Weezer has turned and left me here.
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4
Less than a year on from Weezer (White Album), their critically-acclaimed Grammy-nominated tenth LP, American alt-rock veterans Weezer will be back for an as yet untitled effort this summer. However, continuing the resurgence of that record and 2014’s Everything Will Be Alright In The End looks uncertain, with the topically titled ‘Feels Like Summer’ unfortunately a whimper rather than a bang.
With a needlessly poppy about-turn to the infamous days of Ratitude, it’s difficult to fathom what exactly Weezer is attempting. Frontman Rivers Cuomo suggested a darker and more mature tone for their new material, so ‘Feels Like Summer’ must surely have been put out by mistake. The guitars aren’t there, and neither does it conform to Weezer’s old but gold material, which was notably more subdued and geeky. (White Album was, at times, even more beach-driven.) The drums are… OK, I guess? Their presentation is more artificial, but this was something that White Album played upon to great effect, whereas on ‘Feels Like Summer’ they’re a bit too poppy for it to work. The structure and build is straight up pop, though – the effects and mix used on the track really don’t help either, making this an alienating listen.
Ultimately sitting somewhere in between White Album‘s salvages from the cutting room floor and recent Fall Out Boy alt-pop, ‘Feels Like Summer’ is a hugely disappointing first glimpse of new Weezer. Lets just hope that this is just 2014 all over again and that everything will be alright in the end.
‘Feels Like Summer’ is out now via Crush Music and Atlantic Records
