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CRITIC REVIEWS
90
Any of its retro origins are washed away by big, dumb sounds that keep the record grounded in the eternal now, an aesthetic choice that also helps the album be a rousing good time.
83
With tons of great hooks, and minimal cringe, this is the rare Weezer record that is simply fun to listen to, without fear of having to jump for the “skip” button every couple of songs.
80
There's emotional heft beneath the screaming solos - this is ultimately a record about identity and belonging.
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2y
80
Albeit inadvertently, Van Weezer has adapted to its unprecedented recontextualisation... Its evocation of rock music’s hedonistic, joyful potential now feels like a promise of better days.
80
Always delivered with a wink and a smile, it may not be the Weezer you’d show off to your mates, but it’s almost certainly the one you’ll listen to for a much-needed serotonin hit.
80
For the first time in too long, it is a Weezer record that rocks exactly how a Weezer record should – and that means you might as well jump right in.
70
Weezer are goofing around with some of their favourite influences, and their excitement is contagious.
70
Essentially an album of multiple variations on Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus, Van Weezer is a lightweight guilty pleasure, but a mostly delicious pleasure.
70
It’s an imperfect album that still manages to shine with catchy singles and gratifying deep cuts, even if never quite reaches the height of its predecessor, ‘OK Human’.
70
For every chugging Metallica-esque reference there’s something softer and not-so metal but when it’s all said and done, the album is big and fun.
70
The whole thing mostly works, though, thanks to the generous application of a Blue Album power-pop filter.
60
The sentiments charm and Cuomo’s nose for a tune endures, but the drive-time metal supremacy of Def Leppard and Mutt Lange is never under serious threat.
60
The lightweight nature of Van Weezer may very well be its saving grace; it’s hard to get quite as mad at Rivers Cuomo when he writes songs like these, silly tributes to the larger-than-life rock gods that made him want to pick up a guitar.
60
It doesn’t feel or sound disingenuous, ironic, or affected. That’s where Weezer have been faltering for far too long, and it’s a trap this record almost seemed set up to fall into. It doesn’t.
60
Rivers Cuomo has been threatening this Eighties-loving hard-rock project for quite a while, there's nothing revelatory about his hijacked hair metal, but he's undeniably good at it.
60
The heavy metal pastiche often clashes against Rivers Cuomo's sensitive style of songwriting, but album 15 does boast one of the band's best choruses.
59
Rivers Cuomo’s latest is a tribute to his hair metal heroes, but it never goes all that hard.
58
Aside from the singles, Weezer's fifteenth studio album is decidedly un-rad.
55
Unless Van Weezer was marketed as a concept album revolving around a down-on-his-luck rockstar fulfilling his rockstar fantasies as a way to escape the pains of daily life, the album feels lazy and uninspired. Even then, that concept gives Weezer too much credit.
50
Does it succeed on its own terms? In the case of Van Weezer, the answer isn't clear. It's too patchy to be a Yes but far too tuneful and breezy to be a No.
50
Between a few tracks hitting and Rivers singing "pump it up into me, please daddy" as a hook, Van Weezer is pretty much a mid-tier Weezer album.
50
For the most part, Van Weezer feels like Cuomo and the band have decided to pull a handbrake turn before reversing off a cliff.
40
It’s another Weezer gotcha moment, a gimmicky novelty album that has a handful of redeeming songs but will ultimately fade into the ether within a few months.
34
Van Weezer is the definition of a modern Weezer album: if you go in expecting it to be as dumb and forgettable as other recent Weezer albums, you’re going to get exactly that.
30
The hero worship on Van Weezer is so bland and basic that it feels less like a tribute and more like a lame parody.
I WAS BEYOND HYPED FOR THIS ALBUM TO COME OUT!!!!! FOR OVER 6 MONTHS, EVERY TIME I LOG ONTO THIS SITE, I WAS FORCED TO STARE AT THAT “graphic design is my passion” VAN HALEN RIP-OFF LOOKING ASS ALBUM COVER AT THE TOP OF ANTICIPATED ALBUMS EVERYDAY❗️My life is fulfilled cause I never thought I’d live to see the day of this album dropping. I’m so happy I never have to look at that awful cover ever ... read more
“Van Weezer”, American band Weezer’s second project of the year is finally out now after an immense amount of hype. Earlier this year, we received Weezer’s interest revitalization, “OK Human”, the chamber pop rock album with many exciting and euphoric moments, which I can officially say is a solid album. After years of decline, this was their first output to get old listeners intrigued again. This left me both excited and worried for the next album. ... read more
Okay am I crazy or is "All the Good Ones" just "Beverly Hills"? Like they sound almost identical aside from the production on BH being ever so slightly shitter.
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Track List
| 1 | Hero 3:56 | 72 |
| 2 | All The Good Ones 2:44 | 62 |
| 3 | The End of the Game 3:01 | 75 |
| 4 | I Need Some of That 3:19 | 70 |
| 5 | Beginning of the End 3:15 | 76 |
| 6 | Blue Dream 2:50 | 52 |
| 7 | 1 More Hit 3:05 | 61 |
| 8 | Sheila Can Do It 2:57 | 54 |
| 9 | She Needs Me 2:52 | 47 |
| 10 | Precious Metal Girl 2:50 | 63 |
Total Length: 30 minutes
Year End Lists
| #30 | / | Chorus.fm |
| #36 | / | Good Morning America |
| #44 | / | Kerrang! |
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7mo
sometimes I wake up in a cold sweat and in my eyes all I see is the words “There's emotional heft beneath the screaming solos - this is ultimately a record about identity and belonging”
1y
WEEZER NEWS:
The upcoming Weezer project, SZNS is currently looking like it will be 4 albums with 8 tracks each. Each album will represent a season (Spring, Summer etc.)
Whether or not it will drop all at once remains to be seen.
The upcoming Weezer project, SZNS is currently looking like it will be 4 albums with 8 tracks each. Each album will represent a season (Spring, Summer etc.)
Whether or not it will drop all at once remains to be seen.
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Added on: September 10, 2019