Weezer

Hurley

Hurley is a triumph for the band in that it is finally a return to form. As a standalone record, this is arguably their most enjoyable album since Maladroit.

A bonus-track cover of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida is kind of sickly, but generally this album is yet another celebration of a band so comfortable in their own skin that you can’t help but follow their example.

It might seem impossible, but this album is actually somewhat solid. I can't say it's going to make history in Weezer's discography--maybe for it's cover--but it's certainly a bright spot considering its predecessors were Raditude and Red.

While Hurley can in no way compare to The Blue Album and Pinkerton, it sits proudly atop the list of everything Weezer have done since. Sure that may not be saying much, but damn, it's a pleasant surprise.

Those who optimistically purchased Make Believe and Raditude will know that a good first single does not a great Weezer album make, but Hurley is packed solid, with a sense of fun and good-time melodies cropping up at every juncture.

On the whole, Hurley isn’t the catastrophe people probably expected. It’s pretty enjoyable.

Again, Cuomo doesn’t suppress his emotion; he just prefers sentiment (albeit delivered somewhat ironically as on lead single “Memories”), but what he loves most of all is a pure pop song and Hurley offers up its fair share.

The band’s aims are more modest now: have fun, get people to sing along, share a common feeling or two. Hurley achieves those goals with something approaching dignity. Phew.

As they grow older, Cuomo and his bandmates will never make a record that supplants their fans’ fond Pinkerton-related memories—but a few more impassioned albums like Hurley might erase the sour aftertaste of several Raditudes.