The Weekly Coos

While I was driving to a listening party for Weezer’s upcoming album, Weezer (Gold Album), I thought about the last Weezer color album I loved: Weezer (White Album). It takes me back to when I first heard Weezer and what made me love them. When I hit play on the first song, “California Kids,” I got instantly transported again to the summery, beachy vibes of California. It’s laid back and filled with hope and determination as Rivers reflects on his ups and downs. A fitting intro to the California-influenced album, but the highs only get better from here. Weezer (White Album) takes you on a well-deserved ride filled with great music and classic Weezer writing. It’s why it’s my most revisited Weezer album next to the Blue Album and Ok Human.

There are no dull moments, though it’s hard to call it perfect. Some moments play it safe, which gives the album a streamlined feeling; however, it doesn’t completely hinder the final product. Much of that comes from Weezer’s overly creative writing, which connects the vibe to the stories in each song. Thankfully, the album as a whole is fantastic. It has many intangibles that make it a fantastic Weezer album. It’s almost up to par with their two best albums, Weezer (Blue Album) and Pinkerton. The writing has dimension, and there’s a great interconnectivity with how it’s inadvertently a concept album that’s geek-meets-girl-then-heartbreak. It’s nothing new, but seeing that Weezer orchestrated the tracklist this way adds a duality to the album. It can be read as a concept album or as a standard, yet fantastic Weezer album built around reflection and hope.

That’s what hooked me the most and made it memorable. It can be two different albums and remain simultaneously connected. I think it works because it doesn’t deliver a connected story; instead, the subject and themes follow a would-be tale with great dorky, intelligent writing and production. Weezer’s aspirations and reflections in their songwriting buoy the flow and elevate this duality; there’s “Thank God For Girls,” which reflects on the nerdy value women have, though with a more unusual approach, like when Rivers touts the kisses on the injuries. “Do You Wanna Get High?” has Rivers reflecting on a connective drug habit he had with his significant other in 2000/2001; it works as a metaphor for impending mistakes and regret, despite making it seem like it’s about a couple getting closer at the peak of their relationship. “Endless Bummer” is the sad closer that makes the closure impactful with the notion that all good things have to come to an end. 

Weezer (White Album) is one of my most revisited Weezer albums. It’s because beneath its string of great songs of surprises like “King of the World,” with its grunge instrumentation, or when they go a little more hardcore/post-hardcore in other songs, like “L.A. Girlz”. It’s descriptive and fun with solid alternative-rock production that hooks you when the chorus hits. It’s worth the journey with Weezer (White Album).