Why OK Human is Weezer’s Most Important Album Since Pinkerton
Ok Human by Weezer (via Pitchfork)
Oh, the plight of the Weezer fan. If you, like me, are a sucker for the earworm melodies, underdog lyrics, and sweet guitars that constitute much of Weezer’s music, you likely know exactly what I mean. If not, let me fill you in. In 1994, Weezer released their impeccable debut, the Blue Album, launching them into the limelight with a set of garage-rock tracks that were both gritty and irresistibly catchy. They followed it up two years later with Pinkerton, delivering an even rawer sound and extremely personal lyrics. For example, in “Why Bother?” Rivers Cuomo sings, “It's gonna hurt me, it's gonna kill when you desert me. This happened to me twice before, it won't happen to me anymore.” Both of these albums are fantastic, as most current Weezer fans would agree; which one I prefer varies with my mood. However, upon its release, Pinkerton was panned by fans and critics alike. Its sound was less radio-friendly and Rivers’ personal lyrics were not pretty, but rather blunt and often dark. I could write about Pinkerton and its reception ad nauseum (I maybe already have), but suffice it to say that the album initially tanked, and it seemed Weezer would have to change something if they wanted to stay relevant.
Unfortunately, Weezer did not change for the better but instead took a nosedive into mediocre pop. They overcorrected from Pinkerton and scrubbed from their music any edge that had made their early work so compelling, resulting in a stretch of albums in the aughts that ranged from solid to almost laughable. Much of the music was painfully generic and leaned into pop music tropes that many Weezer fans despised. Being a fervent fan, I can still find many songs in this stretch that I thoroughly enjoy, and in this lies the plight of the Weezer fan: there always seems to be hope around the corner, yet Weezer usually finds a way to disappoint.
Okay, this might not seem like such a conflict. A band made a couple of great albums and then fell off, nothing new (*cough cough* Oasis). However, a great return to form has always felt within their reach. Their output in the 2010s proves this point, as they released arguably their two best albums post-Pinkerton, Everything Will Be Alright in the End and the White Album. However, when everything was looking up, they released Pacific Daydream, possibly one of their worst. Following this, they released the long-anticipated Black Album, which had been hyped up as a Pinkerton-esque display of vulnerability. However, while I might maintain this album was overly hated, it was certainly not anything like what long-term Weezer fans were looking for, and instead delivered a collection of pop songs with a wide range in quality. After being let down time and time again, I can understand the jaded Weezer fan who just cannot take another album of squashed hopes. I am here today, however, to implore you to give Weezer one more chance (or if you are less familiar, to convince you to give them a shot). Their most recent album, OK Human, is an incredible feat that manages to be both the band’s biggest sonic shift in their career and their greatest return to form in 20 years.
Upon first listening to OK Human, I was immediately taken by the lush string arrangements Weezer managed to weave throughout most every song. They employ a 38-piece orchestra to color the album and push Weezer’s sound in a direction I would have never predicted. However, while there is hardly an electric guitar to be found, the strings surprisingly fill the void completely. Songs like “Aloo Gobi” and “Screens” both open with resounding cello riffs that are vibrationally very similar to typical Weezer guitar riffs. When the drums come in and Rivers gets in his groove, he sounds right at home over the chugging strings. And while songs like these retain that catchy Weezer aesthetic, songs such as “Numbers” and “Bird With A Broken Wing” go in a more cinematic direction, perfectly complementing the personal subject matter of the tracks. I could write about the strings for days, but every song on the album is just so well arranged. There is great attention to detail, and the climaxes are huge. However, much of the music is more subdued, with just a few instruments adding just the right textures to complement Rivers’ voice. It never feels like too much, yet there is never a dull moment.
To name a few other musical highlights, “All My Favorite Songs” serves as a compelling introduction to the album. Both it and “Grapes of Wrath” are just about as catchy as one could hope Weezer songs to be. “Dead Roses” is one of the shorter songs on the record, but I find myself more enthralled by the fantastic swells with every listen. The transition between “Playing My Piano” and “Mirror Image” is just ridiculously smooth (most all the transitions are on point). “Here Comes The Rain” serves as a much-needed pick up from the somber themes of most of the record, and “La Brea Tar Pits” is a great sendoff that makes it feel like the credits are rolling. While I could talk about the sound of this album for many more paragraphs, I think you should just listen to it. If you are curious as to what an orchestral album from an indie rock band sounds like, this is a fantastic place to look.
I clearly adore the music of this thing, but as a Weezer fan, what makes me love this album even more is how at home it feels. I do not have to sit through the band attempting to write empty radio hit after empty radio hit. Rather, each song feels compelling and necessary. In fact, much of what I expected the Black Album to actually come out on OK Human. It is a very personal album for Rivers and feels like Weezer’s closest work to Pinkerton. “Mirror Image” is an incredible display of poetry and ends with Rivers singing about being unable to reach salvation. It is incredibly raw, personal, and easily a standout moment, reminding me of the lofi, emotional aesthetic of songs like “How I Made My Millions” by Radiohead. “Bird With a Broken Wing” and “La Brea Tar Pits” see Rivers struggling with aging and losing relevance, and “Numbers” contains one of the most hard-hitting lines of the record, “I hear the sadness in your laughter.” Moments like these throughout the album result in a high emotional impact despite it only being 31 minutes long.
That being said, I won’t sit here and tell you that this is the most profound album you have ever heard. On some songs, it becomes evident that Rivers may never stop writing like an outcast high schooler. However, Weezer’s nerdy side is something that most (if not all) fans adore, and I am happy to report that it is alive and well on OK Human. It is part of Weezer’s unique voice and without it, I could hardly call this album a return to form. To be entirely honest is sometimes to not be very mature, and Weezer finds an endearing way to tap into this idea on OK Human, just as they have on their best albums before it. So, for the jaded Weezer fan, I understand you but I implore you to give this album a chance. They may well disappoint again, but it is the highs like these that make being a Weezer fan entirely worth it. And for the Weezer novice, give this thing a listen! It only takes a half-hour and you might just find a band and voice to fall in love with.
Edited by Nate Culbert, editor of Music You Need To Know
Cover art by Melia Allan
