Raditude

An examination of Weezer’s back catalogue reveals a band struck by some kind of music schizophrenia. The Blue Album and Pinkerton were both brilliant and had a defining effect on the US alternative scene in the 90’s. Fast-forward to more recent times and listen to Make Believe or the abysmal Red Album and the difference in quality is mind boggling. Gone were the witty lyrics and catchy guitar hooks, replaced by some of the most dire music I’ve had the misfortune of listening too. Sure, ‘Pork and Beans’ was great, but one song doesn’t make an album. Given Weezer’s later work, the idea of reviewing Raditude inspired me to do work over reading week; I don’t think I could bear listening to Weezer’s once great reputation be furthermore tarnished.

To my surprise Raditude really isn’t all that bad, in fact it’s actually almost a credible album. Weezer seem to have taken a step back to reality and embraced their more traditional approach to song writing. ‘I’m Your Daddy’ brings back the infuriatingly addictive hooks and hints at the exceptional talent Rivers Cuomo possesses. ‘The Girl Got Hot’ takes a leaf out of the work of classic single ‘Keep Fishing’, mixing catchy guitars with a distinctive beat and tops it all off with sing-along vocals to make for the standout track of the album.

Whilst it’s an improvement on Weezer’s later work, Raditude still seems more of a B-sides collection than a complete record. Littered amongst the impressive tracks are some more questionable songs that devalue the album considerably. I’m no Luddite but I don’t like musicians crossing genres when it seems forced; exactly the result with Lil Wayne’s appearance on ‘Can’t Stop Partying’. It turns a potentially decent track into a crude novelty piece. ‘Love is the Answer’ is the most cringe worthy track; lyrically Rivers Cuomo is like Jekyll and Hyde and falters here.

Should you buy Raditude? If you’re a Weezer fan already then definitely. It’s lightyears in front of the previous two releases and in places hints at what a fantastic band they once were. For people relatively unaware of Weezer, get the Blue Album first. As for the improvement Raditude offers over recent releases, they were so ridiculously bad that it wouldn’t take much to better them, and here certain tracks are still poor enough to put you off Weezer for life. An album typical of Weezer’s career; exceptional in places, abysmal in others.