STARS: 3/5

While most people are trading in candy skulls for cornucopias, alternative rock band Weezer has a different season in mind: summer. Weezer’s upbeat tunes and summer lyrical references on its 11th studio album “Pacific Daydream” make for plenty of fun bops, but ultimately fail to make a transformative work that will stand the test of time.

The album kicks off with arguably the most summer-esque songs of the bunch, “Mexican Fender,” “Beach Boys,” “Feels Like Summer” and “Happy Hour.”

“Mexican Fender” is the most narrative of these summer anthems. The track’s long-winded verses like, “She got a bachelor’s degree in physics and a job in computer programming.

That’s pretty cool for a singer in a band so I knew we would end up jamming,” at times felt more like rambling than well-thought out, meaningful lyrics.

Many of the tracks on the record have simple, repetitive choruses, making it easy for someone hearing the song for the first time to be singing along before it’s over. Listeners of “Mexican Fender” will feel the urge to sing out the chorus, “she loves me, she loves me, she loves me not” while those listening to “Feels Like Summer” will be belting out, “Yeah, it feels like summer. Yeah, it feels like summer to me.”

“Happy Hour” fuses electronic pop with Weezer’s alternative-style vocals to create an upbeat weekend jam, still keeping in line with the album’s carefree theme.

“Weekend Woman” starts with a guitar and drum intro, more rock-focused than its preceding tracks. When the track enters the chorus, the bell chimes in the background are reminiscent of Christmas, creating a juxtaposition with the rest of the album’s beachy vibes.

“QB Blitz” stands out as the best song on “Pacific Daydream.” The slower, stripped-back track contains more melancholy lyrics right off the bat when lead singer Rivers Cuomo sings about having a hard time making friends. Still, lyrics like “I can’t get anyone to do algebra with me” and “I’ll be missing you like oxygen” make the song hard to take seriously at times.
Those looking to be transported back to the simplicity of summer should look no further than “Pacific Daydream,” but if you’re looking for more thought-provoking lyrics and experimental, dynamic sounds, you’ll likely be disappointed with Weezer’s latest work.
Listen to “Pacific Daydream” below.