Weezer -- White Album

9/10

After rocking out again proved fruitful on 2014's Everything Will Be Alright In the End, Weezer decide to keep the party going on White. This 2016 album focuses on a teenage summer romance on the California coast. With that said, frontman, Rivers Cuomo, is able to weave personal things in, as "King of the World" not only fits White's story and vibe, but works as an ode to his wife, Kyoko. Considering the West Coast setting, the band's Beach Boys influence comes in a little stronger, with some wonderful harmonies, little piano melodies, and and beachy sound effects weaved throughout. This is a front-to-back great one, with the only on-the-fence track being the kind of silly single, "Thank God for Girls," though it at least still manages to fit in with the other tracks in its sound. The emotional arc here is magnificent, from the optimistic, let's run away to the West Coast opener, "California Kids" to the incredible closer, "Endless Bummer," where the once-again-single protagonist finds himself alone on the beach, and which builds from a gentle, 50's rock song, to a beautiful, cacophonous, cathartic, guitar symphony finish. Overall, the one-two punch of Everything...and White shows mid-10's Weezer is alive and rocking, and in the best musical shape they've been in since a certain other one-two punch they released exactly 20 years before each of these.


2016 Atlantic/Crush
1. California Kids 3:25 

2. Wind in Our Sail 2:53 

3. Thank God for Girls 3:30 

4. (Girl We Got A) Good Thing 3:25 

5. Do You Wanna Get High? 3:27 

6. King of the World 3:24 

7. Summer Elaine and Drunk Dori 3:25 

8. L.A. Girlz 3:29 

9. Jacked Up 2:53 

10. Endless Bummer 4:14