functioning as an ode to both great storytelling and one’s own imagination. ‘Open ear and open mind/I can see without my eyes.’ It is an overtly positive tone to take and a rare moment of kindness and appreciation for the advantages of one’s own company.

What does it mean to be alive in a time when many of the aspects that shape humanity are stripped from us?

Many of the tracks on OK Human carry this concept of self. The song ‘Numbers’ is a slight change of pace musically but continues the conceptual aspects of its predecessors, this time questioning the point of quantitively measuring oneself against others rather than themselves. I would call it a cliché, but the way Rivers conveys the damage of comparison is actually very smart. Repeating that ‘Numbers are out to get you’ implies a unique cynicism towards humanly comparison. Likewise, the lyrics ‘They’ll kill you if they get through’ allude to concerns of obsession, as well as continuing this association of numbers as being predatory.

‘Playing my Piano’ is this album at its most self-absorbed, as Rivers finds himself so transfixed with the instrument he is playing to see even his own family. Rather satisfyingly, he name-drops a few keys and modes in a typically geeky Weezer fashion. Yes, it is silly, but it is an endearing silliness that allows the band to remain themselves and stamp this orchestral sound with their own stylistic signature. We then flip entirely as this track seamlessly transitions into the short ‘Mirror Image,’ where Rivers’ confesses devotion towards his wife. She is his mirror image, his reflection, another example of this album’s continual evaluation of self. These lyrics accompany the huge backdrop of impeccably mixed strings and piano. Everything is meticulous, ornate and functioning to exactly the appropriate degree.

It is an endearing silliness that allows the band to remain themselves and stamp this orchestral sound with their own stylistic signature

‘Screens’ continues the thick staccato string riffs, with Rivers’ now discussing phone addiction. This is the closest to a cliché that the band reach, but it is still a passable track. Thematically, it is similar to ‘Numbers,’ just slightly underwhelming in comparison. We then reach ‘Bird with a Broken Wing’ and ‘Dead Roses,’ which are slower and more melancholic. These songs are far from the fun vignettes that compose the first half of this record. Regardless, these tracks are understandable within the track-listing. Were this record longer, this variety would be crucial, but at only 30 minutes long, there is little room for bells, whistles or in this case, musical digressions. Resultantly, these tracks slow the album down and there is a slight lull in the track-listing.

Thankfully, a return to form follows with the song ‘Here Comes the Rain,’ with the vocal hook ‘here comes the rain/ Oh, it’s gonna wash all my troubles away.’ Before allowing eyes to collectively tumble backwards, give this a chance. There is something wonderfully childish about these lyrics, reminiscent of Flood era They Might Be Giants. Remember, for all of complexities of humanity, childish mundanity still exists in all of us. This track captures it with alarming precision. The album’s closer, ‘La Brea Tar Pits,’ is the most personable track of all. Themes of fear and desperation for legacy run throughout the lyrics set to another well-constructed instrumental. This record is defined by two aspects. The orchestral arrangements and Rivers’ storytelling, both of which manifest in the album’s closing moments.

Who expected this then? Weezer in 2021 releasing one of the best records of their lengthy discography. It is a little short, but a breath of fresh air nonetheless. It all comes together, it all works. Van Weezer is now a record to seriously anticipate. It will be an altogether different style but provided it possesses the succinct, intelligent and thoughtful songwriting on OK Human, 2021 should be good year for fans of Weezer.